Chen-19
I have been taking a tai chi class for a few months now, and finally have learned all the moves of the Chen-19 form. (Techically, just 19, but each one has several positions and movements within it). Still, this is a very simple form, designed to be an "intro to tai chi" for the Chinese people.
I only know the barest sketch of historical and current context for this form, but I am learning bits and pieces. What I know so far is that sometime back in history, the tai chi chuan masters of China were like today's rock stars or top athletes: Admired, lusted after, and generally granted high status, special favors, and lots of money. With all of this came the requisite sense of self-importance and competitive nature. But, since this was China, it was all about family name and honor. The Chen family was especially esteemed in the tai chi area. They built high walls around their estate and practiced their forms from midnight to 4 am so no one would see them. As you might expect, a traitor got himself hired as a servant, then stayed up every night to watch the forms until he learned them himself. He "leaked" them to the public, and evenutally the Chens had to become less secretive. Now many people have learned the Chen forms, but the Chen family is still considered premier.
The current patriarch is Chen Xiao Wang. There is a YouTube clip of him doing the Chen-19 form, which he created. And there is much more about Chen-style tai chi chuan on Wikipedia.
Tai chi comes in two "frames," Lao Jia and Xin Jia. Lao Jia is the older, more traditional style ("old frame"), and it involves many swirling motions and spirals. Essentially, the complex movements of the chi are translated outward to the body and shown explicitly. Xin Jia is "new frame," and it is more internal, with the chi motion merely hinted at through simpler movements.
The Chen-19 form was created at the request of the Chinese government, so that Chinese people would have an easy form to learn that would connect them to their cultural heritage. It is actually a mix of Lao Jia and Xin Jia. I have heard that when Chinese masters come to visit the US, students are told sternly that they must only do Lao Jia so as not to offend the traditional tastes of older masters. Chen-19 would not be a good choice.
Today I had fun-- I went and did the form outside, alongside a walking path. Many people strolled by as I practiced. A couple of guys asked me if I was doing a martial art, so I told them it was tai chi. Many people associate tai chi with groups of older Asian people gathered in the park at dawn. My sifu (teacher), Chris Shelton, is interested in changing the image of tai chi. It can be fast and hard as well as slow and soft. He hopes more young people will begin doing tai chi as an alternative to more violent pastimes. It is just as much of a workout, and far more beneficial for the mind and body overall, than most sports. If you doubt that, give it a try. Even football players and karate masters can get winded from basic silk-spinning exercises.
I only know the barest sketch of historical and current context for this form, but I am learning bits and pieces. What I know so far is that sometime back in history, the tai chi chuan masters of China were like today's rock stars or top athletes: Admired, lusted after, and generally granted high status, special favors, and lots of money. With all of this came the requisite sense of self-importance and competitive nature. But, since this was China, it was all about family name and honor. The Chen family was especially esteemed in the tai chi area. They built high walls around their estate and practiced their forms from midnight to 4 am so no one would see them. As you might expect, a traitor got himself hired as a servant, then stayed up every night to watch the forms until he learned them himself. He "leaked" them to the public, and evenutally the Chens had to become less secretive. Now many people have learned the Chen forms, but the Chen family is still considered premier.
The current patriarch is Chen Xiao Wang. There is a YouTube clip of him doing the Chen-19 form, which he created. And there is much more about Chen-style tai chi chuan on Wikipedia.
Tai chi comes in two "frames," Lao Jia and Xin Jia. Lao Jia is the older, more traditional style ("old frame"), and it involves many swirling motions and spirals. Essentially, the complex movements of the chi are translated outward to the body and shown explicitly. Xin Jia is "new frame," and it is more internal, with the chi motion merely hinted at through simpler movements.
The Chen-19 form was created at the request of the Chinese government, so that Chinese people would have an easy form to learn that would connect them to their cultural heritage. It is actually a mix of Lao Jia and Xin Jia. I have heard that when Chinese masters come to visit the US, students are told sternly that they must only do Lao Jia so as not to offend the traditional tastes of older masters. Chen-19 would not be a good choice.
Today I had fun-- I went and did the form outside, alongside a walking path. Many people strolled by as I practiced. A couple of guys asked me if I was doing a martial art, so I told them it was tai chi. Many people associate tai chi with groups of older Asian people gathered in the park at dawn. My sifu (teacher), Chris Shelton, is interested in changing the image of tai chi. It can be fast and hard as well as slow and soft. He hopes more young people will begin doing tai chi as an alternative to more violent pastimes. It is just as much of a workout, and far more beneficial for the mind and body overall, than most sports. If you doubt that, give it a try. Even football players and karate masters can get winded from basic silk-spinning exercises.
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