Sun Style Tai Chi Chuan: Volume One: The 97 Postures

This is a guidebook on the Traditional Sun Style Tai Chi Chuan Form developed by Sun Lu-Tang and his daughter Sun Jian-Yun. The guide analyses the Postures into separate elements within the Postures and also the transitions between the elements and postures themselves. It builds up a comprehensive foundation of how the movements within the form develop into this complex martial art form which also produces substantial benefits in health. This enables a beginner to form a framework, and the more experienced practitioner to build up an understanding of the transitions within the complete posture. There are notes on variations also listed which may help to make the form more accessible to those of restricted mobility.There is a second volume available entitled “The Companion Guide: Nurturing the Small” which details many activities, thoughts and exercises on learning and teaching Sun Style Tai Chi and also relating to interesting aspects which are useful for both students and instructors of Qi Gong.This first volume describes and analyses the 97 Postures, and breaks the posture down into separate elements and the transitions between them. Some posture have as many as five sequences of movement within the posture that themselves could be considered individual postures in their own right. These are the elements that are broken down and individually described, enabling transitions to be united into one flowing formThe text is illustrated with over 650 photographs, these show the postures, elements and transitions throughout the form in a strip sequence matching the narrative. There also are additional photographs where further illumination is beneficial.The author adds description on some variations based on studying the Sun Style 97 Posture Form extensively over the last fifteen years. He has trained extensively with the late David Martin of Leicester, one of three Europeans taken into the Sun Family as Indoor Students. Also training in Beijing as a student of Zhang Zhen-Hua, who was a senior student of Madam Sun Jian-Yun for approximately 45 years, and is the retired Vice President of the Sun Style Research Institute set up by Madam Sun to promote Sun Style practices.Within the text are anecdotes on experiences related on training with different practitioners both Sun Members and students to add colour and depth to the narrative. These are supplemented by additions from the work of Bradford Tyrey on his experience of training extensively with Madam Sun Jian Yun. Teaching Tai Chi is perhaps more an art than a science, this book attempts to bring both to the study of Sun Style Tai Chi Chuan.The analysis of the 97 Postures makes this book a useful aid for those studying or teaching any of the forms of Sun Style Tai Chi Chuan such as the 12 or 13 Posture, 38 or 40, 73 Step forms or other versions, which have their foundations in the original 97 Posture Form.As well as studying Sun Style Tai Chi, the author, gained a black belt in Tae Kwon Don graded by Hee Il Cho of Los Angeles, has practised and taught Lee Style Tai Chi, and started out his Tai Chi Chuan training over 36 years ago in the Yang 108 Step form. The author has also written “Sun Style Tai Chi Sword: A Guide” detailing the 62 Posture Sword Form. Read more