In her previous book, T'ai-Chi Ch'iuan: Body and Mind in Harmony: The Integration of Meaning and Method, Sophia Dalza describes the Wu Style with careful directions and illiustrations for learning the practice of the exercise-art of T-aii-Chi Chuan. In this new book, Ms. Delza, the leading proponent in the United States of the Wu Style, offers succinct and illuminating comments from her viewpoint as both teacher and practitioner. She expresses the substance and function of T'ai-Chi Ch'uan that lie behind the movement and that are manifest in the movement to only the most discerning eye. She provides insight and inspiration for entering into a path, a way, a dao, that integrates body, mind, beauty, and goodness. Those students beginning to study T'ai-Chi Ch'uan and those who have studied it for a number of years will benefit from the guidance provided in this book.

Contents

List of illustrations and tables
Foreword by Robert Cummings Neville
Preface
Introductory note: As a beginning experience
Classified chapters
I The centered mind
The mind must be willing
The mind-body connection
Mind-alert
The unifiying principles
What gives a system validity?
II The tangible spirit
The moving spirit
The eloquence of silence
With an air of innocence
Spontaineity: The look of ease
The student is forever; Learning is forever
The ending is a new beginning
III The ever-present substance
Landscape of the self in action
The long journey
The harmonious anatomy
What is the nature of the 'soft'?
The integreated execise
A glimmer of insight into the substance of t'ai-chi ch'uan
IV The balanced scale of structure
A miracle of movement
The constant curve: The circle and the wave
The historically accurate t'ai-chi circle
The landscape of the self in spirit
Finding the straight in the curved
Form and transition: Dual themes in t'ai-chi ch'uan structure
V The organic flow of physiology
How slow is slow?
The life of the hand: Its significance in t'ai-chi ch'uan
The presence of the eyes in the action of t'ai-chi ch'uan
The quiet control of the head
Some distinguishing features of the Wu and Yang styles
The exercise-art as it functions creatively for the actor
VI The intrinsic logic of philosophy
A harmony of change
The spirit of adventure in t'ai-chi ch'uan
Two portraits of the exercise-Art of t'ai-chi ch'uan-As the viewer sees t'ai-chi ch'uan; As the player lives t'ai-chi ch'uan
A refreshing techniques: Action and thought
Perspective on my experience with the art of classical Chinese theater (opera)
Inherent qualities: From, grace, stability
VII The steady frame of history
Chinese exercise techniques: Kung fu and t'ai-chi ch'uan
From youth to old age
The art of Wu Shu: Innovations are changing traditional exercises
Chinese exercisee-Arts from antiquity to the present
VIII Cautionary comments
On the necessity of never omitting ch'uan in tai-chi ch'uan
Is t'ai-chi ch'uan 'Martial''
On martial art 'experts'
A letter on the subject of music
T'ai-chi ch'uan is not moving meditation
On the spirit in teaching
Street scene at dawn: People exercising
On the abridged version of t'ai-chi ch-uan
On traditional clothing for practice
IX Light verse on serious themes
Images of equanimity
The spirit of the way in t'ai-chi and the ch'uan
The nine elements: A trinity of threes in the structure of t'ai-chi ch'uan
A three-way conversation-Mind speaks its mind; emotions states its feelings; the body expresses itself
Ch'i explains its presence: Objectively
Aspects of self-awareness
The way of t'ai-chi ch'uan-Thoughtless thoughts; Instant space; One over two; The nowness of the now
The essential quality
A message on non-violence to the Northeast wind (The yin and yang of it)
The opposites balance in the Chinese theater
A friendly way
X The expanding scope of awareness
The art of the science of t'ai-chi ch'uan
The promise of things to come
Acknkowledgments
Illustration credits
Index

T'ai chi ch'uan is a composition of 108 basic forms (with inner variations) done continuously with a flowing movement executed with 'slowness, calmness, clarity, balance and awareness.' The structures are so varied as to put into play every part of the body, from the smallest joint to the largest muscle, with harmonious designs and significant patterns. The perfect weaving of the dynamics of movement and form gives the body litheness and buoyancy, promotes fine circulation and quiets the mind. T'ai chi ch'uan is designed to keep one from getting 'aged' as one gets older. It is valid at no matter what age. The progressive ability to do it correctly for the minimum of twenty minutes assures one continually of one's good health and agelessness. To do it at all is a step toward being better physically, emotionally and mentally. In this first popular explanation in English of t'ai chi ch'uan (Wu Style), Sophia Delza, the only Western woman master of the system, discusses its underlying philosophy and describes every step of each movement in pictures and lucid text. Of it, she says: T'ai Chi Ch'uan is a system of activating the body for the development of physical emotional and mental well-being that produces a feeling of satisfaction and a sense of tranquility that western exercises do not give. This in itself may not sound unusual since many exercises so promise, but what is unique in this case is the technical method, with its form and spirit, which promotes this desirable state. We in the west are apt to overdo in exercises and sports, believing that a hard, tense movement indicates srength and control and that power comes for the ability to expend energy violently. The technique of t'ai ci ch'uan is contrary to such a method. It is in the philosophy of t'ai chi ch'uan that energy can be controlled, strength balanced, vitality stabilized by using the body in such a way as not to strain the muscles, not to overactivate the heart, not to exert oneself excessively. The technique of t'ai chi ch'uan is based not only on a physical method, but also on an emotional and mental attitude, from which a state of awareness, calmness and concentration evolves. This consideration of man's total health is intrinsic in the forms and techniques of t'ai chi ch'uan. First and foremost a dancer of extaordinary skill and creative ability, Miss Delza is also a writer and lecturer on the art of the dance forms of China and the exercise-art of t'ai chi ch'uan, which she teaches at the United Nations and at her own studio. Her knowledge of her subject is profound, for she has spent many years in China studying the dance and, in particular, the Wu Style of t'ai chi ch'uan under the great master, Ma Yueh-Liang. She is the first woman master of this system in the occident and she performs both this and other Chinese dances before delighted audiences from coast to coast. 'Whenever and wherever she performs, Chinese people are captivated by her accomplished and faithful rendition of the wonderful and difficult Chinese Theatre Dance.' says Koo Hsien-Liang of the Chinese Culture Consultation Bureau. 'Miss Delaza makes t'ai chi ch'uan beautiful because she is a good and brilliant dancer.' Contents Part I The t'ai chi ch'uan way Introduction What t'ai chi ch'uan is Benefits Characteristics of the way of movement Structure (Yin-yang) Harmony of body and mind Two intrinsic princoples: Softness and circular movement Five essential qualities Part II Fundamentals Gerneal remarks Principles to be observed Basic positions Part III Preliminaries Suggestions for study Explanatory notes Part IV The practice of t'ai chi ch'uan Appendix Historical background: A consistent heritage Excerpts from Ming Dynasty documents