Manqing Zheng

Robert W. Smith (1926–2011) was an American author and martial artist whose extensive writings played a significant role in popularizing Asian martial arts, particularly internal styles like tai chi, baguazhang, and xingyiquan, in the United States after World War II. Born in Iowa and raised in an orphanage, Smith developed a love for reading and engaged in boxing and wrestling before serving in the U.S. Marines. He pursued higher education, earning a Master's degree in History, and later joined the CIA, which led to a posting in Taiwan.

During his time in Taiwan from 1959 to 1962, Smith studied extensively with various Chinese martial arts masters. Most notably, he became a student of Professor Cheng Man-ch'ing, a master of multiple arts including tai chi, and was reportedly Cheng's first non-Chinese disciple. This period profoundly influenced his later work and teaching. Upon returning to the U.S., Smith began teaching martial arts, notably tai chi, baguazhang, and xingyiquan, and commenced a prolific writing career that introduced these disciplines to a Western audience through numerous books and articles. He also wrote under the pseudonym John F. Gilbey.

Robert W. Smith was instrumental in bringing the "internal" martial arts of China, specifically tai chi, baguazhang, and xingyiquan, to the attention of Western readers. His extensive writings and research, often drawing from his personal training and interactions with masters, provided foundational texts for those interested in these disciplines. Smith's work not only detailed the techniques and history of these arts but also conveyed their underlying philosophical and energetic principles. He authored the first books in English on baguazhang and xingyiquan, alongside significant contributions to tai chi literature, thereby demystifying these complex practices for a new audience and fostering their growth in the West.

A crucial period in Robert W. Smith's martial arts journey occurred during his CIA assignment in Taiwan from 1959 to 1962. While serving as a liaison to the Republican Chinese government, he dedicated himself to studying with numerous Chinese martial arts masters. His most significant tutelage was under Professor Cheng Man-ch'ing, a renowned practitioner of calligraphy, poetry, painting, Chinese medicine, and tai chi. Smith's persistence in seeking Cheng as a teacher, reportedly requiring months of effort, led to him becoming Cheng's first non-Chinese student. This mentorship, alongside studies with T.T. Liang and participation in Cheng's "pushing hands" sessions, deeply informed Smith's understanding and subsequent dissemination of tai chi and related arts.

Smith's prolific writing career spanned decades, beginning in the 1950s with articles in martial arts magazines and extending to numerous books. His works were characterized by a blend of technical instruction, historical accounts, personal anecdotes, and insightful observations, often infused with humor. He co-authored early English-language books on tai chi with his teacher Cheng Man-ch'ing and Benjamin Lo, and also penned the first English texts on baguazhang and xingyiquan. Beyond his own name, Smith wrote under the pseudonym John F. Gilbey, producing works that sometimes playfully parodied martial arts lore. His writings are credited with significantly whetting the appetite of the American martial arts community and paving the way for Asian masters to establish followings in the U.S., cementing his legacy as a key introducer of these traditions to the West.

“PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE ....”

“Tai Chi is like swimming in air.”

“This is the Marine Corps school of T'ai Chi.”

“You may hate me now, but you’ll thank me later.”

“It takes at least five years of practicing T'ai Chi to realize you know nothing.”