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Title: Opening the Dragon Gate: The Making of a Modern Taoist Wizard by Kaiguo Chen, Chen Kaiguo, Zheng Shunchao, Thomas Cleary ISBN: 0-8048-3185-8 Publisher: Charles E Tuttle Co Pub. Date: September, 1998 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $18.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 3.44 (9 reviews)
Rating: 2
Summary: Close the Dragon Gate
Comment: Great disservices to people whom are searching for information and enlightenment on Taoism. The authors used a map of china and a few books on Taoism to take the reader on an almost 300 page fairy tale coated to read like a biography. The characters shift personality quicker than a chameleon does color. I think there is a story in the book but the contrived situations get in the way.
Rating: 1
Summary: Seems to be a fake
Comment: This book looks like pure advertisment of Wang Liping who is said to be chosen as 18th generation transmitter by one Taoist sect. Difficult to read because every second page I stumbled over direct or masked praise on Wang Liping / sect abilities. In the end (as expected) Wang Liping finishes with giving lectures to hundreds of students of Qigong. Special pages dedicated to how simple Wang lives, etc. Taoist teachings are scattered all over the book and don't give the impression of integrity.
One quote from the 1st page: "Over the preceding years the three Taoist masters had been engrossed in secret consultations about the matter of utmost importance, not only to them but to the world at large... trying to find a successor ...". Well after this matter important to the whole world I already assumed that money spent on book was wasted.
Rating: 5
Summary: Quite a good tale...
Comment: This is a similar book to Deng Ming Dao's "Wandering Daoist" only the story of Wang Liping's training is not embellished in the manner of Saihung. Although I'm sure the average western practitioner of Qigong will likely shake his/her head regarding some of the 'training' methods used by the three old masters it is a good reminder of what one used to have to (and perhaps still should?) undergo before getting into serious practice. It is interesting how, right from the start, Wang Liping demonstrated many qualities essential to following the Tao including great patience and humility.
The book follows his initial training including stints in a hole in the ground and under a large cast-iron kettle. It then follows his journery with his masters into the mountains just as the Cultural Revolution began to sweep across China. Along the way many lessons are imparted including some interesting methods of cultivating with trees. The main portion of the story ends with Wang Liping's return to his village and subsequent marriage (!) as his masters admonish him to carry on the way in a form suitable for the new age.
The book finishes with some commentary on Wang Liping's present activities including some stories from his group training sessions - some of the first held in China as strict controls on Qigong began to be lifted.
I enjoyed the story as well as the information contained in here. There are some great views on meditation, including the aforementioned tree style, in addition to the overview of his training. There are also some very interesting tidbits about the location of the lower Dantien shifting in relation to the cultivator's distance from the equator. There is also an interesting comment that there are meridians within the body that are not terminated - that is, they are open to the universe.
Recommended...
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Title: The Magus of Java: Teachings of an Authentic Taoist Immortal by Kosta Danaos ISBN: 0892818131 Publisher: Inner Traditions Intl Ltd Pub. Date: July, 2000 List Price(USD): $14.95 |
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Title: Cultivating the Energy of Life by Liu Hua-Yang ISBN: 1570623422 Publisher: Shambhala Pub. Date: 17 February, 1998 List Price(USD): $15.95 |
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Title: Nei Kung: The Secret Teachings of the Warrior Sages by Kosta Danaos ISBN: 0892819073 Publisher: Inner Traditions Intl Ltd Pub. Date: February, 2002 List Price(USD): $14.95 |
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Title: Taoist Master Chuang by Michael R. Saso ISBN: 0967794803 Publisher: Sacred Mountain Press Pub. Date: 08 August, 2000 List Price(USD): $19.95 |
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Title: Seven Taoist Masters : A Folk Novel of China by Eva Wong ISBN: 0877735441 Publisher: Shambhala Pub. Date: 21 April, 1990 List Price(USD): $16.95 |
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