Tai Chi is a Chinese martial art practiced for both its defense training and its health benefits. Today, Taijiquan has spread worldwide. Most modern styles of Taijiquan trace their development to at least one of the five traditional schools -- Chen, Yang, Wu/Hao, Wu, and Sun.
Chen Wangting (陈王廷,1580–1660) was a Ming Dynasty general that founded Chen-style tai chi chuan. He devised the Chen family style of tai chi in his home of Chenjiagou, Wenxian County, Henan province. He retired to Chenjiagou following the fall of the Ming Dynasty.
He combined his previous military experience and the theories of Jingluo (meridian) and other traditional Chinese medicine theories. His complete work contained five smaller sets of forms, a 108-move long fist routine and a cannon fist routine. Chen is also credited with the invention of the first push hands exercises.
Chen Wangting's next well-known successor was the 14th generation Chen Changxing (1771–1853), who was the direct teacher of the founder of Yang style tai chi chuan -- Yang Luchan.
Video: Donglin
Story: Xu Xinlei
As part of the Q&A sessions with the masters and their students during the live show of the Chinese intangible cultural heritage (ICH), most masters said they are teaching “few” or “quite a few” apprentices their skill.
The gala was my first time having a face-to-face discussion with the practitioners who had hands-on experience in passing on the traditions to the younger generation.
