Chen Style of Tai Chi Chuan 陈氏太极拳

             The Chen family style (陈氏 Chen shi taijiquan) is the oldest and parent form of the five main tai ji quan styles. It is third in terms of world-wide popularity compared to the other main taijiquan styles. Chen style is characterized by its lower stances, more explicit Silk Reeling (Chan Si Jing) and bursts of power (Fa Jing).

           Many modern tai ji styles and teachers emphasize a particular aspect (health, aesthetics, meditation and/or competitive sport) in their practice of tai ji quan.

 The five traditional family styles tend to retain the original martial applicability of tai ji teaching methods. Some argue that Chen style schools succeed in this to a greater degree.

Modern Chen forms: Chen style has had its frame adapted by competitors to fit within the framework of wushu competition and to accommodate the contemporary trend towards shortened forms that take less time to learn and perform. Prominent examples of these include Chen Xiaowang’s 19 and 38 posture forms (synthesized from both lao and xin jia) and the standard 56 form developed by the Chinese National Wushu Association from lao jia yi lu （ 老架一路）and er lu. （老架二路）

In the last ten years or so respected teachers of traditional styles have also realized that beginners in large cities don’t always have the time, space or the concentration needed to immediately start learning old frame (75 movements lao jia yi lu). This proves all the more true at workshops given by visiting grandmasters. Consequently shortened versions of the traditional forms have been developed even by the “Four Buddhas.” Beginners can choose from postures of 19 (1995 Chen Xiao Wang), 18 (Chen Zheng Lei) and 13 (1997 Zhu Tian Cai). There is even a 4 step routine (repeated 4 times in a circular progression – returning to start) useful for confined spaces (Zhu Tian Cai).

Martial application: In contrast to some tai ji styles and teachers, the vast majority of Chen stylists believe that tai ji is first and foremost a martial art; that a study of the self-defense aspect of tai ji is the best test of a student’s skill and knowledge of the tai ji principles that provide health benefit. In compliance with this principle, all Chen forms retain some degree of overt fa jing expression.

In martial application, Chen style tai ji uses a wide variety of techniques applied with all the extremities that revolve around the use of the Eight Gates (Bafa) of tai ji quan to manifest either kai (expansive power) or he (contracting power) through the physical postures of Chen forms.

The particulars of exterior technique may vary between teachers and forms. In common with all Neijia, Chen style aims to develop internal power for the execution of martial techniques, but focuses especially on cultivating fa jing skill. Chen family member Chen Zhenglei has commented that between the new and old frame traditions there are 105 basic fajin methods and 72 basic Qinna methods present in the forms.

( Adapted from Martial Arts Database.com )

Extra facts :

The five main tai ji quan styles (rank based on popularity )

  1. Yang Style Taiji quan  杨氏太极拳

  2.  Wu Style Taiji quan    吴氏太极拳

  3.  Chen Style Taiji quan 陈氏太极拳

  4.  Sun Style Taiji quan    孙氏太极拳

  5.  Wuu Style Taiji quan   武氏太极拳