Customer Rating: 
Summary: Tai Chi At It's Best
Comment: This Tai Chi book is absolutely amazing if you're trying to learn Tai Chi. This book is definitely a keeper, and I HIGHLY recommend this book to everyone. I will need to buy a second one of these books just to have a second. Now only if there was another Tai Chi book that tells how to use Tai Chi in a fighting way or anything like that, in the way this book teaches would be amazing. Tell me if you know of any good Tai Chi sites that are free also. Good Book, Would buy again!!
Customer Rating:
Summary: T'ai Chi DAN
Comment: The book is a treasure.Dr. Zhang was my teacher. He was a quiet but well discipline Master.He would work with us and correcting us with a quiet "Very Good -Needs work. "He would bring his book,in Chinese, and show us the diagrams and contine to work of the simplified form .If you purchase only one book this is where you start.Clear consice instruction will allow you to move throught the form . The diagrams of the foot movement of the form (placements) is excellent.One of my fiends is a teacher by memorizing the text.You will find many books and tapes on the market,none will better for you as student in learning the "form". Treat your self to a bargin...DAn
Customer Rating:
Summary: The Detailed Instruction is Excellent
Comment: This book has a couple of nice chapters covering the basic characteristics of T'ai Chi Ch'uan and the key points of practice. It then has separate chapters on the short 24-form, the standard 88-form, and push hands. Since I do not practice the standard 88-form or push hands, I cannot comment on those chapters. The chapter on the short 24-form is excellent. Each motion is covered in great detail, both with written instructions and diagrams. The written instructions are quite detailed, yet easy to follow and there are notes at the end of each motion that provide additional focus and emphasis. The diagrams are also very well done.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Really great little book
Comment: I agree with one of the previous writers that this really is an undiscovered little gem of a book. It has some great advice that is hardly to be found in other books. For example, it has a very simple mnemonic on how to remember when you're supposed to be breathing in vs. breathing out--considered a more advanced way of doing the form, but if you read this passage you'll know it for good. Also, very cool, detailed footwork diagrams showing angle and direction both for the short and the long form. And rarely seen advice pointing out that one can be double- weighted in two ways--you can be double-weighted youself, but also you can be double-weighted with an opponent. All in all a great little book (actually not so little, with over 600 different illustrations) and well worth the money. You'll still need some professional instruction or a video to be able to get far enough to use the book, because a book really can't teach you the form or the postures, but if you do, the book will enhance your existing knowledge.
Once you have the form down, you can start to learn the martial applications if you're so inclined. By the way, learning those will help your form practice, since it will help you remember and understand how actually to best perform the movement. Perhaps the briefest definition of tai chi is that it consists of both small and large circle martial chi gung. If you understand that you will probably know more than the vast majority of the practitioners out there.
Customer Rating: 
Summary: A good complement to instruction...
Comment: The illustrations in the book are great and easy to follow, but won't be much use to absolute beginners. I recommend this as a reminder or a sort of "cheat sheet" for people who have had instruction or at the very least have a video/dvd. Without having seen the movements demonstrated properly it will be hard to learn from this book.
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