Respect and purify our ancestors, be cautious and remember the past | In memory of my respected teacher: My grandfather, the grandmaster of Tai Chi, Chen Gong Zhaopi

December 30th of this year marks the 48th anniversary of the death of my grandfather, Mr. Chen Zhaopi. Looking back on the past, I am filled with countless emotions. My grandfather’s voice, appearance and smile are still vivid in my mind. His superb martial arts skills and noble martial ethics will always be my model on the path of cultivation.

Chen Gong Zhaopi (April 8, 1893 – December 30, 1972), styled Jifu, was from Chenjiagou, Wen County, Henan Province. He was the 18th generation of the Chen family and the 10th generation inheritor of Tai Chi. He was the fourth-generation descendant of Chen Changxing, the 14th generation “King of Memorial Tablets” of the Chen family, and the son of Tai Chi master Chen Dengke. He received his family’s education at a young age and followed his father to pass the imperial examination to practice the ancestral Tai Chi. After passing the imperial examination, he continued his studies under the tutelage of his sixth-generation ancestor Yanxi and his seventh-generation uncle Fake. When Chen Gong Zhaopi was young, he practiced boxing with great diligence. He practiced boxing dozens of times a day, regardless of the cold or heat, day and night without ceasing. His skills were profound and his boxing skills were superb. At the age of 21, he was hired to teach martial arts in Gansu, Hebei and other places. Seven years later, he returned to his hometown and became the coach of the Wen County Martial Arts Society.

Chen Gong Zhaopi was erudite and had profound theoretical attainments. He successively authored books such as “The Compendium of Chen-style Tai Chi”, “Introduction to Tai Chi”, “Illustrated Chen-style Tai Chi”, and “Thirteen Theoretical Chapters on Chen-style Tai Chi”. With millions of words, it expounds the principles of Tai Chi in a simple and understandable way. The volume and richness of his theoretical works are rarely seen in history, and he has made outstanding contributions to the promotion and development of Chen-style Tai Chi.

Chen Gong Zhaopi taught martial arts throughout his life, neither seeking fame nor profit. He came to Beijing in 1928 and was the first person to spread Chen-style Tai Chi in the capital. Since then, the essence of Chen-style Tai Chi has become known to the world. In his later years, he returned to his hometown and, under extremely difficult conditions, cultivated a new generation. The once declining Chen-style Tai Chi was able to revive after decades of warfare. Chen Gong Zhaopi made outstanding contributions. It is no wonder that he is a master in the history of the development of Chen-style Tai Chi, who has carried forward the past and opened up the future!

In 1928, my grandfather was recommended by his relatives and was invited by his brothers, Le Youshen and Le Dutong, the owners of the famous traditional Chinese medicine store Tong Ren Tang in Beijing, to teach boxing in Beijing. At that time, Li Qinglin, a scholar of the late Qing Dynasty from the Henan Association, was proud that Tai Chi originated in his hometown. He then wrote a letter to the “Beijing Evening News” to widely publicize it, stating that “Tai Chi originated in Chenjiagou, Wen County, Henan Province. The martial arts of predecessors such as Chen Wangting and Chen Changxing have long been renowned throughout the country. Now, Zhao PI, the fourth-generation descendant of Duke Chen Changxing, has traveled to Ping for a short stay.” For the time being, stay in the Du Shengxing building at the grinding ground outside the South gate. If you have a hobby, don’t let it slip away and miss the opportunity. It will be too late to regret.

For a while, martial arts enthusiasts from Peiping, holding newspapers, came one after another, leaving them overwhelmed every day. At that time, in Beiping City, there was a strongman known as “Gai Bantian”. He led over a dozen apprentices, holding a newspaper in his hand, and approached his grandfather with a fierce look, threatening, “Mr. Chen, you’re new here. Whose place are you trampling on?” And have a move with me. Just as they were talking, suddenly like a fierce tiger descending from the mountain, it leaped towards Grandpa and let out a roar at the same time. With a whoosh, it hit Grandpa’s body and fell to the ground more than ten feet away. The big man was furious. As he got up from the ground, he raised his left fist and sealed it directly at his grandfather’s eyes. His grandfather only used his left hand to move against the current and quickly circle around the big man’s wrist. One attempt missed and the big man crashed into his grandfather’s crotch. The big man blushed so much that he immediately ordered all his disciples to kneel down before his grandfather and kowtow to become his disciples. He swore, “From now on, I and all my disciples will be Master Chen’s disciples. As long as the master needs them in the capital, he will give orders.”

Later, Xiong Shihu, the former bodyguard of Tong Ren Tang Pharmacy and a well-known martial arts master in Shandong, was also not convinced and came to compete. Xiong Shihu was practicing the Great Hong Quan. He would take the first step and seal his eyes. After his grandfather gave in a few moves in a row, he lifted his opponent up more than half a foot from the ground with one opening and one closing of his hands. Xiong Dahan immediately lost his head, but his grandfather gently put him down again. This happened twice. The onlookers clapped and cheered in unison. The Shandong warrior was so moved that tears welled up in his eyes. He knew well that when he was lifted up, if the other person threw him casually, he would be thrown so hard that it was unimaginable. He immediately knelt down and bowed to his grandfather, saying, “Teacher Chen has profound achievements and great virtue. I admire him so much!” After that, my grandfather set up a arena at Xuanwu Tower and fought with the warriors for seventeen consecutive days without ever losing. His reputation soared. The original and authentic Chen-style Tai Chi of Chenjiagou was first spread in the capital.

In 1930, my grandfather was invited by Wei Daoming, the mayor of Nanjing, to teach martial arts in Nanjing and concurrently served as an honorary professor at the Central Martial Arts Institute.

In 1933, my grandfather served as a referee for the National Martial Arts Games and a member of the second national Martial Arts Evaluation Committee.

In 1935, my grandfather published “The Collection of Chen-style Tai Chi” in Nanjing, and the title of the book was inscribed by Yu Youren, a senior figure of the Kuomintang.

In 1938, Nanjing fell. My grandfather was unwilling to teach martial arts in the Japanese-occupied area, so he quickly returned to his hometown and joined the army of General Fan Tinglan, an anti-Japanese general, as a martial arts instructor. Teach soldiers martial arts in daily life and train their close combat skills. When the battle was at its most critical, my grandfather would personally lead the suicide squad through thick and thin, fighting on the front line.

In 1940, my grandfather went to Luoyang to teach martial arts and served as a martial arts coach at the Headquarters of the First War Zone, the Education Department of Henan Province and the Direct Tax Bureau of Henan Province.

In 1942, my grandfather was invited by Zhang Hanying, the chairman of the Yellow River Conservancy Commission, to Xi ‘an and served as a martial arts instructor at the Yellow River Conservancy Commission. (Zhang Hanying served as the vice minister of the Ministry of Water Resources after liberation and persisted in practicing Chen-style Tai Chi for a long time. He passed away at the age of 102.) My grandfather was also the only Chen-style Tai Chi master who taught Tai Chi in a national government agency at that time. After the victory of the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression in 1945, my grandfather moved eastward with the Yellow River Conservancy Commission to the ancient city of Kaifeng.

In 1948, Kaifeng was liberated, and my grandfather then joined the revolutionary work. In addition to doing his own job well, he still continues to teach Tai Chi. At that time, Mr. Mei Lanfang, a renowned Peking Opera actor, always felt that his swordsmanship was not good enough, so he came to pay a visit to the master. As soon as they met, Grandpa pointed out sharply, “The character you play is a female male. You should practice the Kun Sword. Male swordsmanship doesn’t match.” This made Mr. Mei nod repeatedly. From then on, Mr. Mei often visited his home to study and eventually mastered a set of superb and elegant Kun swordsmanship, which was deeply welcomed by a large number of opera fans.

During the Spring Festival of 1958, my grandfather returned to his hometown to visit relatives. Seeing that my hometown was very poor and there were very few people practicing boxing. Grandpa was extremely worried that the ancestral Tai Chi martial art would have no successors. He was so anxious that he resolutely resigned from his public office and devoted himself wholeheartedly to teaching Tai Chi in his hometown. After returning to my hometown, my grandfather set up a martial arts class at home and asked me to dig up all the trees in the courtyard to build a simple boxing ground and teach martial arts and take on apprentices for free. At present, the precious traditional martial arts skills of the old frame boxing in Chenjiagou Village have been passed down by my grandfather.

In March of the same year, the Henan Province Wushu Performance Competition was held in Zhengzhou, and my grandfather won the first place in Tai Chi. In 1960, the National Wushu Performance Conference was held in Zhengzhou, and my grandfather was awarded the title of “National Tai Chi Master”. In 1964, my grandfather was elected as a member of the Chinese Wushu Association (at that time, there were two positions available in Henan Province, the other being Teacher Bu Wende).

At that time, under the arrangement of the Sports Commission of Wen County, my grandfather began to comprehensively promote and popularize Tai Chi in the county government and the First University of Wen County. At that time, transportation was inconvenient. My grandfather walked over ten miles every day, shuttling between Chenjiagou and the county town, without complaint or complaint. And leave a poem:

From dawn to dusk, I get up to practice Tai Chi.

Not afraid of the bone-chilling cold wind, the single shirt and shorts are not made of cotton.

Passers-by burst into laughter, laughing at me as a young man in my seventies.

When the feet are swung and the forks fall, they can cover the ground; when the feet are lifted twice, they can fly all over the sky.

The martial arts are oblivious to the approach of old age, and fame benefits me like smoke and clouds.

May we serve the people and enjoy good health, happiness and safety.

From 1963 to early 1966, under the leadership of Director An Junzhen of the County Sports Commission, the “Wenzhou County Chenjiagou Tai Chi Amateur Sports School” was established in Chenjiagou. Village Party Secretary Zhang Weizhen served as the principal, and my grandfather was the chief coach. With the support of the county government and the village committee, the activity of practicing Tai Chi by all the villagers of Chenjiagou has been carried out in full swing.

But the good times didn’t last long. In 1966, the “Cultural Revolution” broke out. The ancestral hall in Chenjiagou Village was demolished, the ancestral tablets were smashed, and Tai Chi was mistaken for “ghosts, monsters and spirits”. During this period, my grandfather suffered severe abuse. He was labeled as a “counter-revolutionary”, a member of the Kuomintang, a traitor, a spy, etc., and was given four big black hats. He was taken to the commune for criticism and scution many times, and his personal health was greatly injured and insulted.

In the autumn of 1967, under the circumstances of being criticized and suppressed, my grandfather’s thoughts suddenly went to a dead end. At midnight that night, my grandfather suddenly jumped into a well dozens of meters away from our home, wanting to kill himself. The water in the well was not deep, but Grandpa stepped on the tip of the bamboo tube on the plate in the well, piercing through the sole of his right foot, from the sole to the top of his foot. Blood stained the water in the well red, and Grandpa fainted from the pain. It was not until dawn that the neighbor went to fetch water and was quickly rescued by everyone. However, Grandpa couldn’t walk anymore. His right foot and right calf soon became inflamed and ulcerated, swelling like purlins and causing him so much pain that he couldn’t rest day or night. Especially at night, it’s even more amazing. I often spend the whole night humming. Coincidentally, my grandfather has a good friend, Mr. Ning Zili, who is an elderly traditional Chinese medicine doctor at Wenxian County Hospital. He treated his grandfather with the traditional Chinese medicine passed down in his family, helping the wound to reduce inflammation and gain weight. However, due to the large size of the wound, it is necessary to go to the county to change the medicine every three to five days. Under extremely difficult circumstances, Grandpa’s wound gradually healed and his health improved significantly. After more than a year of treatment, it was not until early 1969 that my grandfather suddenly received a medical card sent by his superiors. From then on, his medical expenses were guaranteed.

Every time my grandfather changes his medicine, he has to go from Chenjiagou Village to the county town. After changing the medicine, he returns from the county town. At that time, no one dared to approach my grandfather. So I pulled him back and forth in a small cart, round after round. Although Grandpa was injured, what he was thinking about and talking about was still Tai Chi. Along the way, I listened to my grandfather tell me many legendary stories and principles of Tai Chi. This was the most unforgettable time of my childhood. The most vivid time I remember was on the way home from the county town. Grandpa was very happy to tell me his innermost thoughts. He said, “Xiao Quan, this time Grandpa’s injury has healed and he can still teach boxing in the future. Grandpa should thank three people.” I was taken aback and asked, “Which three people?” Grandpa said earnestly, “At that time, Grandpa suffered a lot and was completely disheartened. But after jumping into the well, he suddenly became clear-sighted.” Grandpa heard an old man say in his ear, “Old man, you mustn’t die. The Tai Chi skills in this village are still waiting for you to teach. You still have important tasks in the future!” Having said that, the old man supported me all over for several hours. It was not until I was rescued with a rope that the old man quietly disappeared. Had it not been for him, I probably wouldn’t have been able to hold on in the well for so long. The second person was all those who rescued me from the well. The third one is you, Xiao Quan. You took the trouble to bring Grandpa to see a doctor again and again, making dozens of round trips without complaint. Eventually, you cured my foot injury. Grandpa will always be grateful to you.

Do gymnastics, play ball games, go running, climb mountains, swim, practice Tai Chi and all kinds of sports. Grandpa saw this piece of news by accident and was overjoyed. Grandpa was in a very good mood. Soon, his wound healed completely and he was able to practice Tai Chi and various weapons in full. Grandpa immediately asked the village leaders and called on everyone to continue practicing Tai Chi.

“Thousands of rivers and mountains are nothing.” – “Thump!” The diamond is pounding the mortar. He worked so hard to spread Tai Chi that he forgot to eat and sleep. The villagers didn’t understand. Instead, he made self-mocking remarks:

If you say I’m crazy, I’ll be crazy; if you say I’m crazy, I’ll be crazy.

Why do you do this crazy thing? I’m so glad to see that it will fill the countryside.

Even in the dead of night, my grandfather often practices Tai Chi alone, relishing the wonders of Tai Chi that are as enchanting as those of a living deity. One day after practicing boxing, my grandfather left a poem:

Who is the first to realize the great dream? A martial artist sleeps alone.

Three drums beat in the woodcut tower, and the sword is practiced to cut through the cold light.

Sweat flows like spring rain, and winter turns into the hot summer days.

Understanding the wonders of Tai Chi is like living a deity!

After the catastrophe, the custom of practicing martial arts in Chenjiagou resurface, and my grandfather regained his youth. Grandpa completely forgot about the experiences of being criticized and attacked by others. He patiently continued to teach the Chen family’s old frame Tai Chi mechanical pushing hands and other unique skills.

In order to summarize and promote the essence of Tai Chi theory, my grandfather devoted himself to it for many years and finally wrote the classic work of Tai Chi, “Thirteen Chapters on Chen-style Tai Chi Theory”, which was first presented to the State Sports Commission. However, due to the prejudice held by the State Sports Commission against Chenjiagou Tai Chi, it was not accepted. Later, it was quickly collected by the Wen County Sports Commission and widely publicized and promoted, enabling many martial arts enthusiasts to appreciate the profound theories of Chen-style Tai Chi.

In 1970, when my grandfather was teaching Tai Chi, he often earnestly told me, “Songquan, the set of Tai Chi my grandfather taught you is the right way. You must practice it to a certain extent. Then you will have a comprehensive and profound understanding.” For example: 掤 STROKE and squeeze as needed seriously, take 挒 elbow against more UNUSUAL, sticky and attached as IS the right way, virtual and real open and CLOSE as IS the true…” I always keep in mind my grandfather’s earnest teachings. I never stop practicing martial arts, and my intentions have no end. The more I practice, the more refined I become, and the more profound the mysteries. I will always master this unique skill, always be grateful to my grandfather, and always be grateful to the elders of Chenjiagou.

In September 1972, Henan Province was going to hold a martial arts performance competition and invited Chenjiagou to send athletes to participate. Grandpa was extremely excited. At that time, he was in charge of the village martial arts coach. In order to speed up the training of team members for the provincial competition, my grandfather personally demonstrated many difficult moves. The 80-year-old man has been busy on the training ground for three whole months. His feet are swollen and he has lost weight, but he has no complaints.

However, Grandpa was exhausted and was admitted to the hospital twice in a row. The second time he was admitted to the hospital, he knew he couldn’t make it. He asked me to massage his whole body and took the opportunity to teach me how to hit various joints, which made me suddenly understand once again. That day, while I was massmassing his liver, my grandfather woke up from a coma. His lower abdomen trembled and he immediately pushed me out more than ten meters away. With a whoosh, I jumped up into the air and fell sideways under the No. 6 hospital bed, which was over four meters away. Coincidentally, there was a pair of cotton shoes under the bed protecting my head. The eight patients and seven or eight medical staff in the room were all stunned at once. At this moment, I suddenly realized the deeper mystery of Tai Chi. Grandpa opened his eyes and looked at me as I got up from under the bed, asking, “Songquan, what’s the mystery?”

At 4:30 p.m. on December 30, 1972, the elderly man, with tears gaping and a smile on his face, passed away at the age of eighty. (Written by Yang Songquan during the Qingming Festival of the Gengzi Year)