WRITINGS (original) (raw)

Cheng Man-ch’ing’s books and other publications span all of his specialties: poetry, painting, calligraphy, medicine, taijiquan, culture, and philosophy. One of his earliest books was his influential Thirteen Treatises of Taijiquan; his last was a commentary on the Yijing, the Chinese Book of Changes.

Cheng wrote exclusively in Classical Chinese. A number of his books have been translated into other languages. A number of the Chinese-language books have been reprinted by the Shih Chung T’ai Chi Ch’uan Association in Taiwan.

Books:

Chinese Medicine

• Eight Important Points On Cancer (Tan ai bayao), 1966. Pamphlet. Excerpts trans. in Master of Five Excellences, Hennessy, 1995.
• Essence of Gynecology (Nuke xinfa). 1961. Trans. Wile, 2011, and excerpts trans. in Master of Five Excellences, Hennessy, 1995.
• Subtleties of Orthopedics (Guke jingwei). Not extant.

Taijiquan (T’ai-chi ch’uan)

• T’ai Chi. With collaboration of Robert W. Smith, 1967.
• T’ai Chi Ch’uan: A Simplified Method of Calisthenics for Health and Self-Defence. Trans. Beason Tseng, 1962. US version, 1981.
• Cheng-tzu’s Thirteen Treatises on T’ai Chi Ch’uan (Zhengzi taijiquan shisan pian), Taibei, c. 1950. Trans. Benjamin Pang-Jeng Lo and Martin Inn_,_ 1985. Authorized translation illustrated with original photographs. Both sections also translated and published as two separate books: Master Cheng’s Thirteen Chapters on T’ai Chi Ch’uan, trans. Wile, 1983, and Cheng Man-ch’ing’s Advanced T’ai Chi Form Instructions. Trans. and ed. Wile, 1985. Illustrated with drawings.
• Master Zheng’s New Method of Taijiquan Self-cultivation (Zhengzi taijiquan zixiu xinfa). Chinese edition also includes Zhengzi taijiquan shisan pian. First ed., 1965. Illustrated with photos. Reprinted 1977. Main section translated as Master Cheng’s New Method of Taichi Ch’uan Self-cultivation. Trans. Hennessey, 1999.

Art & Poetry

• Jade Well Grass Hall Poetry Collection (Yujing caotang shiji). Vol.1 circa 1961, vol. 2, Yujing caotang shiji xu, Jade Well Grass Hall Poetry Collection Continued, 1971.
• Manqing Free-style Poetry (Manqing zixuan), n.d. Text not extant.
• Probing and Measuring Tang Poetry (Tang shi zhen du), c. 1958. Excerpts trans. in Master of Five Excellences, Hennessy, 1995.
• Three Treatises of Manran (Manran san lun), 1974. Essays on painting, poetry, calligraphy.

Culture & Philosophy

• Lao-tzu: My Words Are Very Easy To Understand. (Laozi yizhi jie), 1971.Trans. Tam Gibbs, 1981.
• Explanation of the Meaning of the Analects [of Confucius] (Lunyu shizhi ), 1971.
• A Simplified Explanation of Man and His Culture (Renwen qianshuo), 1973. Trans. as Essays on Man and Culture, Hennessy, 1997.
• New Commentary on Great Learning and Doctrine of the Mean (Xueyong xinjie ), 1971.
• The Complete Book of Changes (Yi quan), 1974. Selections trans. in Wile, Master Cheng’s Thirteen Chapters on T’ai Chi Ch’uan, and Master of Five Excellences, Hennessy, trans.

Art Collections:

• The Art of Cheng Man-ch’ing (also titled Manran xieyi). Bilingualm with forward by Madame Chiang Kaishek, 1961. 20 plates.
• Special Exhibition of Painting and Calligraphic Works by Zheng Manqing (Zheng Manqing xiansheng shuhua tezhan mulu). From posthumous exhibition. Forward by Madame Chiang Kaishek (reprinted from The Art of Cheng Man-ch’ing), 1982. 25 b/w and color plates, notes.
• Zheng Manran shuhua ji (Collection of Zheng Manran’s Calligraphy and Painting). Catalogue of exhibit at Taibei Provincial Museum, 1971. 34 b/w and color plates. Excerpts trans. in Master of Five Excellences, Hennessy, 1995.
• Zheng Manqing shuhuaji (Collection of Zheng Manqing’s Calligraphy and Painting). Catalogue of exhibit at Wenzhou Museum, 2017.

Movies and Videos:

• Movie clips and DVDs at the official Cheng Man-ch’ing website run by his estate.
• “Cheng Man-ch’ing: The Master Tapes.” Mastedon Productions, 2007. Edited from videotapes of Cheng in New York City, c. 1970.
• “T’ai Chi Ch’uan: A Simplified Method of Calisthenics for Health and Self Defense.” Remastering and compilation of Cheng’s “Yang Style ‘T’ai Chi Ch’uan” color film (c. 1970, New York City) and Untitled Taijiquan demonstration (c. 1960, Taiwan), 1996.
• Untitled Taiji Sword demonstration. In “Feather Sword,” Ken Van Sickle, 2006.
• “Yang Style T’ai chi ch’uan.” Produced by Shr Jung Cultural Center, New York City, New York. Color. Narrative, form, push hands, sword, approx. 20 min.

Books, Articles, Movies about Cheng:

• “Cheng Tzu: Master of the Five Excellences, A Life Biography of Cheng Man Ching” by Tam Gibbs, reproduced by Ken Van Sickle.
• “In Search of a Unified Dao: Zheng Manqing’s Life and Contributions to Taijiquan” by Barbara Davis, in Journal of Asian Martial Arts 5/2 1996. Most complete biography to date of Professor Cheng.
• In the Presence of Cheng Man-ch’ing: My Life and Lessons with the Master of Five Excellences. William C. Phillips, 2019.
• Martial Musings. Robert W. Smith. Via Media, 1999. Memoir by leading taijiquan historian and student of Cheng’s.
• “The Professor: Tai Chi’s Journey West,” produced and directed by Barry Strugatz and Ken Van Sickle, 2016.
• There Are No Secrets: Professor Cheng Man-ch’ing’s T’ai Chi Ch’uan (1991), Gateway to the Miraculous (1994). Wolfe Lowenthal. Accounts of author’s study with Prof. Cheng and personal journey through T’ai Chi Ch’uan practice.
• Journal of Asian Martial Arts, its published articles about Zheng Manqing singly or collected, including Barbara Davis’ “In Search of a Unified Dao” (above).
• Zheng Manqing’s Uncollected Writings on Taijiquan, Qigong, and Health, with New Biographical Notes. Wile, Sweet Ch’i Press, 2007.