If you are interested in a good book about Chinese martial arts history may I recommend (with an utter disregard for modesty) my wife and I’s book, which I notice went on sale as a reissue this month with Random House publishers. The book is titled Chinese Martial Arts Training Manuals: A Historical Survey. Here is the blurb:
http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display...n=9781583941942
She and I are also working on a similar volume which will cover Daoist training manuals of the late Qing dynasty and the Republican period. That book should appear probably about a year down the road.
If anyone has any questions about Daoist martial arts manuals I would be happy to provide whatever information I can. I am somewhat familiar with both the english language and Chinese language materials.
take care,
Brian
p.s. to kind of give an idea what is in the martial arts history book here is the table of contents:
Part I
The Background
Introduction
Sources of Chinese martial arts training manuals
Romanization and Chinese names
An Introduction to Chinese Martial Arts
A caveat about Chinese martial arts history
Chinese martial arts historians
Tang Hao （唐豪）
Xu Zhen （徐震）
Matsuda Ryuchi （松田隆智）
Chou Chi Chun （周繼春）
Prof. Ma Ming De （馬明達）
Prof. Kang Ge Wu （康戈武）
Westerners researching Chinese martial arts history
Shaolin temple, Wudang Mountain and other storied places
Stories storybooks and public images
Chinese Martial Arts Classification Schemes
Internal versus external
Northern versus southern
Shaolin versus Wudang
Religion, morality and martial arts
Imperial military exams
Prof. Kang Ge Wu’s Top 12 Chinese Martial Classics
History of Chinese martial arts training manuals
Legendary period
Early wood block period
Hand copies period
Republican period
Nationalist government support
Modern Period
English language Chinese martial arts training manuals
The problem of authorship
Different editions
What the manuals contain
Who were the manuals written for
How did Chinese martial artists make their living
Military
Private security
Teaching and medicine
Performing, opera and street
Crime
Taiwan Martial Arts History
Taiwan’s importance
Martial arts culture; old and new
Taiwan’s martial arts history; Qing dynasty
Koxinga
Martial arts of Qing era Taiwan
How the arts were taught in Qing era Taiwan
Bronze man manual
Militias and martial arts
Hsilo and the 7 Sets
Sung Chiang Battle Arrays
Japanese era
The Righteous Thief
Post WW2 and the KMT
Politics and martial arts
Important modern figures
Foreigners to Taiwan
Mr. Liu Kang Yi: Keeping the Traditions Alive
Boxing Manuals in Translation: Problems and Perils
Part II
The Books
A note on sources
General Qi Ji Guang （戚繼光）(1528-1587)
“New Book on Effective Military Techniques”（紀效新書）
Sun Lu Tang （孫祿堂）(1861-1933)
“The Study of Xingyi Boxing” （形意拳學）
“The Study of Bagua Boxing” （八卦拳學）
“The Study of Taiji Boxing” （太極拳學）
“The True Essence of Boxing” （拳意述真）
“The Study of Bagua Sword” （八卦劍學）
Jiang Rong Qiao（姜容樵）(1891-1974)
“Xingyi Mother Fists” （寫真形意母拳）
“Mizongquan” （迷蹤拳）
and numerous others
Xie Dien, Gao Zhi Jen, Chiang Xin Shan（薛顛、高志仁、蔣馨山）: editors
“Xingyi Training Materials” （形意拳術講義）
Shaolin monk Xuan Ji（玄機和尚）, original author
Zhang Ming E and Zhang Kong Zhao（張孔昭）editors and compilers
Cao Huan Dou（曹煥斗） editor, author, illustrator
“Fist Classic; Fist Method” （拳經拳法備要）
Wu Shu (1611-1695)（吳殳）
“Record of Arms”（手臂錄）
Chang Nai Zhou（萇乃周）(1728-1783)
“The Book of Chang Style Martial Techniques”（ 萇式武技書）
Zhu Xia Tian（朱霞天）
“Boxing Book”（拳乘）
Chen Zi Ming（陳子明）(died 1951)
“Chen Family Taijiquan Passed Through Generations” （陳式世傳太極拳術）
Huang Yuan Xiou （黃元秀）
Li Jing Lin（李景林）
“The Main Points of Wudang Sword” （武當劍法大要）
Wan Lai Sheng （萬籟聲）(1903-1995)
“The Common Basis of Martial Arts” （武術匯宗）
Huang Bo Nien（黃柏年）(1880-1954)
“Xingyi Fist and Weapons Instruction” （形意）
“Dragon Body Bagua” （龍形八卦掌）
Huang Wen Shu（黃文叔）
“The Essence of Yang Style Taijiquan and Miscellaneous Talks on Martial Arts”
（楊家太極拳各藝要義與武術偶談）
Jin Ing Zhong（金恩忠）(1904-?)
“Shaolin 72 Arts Practice Method” （少林七十二藝練法）
Xu Yu Xin（徐愚忻）
“Fist Methods Study Textbook”（ 拳術學教科書）
Tong Zhong Yi（佟忠義）(1878-1963)
“Chinese Wrestling” （中國摔角法）
Li Cun Yi（李存義）(1847-1921)
Dong Xiu Sheng（董秀升）(1882-1939)
“Yue Fei’s Intent Boxing” （岳飛意拳）
Yin Yu Zhan（尹玉璋）(1890-1950)
“A Brief Book of Baguazhang” （八卦掌簡編）
“Slashing Saber Practice” （砍刀術練習法）
Huang Bao Ting（黃寶亭）
“Shun Hand Boxing” （順手拳）
Yang Kui Yuan（楊奎元）
“Complete Book of Guoshu” （國術大全）
Sun Xi Kun（孫錫堃）(1883-1952)
“The Real Teaching of Bagua Quan” （八卦拳真傳）
Ren Zhi Cheng（任致誠）
Gao Zhi Kai（高植楷）
“Study of Yin-Yang Eight Coiling Palms” （陰陽八盤掌）
Lam Sai Wing（林尚榮）(1861-1942)
“Taming the Tiger Fist” （伏虎拳）
“Tiger and Crane Fist” （虎鶴雙拳）
“Iron Thread Form” （鐵線拳）
Chen Wei Ming（陳微明）
“Taijiquan” （太極拳）
“Taijiquan Questions and Answers”（太極拳答問）
“Taiji Sword” （太極劍）
Shanghai City Police Training Center（上海市警察局訓練所）
“Rope Techniques for Arrest” （捕繩術）
Tang Ji Ren（湯吉人）editor, compiler
“Tang Family External Big Hong Fist” （湯式拳術──外功大洪拳）
Jin Yi Ming（金一明）
“The Basics of Boxing” （拳術初步）
Li Xian Wu（李先五）
“Taijiquan” （太極拳）
Xu Yi Qian（胥以謙）
“Chuan Na Quan” （穿拏拳）
Yan De Hua（閻德華）
“Wall Breaking Shaolin (also known as Bagua Palm Methods) （少林破壁）
Liu Jin Sheng（劉金聲）
Zhao Jiang（趙江）
“Chin Na Methods” （擒拿法）
Wang Xian Bin（王賢賓）
“A Detailed Explanation of Intent Qi Gong” （意氣功詳解）
Chen Ting Rui（陳霆銳）(translator and commentator)
“Western Boxing” （西洋拳術）