The Library

Here's a high level Index

China in general

General things about China

Chinese Philosophy

Chinese philosophy in general

Taoism

Taoism in particular

T'ai chi ch'uan

Cheng Man Ch'ing style

Other Styles

Other

Relevant but doesn't fit any of the above.

China in general

Fenollosa, Ernest. The chinese written character as a medium for poetry. City Lights. 1968. ISBN:0-87286-014-0

this is apparently a controversial book. Nontheless I found it instructive in looking at the Chinese language.

Gernet, Jacques. tr. J. R. Foster A History of Chinese civilization. Cambridge University Press 1982 ISBN:0-521-24130-8

A generic history. Amazon.com reference

Veith, Ilza. The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine Univ. of California Press 1972 ISBN: 0520021584

NO , I haven't read the whole thing, but it is interesting.

Henessey, Mark Cheng Man-ch'ing Master of the Five Excellences Frog Ltd. 195 ISBN 1-88319-03-x

This is a mixed book. It gives an interesting perspective on Cheng man-ch'ing as an entire person, BUT there are a LOT of typos and it makes me question the validity of the translations. Amazon.com reference

Larsen, Jeanne Silk Road Fawcett, ISBN 0449905233

A novel, but such fun. Taoist and Buddhist deities bickering over the lives of people in T'ang China.

Larsen, Jeanne Bronze Mirror Fawcett, ISBN 044990671X

By the same author as the above, a little later "real" history. How the Yellow Emperor ignored karma t his own peril....

Chinese Philosophy

Chan, Wing-Tsit A Source Book in Chinese Philosophy. Princeton University Press, 1963

Graham, A.C. Disputers of the Tao: philsophical argument in ancient China. Open Court 1993 ISBN:0-8126-9088-5

Taoism

January 11, 1999:
Please also visit the Annex.

I'm indexing these by translator. Chan also has translations of all of the Tao Te Ching and parts of Chuang Tzu.

Texts

Cleary, Thomas. Wen Tzu: Understanding the Mysteries Shambala 1991 ISBN: 0-87773-62-9

Gibbs, Tam Lao Tzu: My words are easy to understand. North Atlantic 1981 ISBN:0-913028-911-6

Graham, A. C. Chuang-Tzu The Inner Chapters Mandala, 1986 ISBN:0-04-29013-0

Merton, Thomas The Way of Chuang Tzu New Directions 1969 ISBN:0-8112-0103-1

Wong, Eva Cultivating Stillness Shambala 1992 ISBN:0-87773-687-1

Commentary

Hoff, Benjamin. The Te of PigletPenguin, 1992 ISBN:01402.3016.5

The sequel to The Tao of pooh . If you liked that you'll enjoy this and vice versa.

Smullyan, Raymond. The Tao is Silent Harper, 1977 ISBN:0060674695

The author of What is the Name of This Book presents his personal view of Taoism. It's fun to watch a logician talk about the Name which cannot be Named.

T'ai chi ch'uan

Man-ch'ing Cheng T'ai Ch Ch'uan : A Simplified Method of Calisthenics for Health and Self Defense North Atlantic, 1981 ISBN 0-913028-85-1

The basic introduction to the CMC version of the Yang short form.

Man-ch'ing Cheng Cheng Tzu's Thirteen treatises on T'ai Chi Ch'uan (tr. Ben Lo and Martin Inn) North Atlantic, 1985 ISBN 0-938190-45-8

the graduate course.

Ben Lo, Martin Inn, Robert Amacker, Susan Foe The Essence of T’ai Chi Ch’uan North Atlantic, 1985 ISBN 0-913028-63-0

The canonical translation of the Classics.

Chen Wei-Ming T’ai Chi Ch’uan Ta Wen tr. Ben Lo, Robert Smith. North Atlantic 1985 ISBN 0-938190-67-9

Questions and answers from a T’ai Chi brother of Cheng Man-ch’ing.

Kuo Lien-Ying The T'ai Chi Boxing Chronicle tr. by Guttman. North Atlantic 1994 ISBN 1-55643-177-5

A strange book. I find chapter sub-hreadings like "The 72 essential terms of t'ai chi boxing" a little off-putting, but there are some interesting alternative translations and interpretations of the classics.

Does anyone know who Guttman is?

Added Nov 15, 2000: Mr. (Gordon) Guttman was kind enough to send e-mail and say he has "spent almost three decades researching, practicing, and studying the profound body art of T'ai Chi Ch'uan."

Arieh Lev Breslow, Beyond the Closed Door: Chinese Culture and the Creation of T'ai Chi Ch'uan Almond Blossom Press, 1995 IBN0-9644730-0-3

I found the first half a little boring, as I alread knew a little bit about Taoism and Confucianism. The second half ties it in nicely with t'ai chi.

The Library Annex

Recommendations by other folks

• China: Red China Blues : My Long March from Mao to Now
  by Jan Wang Anchor; ISBN: 0385482329 Amazon.com reference
  

  Thanks to Jonathan Gaines who says:

  "A chinese canadian's well told tale of her life first as a commited Maoist in china and her gradual reassement of post Mao chinese society as a journalist. Fine journalism."

• Taoism:
  Alan Watts, with Al Chuang-liang Huang - "Tao: TheWatercourse Way"

• Taoism:
  "Everyday Tao" by Deng Ming-Dao. HarperCollins

• Taoism:
  "The Taoist I Ching". trans. Thomas Cleary. Shambhala

• Chinese Philosophy:
  C.A.S. Williams - "Outlines of Chinese Symbolism and Art Motives" Dover Publications, ISBN#0-486-233723

• Taoism:
  Tsai Chih Chung, translated by Brian Bruya - "Zhuangzi Speaks: The Music of Nature"
  Princeton University Press, ISBN#0-691-00882-5 (pbk.) ISBN#0-691-05694-3(cl.)

  This book actually illustrates the parables of Zhuangzi with the written Chinese on the outside edges of the page, and the illustrations on the inside of each page.

• Taoism:
  Chang Po-Tuan, commentary by Liu I-Ming, Translated by Thomas Cleary - "The Inner Teachings of Taoism"Shambhala, ISBN#0-87773-363-5

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• Taoism:
  Immortal Sisters: Secret Teachings of Taoist Women - Translated and Edited by Thomas Cleary ISBN 1-55643-222-4

  It's not just for women BTW...from sun bu-er

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• Seven Taoist Masters, A folk novel of china
  Translated by Eva Wong, Shambhala publication

• Lieh-Tzu, a Taoist guide to practical living
  translated by Eva Wong ISBN 1-57062-153-5

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• The Tao of Health, Sex, and Longevity by Daniel P. Reid ISBN: 067164811X
  Amazon.com reference

  recommended by Clive Harris

• a sub-annex from Stefan Mark Malinowski
  More on zen than taoism...