I got to spend last week wandering around San Francisco while heather was attending a non-profit technology conference. One of the highlights was meeting up with long time tai chi player Valerie Barntsen for some push hands in St. Mary’s park. And a wonderful tour through Chinatown, ending with a fountain sculpted with highlights of San Fran’s Chinese community.
Included in the sculpture/fountain is the family of Kuo Lien-Ying (right). Valerie and Roger used to study with Kuo in Portsmouth Square – and I got to hear some great stories of early morning classes in the park.
In addition to many fine students and practitioners of tai chi, Kuo also left us a wonderful book on the theory and practice of the art. The T’ai Chi Boxing Chronicle (translated by Guttmann) is one of the few books in English that dives into the specifics of tai chi theory and energetics. Out of print, but find a copy if you can.
Thanks to Valerie, Roger…and Professor Kuo.