Grasping the Sparrows tail documents my fathers journey as we travel together through China searching for the origins of Taiji Quan (T'ai Ch'i). Along the way we meet with various masters and representatives of the different Taiji Quan styles, all the while seeking to trace its historical roots. At the same time we uncover aspects of Chinese culture that lead to a deeper understanding of Taiji Quan beyond just the martial art itself. Our journey will take us from Shanghai to Beijing, a small village in Wen County and finally to Wudang Mountain, the preeminent Daoist Mountain in China, where legend has it, Taiji Quan was first created by the Daoist immortal Zhang San Feng.