Excerpts from "Illustrated
Explanations of Chen Family
Taijiquan"
by Chen Xin
Biography of Chen Xin
Chen Xin (1849-1929),
also called Pinsan, 16th generation
descendant of Chen clan, was
born in Henan Province Wen County
Chenjiagou village. Chen Xin
was a grandson of famous Taijiquan
master, Chen Youheng; Chen Xin's
granduncle, Chen Youben, had
not only consummate skill in
boxing, but on the basis of
original routines created a
new frame of Taijiquan (known
as Small Frame, Xiaojia). Chen
Xin's father, Zhongshen and
uncle, Jishen, twin brothers,
were both very skilful at Taijiquan.
They first learnt from their
father, Chen Youheng, but after
he drowned in Dongting Lake,
they studied with uncle, Chen
Youben.
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Chen
Zhongshen was extraordinary
- big and tall - and studied
martial arts since the
age of three. He passed
military examination together
with his brother and became
Wuxiang (military Xiucai).
During the reigns of emperors
Xianfeng (1851-1861) and
Tongzhi (1862-1874) there
were three renowned Taijiquan
exponents in Chenjiagou:
Chen Zhongshen, his brother
Chen Jishen, and Chen
Changxing's son, Chen
Gengyun. Among them Chen
Zhongshen was especially
famous for using a 30-pound
iron spear on battlefields
and his courage.
Chen
Xin and his older brother
Chen Yao were both studying
boxing from their father,
Chen Zhongshen.
Chen
Yao at the age of 19 passed
military examinations
at the county level and
became Wuxiang; he practiced
boxing ten thousand times
a year and within 20 years
his skill became superb.
He was short and thin
and people did not believe
he was proficient in martial
arts. Chen Yao often contested
with guards of the local
county magistrate (Yamen)
and was able to throw
six to seven on the ground
at the same time.
Chen
Xin also learnt martial
art since early childhood
and understood its principles
and methods, but since
his father ordered him
to study literature,
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On this
rare picture - Chen Ziming,
Chen Xin's student, the
first one who popularized
Small Frame of Chen Family
Taijiquan outside Chenjiagou
Dang Tou Pao (Cannon to
the Head) movement of
Chen Style Xiaojia (Small
Frame) Taijiquan
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his skill
could not match the one of his
brother. When Chen Xin was older
he realized how little he achieved
in literary studies and how
accomplished Taijiquan master
his brother was. Chen Xin regretted
that he had not focus on martial
arts practice and made a firm
decision to write books and
expound principles and methods
of Chen Family Taijiquan.
Chen Xin's most famous book
on boxing is "Illustrated
Explanations of Chen Family
Taijiquan" (Chen Shi Taijiquan
Tushuo). Chen Xin was writing
it by hand for 12 years, from
the 34th year of emperor Guangxu's
reign (1908) until 8th year
of the Republic (1919). There
were together four volumes containing
200-300 thousand characters.
Based on profound principles
of Yijing (Book of Changes),
the books were expounding changes
between Yin and Yang; the meridian
theory was confirmed using physiological
points and veins; the applications
of all postures were explained,
indicating the key points for
beginners. The results of many
generations of Chen clan Taijiquan
masters were written down without
keeping anything secret. Silk
reeling and neijin (internal
strength) are the core ideas
of the book. Chen Xin wrote
many books that were never published,
"Illustrated Explanations
of Chen Family Taijiquan"
was the fruit of many years'
of his painstaking work and
the most systematic and complete
summary of Chen style Taijiquan.
Chen Xin had no children and
when he was lying in the bed
old and sick he called his nephew
Chen Chunyuan and gave him "Illustrated
Explanations of Chen Family
Taijiquan" saying: "this
is the fruit of my whole life,
publish it and give to those
who deserve it, otherwise burn
it, be sure not to give it to
ignorant and presumptuous people!".
Because of
poverty, after Chen Xin passed
away, the coffin with his body
was kept for many years in his
house and was not buried. Chen
Chunyuan wanted to gather funds
for funeral, so he asked his
friends Du Youmei and Liu Yingxian
for help in publishing Chen
Xin's book.. As the result Chen
Panling (president of Henan
Province Martial Arts Academy),
Han Zibu (president of Henan
Archives Bureau), Wang Zemin
and Bai Yusheng of Kaiming Publishing
House, Guan Baiyi (director
of Henan Provincial Museum)
and Zhang Jiamou first raised
200 yuan for Chen Xin's funeral.
Later they raised 800 yuan and
in 1933 the book was published
in thousand copies.
In winter 1930
Tang Hao, martial arts historian
and researcher, went to Chenjiagou
with Chen Ziming to collect
materials on Taijiquan's history
and appreciated Chen Xin's manuscript
very much.
Chen Xin's
"Illustrated Explanations
of Chen Family Taijiquan"
(also called "Chen Pinsan's
Taijiquan Essentials" -
Chen Pinsan Taijiquan Jiangyi)
was originally written in 4
volumes with very clear explanations
and not divided into chapters.
No characters nor sentences
were changed during publishing,
and annotations were put in
unclear places to keep original
text intact.
There were
many generations of Chen Family
Taijiquan practitioners since
Chen Wangting. Many of them
became very proficient at the
martial art but very few books
on Taijiquan were written. Seven
generations had passed and starting
from Chen Xin, more importance
to written records was attached.
In 1935 Chen Zhaopei, 18th generation
descendant of Chen clan, in
his "Collection of Chen
Family Taijiquan" (Chen
Shi Taijiquan Huizong) used
many parts of Chen Xin's book.
Chen Xin's other books include:
"Taijiquan Guide for Beginners"
(Taijiquan Yinmeng Rulu) (concise
version of "Illustrated
Explanations of Chen Family
Taijiquan") in one volume,
"Three-Three-Six Boxing
Manual" (San San Liu Quanpu),
as well as "Genealogy of
Chen Family" (Chen Shi
Jiacheng) in five volumes, "Collection
of Poems and Literary Works
from Calm Fool's Studio"
(Anyuxuan Shiwenji; Anyu, Calm
Fool, was Chen Xin's literary
name) and other.
Excerpts
from "Illustrated Explanations
of Chen Family Taijiquan"
by Chen Xin
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PART
ONE
Illustrated Explanation
of Silk Reeling Essence
of Taijiquan
Translated
from Chinese by Jarek
Szymanski; ? J.Szymanski
1999-2002
In the
brackets I either put
my own explanations or
added certain words for
better understanding (if
in normal font); or put
Pinyin (transliteration)
for certain terms (in
italics).
Only after I read about
the Taiji circular illustration
in ancient classics I
realized that to practice
Taijiquan one has to understand
silk reeling essence.
Silk reeling is a method
of moving Central Qi (Zhong
Qi). If it is not understood,
then the boxing is not
understood either.
The first white path and
black path are like Taiji
Yin and Yang existing
within Wuji (Limitless).
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Chinese
reprint of Chen Xin's
book is available through
this site |
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(1)(2)(3)
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