Chen Style Tai Chi

The Chen style is the first and the oldest form of the five main tai chi chuan styles. Compared with the Yang styl, Chen style is characterized by its lower stances and bursts of power .

Tai chi was first developed in the Chen Village of China around 1400. Chen Wanting, the creator of Chen Style Tai Chi taught his Tai Chi to his children and the villagers and from there Chen Tai Chi is passed on to many generations.

What are the special features of Chen style Tai Chi?

These are the basic Tai Chi princuples (derived from the Yin-Yang philosphy):

"open and close",
"round and square"
"enroll and extend"
"heavy and light"
"soft and hard"
"slow and fast"
"up and down".

Not only does Tai Chi have a unique appearance, but also the unique requirement of internal practice. So, when people practice Tai Chi, they must first use mind rather than force. Mind and Qi movements are inside our body. Spirit and power movement are outside. Chen style has a special force, named Chansijin---Silk Reeling. As Tai Chi classic texts say: "When one part moves, all others will move together"; "Mind coordinates with body".

The main features of Chen Tai Chi.

(1), Movement of Mind and Qi controled by mind (Shen).

The classics say:
"Circulate Qi with heart, and sink down the Qi in order to gather Qi into your bones"
"Move the Qi to your body, but never do it too casually. Then, your heart can control the Qi."
"Heart is the commander, Qi is the war flag."

"The whole body should be controled by mind and spirit instead of by Qi. The body will be stiff if you only focus on Qi".
So, we may come to the conclusion from the above: Tai Chi is the martial art that should use Mind and Spirit, not only Qi. We should not only focus on the movement of Qi when we practice Tai Chi, because Qi is the war-flag. Mind and Spirit command.

(2), Flexible movement through extending limbs and trunk.

The classics say:
"Neck erect, leads force upward. Sink Qi into Dan Tian."
"Hollow the chest and keep the back vertically align. Sink down the shoulders and elbows."
"Relax the waist and arch groin. Open hips and bend knees."

"Concentrate Qi and Spirit, extend your body and arms"
In this way, Tai Chi helps people keep good posture, and strengthen the back, legs and other parts of body. We will have the Peng-Force (ward-off power) when our body is in the correct posture.

(3), Silk-Reeling energy.

The classics say:

"Movement looks like the reeling of silk."

Silk-reeling is the spirit of Tai Chi. In the beginning, it should be in large circles. Later on, the circle will be smaller and smaller; this is the advanced level. This movement is a very important feature of Chen Tai Chi.

(4), Movement from soft to hard, and back to soft.

The classics say:
"Softest, then it can be hardest."
"Soft outside, hard inside"
"Tai Chi should not be too soft, and, control everything by siprit and mind".
"When you do Tai Chi, firstly, change stiff into soft, then, make soft to hard. Soft and hard, hard and soft, this is Tai Chi."

Here, we can understand that Tai Chi is an exercise that makes stiffness or rigidity go away through practice. Then, change the real soft into hard. Always remember Yin and Yang---Soft is Yin and Hard is Yang.

Master Chen Xin said: "Only Yin without yang is weak-hand. Only Yang without Yin is Stiff-hand. One Yin and Nine Yang is a stick-hand. Two Yin and Eight Yang is messy-hand. Three Yin and Seven Yang still hard. Four Yin and Six Yang is good-hand. Only Five Yin and Five Yang is excellent-hand. Because there is always Tai Chi when excellent-hand practices it, and, he can make form disappear during practice." This is the standard of Soft and Hard in practicing Tai Chi.

(5), Movement of Slow to Fast, From Fast to Slow.

The classics say:
"You should be fast when your enemy is fast. you should be slow when he is slow"
"I will not move if he has not moved. However, I have already moved when he is still just begining".
"From slow to fast, from fast to slow. then combine them together".

Thus, Chen Tai Chi should combine fast and slow together. The First Routine is slower than the Second. The speed should vary among different forms in one routine. And, different movements should be different in speed even in the same form.
In brief:"Be fast and slow as needed."

Without understanding the Tai Chi principle, no body can master the art of Tai Chi. The only way to learn the Tai Chi principles is by practicing the movements under the supervision of a Tai Chi master. Without physical exercises nobody will be able to understand this baeautiful Tai Chi principle.

 

The special features of the Chen Tai style is use soft with hard, fast and slow. Chen Wangting developed five Tai Chi routines, Cannon Fist one routine, two person push-hands and some weapon forms.

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