As Taijiquan has become increasingly popular, many people have inquired into its origins and development. Answers can be found in the Chen Style, the original method from Chen Village, Henan Province in the People's Republic of China. This book guides the reader through the historical development of the system, its philosophical roots, and through the intricacies of the various training methods of this unique form of Chiinese boxing. Legendary exploits of the Chen family are included to inspire today's practitioners.

Few arts are more misunderstood in today's fast-paced digital age than Taijiquan. Typically it is represented in one of two diametrically opposed, but equally misleading ways. In the world of martial arts movies Taijiquan masters are portrayed as almost supernatural individuals capable of defeating opponents with little more than a touch. Alternatively it has come to be viewed as the slow and simple exercise practised by old people in the park as they try to hang on to some degree of mobility and suppleness. Neither depiction is adequate. Chen Taijiquan is one of China's most ancient fighting systems with an unbroken lineage stretching back almost 400 years. While today many people look exclusively towards the health and exercise benefits of the system, the true face of traditional Taijiquan is its unique method of developing martial skill. Like all traditional South-East Asian martial arts, it combines high levels of self discipline, spiritual awareness and combat skills. Perhaps more than any other discipline Taijiquan presents a seamless integration of philosophy and martial arts. Chen Taijiquan: Masters and Methods is the third book by Davidine Siaw-Voon Sim and David Gaffney. It is the product of some two decades of ongoing research into the oldest of the five traditional schools of Taijiquan. Involving more than twenty visits to China, as well as trips to South-East Asia and throughout Europe to experience and document the insights of some of the foremost elder practitioners of Chen Taijiquan including: the late Feng Zhiqiang, a senior disciple of the legendary seventeenth generation master Chen Fake; Chen Xiaoxing, Principal of the Chenjiagou Taijiquan School; Chen Xiaowang, Chen Zhenglei, Wang Xian and Zhu Tiancai often collectively referred to the "Four Buddha's Warriors" of Chenjiagou; Chen Yu, the Beijing based son of the eighteenth generation master Chen Zhaokui; and Yu Gongbao, author of the world's first dictionary of Taijiquan and China's first Professor of Taijiquan.Chen Taijiquan: Masters and Methods draws together a record of the teachings of a generation of Chen Taijiquan masters who still had a foot in previous times before the commercialisation and mass propagation of Taijiquan. A time when the discipline was passed orally from one generation to the next reflecting it's importance as a means for defending self, family and community. It enables the reader to join a conversation with some of the great masters of Chen Taijiquan and take away fascinating insights into the true nature of the system. Taken together their words present a clear exposition of the theoretical and practical standards which define and shape the art.

In this book, Master Jan Silberstorff, a leading Chen practitioner, shares his expertise and insights into Chen style Taijiquan, explaining its background and key principles. He discusses the different Chen forms and the importance of each, as well as the place of competition and the effect on participants.

Cheng Man-ch'ing, the famed master of t'ai chi, is regarded as an enormously influential figure in codifying the most widely practiced form of the ancient martial art. This volume, developed by the martial arts master and scholar, details the way that students arrive at a posture -- from beginning movements to the end pose. Master Cheng provides practitioners with a complete and concise guide to the Short Form, enabling them to make rapid progress.

Chen Family (or Chen Style) Taiji is the ancestor of all Taiji systems. Unlike many of the easy, meditative Taiji forms practiced in the West, Chen Style Taiji is a highly evolved martial art. Newcomers to the art will find useful information on how to identify a qualified instructor, while the martial arts theorist will find a thorough discussion concerning the origins and evolution of Taiji.