Wu Style Tai Chi Chuan Ma Jiangbao: The slow Form

Ma Jiangbao came to Europe in 1986. he has lived in Rotterdam for several years now and mainly teaches in the netherlands and Germany. The Slow Form is the basis and the hub to his successful teaching system.

Review:
Unless you speak German you need this the 2nd edition of the 'Blue Book' by Ma Jiang Bao, son of Grandmaster and gatekeeper of Wu Style Tai Chi Wu Ying Hua, husband of Ma Yueh Liang. This 2nd edition in English is a step by step explanation of the Round Form also called the Long Form. It has 108 steps. This book succeeds the Orange Book of Wu Yong Hua correcting errors and omissions in that book, and the German 3rd edition explains the Short form ie which forms are omitted.

Obviously the Tai chi is superb, and this is a very difficult to get hold of book. The Gold book sold by the current gatekeeper of Wu Style Tai Chi Chuan is good, and has original photos, but you can't learn the Form from it, [...] whereas this Blue Book has every photo you need and clear explanations of hand and foot positions, timing, direction of vision, and waist movements.

There are differences between the Gold Book, Blue Book and Orange Book, some due to the photographer, others due to subtle differences in the Form. This Blue Book is suitable for students of the Shanghai school of Wu Style Tai chi chuan, and for students of the round form, but it is not much use for students of the square form which Eddie Wu current family Gatekeeper and Ma Hai Long elder son of Wu Ying Hua taught first to students.

The photos are numerous, and very clear, the description is also very clear and precise just like Wu Style Tai Chi.
This book is unsuitable for students of Northern Wu Tai chi, and Wu Dang Tai Chi, but is authentic and representative of the 5th generation led by Master Ma Jiang Bao. Students include the respected teacher David Barrow in Sheffield, England [...] .
Other students in Europe excell at the weapons forms: Sabre Form, Spear Form and Tui Shou or Push Hands as well as two sided sword form, and the 2 person partner form of Tai Chi eg Martin and Freya Boedicker authors of 'The Philosophy Of Tai Chi Chuan: Wisdom From Confucius, Lao Tzu, And Other Great Thinkers'ISBN-13:
9781583942635 This book is an excellent teaching aid, and is recommended for students of Tai Chi, both Wu Style (Wu Jian Quan)and other styles.

This book is difficult to get hold of, and the German 3rd edition is useful for its photos, but the German is technical and challenging for non-German speakers. The english language second edition is better for English speakers until a 3rd edition in German appears.

The precision in the form is absolute, and a DVD of the short form is available also showing Master Ma Jiang Bao, though no Long Form DVD is available from the Shanghai Association (Jan 2010.) Other non-accredited teachers of Wu Style Tai Chi as well as those accredited by Wu Guang You (Eddie Wu - current gatekeeper -exist. Non-accredited teachers are not accredited for a reason.

Frame by frame examination of the Form of different people illustrates differences and similarities, in hand position, foot position, straightness of the spine, even when slanted, timing, and whether the head is in line with the spine. Good Tai Chi Chuan practitioners can feel the difference in flow of the Chi.

Wu Style Tai Chi is the foundation of all the Wu Style Forms, though a Fast Form was exhibited by adopted daughter Shi Mei Lin at the All China Traditional Martial Arts competition in Nanchang where she received the Award of Excellence. A book of the fast form is available, and the long form was developed from it, the Blue Book is the foundation from which the Fast Form can be learnt - though the Sabre Form, and Spear Form will come in between.

Tai Chi is a martial art and the precision in Wu Style Tai Chi comes from a deep understanding of the flow of chi in the body and this book is recommended for those who are able to apply themselves seriously to learning as the precision is challenging for beginners. You Tube videos of the first third of the Long Form are available and Wu Ying Hua and Eddie Wu can both be viewed, as well as Ma Yueh Liang and Shi Mei Lin performing part of the form.

Teachers of Tai Chi are in the best position to advise you, but if you are studying the long Form (unless it is the Square Form not the Round Form) then this book is highly recommended to reinforce what you learn in class. Students of other styles can learn much from it, but learning Tai Chi outside of a class is difficult because of ones lack of awareness of what ones body is doing - teachers can see and correct when we think we are doing it right.