Synopsis "The Last Great Martial Arts Teacher (in English)"
The Last Great Martial Arts Teacher tells the story of tai chi chuan master Daniel Wang, who grew up during the Maoist Cultural Revolution, enduring a wide range of experiences on his tumultuous journey toward becoming a martial arts master. After settling in America, Wang saw that traditional Chinese martial arts were dying in China, though he did his best from afar to preserve this precious tradition. Here, author William H. Koar III, a martial artist, musician, and psychologist who has studied with Wang for over twenty years, further helps to preserve the tradition through his master's biography. Koar presents Wang's thoughts and ideas in various ways, including question-and-answer segments, adding his own psychological perspective where appropriate. In this way, readers receive a full-bodied discussion on a wide array of meaningful issues from two different viewpoints. Also included is a thought-provoking section on eight famous philosophers, four from the West and four from the East, showing readers that the Chinese tradition of martial arts is much more than a recreational sport, a physical exercise regime, or a mental preparedness exercise; it's an integrative philosophy of life.
