Baguazhang is one of the three major styles of Chinese internal martial arts (the other two being Taichi Quan and Xingyi Quan). I love this book because it not only shows the reader the forms and moves of Baguanzhang, but also tells a fascinating story behind the origin and development of the martial arts. Dr. Zhang Jie took this uniquely philosophical and historical approach to martial arts for he has a broad and deep understanding of the Chinese culture and philosophy. He obtained his bachelor degree in Chinese Literature from Peking University and his master degree from the Chiense Academy of Arts. Therefore this book presents to its readers something more than just the physical aspect of Baguazhang, like most other book do; it explains and interprets the metaphysical meaning of Baguazhang, which is just as intriguing, if not more, as the physical moves.
On the other hand, as an authentic fifth generation successor of the Beijing South District Baguazhang branch, Dr. Zhang's sequences (kata) are beautiful and true to the origin. It took him years of research, including numerous visits to the surviving old masters in Beijing, to collect in this book many sequences that cannot be found anywhere else. For the readers who are interested in learning the martial arts itself, this book is a good starting point. For advanced practitioners, this book might add to their existing knowledge and ability.