Chinese Martial Arts Training Manuals A Historical Survey

Secret training manuals, magic swords, and kung fu masters flying through the air: these are the stock motifs of Chinese martial arts movies and novels. Secret manuals, unlike the many other movie motifs, actually do have a basis in reality. Chinese martial arts masters of the past did indeed write secret training manuals, as well as training manuals made available to the general public. An invaluable source of information about China's martial arts past, this collection of training manuals introduces the West to many of these previously unpublished photographs of great masters and original drawings depicting the intended forms of Chinese martial arts. The lavishly illustrated book covers Chinese martial arts training manuals from over thirty historical masters. The text teaches the principles, techniques, and forms of a martial arts system and also places these training manuals in the wider cultural context of Chinese martial arts, with chapters on such topics as the history of the manuals, Chinese martial arts historians, the history of Taiwanese martial arts, the livelihoods of Chinese martial artists, the Imperial military exams, the place of the Shaolin Temple in Chinese martial arts history, and Chinese martial arts systems classifications. An outstanding history of Chinese martial arts training manuals and the general social context of Chinese martial arts, the book offers something for both the general reader unfamiliar with Chinese martial arts and the seasoned student of martial arts looking for historical information on the famous masters.

Brian L. Kennedy, an attorney, has practiced Chinese martial arts since 1976 and has recently begun studying Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. His previous books, which appeared in Chinese, include Witness Examination Skills, the official reference for Taiwan’s prosecutors and trial judges, and Legal Ethics.

Elizabeth Nai-Jia Guo is a professional translator living in Taiwan. She is a practitioner of qi gong and hatha yoga. She has translated a wide range of books into Chinese including titles on church architecture, the history of science, and criminal law. Guo and Kennedy co-author a regular column for Classical Fighting Arts magazine.