Practicing Boxing and Remembering My Teacher | My Story with Chenjiagou

My story with Chenjiagou

Because of my deep love for Tai Chi, since 1983, I have been persistently seeking learning opportunities in Chenjiagou many times. Eventually, I was fortunate enough to become a student of Master Yang Songquan, the grandson of Grandmaster Chen Zhaopi. Teacher Yang’s noble character, outstanding martial arts skills, and the warm hospitality of his fellow villagers from Wen County have left a lasting impression on me.

When I first entered high school in 1982, I happened to come across an article in the seventh issue of the “Wulin” magazine that year introducing teachers such as Chen Xiaowang and Chen Qiwang from Chenjiagou. Without my family’s knowledge, I secretly ran away from home alone and headed for Chenjiagou, which is thousands of miles away. I went to visit Teacher Chen Xiaowang and Teacher Chen Qiwang one after another, but since they were both teaching boxing in other places at that time, I was unable to meet them.

It was the cold January of 1983. I was starving and freezing, and I was at my wit’s end. In despair, I came to the Wen County Transportation Bureau, hoping to find free means of transportation. After telling Director Du Dongfang of the Transportation Bureau about my experience, he warmly invited me into the house for dinner and took me in. The next day, at the introduction of Director Du, Yang Songquan, the grandson of Master Chen Zhaopi, the 18th generation descendant of the Chen family, brought my senior brother Wan Jinliang to the Transportation Bureau of Wen County where I was staying. In order to experience the mystery of Tai Chi for myself, I immediately showed Teacher Yang a powerful grappling. Teacher Yang encouraged me to exert more force and instantly pulled out a move. I was pushed away with great force. I quickly got up and repeatedly pleaded, “Please, teacher, teach me another move!” Teacher Yang said to me, “As long as you are obedient and hardworking, you will make progress.” That moment was a very unforgettable scene for me.

During the process of learning Tai Chi, my master often emphasized that “it takes three years to practice the Vajra Pounding the mortar” and “Can you do it? The Vajra is pounding the mortar”, demanding that I devote all my energy to the practice of the Vajra Pounding the mortar. Under the strict requirements of my master, I train for more than seven hours every day. Soon, my feet swelled up due to excessive practice, but through continuous training, my feet gradually returned to normal. This arduous “Three Swellings and Three Eliminations” training laid the foundation for my Tai Chi skills.

Chenjiagou in Wen County can be said to be my second hometown. During my stay in Wen County, teachers such as Chen Boxiang, Chen Mengsong, Chen Shitong, Chen Zhaosen and Liu Pan gave me a lot of guidance and teachings. Coming to Chenjiagou is like being back home. This place and these teachers make me feel extremely close.

In January 1985, when I went to Chenjiagou again, there was a classmate named Wei Dangsheng. His mother was from the Leshan Public Security Bureau and also wanted to go with me. We have prepared a large bag of local specialties from Leshan, including oranges, rice flower candy and sachima. He also went to Henan with me without the knowledge of his family. Just twenty meters away from the ticket gate of Chengdu Railway Station, suddenly several police officers came from behind and stopped us. We were quite surprised at that time. Looking back, we found out that it was the people from the police station brought by Wei Dangsheng’s mother who had arrived. Then they took us back to Leshan in a jeep. This time, Wei Dangsheng was held back, while I went to Wen County alone again and found Teacher Yang Songquan to learn boxing.

In October 1986, I had just returned from learning boxing in Wen County, Henan Province. The first Jiazhou Ring Competition was held in Leshan. At that time, contestants from Chengdu, Xindu, Pengshan, Meishan and other places participated. I was 17 years old at that time. I was the youngest contestant and had excellent grades. Next, the Leshan Sports Commission specially invited me to hold a Tai Chi training class at the Workers’ Cultural Palace in Beimen Bridge, Leshan, to promote Chen-style Tai Chi until I started working. I remember at Leshan Technical School, there was a man surnamed You who practiced the “Poke Foot Flip” and was a few years older than me. He proposed to have a sparring with me. I’m not sure if my Tai Chi can beat him either, because when I was in Wen County, I was relatively weak among my fellow apprentices. Seeing him kick, I reacted naturally as well. I lifted my leg and hooked it into his crotch, and he fell down. It was this move that defeated him. There’s also a man surnamed Yang who lives in Leshan Port. He practices Drunken Fist and also wants to have a sparring with me. While he was still gesturing, I stepped forward and punched him, sending a nosebleed out directly. He quickly conceded defeat. Wang Jian, the principal of Leshan Giant Buddha Martial Arts School, is a friend of mine. In 2007, he invited me to the martial arts school to be in charge of the management of the martial arts teaching and research group. Among the martial arts teachers, there is one named Tang Yong. He first learned Xuanhu Quan from Teacher Qian Xingyong in Xichang, then furthered his studies in the martial arts Department of Chengdu Sport University for four years, and finally came to Dafo Martial Arts School to work with my colleagues. One day, in front of several students, he asked me, “Teacher Chen, can your Tai Chi hit people?” I said, “You can have a try.” As soon as he made a move, before he hit me, I grabbed his arm and knocked him down with a loud bang. He got up and exclaimed, “The true Chenjiagou Tai Chi is just different!”

In order to test and improve myself, I often take my students to places like Beijing, Luoyang and Xi ‘an to communicate with colleagues, constantly verifying what I have learned, which has deepened my understanding of Tai Chi.

When I was a child, I went to Wen County several times to learn boxing from my master, Teacher Yang Songquan. Not only did he not charge me a penny, but he also took care of my food and accommodation. I was really touched! He possesses the genuine martial arts passed down in his family and has noble virtues. I am truly grateful to him from the bottom of my heart. I am willing to do my utmost to promote and develop Chenjiagou Tai Chi in Leshan, Sichuan Province, and spread it on a wider scale to bring health to everyone.

In the winter of 1987, I took a group photo with my master and two senior fellow practitioners at Chenjiagou Tai Chi School

In December 1989, in Beijing with my master‍

Taiji practitioner

Born of the boundless, it is the mechanism of movement and stillness, and the mother of Yin and Yang

Tai Chi is

The rhythm of music and the connotation of philosophy

The construction of beauty, the artistic conception of poetry