To Taichi (Tai Chi, Taiji) aficionados, Chenjiagou (Chen-jia-gou, Chen Jia Gou) is the Mecca for Taichi. Chenjiagou, sometimes referred to as the Chen Village, is in Henan Province of China. Interestingly, it is located about 10 miles from the confluence of the Yellow River and the Lo River which is also considered to be the birth place of China, or the epicenter of Central Plain (Zhongyuan).
At the recent International Taichi Symposium hosted at Vanderbilt University, Grandmaster Chen Zhenglei highlighted the countless generals, intellects, scholars, philosophers, and warriors that were either born, raised, or lived in the Central Plain. Zhongyuan was the center of culture, politics, literature, agriculture, medicine, arts, and creativity of all forms, including martial arts.
Though the Chen Style Taichi is now a widely known, this was not always the case. The Chen Family was very modest and kept a low profile; they did not try to promote Taichi until 1928. Today, with the efforts of Grandmaster Chen, a lineage holder of Chen Style Taichi and three other Chen Family Buddha Warriors (Chen Xiaowang, Wang Xian, Zhu Tiancai), Chen Style Taichi has become well known among practitioners around the world. However,the roots and history of Chenjiagou remains a mystery to many.
There are few glimpses of Chen Village in modern media. Fortunately, in Jet Li and Michelle Yeoh’s movie, Tai Chi Master, there is a bonus feature with a walkthrough of the Chen Village. It is interesting to see that the original section of Chen Village is quite austere. There is nary a bamboo forest or airy pavilion. Instead, it is comprised of modest peasant homes that reflect the humble village name, “the Ditch of the Chen Family” (Chenjiagou).
For more info: Tai Chi Master,
Comments
I travelled to the Chen Village in Oct 2006 - the Chen family school there was very gracious and put on a most excellent demo of their art from small children to the Masters. It is also close to the Shaolin Temple and if you go to one, you may wish to take the opportunity to go to the other.
Peter, how cool that you visited the Chen Village! I am actually jealous of you. I wish that I could go there and get trained. Chenjiagou websie dose show photos of the new school. It looks very nice. It even has WIFI there. I just have to find money and time to go there. ;-)
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