Jan Silberstorff - Chen: Living Taijiquan in the Classical Style

Figure 1 Calligraphy by Grandmaster Chen Xiaowang Gong Fu Great Skills by Great Efforts

First, I wish to thank all the women and men among my students who during every seminar have repeatedly asked me to finally complete this book. I feel that without their urging there still wouldnt be any book on Chen-Taijiquan in this form in German and in English. This pristine style of Taijiquan was first established in Germany in 1994. There had been tutors for the Chen-style before, and as Germanys (and by now also Europes) largest autonomous Taijiquan association, we are not the only ones representing Chen-style in Germany, but I think that everybody will agree that it was not until the World Chen Tai Ji Association Germany (WCTAG) was founded that Chen-style became popular in Europe. In fact WCTAG was the first to offer all of Europe a complete and authentic system of the original Taijiquan. It has restored to this art its integrity and its very essence. Even in the PR China Taijiquan is often dealt with just as a gymnastic health programme. Only a few organisations, such as our umbrella association, the Taiji-communitiy in Chenjiagou, are aware of the origins of this marvellous art. WCTAG has gained a reputation when it comes to health maintenance of body and mind, but beyond this it has also been successful in re-establishing Taijiquan among experienced circles of martial artists and philosophers as what it actually is: a highly remarkable and efficient martial art with a health-related and spiritual content. The gratitude for this is mainly owed to my Shifu Chen Xiaowang, who is not only and more than anyone else in the world an absolute master of this art, but who has also found a way to impart it systematically. During the year-long search for a true master, I met various men, all of whom were able to pass me something along my way. To all my teachers, women and men, I feel more than grateful for that. Even so, all the time something had remained somehow incomplete; I felt I was missing a part of Taijiquan, namely, the part that grants this artistry true profoundness. For my Shifu Chen Xiaowang there are no secrets, but instead an incredible openness and an understanding of things in a way I have never experienced before. And he is willing to share this knowledge with all.

I was first allowed to learn about this openness and skill by Master Shen Xijing. When I first met with him, being deeply moved by his mastership, I still found it hard to believe his claim of having learnt from no one else but Chen Xiaowang. This could have been a story told to impress a foreigner, but Master Shen Xijing did not wish to impress. On the contrary, the burden of proof was on my side. As in a Kungfu-film, over six weeks I knocked every morning at his door, being turned away by his wife with varying explanations. After six weeks he eventually opened the door himself. The training began. About six months later and after uninterrupted training, he took me with him to Chenjiagou, the birthplace of Taijiquan. Here I was not only introduced to the family of Grandmaster Chen Xiaowang I was formally engaged to be his first Western disciple. From now on my path was clear: training, training, and training again. Actually this had already been the case before, but now it was no longer just up to me but also up to my new family, because from now on their reputation depended on my progress. Thus, to pay homage to my teachers is a main reason for this book. Without their consent, encouragement and support I would never have had the determination to publish it.