Chen Family Taijiquan is widely acknowledged as the oldest and the ancestor of all of the other Taijiquan (Tai Chi Chuan) styles. Although Traditional (aka "lao jia", "gong fu frame", "Zungu") Chen Family Taijiquan is characterized by low powerful stances, subtle body coiling movements (different from the more obvious coiling movments of the newer Chen styles), stomping, and explosive releases of power that are mostly absent from the practice of other styles of Taijiquan, Chen Family Taijiquan can be also be practiced with graceful, slow, light movements. The martial aspects and health benefits are still preserved and retained within the Chen Family Taijiquan system.
Although a person is not required to be athletic in order to learn Taiji (Tai Chi), patience, consistent practice, and time commitment are essential for a Taiji learner to truly benefit from this ancient internal martial arts system. Chen Family Taijiquan offers a complete training system comprising of qigong, empty-hand forms, silk-reeling exercises, push hands practice, weapon sets, etc. Beginning students usually start with Yi Lu (First form), qigong, and silk-reeling exercises to help them establish a strong foundation and to prepare them, if they wish, to continue and pursue further, the martial aspects of the system. It is hoped that through the promotion of Traditional Chen Family Taijiquan, the public will again recognize Taijiquan not only as a health exercise, benefiting one's mental and physical health, but also as a truly valuable Chinese martial arts system.
There are 2 barehanded form sets in Chen Taijiquan (1st Form:"Yi Lu" and, 2nd Form:"Er Lu" also known as "Cannon Fist" or "Pao Chui") of which the speed, strength, and difficulty are different.
The first form (Yi Lu) is supple. This form is used as a tool to help develop a student's strength, balance, coordination, and understanding of basic Taiji principles. The strength of the form is based on the basic "Chan Si Jing" (spiral energy/force). Because of this characteristic, not only is this an essential form for beginners to learn, but is of benefit to those who want to practice Taijiquan for health reasons.
The second form (Cannon Fist) is the advance form. It's compilation is to aid the practitioner toward the development of explosive power and fighting techniques. There are many fast, powerful, and hard movements.
Traditionally, beginners always start with the first form of Traditional Chen Taijiquan along with some basic exercises to get rid of body "stiffness". Practicing the combination of the first form and the basic exercises correctly will help the beginner develop "Chan Si Jing" (spiral energy). The second form then develops more explosive power.
The Traditional Chen Family Taijiquan Form, "Lao Jia" (Old frame), [aka "Gong Fu Frame" "Zungu"]will be taught in the San Francisco Chinese Culture Center and adult school classes, because of its straight forwardness. It will also help build a strong Taiji foundation in the student.
The Chen Family Lao Jia 1st (Yi Lu) Form will be taught following the silk-reeling and qigong exercises. This traditional Chen Taijiquan form still practiced by the people in Chenjiagou, the Chen village in Henan, China, is characterized by low powerful stances, subtle body coiling movements, stomping, and explosive releases of power. This form is suitable for a wide range of participants. There is no age, sex, nor health discrimination in the learning of this form. Students practice the form at their own ability, pace, and tempo. The form (stance height, power releases and stomping) will be adjusted individually to the student's health, age, and gender.
 |
The Chen-style 48 Taijiquan Form (Feng Zhiqiang version) will be taught on a private basis. This 48 Form, which is also suitable for a wide range of participants, is a popular Chen Taijiquan Form in the United States. It is characterized by slightly higher stances, obvious body coiling movements, stomping, and explosive releases of power
The Chen-style 48 Taijiquan Form is a derivation of the Xin Jia Chen Taijiquan First Form (the 83-posture Yi Lu) compiled by Feng Zhiqiang, the 18th generation master of Chen-style Taijiquan. The 48 Form contains approximately 95% of the First Form combined with a few postures from the Second Form (the 71-posture Er Lu or "Cannon Fist"). This combination gives a more yin and yang balance to the form. Within this form can be found influences from Feng Zhiqiang's martial arts background prior to his study of Chen Taijiquan Because of this unique incorporation of Feng Zhiqiang's prior martial arts background with Chen Taijiquan, the 48 Form gives a new character to the Chen 83 form in terms of application and transition.
Return to Top To Curriculum
Qigong, which literally means "practice of vital energy", is an ancient Chinese art of meditation and physical exercise. When it is practiced correctly, it promotes health, mental well-being, martial arts skills, and spiritual development. There are many types of qigong systems. Most qigong systems incorporate breathing techniques, moving exercises, massage techniques, still postures and mental training. Qigong is well-known in China, and now, in the West, for its development of internal energy, promotion of healing, reduction of stress, and extension of life.
Wuji Qigong
The Wuji Qigong is a standing meditation exercise to help practitioners build a strong foundation in qigong theory. Wuji Qigong is the core of taiji qigong and will assist in enhancing one's focus and improving the immune system by gathering the scattered "qi" (internal energy) back to the dantian. Students will be taught a few major accupressure points and how to align these points to improve the students' postures for the promotion of "qi" circulation. Finally, Wuji Qigong can help practitioners to know themselves better by helping them find their inner center.
 |
Hun Yuan Qigong
The Hun Yuan Qigong exercises use the external movements to guide the internal energy flow. These exercises emphasize the mixing of the prenatal and postnatal "qi"and the cultivation of the 3 human treasures:
- "jing" - the life essence
- "shen" - the spirit or awareness
|
The Hun Yuan Qigong exercises will also help bring in the "yang" energy from the heaven above and the "yin" energy from the earth below to combine with the human vital energy. The cultivation of these energies within the body can help students reduce mental stress and tension, and improve concentration and health. The cultivation of "qi" (internal energy), can improve the health and martial abilities of the practitioner.
Zhan Zhuang
Zhan Zhuang "standing post" to develop rooting.
Return to Top To Curriculum
 |
Silk-Reeling Exercises (Chan Si Gong). "Gong" in Chinese means work or skill or exercises (drills). Silk-Reeling Exercises (SRE) in Taiji are a series of connected spiral movements to facilitate the development of the basic strengths and coordination of Taijiquan. They are a set of repetitive spiral movement exercises with emphasis on --- rooting, waist connection, knee alignment, kua sinking, opening and closing of joints and dantian rotation.
These continuous spiral movements are the basic components, the foundational building blocks of Chen Taijiquan. If a student practice these exercises, the student will eventually be able to attain ground connection and energy (Jin) flow from the legs to the dantian (center of the body) with emanation through the limbs to manifest the proper energy path.
These exercises also will increase body-joint mobility, and muscle/tendon relaxation. The spiral movements will increase joint mobility by opening up and exercising the 18 major joints (in sequence from the head to the ankles) of the body and promote muscle/tendon relaxation and flexibility by reducing physical tension and exertion.
This set of exercises is a recent development in the Chen Taijiquan system. It was developed with the intent that through systematic practice, students will be able to achieve their specific goal, be it to acquire health benefits and/or martial arts proficiency.
Many people misunderstand the nature of SRE. They believe that SRE are only a set of stretching exercises to stretch the bones, muscles and tendons of the practitioner. Silk-reeling exercises can be considered as stretching exercises that use the Taiji principles to help relax our bodies physically and mentally, but the reverse is not true.
SRE must be taught by a qualified instructor, who knows the theory of these exercises so that the essential quality of these exercises can be obtained. These exercises must be practiced correctly to prevent body injury.
Return to Top To Curriculum
Beginning Taiji/Qigong Classes |
Beginning/Intermediate Taiji Classes |
© DA 2003 - 2007
