太 極 功 夫 中 心 - 陳德家太極
TAI CHI KUNG FU CENTRE
GRAND MASTER
Chen Zhenglei Taiji Quan Federation Manchester Uk Online School
Grandmaster Chen Zhenglei and Master Chen Dejia run online classes seminars workshops and other events, covering student and instructor certification courses and assessments for international students.
Visit www.chenzhenglei.com
GRANDMASTER CHEN ZHENGLEI
Grandmaster Chen Zhenglei was born in Chenjiagou Village, and is a 19th generation of the Chen family and 11th generation direct-line successor of Chen Family Taijiquan Chen-style taijiquan.
He is recognized as one of the four “Buddha’s Warrior Attendants (Si Jingang),” the four outstanding exponents of the 19th generation in Chenjiagou. He travels around the globe giving workshops and creating an international group of Chen-style practitioners.
Grandmaster Chen is listed in the China Contemporary Education Celebrities Dictionary, China Present Martial Arts Masters, and Contemporary reform elites and he is the creator of the 18 Short Form of Lao Jia. In December 1995, Chen Zhenglei was recognized as one of Top Ten Martial Arts Masters of Present Day living in China.
Since 1998, the Chinese Wushu Association together with the National Sport Commission and the Chinese Wushu Research Institute has established a graduation system based on nine Duan levels (rank), Grandmaster Chen achieved the 9th Duan Wei Grandmaster (Jinlong—jiu duan: Gold Dragon) level in 2012, and he is one of the few holders of the highest rank of the Duan wei system.
The benefits of practising Tai Chi & Qigong
Tai Chi and Qigong can be used as a preventive health measure to maintain good health and are recommended as an addition to conventional medical treatments. In Traditional Chinese Medicine theory, blocked or stagnant Qi (vital life force) is said to be the root of many diseases. Through this gentle exercise which incorporates the mind, breathing and body, Tai Chi and Qigong help to cultivate and promote the circulation of Qi within the body to enhance overall health, bring relaxation, balance and harmony between the body and mind.
Tai Chi and Qigong’s health benefits have been studied for nearly 2,000 years in China but have only been studied in the west in the last century. Studies have shown that both Tai Chi and Qigong can help people to reduce stress, improve posture, balance and general mobility as well as increase muscle strength in the legs. Tai Chi and Qigong have now become one of the most popular in the world as a health-promoting exercise that are suitable for all ages and all people.
CHEN FAMILY TAI CHI
Chenjiagou village in central china is the birth place of taiji quan. In the early 17th century, one if its villagers, Chen Wangting, created a set of physical movements, which incorporated his family`s martial arts deep breathing techniques and the meridian theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). In TCM, a meridian is a bodily channel through which energy and other vital substances flow.
Tai Chi movements feature a combination of strength and softness, which echoes the concept of Yin Yang as described in the book of changes, an ancient Chinese book of divination and a source of Confucian and Taoist philosophy. In the 200 years or so after its creation, Tai Chi remained a family heirloom inaccessible to people outside of the Chen family.
But in the 19th century, a kung fu enthusiast called Yang Luchan (1799-1872) managed to learn the moves by working for the family. Yang later worked as a martial arts coach in the imperial army of the Qing dynasty (1644-1911) and popularised the sport among the upper classes of Beijing.
From then on, more and more Chinese engaged in Tai Chi and some new schools including Yang, Wu, Sun, Wu Hao styles came into being. "Chen style Tai Chi is believed to be the origin of all the other popular schools.
Chen Zhenglei started practicing martial arts when he was 8 years old. He achieved the highest duan in the chinese Wushu Duanwei system, the national martial art evaluation and ranking system overseen by the Beijing-based chinese wushu association. He is also one of the top four Tai Chi masters in Chenjiagou China.
Taiji practitioners, to become resilient and nimble, must go through three steps. Covering forms/routines, pushing hands, and sparring. The forms known as Taolu, help practitioners learn about their bodies and become resilient. Pushing hands, known as Tuishou, helps them to understand the rivals movements and how to evade direct attacks. Sparring, known as Sanshou, helps to defend against attacks and launch counter attacks through explosive actions. Taiji Quan is not just about striking poses. Its goal is to build up internal power or Qi. When the internal power is fully charged, it can burst forth with explosiveness. This is the essence of authentic chinese martial arts.
Grand master Chen Zhenglei said, Taiji Quan is a gem in the crown of chinese traditional culture. The martial art was listed as a national intangible cultural heritage in 2006. At the opening ceremony of Beijing 2008 Summer Olympic Games, martial artists performed Taiji Quan. That same year, China started its efforts to get Taiji Quan onto the UNESCO representative list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This proved more difficult than expected. W