Chinatown - The Magazine - March/April 2004 - Issue No. 11 A Small Village in China - Chenjiagou Most people with a passing interest in Chinese martial arts will have heard of the Shaolin Temple or even the Wudang Mountains, but these are not the only significant places. November 2003 saw the first British group travelling to Chenjiagou (Chen Village) in China, the birthplace of taijiquan (better known as tai chi), for sixteen days of intensive training at the Chenjiagou School of Taijiquan. The visit was organised by David Gaffney and Sim Siaw-Voon of the Chenjiagou Taijiquan GB group, who led a team of eight practitioners eager to train at the source of their art. Hidden deep within China’s Henan Province, Chenjiagou was where Chen Wangting, a seventeenth century royal guard, created Chen style Taijiquan more than 350 years ago. He combined traditional martial arts with Chinese medical theory and ancient breathing methods to create the forerunner of all the major schools of Taijiquan practised today. Incredibly his descendants still live and teach in the village today. It has become increasingly popular for Taiji enthusiasts from many countries to make the trek to China to train with the Chinese. Most follow the tourist path, or come to the village for an afternoon, take some photos, watch a demonstration and go on their merry way. A few dedicated individuals stay for extended visits, but conditions are pretty basic. Our intention was to experience the daily life and training regimen of a traditional Taiji school. Located in the middle of the village, the Chenjiagou School of Taijiquan was built in 1982. It is the most celebrated school in the area and is run under the stewardship of Master Chen Xiaoxing and his brother Chen Xiaowang. A large austere building, the absence of modern comforts creates the perfect ambience fitting of a traditional martial arts school. Everywhere there is evidence of the hard work and training that has produced many champions in Chinese national competitions. Driving into the school grounds, our first sight was of groups of students practising; some doing weapons forms; some performing acrobatic kicking movements in a sandpit; others being drilled in basic exercises – all under the watchful eyes of the various instructors. At present there are more than 100 full time students at the school. Many come from the village and the nearby town of Wenxian. Others are drawn from throughout China. Academic studies are not neglected and the school has recently acquired a computer suite and Internet connection. The group eagerly, if a little uncertainly, entered the training hall for our first training session. On the walls of the entrance-way we passed portraits of current masters and the emerging “seven little dragons” – the next generation of probable Chen family masters - impressively letting you know where you are. During our stay Master Chen Xiaoxing closely supervised the groups training. Everyday the routine was the same - morning training from nine until eleven-thirty, afternoon training from two until four-thirty with an optional run, snow permitting at six am. In the school, training is intense and physically very demanding as befits one of China’s most traditional martial arts. Those only familiar with the idea of Taiji as a gentle pastime for senior citizens would struggle to reconcile the tired bodies and aching limbs at the end of each session. This is reflected in a saying passed down in the village, which states that “whoever drinks the water of Chenjiagou, their legs will surely shake”. As Chen Xiaoxing put it, one must be prepared to “eat bitterness” if you are to achieve a high degree of skill. In November, Chenjiagou is very cold. The village is based around two streets that bisect each other at the village centre. Situated on flat open farmland, there was little protection from the cold Siberian winds that regularly blew in. It is so cold, in fact, that most of the teams first purchase was some much appreciated thermal underwear, rather than the usual souvenirs. On the whole, the people in the village live a simple rural life, closely following the rhythms of nature. There are no streetlights at night and by six in the evening everything was in darkness. Everybody in the team soon settled into an uncomplicated routine, physically demanding, but mentally very straightforward with none of the distractions of home. Early to bed and early to rise, practising, eating, sleeping and visiting the local bath-house to warm up and ease any sore muscles. Not as plush as the sauna back home, but heaven just the same. Having lived in Chenjiagou all his life, Chen Xiaoxing showed little inclination to leave despite numerous invitations from abroad. Instead, he intends to remain in the village to ensure that the family art is passed on properly to the next generation. His success was obvious on the groups last day in the village, when the entire school put on an exhilarating demonstration to mark the end of our visit. Next morning we boarded a China Airlines flight to Beijing, beginning the long journey home. On the way, I could think of little but the experiences we had in China and the warmth of everybody in the school. I have already begun planning the next visit. |