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TAI CHI COMBAT Crompton Amazon UK ref: 0877735956 | Amazon US ref: 0877735956 T'ai Chi Combat represents another attempt to restore the Yang element to the Yin-Yang art of Tai Chi Chuan. The original Chen-family style was softened by the Yang-family derivative (no connection to the concept of Yang) and even further softened in the West owing to the prevalent influence of Cheng Man Ching's form. The author suggests that this softness caught on in the West (but not in the East) because it coincided with anti-war feeling and hippy escapism from the realities of life.
The balance of Yin and Yang is not, however, just a Twentieth Century issue, and the author considers the effect on Tai Chi of the rival influences of Budhism (hard, external) and Taoism (Yin-Yang) , as well as changes within Taoism (the three stages). Crompton argues that the first stage provided a more realistic and balanced view of life and contained the essential principles of life on which Tai Chi was originally based.
The author deconstructs the threefold terminology of Tai Chi which is based on at least three different systems: combat-specific terms, terms descriptive of more neutral actions and cultural/poetic terms. Crompton finds reliance on these terms less than adequate for a modern international audience and advances - presumably for instructors - a supplementary descriptive system in plain English. This system is based on three themes - type of motion, type of energy and type of effect - giving rise to descriptions such as pushing-gradual-unbalancing.
The importance of spiralling motions which inform both Chinese martial arts and dance is examined, and he makes an insightful comparison between so-called 'improvisation' in Tai Chi pushing hands and that in certain forms of music such as jazz and Classical Indian music where the performers mostly only appear to improvise but actually re-present many already assimilated phrases and runs. This is followed by sections on partner exercises and application to combat
It's a very rational system and he builds cleverly upon it with the advocacy of visualisation. But whilst he provides a valuable structure and insights, I can't quite see this catching on.
© armed-combat.com - 19 June 2001
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