by Mark V. Wiley

It gives me great honor to present this Tambuli Media English translation of Master Zhou Kun Min’s excellent Chinese-language cannon on Taizuquan, otherwise spelled Tai Cho Kun and known as either “Grand Ancestor Boxing” or “Emperor Fist” kung-fu. To quote from his biography:

“Master Zhou Kun Min began training at the Quanzhou Wushu Research Society in 1961, and in 1963 he joined the Xiamen University Wushu Team, where he was trained by the celebrated martial arts masters of the Minnan area, including Master Dai Huo Yan, Lin Qi Yan, and Lin Du Ying. In due course, Master Zhou was appointed Chairman of the Quanzhou City Wushu Association and Deputy Chairman of the Fujian Province Wushu Association. In 2005, he was appointed 10th Chairman of the International Southern Shaolin Wuzuquan Fellowship General Association.”

This, of course, is but a small portion of his larger accomplishments but sheds enough light on them that his analysis of history and the fist-art instruction found within these pages are to be taken seriously.

This impressive book details the origins and development of Taizuquan and Wuzuquan through the centuries, often shedding new light on previously accepted ideas. Complementing the invaluable historical content are deeply detailed chapter discussions on Qi Energy, Body Mechanics, Stances, Fist Methods, Partner Training, Five Element Defenses, Weapons, several Fist Forms and Applications. This volume is the only English edition of the Chinese masterpiece by one of the most respected masters in Fujian province.

Quanzhou Taizuquan provides deep insights and details on posture, movement, body structure, and energy. It is thorough in its history, analysis and instruction. Without doubt, Zhou Shifu has indeed written one of the most important books on Southern Fist kung-fu, and I am personally elated to be its English-language publisher. Quanzhou Taizuquan is an important treatise on the martial arts of Fujian Province, China, and a “must have” for all practitioners and historians of the Chinese and Okinawan martial arts.

“Always insightful and occasionally provocative, Quanzhou Taizuquan is sure to appeal to a wide range of readers. Arguments about the decline of the traditional arts notwithstanding, this volume illustrates my contention that we are fortunate to have entered a particularly fruitful time for martial arts publishing. It is fascinating to see what can happen when the demands of an informed readership are met by mature scholars and masters.” —Ben Judkins, Kung-Fu Tea

Grab your copy today of the only English translation (by noted researcher Simon T. Lailey) of Master Zhou’s in-depth book on Emperor Fist (Grand Ancestor Boxing) and Ngo Cho Kun (Five Ancestor Fist) today. It is the most historical and principles-based book on these arts to date.