{"version":"1.0","provider_name":"Chen Style Tai Chi","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.chenstyletaichi.com\/en","author_name":"rain","author_url":"https:\/\/www.chenstyletaichi.com\/en\/author\/rain\/","title":"Remembering Grandmaster Chen Zhaokui - Chen Style Tai Chi","type":"rich","width":600,"height":338,"html":"<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"IBrNBwzxVN\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.chenstyletaichi.com\/en\/grandmaster-chen-zhaokui\/\">Remembering Grandmaster Chen Zhaokui<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" src=\"https:\/\/www.chenstyletaichi.com\/en\/grandmaster-chen-zhaokui\/embed\/#?secret=IBrNBwzxVN\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" title=\"&#8220;Remembering Grandmaster Chen Zhaokui&#8221; &#8212; Chen Style Tai Chi\" data-secret=\"IBrNBwzxVN\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\"><\/iframe><script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n\/* <![CDATA[ *\/\n\/*! This file is auto-generated *\/\n!function(d,l){\"use strict\";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&\"undefined\"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!\/[^a-zA-Z0-9]\/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),c=new RegExp(\"^https?:$\",\"i\"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display=\"none\";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute(\"style\"),\"height\"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):\"link\"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute(\"src\")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener(\"message\",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll(\"iframe.wp-embedded-content\"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute(\"data-secret\"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+=\"#?secret=\"+t,e.setAttribute(\"data-secret\",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:\"ready\",secret:t},\"*\")},!1)))}(window,document);\n\/\/# sourceURL=https:\/\/www.chenstyletaichi.com\/en\/wp-includes\/js\/wp-embed.min.js\n\/* ]]> *\/\n<\/script>\n","description":"PREFACE Grandmaster Chen Zhao Kui, the 18th generation Gatekeeper of Chen style Tai Chi, passed away 22 years ago. His name is very well known and remembered by a lot of Chen style Tai Chi lovers in the world. Indeed, almost every Chen style practitioner has heard about Grandmaster Chen Zhao Kui. In august of 2002 I was appointed by USAWKF (United States of America Wushu Kung Fu Federation) to be the head coach of the USA team competing in the International Tai Chi Festival held in Chen village, city of Jiao Zuo, which is regarded as the cradle of Chen style Tai Chi chuan. When the local people applauded seeing so many Tai Chi lovers coming from the United States we felt proud and accomplished. I deeply believe that if Grandmaster Chen had lived to see this he would have felt the same. I have learned from both the 18th and the 19th generation Grandmasters. I was Chen\u2019s teaching assistant for many years and a lot of his students were actually brought to him by me. As a matter of fact Chen was very sick and could not walk in his final years (a direct result of persecution suffered during the Cultural Revolution) therefore he taught his students orally, and most of the demonstration and correction was carried out by me. When Chen passed away I was the one who arranged his funeral and cremation. When the Chen Tai Chi Research Society was formed in may of 1985 I was named the Vice Secretary. I feel that I have the responsibility of sharing the story of Chen, and letting it be known. Before actually getting into the story of Master Chen I must first point out a few mistakes that I made when I wrote my book on Tai Chi (A work that has yet to be translated into English.). I included a chapter on Chen Zhao Kui that has a few minor inaccuracies. First, there were five people on the funeral committee. They were Ran Guang Yue, Zhu Ying Long, Zhang Hsien Zhou, Zhang Hsi Tang, and myself. Secondly, on Sunday when we went to Chen village to spread the news about Master Chen, the ones eating at my house were Shi Chiao Ji, Wei Jing Huan and myself. Thirdly, the one who glanced at me while eating at my house was Shi Chiao Ji , not Zhang Hsi Tang . Because I take my responsibility of being Master Chen\u2019s disciple seriously, I have endeavored to be as accurate as possible when relating his history. I came to America in 1994 and now I am an American citizen. As a descendant from two famous Song dynasty philosophers: Cheng Yi and Cheng Hao, I have adapted their philosophy. They believed that one must learn something and then practice the little that they learn every day, gradually increasing their knowledge. The progression is as follows: Learn enough to be able to practice. Practice enough to improve. Improve to gain skill. This progression will yield skill in any endeavor. I have used this philosophy in my Tai Chi training to reach ever higher skill levels. Now I am an advisor to the American National Wushu Federation. I am also Master Chen\u2019s personal emissary to the United States having his blessing to spread his art in America. In 1994 I was recognized in China as a well known Master among Chinese people. In 1998 I was included in \u201cWho\u2019 who among Chinese immigrants. December 9th , 2001 was declared Cheng Jin Cai Chen style Tai Chi Development Center day by the mayor of Houston, Lee Brown. Many of my students have gone on to become teachers themselves and others have won tournaments. In fact, in 2002 my students won 118 medals and in 2003 my students won 103 medals in National and International tournaments. I have said enough about myself. Now it is time to talk about the one who trained me and formed me into what I have become. REMEMBERING MASTER CHEN I started to learn from Master Chen in the fall of 1973. I first learned the Xin Jia Form) from him. Since then I followed Chen, and was his companion until he passed away in 1981. Chen had profound influence in the history of Chen Tai Chi. His Xin Jia is widely practiced in the world nowadays. Before him people seldom heard about Xin Jia. The characteristics of Xin Jia are: low stances, folding of the \u201cKua\u201d and silk reeling in every movement. In the whole form there is a lot of explosive power (fa jin), jumping and turning. It is a combat oriented form. To beginners it is a very demanding form. Usually one must practice the Old Form(Lao Jia) for several years to prepare and condition the body. However, if one practices Xin Jia seriously, his \u201cChi\u201d will improve dramatically. However, without the guidance of a good teacher like Chen, it is very difficult to understand the new form and benefit from it. However, if one is interested in the origin of Chen Tai Chi, one should realize that the so-called \u201cnew form\u201d is not new at all. It is related to the Lao Jia (Old Form). Chen would always correct people when they called it the \u201cnew form\u201d. He said the new form is actually the traditional form that was passed secretly within the Chen family. If one observes the new form closely, one should discover that Chen\u2019s new form is very different from the Lao Jia (Old Form) passed down from Grandmaster Chen Zhao Pei, another 18th generation Master. Most Chen style Tai Chi practitioners called Chen\u2019s system \u201cnew\u201d so as to distinguish it from Chen Zhao Pei\u2019s \u201cold\u201d form. Grandmaster Chen Zhao Kui was the youngest son of the 17th generation Grandmaster Chen Fa Ke (pronounced fah-kuh). He went to Peiping (now called Beijing) with his father when he was only 4 years old. He started to learn Tai Chi Chuan from his father when he was 7. Under his father\u2019s strict training his skill improved impressively. When he was only 13 he once fought with a dozen youngsters in school and he tossed them around like rag dolls. After he graduated from the Zhicheng high school in Beijing he could not continue his education due to financial hardship. He stayed home and practiced martial arts full time. Later, Chen got a job with the 5th Construction Company. He practiced Tai Chi very hard day and night. He once told his students that if they wanted to succeed they needed to work harder than an average person. His philosophy was that whatever one does, be it Tai Chi or any other endeavor, one must work very hard. This is what he said to his students: \u201cIf you have time to practice, then practice as hard as you can; if you do not have time to practice, then squeeze out some time to practice even if it is only a few minutes.\u201d When Chen worked as a ticket inspector with the Public Bus Company in Beijing he came up with a way to practice his Tai Chi: When he was standing he would bend his knees, relax his \u201ckua\u201d (pelvic region) and his entire body. His body moved as the bus moved. He would adjust his posture to maintain his balance as the vehicle moved along. Nobody could imagine the kind of effort that Chen put in when he was young. Chen would say \u201c If an average person practices once a day then you should practice ten times; If an average person practices 30 times then you should practice 90 or 100 times. If you put in more effort than average people then your results will certainly exceed those of average people. If you are not prepared to sacrifice and endure this level of pain then you should not consider doing martial arts at all.\u201d Before I came to the United States I worked in Jiao Zuo. Sometimes I was so tied up with my work that I did not have time to practice; so comparatively speaking I practiced a lot less than before. So I asked Master Chen what I should do to develop better skills with a busy schedule. Master Chen replied: \u201cIf you want to develop better skills then you must have persistency. You must practice hard but do not practice without thinking hard. You need to practice the techniques and think about them. Your physical condition(height, weight, speed and strength) is also very important. You should develop one or two special techniques that you are most comfortable with. When these special techniques are part of your second nature then you can use them to overcome your opponent with ease when you fight. I followed Master Chen\u2019s advice and I have put a lot of effort into those complicated techniques. I believe that repetitive practice canmake one perfect. In 1961, Master Chen was invited by Gu Liu Xin of the Shanghai Sports Committee to teach in Shanghai. He taught Chen style Yi Lu (first routine), Er Lu (second routine) and Chin Na (joint locking) to students in Shanghai. His students were very impressed with his Chin Na techniques. Master Chen\u2019s Chin Na was neutralization oriented. When he executed his grappling, he used his Yi (Mind) to lead the body. Every movement was very fluid yet simplistic. From the moment of contact to the grasp movement his technique was one single continuous movement. There were no broken points in his circles. Nobody could ever escape from his grasp. According to one student in Shanghai, Wan Man De, there was a heavyweight weight lifting champion named Chang Guan Qun who once wanted to challenge Master Chen. Master Chen let him try to grab his finger. Every time the challenger almost grabbed the Finger Chen would neutralize his force and escape. Whenever Master Chen would demonstrate a form the audience would fall silent to enjoy his spectacular performance. His movements were so natural. His Yi would flow like a stream flows around and over rocks. There was a famous Qigong master named Tung Shi Zha who challenged Master Chen and later decided to follow Master Chen and learn from him. In 1964 Master Chen was invited by the Nanking Sports Committee to teach in Nanking. At that time there were a lot of famous martial artists in Nanking because Nanking was one of the Kung Fu centers of the nation. A lot of people were skeptical of Master Chen\u2019s skills. They always found opportunities to test him. Master Chen never refused a challenge and nobody ever beat him. Some of these challengers were so amazed that they converted to Chen style Tai Chi. The Qigong master, Tung Shi Zha mentioned above was one of them. In 1965 Master Chen decided to go back to his home village to further develop his skills. Master Chen\u2019s father, Chen Fa Ke, taught him that practicing empty hand technique is enough. So Chen never learned weapons forms from his father. Master Chen decided to learn all of the weapons forms from his half-brother, Chen Zhao Pei. The purpose of his trip back home was to complete the learning of weapons. Master Chen left Chen village after learning all the weapons forms from Chen Zhao Pei. Chen Zhao Pei was another very influential figure in the history of Chen style Tai Chi. He learned from his Great Uncle, Chen Fake (Master Chen\u2019s father) Chen Zhao Pei was another 18th generation lineage holder. In 1928 Chen Fa Ke was invited by the famous Chinese Doctors Le You Sun and Le You Tu brothers to teach Tai Chi in Beijing. Chen Fake accepted and took Chen Zhao Pei with him. They accepted numerous challenges and in 17 days of continuous challenges nobody could beat them. This made them famous. In 1930 the mayor of Nanking, Wai Tao Ming, was attracted by their fame and invited them to teach in Nanking. Grandmaster...","thumbnail_url":"http:\/\/chenstyletaichi.com\/english\/images\/chenzhaokui.jpg"}