Chen Fake (original) (raw)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Chinese martial artist

Chen Fake陳發科
An older Chen Fake plays the "xin jia" form he introduced to the world
Born 1887 (1887)Chen Village, Henan, China
Died 1957 (aged 69–70)
Nationality Chinese
Style Wushu:Chen-style tai chi
Teacher(s) Chen Yanxi
Rank 9th gen. Grandmaster ofChen-style tai chi
Notable relatives Chen Changxing,Chen Youben,Chen Qingping
Notable students Tian Xiuchen, Hong Junsheng, Lei Muni, Li Jongyin, Li Jingwu, Xao Qingling, Feng Zhiqian, Chen Zhaokui
Chen Fake
Chinese
TranscriptionsStandard MandarinHanyu PinyinChén FākēWade–GilesCh'en Fa-k'e

Chen Fake (Chinese: 陳發科; Wade–Giles: Ch'en Fa-k'e; 1887–1957), courtesy name Chen Fusheng (福生), was a Chinese martial artist who taught Chen-style tai chi.[1] He was born and raised in Chen Family Village (Chenjiagou, 陳家溝) in Henan province. In 1928, Chen Fake relocated to Beijing to teach his family's heritage, Chen-style tai chi. After successfully defeating numerous challengers, Chen garnered a following of students, including several renowned martial artists. As a martial artist rather than a scholar, Chen Fake did not leave behind a written record of his accomplishments. His life story was recounted and preserved by his sons and students, most notably Hong Junsheng. By the time of his death in 1957, Chen had firmly established the global practice of Chen-style tai chi, creating a martial arts tradition that continues to thrive.

Chen Fake was born in 1887 in Chen Village, located in Wen county, Henan. This village had a longstanding reputation for martial arts expertise dating back to its establishment in 1374.[2][3]

Chen's great grandfather was Chen Changxing, who taught Yang Luchan, the founder of Yang-style tai chi. Chen Fake's father, Chen Yanxi (陈延熙; 1820 ? – ), worked as an armed escort, which necessitated his mastery of martial arts as he traveled across the country protecting convoys.[2][3]

Chen Fake was born when his father was in his sixties, and both of his older brothers had already died. Consequently, he lived a relatively privileged life. During his youth, Chen frequently fell ill and was occasionally confined to bed. Due to his health issues, he did not engage in the practice of his family's martial art.[2][3]

However, everything changed when Chen's father went to Shandong province around 1900 to teach martial arts to the family of Yuan Shikai, when Chen Fake was fourteen. Since this assignment required Chen Yanxi to be away for an extended period, he entrusted the care of his family to relatives. One evening, Chen Fake overheard his relatives criticizing his weakness and suggesting that he had failed to live up to the expectations of his ancestors.[a][2] This greatly disturbed Chen. He yearned to prove his relatives wrong but feared it might be too late. In comparison to others within Chen village, he considered himself lacking in martial arts ability. This question haunted him until he realized that by dedicating himself to the practice of his family's art, he could enhance his skills. Over the next three years, while others rested or relaxed after their daily chores, Chen diligently practiced the various forms of Chen's family tai chi. Whenever he had questions, he sought help from everyone around him. His unwavering determination made him one of the most accomplished practitioners in Chen village. When his father returned for a visit, he was pleased with Fake's achievements.[2][3]

For two generations, the Yang family of Yang Luchan and the Wu family of Wu Quanyou spread the fame of the martial art of tai chi throughout the Qing Empire. The Qing government ended by a revolution and similar disruption were happening throughout Chinese society. It was during these turbulent times that Chen Zhaopei (陈照丕; 1893–1972) went to Beijing to teach Chen's style tai chi in 1928. Chen Zhaopei's instructions attracted considerable interest and in 1930 he was invited to teach in Nanjing. Zhaopei did not want to leave his Beijing students so he suggested that they invite his uncle Chen Fake to take his place.[2][3] At this time Chen Fake moved from a small village in Henan Province to the thriving metropolis of Beijing.

Before the arrival of Chen Fake, the public perception of tai chi was based on the views of the Yang style and Wu style. This meant that the tai chi forms were practiced as slow and relaxed movements. Chen Fake showed a different type of training that at times can include fast vigorous actions and explosive moves. So in the beginning, many within the Beijing martial arts community doubt the authenticity of Chen Fake's tai chi. According to Chinese tradition, when Chen first arrived in the Chinese capital, he was openly challenged by other martial artists in order to establish his credibility. In those impromptu competitions, there were no rules and no preparations so they could be quite dangerous. For the next thirty years, Chen remained undefeated. Chen not only established an unparalleled martial arts reputation but earned the public's respect for his morality and integrity.[_citation needed_]

According to his student, Hong Junsheng, Chen Fake never criticized other martial artists either publicly or privately. Chen would also admonish his students for criticizing others. Chen was quoted as saying: “The pillar of socialization is loyalty and the method of dealing with people should be based on modesty and cooperation. Loyalty fosters trust; modesty encourages progress; and cooperation befriends people. Modesty and cooperation should be based on loyalty not on hypocrisy.”[4]

Chen Fake's impact on the martial art of Chen-style tai chi extended beyond Chen Village, where he established a tradition of his own. During his teaching career in Beijing, he trained numerous students, including many well-known martial artists. By the time of Chen's death in 1957, his students had gained recognition as skilled Chen-style practitioners and went on to train the next generation of Chen tai chi practitioners.

Among Chen Fake's notable students were his two sons and his daughter:

Another notable individual related to Chen Fake was his nephew:

Some of Chen Fake's students were:

Forms, known as taolu (Chinese: 套路; pinyin: tàolù), are the foundational elements of Chinese martial arts systems. Within Chen style tai chi, the renowned master Chen Fake conveyed his knowledge through two primary bare fist forms: the First Form (Yilu, 一路) and the Second Form (Erlu, Chinese: 二路), also known as the "Cannon Fist" (Chinese: 炮锤). Additionally, he imparted forms dedicated to sword and broadsword techniques.[2]

Following Chen Fake's death, his students developed variations and distinct interpretations of these forms. One such variation is the Old Frame (老架),[32] representing the forms he initially taught upon arriving in Beijing. Another variation is the New Frame (Xin Jia, 新架).[33] which he promoted later in his career. Each subsequent instructor after Chen Fake may present and teach the forms with slight differences, leading to debates regarding their authenticity. This proliferation of styles has sparked discussions within the tai chi community, exploring the merits of different tai chi styles [34] and the distinction between Internal and External martial arts.[35]

Chen Fake did not leave any written material indicating his views on the matter of form. Hong Jungshen observed that Chen Fake changed his teaching method over his thirty-year career. [2] Hong also noticed that his fellow students such as Chen Zhaoxu, Chen Zhaokui and Feng Zhiqiang all practiced their forms differently from him. During Hong's final meeting with Chen Fake in 1957, he raised this issue with his teacher. Chen told Hong to disregard the external appearance of the form and instead focus on the idea that any correct tai chi form should be based on the same fundamental principles, with each element serving a purpose. According to Chen, the external appearance is not important as long as these two requirements are met. In Chen Fake's words: “This set of tai chi does not have one technique which is useless. Everything was carefully designed for a purpose.”[b] Hong believed that this principle could be derived from “_The Tai Chi Treatise_” (太极拳论) by Wang Zongyue (王宗岳). This idea is expressed by the phrase: "Although there are myriad variations, there is only one underlying principles" (“虽变化万端, 而理为一贯”).[2]

Chen Fake and his generation were arguably among the last traditional Chinese martial artists. It was due to a series of fortunate coincidences that he had the opportunity to teach his art in the capital of China. He attracted and nurtured a group of exceptional students who ensured the preservation and transmission of his knowledge and skills. Despite the challenges posed by the Cultural Revolution and the subsequent global spread of the art, this select group, along with their own students, has steadfastly adhered to their master's teachings. Their unwavering dedication has laid a solid foundation for a thriving and sustainable Chen-style tai chi community, which can now be found across the world. This enduring legacy stands as a testament to Chen Fake's profound impact.

Tai chi lineage tree with Chen-style focus

[edit]

The lineage tree serves as a simplified representation of the student-master relationships in tai chi. However, the actual story is considerably more complex, as some students studied under multiple teachers. The most crucial point conveyed by the lineage tree is the pivotal role of Chen Fake and his significant contribution to the dissemination of Chen tai chi beyond Chen village. One minor error in the tree concerns the linkage between Chen Zhaopi. Chen Zhaopi did not train under Chen Fake's father, Chen Yanxi but rather under Zhaopi's own father, Chen Dengke, who belonged to the same generation as Chen Fake. Chen Dengke's father is Chen Yannian (陈延年) who was the brother of Chen Fake's father, Chen Yanxi. It is worth mentioning that the father of both Yannian and Yanxi was Chen Gengyun (陈耕耘).[36] As depicted in the tree, Gengyun shared the same generation as other tai chi practitioners, including Yang Luchan and Chen Qingping. Both Luchan and Gengyun were students of Chen Changxing.

  1. ^ "延熙这一支,辈辈出高手,可惜到发科这一辈就完了,他都十四岁了,还这么虚弱,不能下工夫,这不眼看完了吗?"

  2. ^ “这套拳没有一个 动作是空的, 都是有用的”

  3. ^ Ren Guang Yi (2003). Taijiquan: Chen Taiji 38 Form and Applications. Tuttle Publishing. pp. 11–. ISBN 978-0-8048-3526-8.

  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j 洪均生 (1989). 陈式太极拳实用拳法/: 十七代宗师陈发科晚年传授技击精萃. 山东科学技术出版社. ISBN 978-7-5331-0640-9.

  5. ^ a b c d e f Junsheng Hong (2006). Chen Style Taijiquan Practical Method: Theory. Volume one. Hunyuantaiji Press. ISBN 978-0-9730045-5-7.

  6. ^ "Chen Fake". Chen Zhonghua — Chen Taiji Practical Method and Hunyuan Taiji on Daqingshan Mountain. Chen Zhonghua. Retrieved 2014-11-04.

  7. ^ "陈照旭". 中华太极拳传承网. TaiJiRen.cn. Retrieved 2014-11-07.

  8. ^ "Chen Xiaowang". Chen Xiaowang World Taijiquan Association. Chen Xiaowang. Retrieved 2014-11-07.

  9. ^ "陈家沟太极拳学校". 陈家沟太极拳学校网站. Chenjiagou Taijiquan School. Retrieved 2014-11-07.

  10. ^ Mark Wasson (2006). "What it takes to be a Taiji Master in Chen Village". KungFuMagazine.com. Kung Fu Magazine. Retrieved 2014-11-11.

  11. ^ "陈照奎". 中华太极拳传承网. TaiJiRen.cn. Retrieved 2014-11-07.

  12. ^ "陈瑜太极网". 陈瑜太极网. Chen Yu. Retrieved 2014-11-07.

  13. ^ "Chen Yu". North American branch of the Beijing Chen Zhaokui Taijiquan Hui. Beijing Chen Zhaokui Taijiquan Association. Archived from the original on 2014-12-18. Retrieved 2014-11-07.

  14. ^ Chen Kesen (陈克森). "我的父亲陈照丕". 陈家沟太极拳馆慈溪分馆. 陈家沟太极拳馆. Retrieved 2014-11-07.

  15. ^ a b 沈家桢; 顾留馨 (1963). 陈式太极拳. 人民体育出版社.

  16. ^ "沈家桢". 中华太极拳传承网. TaiJiRen.cn. Retrieved 2014-11-07.

  17. ^ 李速腾. "记陈发科早期弟子杨益臣 (Warly Student Yang Yichen)". PracticalMethod.com. 《武魂》. Retrieved 2014-11-13.

  18. ^ "张瑄". 中华太极拳传承网. TaiJiRen.cn. Retrieved 2014-11-13.

  19. ^ 潘詠周 (1995). 陳氏太極拳大全. 太極拳陳氏分會. ISBN 978-957-97106-8-8.

  20. ^ 中華陳氏太極拳協會 (in Chinese). Retrieved 2012-06-15.

  21. ^ Chen, Zhonghai (March 20, 2010). "Hong Junsheng". Hunyuan Taiji Academy. Archived from the original on June 17, 2010. Retrieved 2011-01-27.

  22. ^ "Master Gu Liu-Xin". Nova Scotia School of KungFu & TaiChi. Archived from the original on 2011-05-22. Retrieved 2011-02-02.

  23. ^ 顧留馨 (2005). 炮捶: 陳式太極拳第二路. 大展. ISBN 978-957-468-423-6.

  24. ^ "Lei Muni Bio in Chinese". Chen Style Taijiquan Practical Method. Retrieved 2012-06-12.

  25. ^ 雷慕尼; 李雨樵 (2011). 雷慕尼陈式太极拳45式. 成都时代出版社. ISBN 978-7-5464-0336-6.

  26. ^ 陈氏太极拳三十三式. 黑龙江科学技术出版社. 1987. ISBN 978-7-5388-0087-6.

  27. ^ "钟鸣高". 中华太极拳传承网. TaiJiRen.cn. Retrieved 2014-11-13.

  28. ^ "李经梧太极拳网". 李经梧太极拳. Archived from the original on 2013-01-28. Retrieved 2011-01-27.

  29. ^ 高雄市陳氏太極拳協會 (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 2014-12-19. Retrieved 2012-06-15.

  30. ^ "田秀臣". 中华太极拳传承网. TaiJiRen.cn. Retrieved 2014-11-13.

  31. ^ "著名北京陈式太极拳名家田秋茂简介". taijibj.com. 北京陈式太极拳网. Archived from the original on 2014-11-29. Retrieved 2014-11-13.

  32. ^ Jarek Szymanski (2000). "Interview with Mr. Feng Zhiqiang, Chen Style Taijiquan expert from Beijing". ChinaFromInside.com. Jarek Szymanski. Retrieved 2011-01-27.

  33. ^ "陈式心意混元太极拳". 北京混元太极文化中心. Retrieved 2011-01-27.

  34. ^ Mark Chen (2004). Old Frame Chen Family Taijiquan. North Atlantic Books. ISBN 9781556434884.

  35. ^ David Gaffney (2002). Chen Style Taijiquan: The Source of Taiji Boxing. North Atlantic Books. ISBN 9781556433771.

  36. ^ Xavier Santiago (trans). "What is in a Name?". Chen Zhonghua — Chen Taiji Practical Method and Hunyuan Taiji on Daqingshan Mountain. Chen Zhonghua. Retrieved 2014-11-07.

  37. ^ Peter Allan Lorge (2012). Chinese Martial Arts: From Antiquity to the Twenty-First Century. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-87881-4.

  38. ^ 陈正雷 (2009). 陈氏太极拳全书: 上卷 (The Book of Chen Style Taijiquan Part 1). 人民体育出版社. ISBN 978-7-5009-3504-9.