Chen Chang Xings Teaching of the Correct Boxing System

The Important Contribution of Grandmaster Chen Zhao Kui

By: a !ong
1. Seek the Real and Discover the Origin: The True Master of a Generation
Based on reliable information !hinese Tai "i #ist began bet$een the late Ming
D%nast% and beginning of &ing D%nast%. 't $as created b% !hen (ang Ting )1*++ ,
1*-+. $ho $as born in !hen "ia Gou /illage (en !ount% 0enan 1rovince. 0e $as
skilled in academic and martial arts studies. 0e did research in &i "i Guang )123- ,
12-4. militar% book )&uan "ing. in Ming D%nast% and collected &uan skills from 5the
Societ% of !ommon 1eo6le7. 0e also did research in 8Dao9s: book )0uang Ting "ing.
and based on !hinese traditional 6hiloso6h% );hou <i9s. Tai "i <in <ang theor% he
created 8Tai =i &uan:.
The $hole Bo>ing )&uan. s%stem consists in 3? s%stem out of @3 from )&uan "ing.
and some bo>ing s%stem from the societ% )A.. 'nternal s%stem $as based on Doa
"ia9s )0uang Ting "ing.. 80uang Ting: is the other name for 8Dantian:. So in 8&uan
Theor%: it includes ever%thing from <in <ang balance %in in %ang %ang in %in and
%in %ang e>change to %in %ang overla6 and so on. During 6ractice it focuses on <in
<ang e>change i.e. s6irals. Tai "i &uan includes Dao "ia9s inhale e>hale leading and
moving of Dan Tian. So it is an uniBue martial art for im6roving health building the
bod% 6rotecting nurturing character and so on.
't has been over @++ %ears since !hen st%le Tai "i &uan $as founded. #rom !hen <u
Ting )?
th
generation of !hen #amil% 1
st
generation of Tai "i &uan. Tai "i &uan handed
do$n to !hen !hang Cing )1441 , 1-2@. $ho $as 1D
th
generation of !hen #amil% *
th
generation of Tai "i &uan. Entil that time Tai "i &uan $as consolidated into the Frst
set and second set. The% are traditional Tai "i &uan the 1
st
set and 3
nd
set that are
still 6racticed toda%. Tai "i &uan has develo6ed diGerent branches such as: <ang
St%le (u St%le )'. (u St%le )''. Sun st%le and so on. Onl% since !hen !hang Cing9s
generation has Tai "i &uan stated to be taught to 6ractitioners outside of the !hen
#amil%.
'n the 3+
th
centur% !hen !hang Cing9s greatHgrandson !hen #a Ie )1--4 , 1?24.
14
th
Generation !hen #amil% ?
th
Generation Tai "i &uan grand master left !hen "ia
Gou in 1?3- for Be=ing $here he 6assed a$a% in 1?24. Buring @+ %ears he had
been teaching the old traditional s%stem big s%stem lo$ s%stem. 1
st
route )-@
st%les. 3
nd
route )41 st%les.. 'n Be=ing martial Feld he $as honoured as: Tai "i Jo. 1.
The son !hen ;hoa Iui )1?3- , 1?-1. follo$ed his father all the time. 0e started to
6ractice Tai "i &uan from 4 %ears old and on for 3+ %ears. 0e 6racticed 1+H3+ times
6er da%. 0is father trained him strictl% and he 6racticed hard at home the traditional
famil% s%stem: lo$ 6osture. 't is hard to 6ractice this kind of lo$ 6osture but it is
faster to get achievement.
!hen ;hao Iui graduated from high school so that he 6ossessed Bualities of
com6rehension. !hen ;hao Iui mastered all skills: bo>ing 6osture theor% s%stems
and also sorted out a great deal of bo>ing manuscri6ts. !hen #a Ie and !hen ;hao
Iui are generall% ackno$ledged as the true masters of 3 generations in the 3+
th

centur%.
Since !hen #a Ie and !hen ;hao Iui had been teaching Tai "i &uan )from 1?3-. in
Be=ing for over 2+ %ears so !hen #a Ie9s ne6he$ !hen ;hao 1ei $ent back to his
village teaching Tai "i &uan after his retirement.
Because !hen #a Ie taught &uan in Be=ing $hile his ne6he$ taught &uan in
Jan=ing the% didn9t sta% together for over @+ %ears. So it is hard to avoid having
some changes in the s%stem bet$een them. Kfter !hen ;hao 1ei 6asses a$a% in
1?43 !hen ;hao Iui $ent back to his village. The folks felt fresh and diGerent from
!hen ;hao 1ei9s s%stem. The% $anted to kee6 their o$n s%stem taught b% !hen
;hao 1ei so the% called !hen ;hao Iui9s s%stem 8Je$ S%stem:.
!hen ;hao Iui $as disgusted $ith this idea. 0e once said in Shi=iaLhuang: 8' don9t
agree $ith the idea of MJe$ S%stem9. M% cousin !hen ;hao 1ei learned from m%
father. (e are all learned from greatHgrand father !hen !hang Cing. 0o$ can the%
sa% that m% father9s s%stem is MJe$ 1osture9A:
The old master !hen Bo once said 8-@ and 41 st%les actuall% are old s%stem.: Old
sister !hen Ni &ing once said: 8There are onl% big and small 6ostures in !hen "ia
/illage at that time. M% great grandfather !hen #a Ie $as the onl% 6erson $ho
taught the big 6osture. ' have no idea $ho divided the big 6osture into Je$ S%stem
and Old S%stemAO:
'n 1?*2 !hen ;hao Iui returned to his hometo$n to demonstrate Tai "i &uan some
%oung 6eo6le felt it diGerent from $hat the% had been taught but the old masters:
(ong <an !hen ;hao 1ei !hen Ie ;hong !hen Mao Sen the% understood the
s%stem of !hen ;hao Iui. The% told the %oung 6eo6le that the s%stem is the true
one from the original.
Some 6eo6le believe that there are @ ne$ 6ostures as 5double 6ushing 6alms7
5tri6le changing Fst7 5middle coiling7 in !hen #a Ie9s s%stem. Kctuall% it is not true
since these 6ostures e>ist in the book 8Old Manuscri6ts from !hen "ia /illage:
$ritten b% (ong Ci Kn.
Mr. ;hu Tian !ai from !hen "ia /illage said: 8!hen ;hao Iui9s s%stem is more
smooth $ith more variet% more 6o$erful techniBues more clear at attacking and
$ith more skills.:
So 8!hen St%le Tai "i &uan: 6ublished in 1?2- established the true standard of !hen
#a Ie and !hen ;hao Iui Tai "i s%stem.
'n 1?*@ another book com6osed b% Shen "ia ;hen and Gu Nin Cin $ith !hen ;hao
Iui9s demonstration 6ictures in the book 6ublished for the Frst time $ith literar%
manuscri6t. That is !hen !hang Cin9s )1 3 route.. So !hen ;hao Iui9s )Jo. 1 -@
st%le and no. 3 41 st%le.. Kre real Tai "i &uan s%stem. Generall% s6eaking !hen Big
1osture St%le can be divided into D develo6ing ste6s.
!hen <u "ing is the creator !hen ;hang Cing is the established 6erson )foundation.
of 1 route and 3 route and also s6read out to be%ond !hen9s famil%. 0e is regarded
as the Frst true master of a generation. !hen #a Ie s6read Tai "i to Be=ing. (hile
!hen ;hao Iui s6read Tai "i to the $hole of !hina and all over the $orld. The% $ere
all true masters.
3. Skilled in Kcademic and Martial Krt studiesPthe true transmission of the
modelPcorrect bo>ing manuscri6t
There are ver% rich academic and cultural 6otent )rootsA. in Tai "i &uan. 't is also
called 8!ultural &uan:. The most contributed masters in !hen9s famil% $ere those
$ho $ere skilled in academics $ith high Bualities. #or e>am6le the creator !hen <u
Ting. The *
th
generation master !hen !hang Cin $ho com6osed Tai "i &uan
Manuscri6t )Frst and second route. 8Ten Ie% Theories of Tai "i &uan: and 8Ie%
1oints on Kttacking.:
The -
th
Generation Tai "i master !hen Cin $rote the book 8!hen St%le Tai "i &uan
Diagram: $hich e>6lains the theor% and skills.
The 1+
th
Generation master !hen ;hao Iui $as another one $ho $as skilled in
academic and martial art studies. 0e read a great deal of various books including
human bod% structures.
#rom 1?44 to 1?4? he mailed me some hand$ritten notes. OJ to6 of it ' have
detailed notes of his lectures in Be=ing ;hen ;hou and Shi=iaLhuang. ' believe these
notes are the treasure of !hen St%le Tai "i &uan left b% grandmaster !hen ;hao Iui.
!he ;hao Iui is the best teacher ' have ever met. 0is teaching method focuses on
both theor% and 6ractice. 0e taught classes and also individual students. 0e taught
b% demonstrating and $as ver% strict $ith his students for e>am6le $hen he taught
in ;heng ;hou he did so for three hours an evening. One 6osture $as divided into *
or 4 actions. 0e used 1 hour to e>6lain ke% 6oints and %in %ang theor% and also
sho$ed demonstrations in the second hour. 0e taught * students one action b% one
action. 'n the last hour he trained b% single student until the student 6assed.
Sometimes he $ould teach the student more than ten times until the student $as
good enough to handle the skills. #or e>am6le 8NaL% about T%ing !oat: is divided
into * actions and includes the direction of chest and $aist turning bod% $eight
shifting from left to right s6iralling of the limbs ste6s and hands9 sha6es looking
direction hearing direction inhale and e>hale.
Once he taught me about 8s6iralling:. 0e said: 8o6en is not =ust o6en out it is
o6ening during the time of s6iralling. #or e>am6le in M0and !overed big arm
hammer9 the Frst action is Ms$ift9 it is Mfast9 in s6iralling also in Mlinking cannon9
Mheav% means making it heav% $hen doing s6iralling.:
@. Discussion of 8"in: disclose the foundation of 8"in:
The real foundation of Tai "i &uan is martial arts $hile real martial arts is in
understanding of 8"in:. Onl% $hen %ou could combine the e>ternal 6osture and
internal 8=in: together can %ou reach a high level.
But most masters do not teach the scret of 8"in:. The% kee6 the last secret for
themselves. (hile some of the masters do not understand =in ver% $ell thus are not
able to teach the secret of =in.
Because the s6ecial relationshi6 bet$een m% teaching !hen ;hao Iui and ' he
taught me secretl% in the $inters of 1?4D 1?42 and s6rings of 1?44 1?4? and
1?-+. 0e took ever% 6osture a6art to teach me $here the 6oint of =in sits and ho$
=in changes and goes along the course. ' reall% feel the miracle attacking skills after
' understand the secret of =in. (hen ' 6ractice ' al$a%s imagine $here m% energ% is
ho$ he tries to attack me and ho$ can ' attach him back because Tai "i &uan is not
a false creation it is a real martial art based on the foundation of real Fghts.
So $hen %ou 6ractice %ou should feel the 6oints of =in. 's it at the ti6s of the
FngersA Or at the 6alm9s endA Or at the $rist9s backA Or at the tiger9s mouthA Or
goes to the elbo$ shoulder kuaA (hen %ou ste6 is it inserting s$ee6ing kicking
kicking $ith the heel or toesA Knd so on. Kt the same time the e%es breathing
chest and $aist o6ening and closing should be coordinated. (hen %ou use =in %ou
should kno$ ho$ to use the skills of =in. 's it a leading =inQ or attackingQ or leading u6
and attacking do$nQ or leading do$n and attacking u6Q or %ielding Frst take later
or take Frst %ield later , folded =inA #or e>am6le 8K Monk Smashes Stone: is
divided into 32 diGerent manifestations of =in. 8(ild 0orse 1arts the Mane: F>ed
6osture left hand inserts to$ard Frst then Ri6s u6 s6reads left at the same time
s6read right chest right hand goes do$n s6read right do$n left bo$ and arro$
stance left foot su66orts the bod% right foot =ust follo$s dan tian is the ke% 6ointQ
the reaction of right foot stom6ing and left hand inserting Ri66ing o6ening should
coordinate $ell.
D. #amil% Secret transmission: lo$ 6osture , the treasure of the $orld
Master !hen ;hao Iui transmitted to us a set of lo$ 6ostures of Tai "i &uan. No$
1ostures are not onl% good at attracting energies but also good at im6roving bod%
health. (e have an old sa%ing: 8the best 6rescri6tion to building the bod% left b%
god is to o6en dan and lo$er do$n kua.:
This reminds me of 8Ground Dragon: in Cing <i &uan and the famous master <ang
Ban 0ou $ho advocated 6racticing lo$ 6osture &uan under a table.
K book named 8Old <ang St%le of Bo>ing Manuscri6t: 6ublished in Tai$an. 't
mentioned in the book a method of 6racticing called 8@ straight lines: , kee6 u66er
bod% and lo$er 6art in a line )the Frst line. small leg stands straight )the second
line. big leg kee6s horiLontal line )the third line..
No$ 6osture combines $ith $hole bod%9s s6iral =in $ith leading of the dan tian $ith
stomach breathing all of these coo6erating can form a graceful 6osture and reach
an outstanding eGect of im6roving bod% health.
Man% of m% students cured their diseases through 6racticing lo$ 6osture &uan
such as high blood 6ressure reducing $eight se>ual d%sfunction heart attack
interHear disease and even freckles disa66eared.
Students of <an <ong <i from Mala%sia told me that he cured his insomnia b%
6racticing lo$ 6osture &uan.
No$ 6osture &uan includes some uniBue eGects:
1. The theor% is full of balances of %in and %ang combinations of actions
natural calm rela>ation harmon% turning hostilit% into friendshi6 forgiving.
't e>erts a subtle inRuence on a 6erson9s character.
3. No$ 6osture embodies real martial arts. 't combines grace $ith strength
unites borro$ing the strength and attacking as one unit rela>ing and
shaking Re>ible variet%. 't is a $onderful &uan to defend %ourself.
@. 't is an o>%genic e>ercise. There are si> features of o>%genic e>ercise:
'. No$er intensit% higher endurance
''. Big mass muscles and big =oints =oin the movement
'''. Nonger time lasting )at least 1D , 12 minutes.
'/. Rh%thmical
/. !ontinuous
/'. Breathing smoothl%
Ss6eciall% in Route 1 -@ 6osture is in kee6ing $ith the above * features of o>%genic
e>ercise. (hen %ou Fnish 6racticing it %ou s$eat but %ou are not out of breath.