太極,太極拳,太極班,陳式太極


My Kung Fu Stories

Back To Index
Meeting The Great Chen de Wang

According to Chinese tradition a student should  never question a teacher or master.  So during my first study periods to Chen Village despite the numerous questions that I had I dare not bring them up to my Sifu, I was really worried about breaking taboos and offending the Chen family.  However the more I studied by listening and watching the more I wanted to know and understand.  The biggest question that I wanted answered was "what does traditional Chen family Tai Chi look like? ".  I wanted to see the original form before it was changed to what it is today.

One afternoon, I decided to ask what had been rolling around my mind for many years .  My Sifu and I, as usual, were sitting in the hall of his home I was listening to him talk about Tai Chi theory.  During our discussion I finally brought up the topic, I asked, "Sifu,  I notice that modern day practitioners of Chen style Tai Chi straighten their arms and legs.  How does this form differ from the Chen style Tai Chi original form, before any changes were made?".  My Sifu tried to explain but I felt like my question was not fully answered. He then said," Tonight I will take you someplace that will help to answer your question."  We then finished our normal day:  siesta, movement and push hands practice, Tai Chi theory.  

After dinner my Sifu said, "Come! Let's go for a walk!". I knew this was the time, I followed the footsteps of my Master.  We walked through a small courtyard until we reached a big antique wooden Chinese door, I pushed it open and then continued walking through an alley towards Chen Village.  We walked through farmland  and passed through big streets and more small alleyways.  My Sifu asked, "Do you want to see more Chen family Tai Chi? I will take you there now.".  We continued to walk a distance until he finally pointed his finger towards a simple farm house.  It looked humble.  Sifu said, "I have already shown you other Chen family homes:  my home, my cousins home, Chen Li Fa's home.  Today we will visit Chen de Wang.  He was a student of the great Master Chen Zhuo Pi.  However according to my Sifu, Chen de Wang is a little unusual, he had almost no students and he had not allowed anyone to be his inheritor. 

Chen de Wang, who was by then a small old man, welcomed us into his house.  He was alone. My sifu, not wanting to waste any time immediately asked if de Wang would demonstrate his tai chi moves to us.  I was thrilled to be here, my visits to the various Chen homes were always a great learning experience.  I was so fortunate because I knew that I would never have these opportunities if my Sifu did not make these introductions and I knew that todays demonstration was going to be completely different from what was done at the Tai Chi school  in Chen Village. 

The old man didn't say anything, he just stood up, after a few minutes he started.  After a few moves my thoughts about the original form of Tai Chi and the one taught today were confirmed.  They were very different.    The legs and arms of todays Chen style Tai Chi movements are too straight.  The ancestral Chen family Tai Chi follow the same rules regarding the range of the arm and leg movement whether it is the Big Frame, Small Frame  or Sudden  Thunder  Frame.  It is about body mechanics and balance.  Even though there are only a few kinds of Chen style Tai Chi the movement range and rules must be the same in order to guide the "chi" inside the body.  This method has been passed down from the ancestors of the Chen Family.

Chen de Wang  showed us the first part of the 74 movements and then finished with the famous Buddha Pestle movement.  Every single one of his stances was impressive and firm as a mountain.  I was amazed that he still had such great strength and power at such an old age.  This art can never be fully expressed in words.  It is unfortunate that that Chen de Wang had passed away by the time I returned to the village a few years ago.  
  

What he told me about Chen family style Tai Chi, in his strong Henan accent, had such a deep and meaningful impact on me that it will always be etched in my mind.