Distilling the martial art known in the West as kung fu, Robert Smith presents Chinese boxing (ch& ’ uan shu) as an art & “ that combines the hardness of a wall and the softness of a butterfly& ’ s wings.& ” His lively, pragmatic account conveys the discipline and insights acquired in ten years of study and travel in Asia. Smith describes his work with t& ’ ai chi master Cheng Man-ch& ’ ing, and connects ch& ’ uan shu with the softer aspects and inner power of that popular practice. Fifty black and white photos illustrate this informative and personal account of the Chinese boxing tradition.