Chen Wangting: The Legend of the Father of Taijiquan
Chen Wangting(1600-1680 | Chinese Martial Arts Masters)
You may have heard of Taijiquan – that graceful, dance-like martial art – but do you know the story of its founder?
Chen Wangting was born in a place called Chenjiagou (then known as Changyang Village) in Henan Province, China, and was himself the ninth generation of the local Chen family. This intelligent and studious son of a martial arts family was not only proficient in his family’s kung fu, he was also well read in poetry and books, and was known by outsiders as a literary and martial arts expert.
When he was young, he worked as a bodyguard (the ancient equivalent of an armed escort) in Shandong, and became very famous. However, during the chaotic times (the fall of the Ming Dynasty and the establishment of the Qing Dynasty), this talented man eventually chose to go back to his hometown to live in seclusion, where he spent his days studying the Taoist classic of health and wellness, the Huang Ting Jing (Yellow Ting Jing).
In his later years, Chen Wangting did something that impacted the world:
He synthesised his life’s learning and integrated the ancient Chinese philosophy of yin and yang, breathing and exhaling techniques and the meridian theory of traditional Chinese medicine into martial arts to create a special style of boxing, which has the following characteristics:
- the movements are like flowing clouds and contain the transformation of yin and yang – this is not magic but a kind of body wisdom:
It flows like water when attacking (yin), and is as solid as a mountain (yang), and each movement contains the paradoxical unity of ‘relaxed concentration.’ - suitable for all ages
- Contains five kinds of empty hand routines and a variety of weapon techniques
- a unique ‘Push Hands’ sparring system.
This is the prototype of Taijiquan, which is now practised by 100 million people worldwide! From health clubs to morning walks in the park, Chen Wangting’s invention of 400 years ago is still changing the lives of modern people today.
Trivia: The word ‘Taiji’ in Taijiquan is derived from the ancient Chinese philosophical classics ‘Hetu’ and ‘Luoshu’, which represent the concept of the balance of yin and yang in the universe.
