Synopses & Reviews
While words and theory are not a substitute for the physical and mental training required to polish one's kung-fu, they are an essential part of the learning process, allowing the mind to process commands and concepts that help the body move in a special, kung-fu way.andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;The meaning of words, however, can be bent and distorted to have a detrimental effect on kung-fu. In fact, today kung fu is like a sword of incomparable value that has lost its shine and sharpness because of the many misconceptions spawned from the words and images in books and movies and the errant teachings of unqualified instructors.andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;iandgt;The Sword Polisher's Recordandlt;/iandgt;, originally a monthly column that appeared for more than a decade in three magazines, including Kungfu magazine and Black Belt magazine, became a way of polishing the kung-fu sword, clearing up the misconceptions that are causing it to become dull and rusty.andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Highlighted with over 60 illustrations, andlt;iandgt;The Sword Polisher's Record: The Way of Kung-Fuandlt;/iandgt;, an anthology of the monthly column, is organized into eight inter-connected sections, each examining a different aspect of kung-fu including its foundations, theories, important concepts and principles related to kung-fu styles and forms, usage, and training, and discussions on the future of kung-fu and it's place in our lives.
Review
"This is a book that should be on every martial artist's shelf, taken down often for reference. It is a book that should be discussed: with colleagues, with instructors, with fellow students. It is a book to be read more than once."and#8212; andlt;bandgt;andlt;iandgt;Plum Publicationsandlt;/bandgt;andlt;/iandgt;
Review
"Very well written book of stories and philosophies."and#8212; andlt;bandgt;BestJudo.comandlt;/bandgt;
Review
"I think that Adam Hsu makes some convincing arguments. He has solid points and clearly states his ideas, not only with examples from his past but also with analogies that a westerner could understand. Some of the things that he said seemed to be a little one sided, however others made perfect sense. I would recommend this book for any one who is interested in learning about a famous Chinese martial art."and#8212; andlt;bandgt;Robert Agnew, DCTaekwondoandlt;/bandgt;
Review
"I find that this book is greatly helpful when in the hands of a novice martial artist seeking Kung-fu instruction."and#8212; andlt;bandgt;andlt;iandgt;A Ronin's Reviewandlt;/bandgt;andlt;/iandgt;
Synopsis
The Sword Polisher's Record, originally a monthly column that appeared for more than a decade in three magazines, including Kungfu magazine and Black Belt magazine, brought a sense of authenticity to the kung fu, which had long been overly-commercialized and filled with misconceptions.
Highlighted with over 60 illustrations, The Sword Polisher's Record: The Way of Kung-Fu, is an anthology of the monthly column, is organized into eight inter-connected sections, each examining a different aspect of kung-fu including its foundations, theories, important concepts and principles related to kung-fu styles and forms, usage, and training, and discussions on the future of kung-fu and it's place in our lives.
About the Author
Adam Hsu spent twenty-five years living in Taiwan where he studied several northern kung-fu styles under the most respected kung-fu masters, including Sifu Han Ching Tan and the late Grandmaster Liu Yun Chiao. When he moved to the united States in 1978, he taught traditional kung-fu throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. In 1990 he founded the non-profit Traditional Wushu Association, dedicated to the preservation, promotion, and perfection of traditional kung-fu. He has been featured on the cover of over a dozen martial arts magazines throughout the world, and his monthly columns have appeared in andlt;iandgt;Black Beltandlt;/iandgt;, andlt;iandgt;MA Trainingandlt;/iandgt;, and andlt;iandgt;Wu Shu Kung-Fuandlt;/iandgt; magazines.