22 KUNG FU e TAl OHI October 2005

Tht Simplt Wisdom 01 it Villaie Grandmasfer

By Stephan Berwick

hen Talji Grandmaster Chen Xiaoxing ~Jt+!i, 0,11 his historic first visit to the U.S. ellis sprinSJ preferred to eat the way he a [ways does - si mple, n011-S picy, an d who lesome. \lVhen asked whether he wanted Western or Chinese food, he chose Chinese. Asked whether he wanted noodles or riceJ he chose rice. With all the choices offered him on each U.s. coast/ he always preferred the familiar and the simp le.

Much [ike cotm try folk anywhere, Chen Xiaoxing keeps jt simple and to rhe poinr, He does not drink alcohol and. makes up his mind with ease. His simplicity is disarming - especially in the wild world of martial arts. And it is a simplicity that emanates from his preference for the toughness and purity of the rural.

When he was born about 50 years ago in Chenjiagou, the Chen family village in North China, the village was the site of a LIn ique family martial tradition isolated in the dee.p countryside of Henan province. Days were spent focused onz essentials of survival in the China of that era - fanning and martial arts. And with a fong history ,1:5 military foUl.,< the Chens

were especially dependent on martial arts. While Henan province boasts a proud martial history - it is the home to both Shaolin Temple and Chenjiagou - Chen village managed to h0[d

onto martial tradi tions by the cen-

tral roles that familYI land, and selfsufficiency play in isolated rural communities.

Rural Martial Traditions

The history of martial arts in China is rife with traditions stemming from rural areas. Nearlyimp0ssible to COUr:lt, categorize, or even nack/ Chil1a)s,TuTal martial arts are diverse and often quite old, but like so many ancient traditions! they are increasingly dying. Be it outside interference, changing lifestyles, or simply the depart UTe of their best and brig,htest, rura] martial arts persist, but are uneven in qualitv and consistency.

The Chinese government attempted to research traditional martial arcs in the early t980s. Hundreds of boxing styles were! retarded and categorized. Bue when examining the (pUblished) results of this landmark research, the bulk of what was identified and recorded were routines cr single forms, not necessarily intact, complete sys terns. Whi le th is was partly due to the secrecy many masters held about their box.ing systems, it was also due to the dwindling open practice of traditional martial arts in Mainland China that continued well into the late 1970s.

ThankfuLlYI by the mid-198Qs traditional martial arts began tore-awaken in China. No [anger banned by the government, village boxers began to exhibit their skills publicly and teach more openly. This welcome trend notwithstanding, it was city dwellers who took the lead in exhibiting their martial skills - ski [[5 often rooted in the vi !lages of their a nces tOTS. Vi lIage-based masters emerged far less often.

But one cannot underearirnare the persistent self-sufficiency that rural.areas breed. In Chenjiagou, rural survival - especially during periods of political and social change - bred generations of battle-hardened warriors whose strength was forged by a martial tradition that stood the test of time. To this day, Chenjiagou progeny boast a highly traditional sense of pride and martial ethos spawned in the countryside,

Chen Xiaoxing, The Last Village Grandmaster?

Thus no surprise that Chen Xiaoxing declares, "l really have no need to

.. u. Everything I need is here." Now that the Chinese govem-

ment allows private property ownership, the growing village martial arcs school- originally conceived by the esteemed Chen Zhaopei ~~~ ~ and built in the early 1980s-

Above: 2003 Hong Kong martial arts masters

October 2005 KUNG FU i:l TAl CHI 23

, I htar masltrs

tlaimine fo salt!!uard marfial Jraditions in fbt counJrysidc, huf I do '. know h w sincert 'hty ftill y art. '

24 KUNG FU e TAl CHI OCfober 2005

3 generations; daugnter-in-Iaw, sen and grandson held in the master's arms.

is now whollvowned by Chen Xiaoxing, Witl, this edifice under the fIJI! control of the Chens who trace their lineage directly to the sreat l7'" century master Chen Chanx.ing I!!tt -k ~ (Yang Luchan's iM n~' teacher and the compiler of Chen Taiji -into cne routines that survive to this day), Cnen Xiaoxing is armed with an establishment rooted in village famHy tradition. uniquely positioned to offer anvcne a taste of what it means to be a Chen boxer,

And what does that mean? lt means integrating the basics of boxing practice, with the basics of life. Students in Chenjiagou stil] train in a simple. environment centered around ft1l!rming and boxing. Throughout the day, villagers can be seen practicing their routines on the farms, courrvards and ancien t fiel ds used as train ins grounds fer generarions .. So while the. school has become the nexus. of Chen Taijiquan training, its atmosphere is imbued with the overwhelming spiri t of a long-surviving rural Ii [esrvle cen teredon fami I y, farmins, and boxins practice.

As Chenjiagon's current head master, Chen Xiaoxing (ycungeT brother of the world-famous Chen Xiaowang, ,'-;]- B.EI is perhaps today's leading example of China's enduring rural fami~'y martial arts. Whi le.some, mas ters today speak of their COl11m i tmen t to (f ami Iy I martial tradi ti 0115, Chen Xiaoxi,13" q uesti ons if they reaUy mean

it. During his recent first visit to the U.S. this sjrring, he stated that lit hear of masters (;;.Iaiming to safeguard martial traditions in the countryside, but l don't know how sincere they really are,"

Widl admiration, he describes the now wen-known story of how his ancestor Chell Zhaopei single-

handedly saved boxing practice ill the village and how, later, the famed Chen Zhaokui rt.~~, ~ [son of the legendary Chen Fake I~~# an4Chen Xiaoxing's uncle) always made sure. to return to Chen village at least annually to train the upcoming mmeratiol1. It is cheircommitmentto the family tradirion of their home village that inspires Chen Xiaoxing to remain

in Chenjiagou, keeping his family1s martial tradition alive at its birthplace.

Continued on page 26

"I rtally haft no need fo leave (henjiagou.

Everyfhini 1 need is hert."

26 KUNG FU e TAl CHI October 2005

llage Boxers

To that.end, he has emerged as perhaps the last of his ilk thac continues to train villagers land, increasingly, ouesiders] in the village of his birth. His commitment to remain in a rural environment is both practical and spiritual. Chel1j1agou's physical isolation provides an increasingly rare environment for undiluted, noncommercialized martial training. The village attracts outsiders from within China and the globe seeking a focused training experience that has remained Largely unchanged for at least 3GO~400 hundred years.

Chen Xiaoxing oversees the training of a growing number of young fighters who have distinguished themselves in competition and teaching. He is quite vocal about the professionalism of Chen village training' for those seeking higher-level skills, Chen enthusiasrically describes the typical 8-holl1' training day serious Chen village trainees endure. Chen village training encompasses stance/posture practice, intense f0TT115 training, and plenty of combat practice that is grappling oriented and includes painjul qinne /joint-locking ~*) training. Unlike many martial art teachers who se-ek to simplify and ease training regimens for amateurs, he is quite explicit that one/s level is dictated by one's training.

Such training is built around the core elements of stance, form and sparring. Stance practice is centered on hours.oj Zhang Zfwclng g5~ or neutral standing practice, followed by exhaustive [orms training. Standard fonns training in Cheniiagou is focused on practicing at least.ze-so reps of theLaG lia yi Lu rOld Frame First Form ** -~ J. With one fonn taking about C2 minutes to execute correctlv; it is standard practice in Chenjiagou [Q spend half the day just on this routinel ViHage teachers often won/t even begin correcting trainees' fonns until they've performed at least 10 reps of the y; L,u. Sparring is practiced from the base o] Clle.n Taiji's "s Levels" of push hands training. After spending hours on basic push hands, trainees engage in upright grappling practice to build rootedness, relaxed strength/ and neutralization skills. From this f0u]1dation of classical training; Chen Xi aoxi ilKs 501'11 international full-contact push hands champion Chen Ziqiang F..ll § 5il is training young village boxers with prcteccive gloves and body armor to build a [ucure generation of Chen Taijj Sanda champions.

Chenjiagou training is highly [ocused on the basics of boxing practice. At a recent U.S. east coast seminar, he pushed, the students through 2 hours of pracrice on just J seemingly simple si[k reefing exercises; which the students f0U11d

•

excruciating! but deeply satisfying. Speaking no English,11e did not have to rely on words to get his poin-t acTOSS. 11,e next day, ch e sern irrar parcicipan ts com p Lecely understood the lessens in body structure and rootedness he imparted.

Such boxing practice - based on a rural survival instinct - is serious business, And Chen Xiaoxing, who oversees the training of all the emerging fi"ghters from Chen village, is a testament to chis professionalism. Because he has traveled litdeand is a staunch "homebody/' as-piring boxers seeking a glimpse into what authentic Chen village martial ttaillillgreally is can besr find this in Chen Xiaoxing. His approach [Q Taiji training is practical/ pnwerfuL/ and anchored in the survival instinct an-

cient martial artists depended on.

Spreading Village Martial Traditions

During a recent seminar, he didn't hide his enthusiasm for demonstrating the powerful Hghting techniques of his family art. His dynamic Qinna !joint-[oeking! and his fluid, rooted push hands ski Lis as rounded sern 'inar partici pants accustomed to more staid instructicn. The accompanying photos taken by Ren Guang Yi of Stephan Berwickand Chen Xiaexing in excruciating Qmn.a practice cap curs the essence of Chen's ski lJ and how he 'imparts it. His direct approach to teaching the concepts of Chen boxing easily strikes a chord with no-nonsense Americans and typical city dwell-

I ers,

White his approach is rural in cone, its effect is decidedly urban. Chen Xiaoxin.g cuts through much of the muck that passes for "traditional" martial arts. Be it by design or not; he's now ready to take his message ef authentic, unadulterated classical marria] arts training beyond. his home village, With expansion of the village school unde;way, he encourages students fWI11

Right: 1988 Chen Jiagou Talji school class of 34 graduation p holo

October 2005 KUNG FU ~ TAl CHI 27

Below:

Master Chen Xi aox1 n g, flanked by his two sons, Chen Senqiang(left) and Chen Zlqiang (right).

all nationalities to attend livein LTaining at this venerable institucion, As a preserve of Chen family martial rradirions, the school's increasing international attendance is

causing an unprecedented spread. cf martial traditions easily lost. today,

All students at the village school- be they local or foreign - are expected to participate in the activities that typify the, village boxer's life, Although outsiders are not expected to [arm and help around the school, they are welcome to. And with the nearest urban a1'8.;1 JD minutes away by cat! tile most hardy decide to. stay in Chenjiagou to. experience the lifestyle of Chen family boxers that survives largely unchanged, except in its scale, frcm the old days. Chen Xiaoxing is the current spirit behind this; ~nchorillg Chenjiagou in bQxing traditions now accessible to all of sincere in terest,

Perhaps this can be attributed to his rural heart. During his U.S. tCUT, he brought one simple piece of horne with him - his own tea. As he sipped it at every point on his U.S. journey/his Chen village tea seemed to ferrify his simp le yet powerful message of 1'1 want to see Chen Taiji grew as much as possible." His cornmiernent to. home, while extending his country hospitality to others, suggescs a confidence and vision that will speak volumes in generations to come. ~

A long-time contributor to Kung Fu Tai Chi, Stephan Berwick, a senior disciple of Ren Guang yi, who IS also mentored by Chen Xiaowang, is a Washington, DC based Chen Taiji instructor. He can be reached at http://www.truetaichi.com.

28 KUNG FU e TAl CHI October 2005