Martial Art Classic Writings

Mods,

Can we make this a sticky? Think it might help for all to further explore and/ or find out about their martial art, and martial arts in general? I don't think this has been done before, with the experience through various styles active on boards, maybe this is the place for such a project to happen?

I know that I wish I knew what to look up when I started. I know that personally, I'd love to hear of any Muay Thai "Classics", or I believe the Gracie’s have some writings, I've heard that they are similar the Tai Chi Classics, but I haven't read them, as are Bruce Lee's writings (his father was a WU stylist).

I'm sure such postings would lead to further threads discussing such. In Nei Jia circles, the fact that Wang Lan Ting, Cheng Nai Jaoi, Cheng Fa, operated around the same time and in the same area (near the Chen and Zhao Bao villages and the Shaolin temple), all have writings or taught styles that are similar yet with subtle differences, to me they seem like training partners with different personalities and so different outlooks, this is fascinating, and given that a different pair of "Chen" brothers brought Jiu Jitsu to Nagasaki in 1650 i.e. a soft art taught by Wudang Stylists, I feel that maybe the whole multitude of styles actually stem from a very small root. Having a resource of classics from all the styles here would help me personally in this area, and I'm sure others on boards would have similar questions about their styles development.

For posters, I think and this is just a suggestion that we should stick to posting the names and authors only, without review, having the intention of actually creating a list. I'm sure peoples opinions on the material could be trashed out on separate threads?

I haven’t posted any links to the material, for two reasons, 1- I'm sure boards don't want this to be a marketing tool, but also, 2- translations are notorious, what is it the Russians say? Translation is like a woman, if she is faithful she is not beautiful, and if she is beautiful she is not faithful?
So although, for example, I can read a tai chi Chuan translation and know from experience where jin (focused power / strength in the right direction), or Chi (breath / circulation / nervous system) should replace the word "energy" I would be hesitant to point someone unfamiliar in the direction of such weak translations, yet sometimes they have a unique and valuable take on other areas, and so would hesitate to dismiss them totally. My guess is that other arts have similar issues?

Lads,
this is all great so far, I'm already seeing stuff that I want to find out about. And my opinion on what should constitute a classic has been broadened. Some people are wondering about the word classic that I posted, i.e. does it have to be old, I would say no, I believe that there are books from the 90's on BJJ that would be considered classics by BJJ standards, given its perceived "Newness". All I meant by classic was a writing that dealt with theory and martial method as opposed to "my schools sylabis", however I now think that we should be open on this, as "Masters and Methods" for example is a book I've read, origionaly I hadn't included it, as from my outlook I didn't consider it a classic, at the time of posting I was thinking "bibles of principles, advice on application and mechanics" however I now admit this book should be considered a classic re. exploring the psychology and history of the various chinese styles.
I see a post on the origins of a style of Irish Karate, I havn't read this, but I'm sure it would probably lend some knowledge into the foundation mind set of such Irish Karate, its outlook and intent so as to speak? And isn't the concept of intent central to any martial art? So what I'm saying is, for someone of this style, this book is probably well deserving of the title classic. Even if it was simply a historical record of setting up the style and the reasons / personalities behind it, rather than an exploration of strategy. (I'm only guessing here, for all I know it could be another Tai Chi Chuan Lun?)
Basically I see no faultwith anything that has ben posted, I'm sure this thread can be expored by key words, and so will become a central reference for anyone exploring their martial art, or indeed others?

Makikomi, I take your point on web references, I was anxious about posting links so as to avoid any squabling entering the thread re. correct translations etc. but here you go, if you want my recomendation re. the Tai Chi Classics, I propose the following with commentry and photos of applications of the principles:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tai-Chi-Chuan-Decoding-Classics/dp/1847970842

Google "peter Lim Tai Chi chuan" for another set of translations. YMAA have some nice translations and commentaries of the Xin Yi and Ba Gua classics, I can't comment on their tai chi translations, as I havn't read them.

Hope this is o.k. and doesn't lead to an avalanche of bullsiht artists posting links to their seafoods publications.

regards,

Niall