Small Frame of Chen Style Taijiquan
by Jian Ge
The article
originally published in "Shaolin
Yu Taiji", 9/2002; translated
from Chinese and edited by Jarek
Szymanski ? J.Szymanski 2002-2004
Chen Style Taijiquan has its
origins in Chenjiagou village
in Wen County, Henan Province.
It was created by Chen Wangting,
ninth generation descendant
of Chen clan at the end of Ming
dynasty and beginning of Qing
dynasty, on the basis of the
old martial art that had been
passed within the family. Chen
Wangting perfected the art and
created five sets of Taijiquan,
five sets of fist boxing (Wu
Tao Chui), Thirteen Postures
(Shi San Shi) as well as Canon
Boxing (Pao Chui) , weapons
sets (spear, broadsword, straight
sword, stick, maces, whip, etc)
and especially unique methods
of Pushing Hands (Tui Shou)
and Sticky Spears (Zhan Qiang).
In this way a very complete
martial art system was created.
In the process of evolution
lasting over three hundreds
years Yang, Wu (Jianquan), Wu
(Yuxiang), Sun, Zhaobao and
other styles have derived from
Chen style Taijiquan.
Within the
system of Chen style Taijiquan,
"Small Frame" (Xiao
Jia) is the most traditional
practice method.
Chen
Ziming, Chen Xin's disciple,
demonstrates movements
of Small Frame of Chen
style Taijiquan (1932)
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INTRODUCTION
TO "SMALL FRAME"
OF CHEN STYLE TAIJIQUAN
The practice
of Chen style Taijiquan
emphasizes reducing the
circles from large into
small, and then from small
into "no circles"
- the peak of perfection
in the art. Historically
Chen style Taijiquan was
not divided into "Large
Frame" and "Small
Frame"; however,
as far as the practice
method is concerned, the
teacher, in order to help
the student learn the
rudiments of the art faster,
would enlarge the movements
of the routine, so that
the student would start
learning from large, external
circles. After a period
of period of practice,
when the student already
learnt to move in the
circular, round way, large
circles were gradually
reduced to small ones,
external circles to internal
ones, forming spiral silk
reeling strength (Chan
Si Jin) transferred along
the strength paths (Jin
Lu) on the torso, arms
and legs; in this way
the high level of skill
would be achieved - the
circles would not be expressed
outside. Along with the
development of Taijiquan,
these different methods
of practice were called
"Large Frame"
and "Small Frame"
("Large Circles"
and "Small Circles").
The practitioners of Large
Frame also emphasize reducing
the circles from large
to small gradually, while
in Small Frame practice
the circles are first
enlarged; the practice
processes of Large Frame
and Small Frame are basically
very similar, and for
this reason it is said
that "Large Frame
is not large, Small Frame
is not small".
Large
Frame of Chen style Taijiquan
began to spread to the
outside world because
of later generations of
Chen clan working as caravan
escorts or doing business
outside the village; especially
when Chen Fake (17th generation
descendant of Chen clan)
and Chen Zhaopei (18th
generation descendant
of Chen clan) were officially
invited to teach martial
arts in Beijing and Nanjing,
Large Frame had spread
and became known by common
people. Since Small Frame
has been passed only within
the clan and because of
the very strict requirements
concerning relations between
teacher and students,
it still remains almost
unknown. However nowadays
Chen style "Small
Frame" exponents
have already begun to
teach the style to outsiders,
but since they got off
to a late start, the style
has not spread very much.
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Punch
of Hitting Crotch (Zhi
Dang Chui) |
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Punch
of Draping Over Body (Pi
Shen Chui) also called
Punch of Protecting Body
(Bi Shen Chui) |
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The contemporary
representatives of Chen style
"Small Frame" Taijiquan
are: Chen Kezhong, Chen Boxiang
(both 18th generation descendants
of Chen clan), Chen Liqing,
Chen Lixian, Chen Boxian (19th
generation descendants of Chen
clan), etc.
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