|
|
Profiles
Technical Advisors
Chenjiagou Taijiquan GB has as its technical advisors some of the foremost Chen Style Taijiquan teachers in the world, in order to maintain the authenticity and standard of the curriculum taught within the school:
Chen Xiaowang
Chen Xiaowang was born in 1946 in Chenjiagou, Henan Province and is the 19th generation “gatekeeper” of the Chen family’s Taijiquan heritage. He is a direct descendant of the creator of Taiji, Chen Wangting and grandson of Chen Fa-ke renowned as the greatest Taijiquan master at the beginning of this century. Chen Xiaowang began his early taiji training from his father, and subsequently from his uncles, Chen Zhaopei and Chen Zhaokui, and has an unbroken record of Taiji practice for more than fifty years. In martial arts tournaments throughout China, he has won numerous Gold Medals, including winning the title of All-China Grand Champion three times in 1980, 1982 and 1983. He was also crowned Grand Champion at the first Open International Tournament in Xian in 1985. He was a national coach of China and also the Martial Arts Director of Henan Province, which includes the famous Shaolin Temple. China has recognised him as a ‘Living National Treasure’.
As head of the World Chen Taijiquan Association, his calm character and patient approach to teaching has attracted many thousands of students throughout Europe, USA, South America and the Far East. When anyone speaks of Chen style Taijiquan, the first name that springs to mind is Chen Xiaowang.
|
|
The school has invited Chen Xiaowang many times in the past few years to conduct seminars in the UK. He has also been a major source of information in the writing of our book ’Chen Style Taijiquan -The Source of Taiji Boxing’, and wrote the cover title calligraphy. Chen Xiaowang has devised his own systematic and logical method of teaching, which helps to unravel and explain an intrinsically complex system, and which is useful for both beginners and advanced students of taiji.
Chen Xiaoxing
|
|
Chen Xiaoxing, younger brother of Chen Xiaowang, has lived in Chenjiagou all his life and is currently the principal of the Taiji School in the village. He studied under his uncles Chen Zhaopei and Chen Zhaokui and later under the guidance of his brother Chen Xiaowang. Now 53 years of age, Chen Xiaoxing epitomises China's traditional rural family martial arts. He is committed to remaining in Chenjiagou in order to keep his family's martial tradition alive at its birthplace. Under his guidance a new generation of Chen Taiji fighters and teachers are emerging from the village. Unlike many martial art teachers who seek to simplify and ease training regimens for recreational Taiji players, he is quite unambiguous in stating that an individual’s level of skill is dictated by solid training.
Chen Xiaoxing is the coach for our school’s annual training trip to Chenjiagou. He teaching style is spontaneous and rigorous. Although a hard taskmaster, he is open and approachable, providing invaluable input in the development of school members.
|
Chen Zhenglei
Another prodigy of the famed masters Chen Zhaopei and Chen Zhaokui (both his uncles) is Chen Zhenglei, who was born in 1949 in Chenjiagou and has practised Taijiquan for over forty years. He is one of the top four practitioners of his generation in Chenjiagou, known as "Taiji Jingang"- alongside Chen Xiaowang, Zhu Tiancai and Wang Xian. His competition record includes twice winning the Taijiquan Grand Champion at the National Taijiquan Competitions. In 1995 the China National Wushu Association named him as one of the “Top Ten Martial Arts Masters” of contemporary China. A Senior Chinese National Martial Art Coach, Chen Zhenglei is now a renowned teacher with many students around the world. From 1989 to 1997, his students were gold medallists 65 times at national and provincial competitions in China.
In recent years Chen Zhenglei has conducted several seminars for the school in the UK. Members have also trained with him a number of times in China since 1997, including the First International Advanced Chen Taiji Training Camp in Hebei Province in 1999. Chen Zhenglei emphasises intellectual understanding as well as physical training in his teaching, and provides another strand to the tapestry of Chen Style Taijiquan.
|
|
Zhu Tiancai
Zhu Tiancai is a 19th Generation descendant of the Chen Family (on the maternal side) who grew up in Chenjiagou. Zhu Tiancai also studied with Chen Zhaopei and Chen Zhaokui and is one of the “Four Jingang of Chenjiagou”. Together with Chen Xiaowang he represented Henan Province in numerous tournaments and exhibitions. Zhu Tiancai is known for propagating Chen Style Taijiquan in South East Asia and now resides in Singapore. He travels internationally to teach and promote the art.
The school organised Zhu Tiancai’s first visit to the UK after training with him in Singapore in 2000. On his return visit a year later he taught the 42 Fajin pattern for the first time since it was performed by the Four Jingangs. Zhu Tiancai is known for his enthusiasm and pragmatic approach that helps to penetrate the mystery that often shrouds Taijiquan.
|