Author: chentaichi_7ioo8y
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The Jinan Crucible: Hong Junsheng’s Journey of Mastery
The Jinan Crucible: Seven Years of Bitterness After fifteen years of intensive study under Chen Fa-ke in Beijing, Hong Junsheng moved to Jinan. It was here, in the shadows of a humble hutong, that his most profound work began. Branded as “unemployable,” Hong lived in a state of extreme poverty that would have broken most…
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Key for the Lock
The Taijiquan Treatise: Decoding the Canon In the literature of Taijiquan, one work is universally regarded as the “Canon.” Attributed to Wang Zongyue during the Qing Dynasty, the Taijiquan Treatise is prized for its precise theory and concise language. Yet, for many, the text remains a locked door. The Problem of Ambiguity While the Treatise…
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Hong Junsheng Stories
The Lesson of the Black Tiger Springs Deep in the valley of the Black Tiger Springs in Jinan, the roar of the water echoes off the surrounding stone walls. Hong Junsheng practiced there daily on an elevated stone terrace—a high point within the valley’s floor. One afternoon, his training was interrupted by a young man…
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The Realization
Chen Fa-ke was the youngest son of his father, Chen Yan-Xi, and was born late to older parents who had already lost family members. (Fa-ke is pronounced Fa Kuh) As a result he was a bit spoiled and pampered. As a boy his wish was to be a bureaucrat, not a martial artist. He did…
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Yang Shen Gong
Master Liu ChengDe is a kind Master with devastating skills proved many times in real life challenges. This day he showed his kindness to a keen student. He showed it by doing two rare and extraordinary things. One – he took us indoors to his studio in downtown Jinan. Two – he showed us a…
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Liu and the Praying Mantis Master
Liu and the Praying Mantis Master During one of my visits to Jinan to train with Master Liu ChengDe, I witnessed an encounter that fundamentally changed my understanding of authentic martial skill. The Challenge The day before I arrived, a Praying Mantis master had come to Liu’s training area and challenged him. Master Liu had…
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Chen Family History
The Cradle of Taijiquan Chen Village (Chenjiagou) in Henan Province is the birthplace of Taijiquan. For generations, the Chen family guarded their martial art, teaching only within the clan. This secrecy wasn’t mere tradition—it was survival in a China where martial skill could mean the difference between life and death. The Unbroken Line The Chen…