What is Chen Style Taijiquan?
Chen Style Taijiquan is the oldest documented form of Taijiquan (commonly known in the West as Tai Chi), a Chinese internal martial art that integrates combat technique, health cultivation, and Taoist philosophy. Originating in the 17th century in the Chen family of Henan Province, it is distinguished by its dynamic interplay of slow, meditative movements and sudden, explosive releases of power (fajin). Unlike the gentler, more uniform tempo associated with other Taijiquan styles, Chen Style preserves the martial core of the art through low stances, spiral energy mechanics, and rapid strikes embedded within flowing sequences.
The practice operates on principles drawn from Taoist cosmology—particularly the concept of taiji (the Supreme Ultimate), represented by the yin-yang symbol—and aims to harmonize opposites: hardness and softness, stillness and motion, internal and external. Chen Style Taijiquan is considered both a meditation in motion and a sophisticated fighting system, cultivating qi (vital energy), structural alignment, and whole-body integrated power.
Origins & Lineage
Chen Style Taijiquan emerged in Chenjiagou (Chen Village), Wen County, Henan Province, during the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. The founder, Chen Wangting (1580–1660), was a ninth-generation descendant of the Chen family and a retired military officer. Drawing from his martial background, knowledge of classical Chinese military texts (including Qi Jiguang’s Ji Xiao Xin Shu, a Ming dynasty combat manual), and Daoist breathing and energy work, Chen Wangting synthesized a unique system that balanced martial effectiveness with internal health cultivation.
For nearly two hundred years, Chen Style remained a closely guarded family secret, transmitted exclusively within the Chen clan. The 14th-generation master Chen Changxing (1771–1853) codified the system into two primary routines and famously taught Yang Luchan, an outsider who went on to establish Yang Style Taijiquan. Chen Youben (1780–1858), another 14th-generation master, developed a slightly modified New Frame (Xinjia) version, while Chen Changxing’s lineage preserved the Old Frame (Laojia).
The pivotal figure in modern Chen Style history is Chen Fake (1887–1957), a 17th-generation master who moved to Beijing in 1928 and began teaching publicly. His willingness to share the art beyond the village walls catalyzed its spread throughout China and, eventually, the world. Today, the primary lineages trace through Chen Fake’s students—including Chen Zhaokui, Feng Zhiqiang, and Hong Junsheng—as well as through Chen Xiaowang and Chen Zhenglei, both 19th-generation masters who have taught internationally since the 1980s.
How It’s Practiced
Chen Style Taijiquan practice centers on solo forms (taolu), partner exercises, and weapons training. The core curriculum consists of the First Routine (Yilu), which contains 75 movements performed with alternating slow and fast tempos, and the Second Routine (Erlu or Paochui, ‘Cannon Fist’), a more advanced 41-movement form featuring explosive techniques, jumps, and stamping.
The hallmark of Chen Style is chansijin, or ‘silk-reeling energy’—a spiraling, rotational force generated from the waist and dantian (lower abdominal energy center) that threads through the limbs in continuous, figure-eight patterns. Movements emphasize precise coordination of the body’s opening and closing (kai-he), storing and releasing energy, and maintaining a rooted, elastic quality even during vigorous actions.
Unlike the exclusively gentle flow of some Taijiquan styles, Chen Style retains visible martial applications: low horse stances, sweeps, elbow strikes, and sudden discharges of power (fajin) that punctuate the otherwise flowing sequences. Breathing is coordinated with movement, and practitioners cultivate ‘listening energy’ (ting jing)—a refined kinesthetic awareness essential for push-hands (tuishou) partner work.
Weapons forms include the broadsword (dao), straight sword (jian), spear (qiang), and long pole (gun). Push-hands drills develop sensitivity to an opponent’s force and intention, teaching practitioners to neutralize incoming energy and redirect it. Advanced training explores qinna (joint locks), shuai jiao (throws), and the martial application (yong) of each posture.
Chen Style Taijiquan Today
Chen Style Taijiquan is practiced worldwide, with active communities in China, North America, Europe, and Australia. Seekers typically encounter the style through local classes, international workshops, and multi-day seminars led by certified instructors from recognized lineages. Major organizations include the Chen Xiaowang Taijiquan Association and the World Chen Xiaowang Taijiquan Association, which maintain instructor certification standards.
Many practitioners attend intensive training camps in Chenjiagou itself, where the art is still taught by direct descendants of the Chen family. Online instruction has expanded access, though most teachers emphasize the necessity of in-person correction for proper body mechanics. Chen Style is offered in martial arts academies, wellness centers, and university programs, often alongside qigong, yang-style-taijiquan, and traditional Chinese medicine courses.
Contemporary practice ranges from pure martial application to health-focused adaptations. Some schools emphasize competition forms (developed for wushu tournaments), while traditional lineages prioritize the transmission of classical routines and combat principles. Retreats and residential programs often combine Taijiquan with Taoist meditation, pranayama-like breathing exercises, and Chinese philosophy study.
Common Misconceptions
Chen Style Taijiquan is often conflated with the more widely known Yang Style, leading to several misconceptions. First, while all Taijiquan is sometimes described as ‘slow-motion exercise,’ Chen Style includes rapid, explosive movements and is not uniformly gentle. It is a demanding physical practice requiring significant leg strength, flexibility, and cardiovascular conditioning.
Second, though Taijiquan is frequently presented solely as a health exercise, Chen Style retains a functional martial core. Its techniques are designed for combat, and serious practitioners train applications, sparring, and weapons. It is not merely moving meditation, though meditative states can arise through practice.
Third, Chen Style is not a modern invention or a recent synthesis. It predates all other Taijiquan styles by at least two centuries and represents the root from which Yang, Wu, Sun, and other styles emerged. Finally, while accessible to beginners, Chen Style is not easier than other styles; its low stances and complex body mechanics require patient, sustained effort and ideally qualified instruction to avoid injury.
How to Begin
Those new to Chen Style Taijiquan should seek instruction from a certified teacher within a recognized lineage. Many instructors offer beginner-friendly introductory courses focused on foundational standing postures (zhan zhuang), basic silk-reeling exercises, and simplified forms. Books such as Chen Style Taijiquan: The Source of Taiji Boxing by Davidine Siaw-Voon Sim and David Gaffney, and Mastering Chen’s Taijiquan by Hong Junsheng, provide historical context and technical detail, though they cannot replace hands-on instruction.
Video instruction by lineage holders—particularly Chen Xiaowang’s instructional series and DVDs by Chen Zhenglei—offers visual reference for solo practice but should supplement, not replace, in-person learning. Beginners benefit from starting with qigong or standing meditation to develop internal awareness before tackling complex forms. Regular practice three to five times per week, even for 20–30 minutes, yields better results than sporadic longer sessions. Patience is essential: mastery of the First Routine typically requires several years of consistent training.