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Rating: 
Summary: Allow me to express my gratitude...
Review: ...to Wong Kiew Kit. I really enjoyed reading this book and refer back to it from time to time. Whether you pick up the book and browse through it once or use it often and even as a catalyst to study with a Shaolin master, I believe that you will be better off.
Obviously the book espouses an Eastern philosophy. The Complete Book of Shaolin is not just about fighting and in fact, Wong Kiew Kit encourages the reader not to pick fights. Much of the book is devoted to illustrating different types of moves and exercises designed for sparring. However, the book also includes other, equally important aspects of Shaolin, including breathing and Zen.
No book can truly teach concepts that require an instructor, but The Complete Book of Shaolin is quite comprehensive and some easy, practical Shaolin exercises can be practiced by the reader with only the book as a guide. Life, as the title implies, is about more than just our physical selves, and Shaolin is about much more than just kung fu. I thought the more Eastern 'both/and' philosophy, or principles of completeness and complemetarity, as opposed to the more Western 'either/or' mentality, was expressed well as an underlying theme of the book. Wong Kiew Kit teaches that it is up to the student to validate whether or not a principle taught by him or another Shaolin instructor is valid. I found a lot of truth in what Wong Kiew Kit teaches in The Complete Book of Shaolin and I hope to continue verifying what he teaches by learning more from this very approachable, fascinating book. econ
Rating: 
Summary: It could have been better.
Review: I did love this book as it was very insightful and gave what it promised. It had just about everything you needed to know about kung fu. However the only reason why i didn't give 5 stars instead is that if anyone read Mr. Wong's other book , The art of Shaolin Kung Fu, they would have a hard time understanding some of the concepts. More even important many of the pictures are not clear in detail so it is some what hard to follow what the picture suggest. Unlike The art of Shaolin Kung Fu, the combat sequence is not as orginized as it would have given the most efficent display. This would be a wounderful and extremely recomend even if you will only buy one book if the format of this book was more like the format of the other book. In all I didn't regret buying this book but for most people, I think it would help them if they also have the other book, The art of Shaolin Kung Fu. This is a good book it could just be better.
Rating: 
Summary: finebookcouldbemuchbetter
Review: This book is good, not only in the ambition of covering so much in a single volume but in the generousness of the attempt. It covers background and scope of Shaolin kung fu, chi kung (the healing aspects of Shaolin, as I understand it) and meditation. However, if you're looking for a book with an in-depth discussion of technique, and step-by-step pictures for learning at home, this ain't it. I don't know that Wong Kiew Kit's Art of Shaolin Kung Fu is more specifically instructional (and less redundant), but the sparce treatment of specific techniques of this book, and the fact that the pictures are small and do not illustrate all the steps of a sequence, lead me to suggest that this book is far from "complete," and that maybe the other book, at a third the price, is the way to go. Incidentally, it is possible to have a martial arts book with easy-to-follow descriptions of technique, with specific instruction and coverage of all sequences of a movement. Richard Chun's Tae Kwon Do, the Korean Martial Art, published 1976, is easily the best self-teaching martial arts guide I've ever seen. It's pricy, but worth every penny. If Won Kiew Kit ever makes a book with the people who put together Mr. Chun's book, then we'll have a book well worth the price. In short: Lacks completeness and instructional punch. Go with The Art of Shaolin Kung Fu, Grasshopper.
Rating:
Summary: finebookcouldbemuchbetter
Review: This book is good, not only in the ambition of covering so much in a single volume but in the generousness of the attempt. It covers background and scope of Shaolin kung fu, chi kung (the healing aspects of Shaolin, as I understand it) and meditation. However, if you're looking for a book with an in-depth discussion of technique, and step-by-step pictures for learning at home, this ain't it. I don't know that Wong Kiew Kit's Art of Shaolin Kung Fu is more specifically instructional (and less redundant), but the sparce treatment of specific techniques of this book, and the fact that the pictures are small and do not illustrate all the steps of a sequence, lead me to suggest that this book is far from "complete," and that maybe the other book, at a third the price, is the way to go. Incidentally, it is possible to have a martial arts book with easy-to-follow descriptions of technique, with specific instruction and coverage of all sequences of a movement. Richard Chun's Tae Kwon Do, the Korean Martial Art, published 1976, is easily the best self-teaching martial arts guide I've ever seen. It's pricy, but worth every penny. If Won Kiew Kit ever makes a book with the people who put together Mr. Chun's book, then we'll have a book well worth the price. In short: Lacks completeness and instructional punch. Go with The Art of Shaolin Kung Fu, Grasshopper.
Rating:
Summary: Ensightful
Review: This book should be a requirement for any Martial Artist who is interested in becoming a greater fighter or even a better person. I found that in reading this book I learned more about myself and my spirituality. My skill increased dramatically, from the energy that I put out to my physical fitness. It was all enhanced and now I see my true potential. I now have a reason to surpass my peers and my own expectations.
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