My Shifu Grandmaster Feng Zhiqiang passed away in Beijing on May 5, 2012

by Chen Zhonghua Taiji Academy on 2012/05/05

Grandmaster Feng Zhiqiang peacefully passed away on May 5, 2012 in Beijing. I lost my Shifu and the martial arts world lost a grandmaster! The funeral will be held on May 11, 2012.

To all my students, please remember this day and have a moment of silence with us in Beijing!

Feng Zhiqiang is the ultimate example of Taiji. He is a paradox and a harmonized contradiction. He is the most common retired old man and yet the most feared legendary master. He is our only link (as of 2001) to the time of fists and swords, of legends and heroes, and of dedication and bitter struggle to survive.

Today, he enjoys the reputation as a famous contemporary Chinese martial artist. He is an eighteenth generation grand master of Chen Style Taijiquan and the creator of the
Chen Shi Xinyi Hunyuan Taijiquan System.

About Chen Zhonghua Taiji Academy

Chen Style Taijiquan 19th generation disciple. International Standard Bearer of the Practical Method system of Hong Junsheng. Second generation master of Hunyuan Taiji. Been teaching internationally since 1985. Educated in the West with a Master's Degree in Education. Highly accomplished through the lineage of two great masters. Disciplined, precise and powerful. He teaches a complete system of taiji based on the principle of yin yang separation; indirect power as a core concept; movement and tranquility as the source of action. In both theory and practice, his taijiquan deals with the problems of double-heavy. He is a real treasure of the heritage of taijiquan.

{ 62 comments… read them below or add one }

Jay Smith May 5, 2012 at 9:08 pm

A great loss to the Martial Arts world, RIP Grandmaster Feng.
My condolences Shifu.

Regards.

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CantonCannon May 5, 2012 at 9:10 pm

My condolences.

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Hugo Ramiro May 5, 2012 at 9:38 pm

Oh no! My condolences.

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James Tam May 5, 2012 at 10:56 pm

It is with a heavy heart that we receive this sad news of the passing of GM Feng Zhiqiang.
Shifu, please pass our condolences from the practitioners and grand disciples in Ottawa to the family of such a great Taiji grandmaster. Personally, my world of taiji has been greatly changed through Shifu’s teachings of the rich syllabus of the Chen-shi Xinyi Hunyuan Taiji system of GM Feng. I will forever feel indebted to GM Feng for developing this system for the benefit of all to enjoy. This legacy will live forever.

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donna oliver May 5, 2012 at 11:02 pm

Master Chen, please accept my condolences in the loss of a great Master and your Shifu. Thankfully you will carry on his legacy.
With Respect…

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Xavier Santiago May 5, 2012 at 11:16 pm

Shifu, my deepest condolences to you and to Shigong Feng’s immediate family. I will always remember him with lots of respect and admiration.

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Xavier Santiago May 6, 2012 at 10:03 am

I will always treasure our brief meeting in 2007 in Beijing.

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jerry arsenault May 5, 2012 at 11:29 pm

I am so sad to hear of Grand Master Feng’s passing. My condolences on the loss to his family, and my warmest admiration for his new journey into the Tao….

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David Fadjar May 6, 2012 at 12:02 am

My deepest condolences. Its a great loss to all of us.

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Sandeepdesai May 6, 2012 at 12:42 am

Dear Master Chen,

My deepest condolences to you and the immediate family of the Grandmaster at this difficult hour. My heart hurts just thinking about how you and all those students whose lives the Grandmaster must have touched must be feeling.

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Calvin Chow May 6, 2012 at 1:22 am

RIP Grandmaster Feng. My deepest condolences.

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Grace Dong May 6, 2012 at 1:35 am

So sad about that! My condolences. May you be safe and fulfilled on your journey, Grandmaster Feng.

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erwin May 6, 2012 at 1:56 am

My condolences

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Niko May 6, 2012 at 4:30 am

My compassion to the bereaved.

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Chen Zhonghua May 6, 2012 at 5:00 am

I would like to express my sincere condolences on the recent passing of your master,grandmaster Feng Zhi Qiang. Although I never had the chance
to meet Grandmaster Feng Zhi Qiang in person, I am sure he was very highly respected throughout the martial arts world and his great works changed the lives of many.
I realize that no words of comfort are quite enough to replace the loss.
My thoughts are with you, his family, all his other students and friends.

Yours sincerely,
Mario Poehl (from Germany)

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Ernest May 6, 2012 at 5:32 am

My condolences on this immense loss to the taiji world and especially to those who knew Master Feng in personal.

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chentaiji May 6, 2012 at 5:55 am

My condolences…

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Todd Elihu May 6, 2012 at 6:12 am

My sincere condolences. My heart goes out to you, his family, and the many students whose lives Grandmaster has touched. I will always treasure the time that we spent with Shigong in Beijing in the summer of 2008.

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Jyuken-nin May 6, 2012 at 7:16 am

I wish i could have met him, rest in peace.

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Richard Taracks May 6, 2012 at 7:44 am

My condolences… may his memories be a blessing to all.

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KenHuang May 6, 2012 at 7:53 am

My condolences – a great loss to China, and the world of taiji.

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Rafael Velilla May 6, 2012 at 8:16 am

Master Chen, my sincere condolences for such a great loss. He was a living legend and will always be remembered.

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Allan Haddad May 6, 2012 at 8:37 am

My sincere condolences to his family and you Master Chen. With peace.

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raymond chen May 6, 2012 at 9:01 am

Very sad news. My condolences.

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Allan Belsheim May 6, 2012 at 9:08 am

My condolences to Grandmaster Feng’s family, friends, many students and to Master Chen. Grandmaster Feng has enriched our understanding of Taiji and was the last link to his famous master, Chen Fake. Although I have never met him, Master Chen has told many stories and anecdotes that make him seem close and through these stories, we have all come to know and appreciate him. Grandmaster Feng is now continuing his journey and we wish him well. He will be remembered as a legend and a great man.

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Clinton Jurke May 6, 2012 at 9:44 am

Oh, terrible news! The world has lost a treasure. My condolences to you, Shifu, and the rest of the family.

I did meet GM Feng once briefly, but it is as Allan says that it’s through Master Chen that we have come to really know GM Feng and the art of Hunyuan. We will work hard at continuing to advance these teachings, but it’s is very sad that the direct link to the source is now lost. He was indeed a great man.

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Massimo Neresini May 6, 2012 at 9:52 am

Dear Master Chen,
Although I haven’t had the honour to meet personally your GrandMaster Feng ZhiQiang, I feel the great sadness and the emptiness that a Great Taijiquan Master like Him has left among us and in the whole Taijiquan Art. Master Chen please accept my personal and my family deepest condolence for the loss of Your Shifu.

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gigi May 6, 2012 at 11:03 am

It was a full life. RIP Grandmaster Feng.

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Yaron Seidman May 6, 2012 at 11:26 am

I was lucky to go with shifu multiple times and visit master Feng. I got to know Feng’s wife, daughters, grandsons and some of our shifu’s Taiji brothers and sisters. I want to add to above posts that the world has lost a great man in addition to a legendary martial artist. A warm hearted kind man with a smile that makes one happy from a hundred feet distance. I greatly miss him, I wish his wife, daughters, grandchildren, shifu and all my Taiji uncles and aunts strength at these difficult and sad times.

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Rion Swanson May 6, 2012 at 11:32 am

Master Chen,
My condolences to you and to the family, friends and students of Grand Master Feng Zhiqiang.

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Yaron Seidman May 6, 2012 at 12:14 pm

If you want to see few images of master Feng and shifu, I wrote an article last year, please scroll to the very end of the article.
http://hunyuaninstitute.com/huandhunyuan.pdf

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kim allbritain May 6, 2012 at 12:41 pm

I offer my sympathies to his family and to Master Chen. Such a powerful figure will no doubt leave a great void in many lives and to the world of martial arts.

We should all realize how fortunate we are to have Shifu with us and take nothing for granted.

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zanshin May 6, 2012 at 1:28 pm

My condolences to you and the family.

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JohnnyU May 6, 2012 at 1:35 pm

My sincerest condolences, Master Chen.

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Rene Ooteman May 6, 2012 at 1:41 pm

What can I say that hasn’t already been said………. Condolences.

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Aaron Bartholomew May 6, 2012 at 1:45 pm

My sincere condolences to you, and his family, friends, and other students.

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Charlie Popky May 6, 2012 at 2:02 pm

My condolences on the loss of a great teacher and a great man. In the Jewish tradition we say, “May his memory be a blessing.” This is certainly true for those who knew him and had the privelige of studying with him, but the blessing of his life will also be in those who will be touched by the beauty and depth of his Taiji.

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Glen Montgomery May 6, 2012 at 2:02 pm

Very sad to hear of Grandmaster Feng’s passing. My sincere condolence to family, friends, students and to Master Chen.

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Ken Cohen May 6, 2012 at 2:04 pm

I was so sorry to hear of the passing of Grandmaster Feng, teacher of my teacher (Gao Fu). I had the honor to train briefly with Grandmaster Feng in 2001 and his wisdom, words, and lessons have made me a better person. A great light has returned to the infinite Dao, and his breath has become one with the Hunyuan Qi. Many thousands will miss him, but I know that his beloved family and disciples will miss him most of all. With Respect, Kenneth Cohen (Gao Han)

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Jean-Philippe Ranger May 6, 2012 at 3:34 pm

My condolences, Master Chen. Grandmaster Feng will be sorely missed.

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Levi Sowers May 6, 2012 at 4:05 pm

My condolences Shifu. I Was lucky enough to meet him and push with him in Beijing in 2008. He took us to lunch and i will never forget that. It was one of the highlights of my Taiji training to date.

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bruce.schaub May 6, 2012 at 5:08 pm

Oh my goodness Master Chen! I’m so sorry for your loss. It must have given him great peace of mind to know your diligence and sincerity in passing on his teachings….my deepest sympathy.

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cshum00 May 6, 2012 at 6:02 pm

Rest in peace and my condolences.

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hkteo May 6, 2012 at 8:10 pm

My condolences to Master Feng and family.

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Kelvin Ho May 6, 2012 at 8:11 pm

Grandmaster Feng’s Hunyuan Taiji was the first system in which I learned Taiji, and through which I found Master Chen. Thank you Grandmaster Feng, and RIP. My condolences to Master Chen, and Grandmaster Feng’s family.

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Raul Pujol May 6, 2012 at 9:01 pm

My condolences to you, Shifu, and to his family. May his memory live with us and inspire us

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jesus mantilla May 6, 2012 at 10:49 pm

Dear sifu,my sincere condolences to you and Grandmaster Fengs family for there lost.For many generations he will inspire us and his spirit will encourage many taichi players to continue his legacy.RIP.

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Michael Becker May 7, 2012 at 1:19 am

Very sad news. I had the great honour of meeting Grandmaster Feng while studying at the main school in Beijing. Even though he was retired, he would come in on Saturday mornings to watch some of the lessions. His great love for what he did was clear for all to see, with him often demonstrating different aspects of the art to those lucky enough to be present.

My lasting memory though will not just be of meeting a legend of the martial arts world. It will be of meeting a true human being, a man who had time for everyone, a great sense of consideration for others and simply a love of life.

My deepest condolences to all family, friends, disciples and students.

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Annie Chew May 7, 2012 at 1:23 am

Dear Master Chen,
My sincere condolences to you and GMFeng’s family. He will be missed dearly by all. Trully, A Great Master.

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arturo gonzalez May 7, 2012 at 1:43 am

The martial arts community share your lost. It is vital that we learn all we can from the Grandmasters that are still alive today, but most importantly continue to teach and share the knowledge they left behind. It is good to know we have Chen Zhonghua; a living branch of a truly great master.

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Jonathan Kwan May 7, 2012 at 3:19 am

Dear Master Chen,
My condolences on such a great loss. He was truly a gem in the MA circles and impacted thousands of people. His taiji and legacy will live on forever. He will be surely missed by all.
Yours Sincerely
Jonathan Kwan

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Paul Janssens May 7, 2012 at 4:07 am

Master Chen,
The loss of Grandmaster Feng and his positive impact on thousands of students across the globe highlights the special nature of his Taijii. Thousands more will enjoy Taiji in the future when his legacy is carried on by his disciples and students. He will never be forgotten.
My thoughts are with his family.
Sincerely,
Paul Janssens
Canberra -Ausralia

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Michael Winkler May 7, 2012 at 5:06 am

Although I never met Grandmaster Feng and did not practise his style his passing away for me also is moving. My compassion to all who were close to him.
RIP Grandmaster Feng Zhiqiang.

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rickkare May 7, 2012 at 8:28 am

My sincere condolences to Sifu and Grandmaster Feng’s family. The Taiji community is mourning a great loss.

Rick Kare

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Ian Sinclair May 7, 2012 at 9:08 am

Dear Chen, Laoshi.
I am very sorry to hear about the passing of Feng Zhiqiang. He was a great light in the world of taijiquan. We were all blessed by his life. Although I regret never having the opportunity to study with him, he always impressed me. And I feel blessed to be able to benefit, through you, from his teachings. We are all much better off because of him.
I am glad that your work and teaching will continue, doing credit to his memory, and spreading his good work around the world.

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Giuseppe Bon May 7, 2012 at 9:18 am

Dear Master Chen,

we are deeply saddened to hear of GrandMaster Feng’s loss.
Our deepest condolences to you and the immediate family of the GrandMaster.
Giuseppe Bon, Valentina Faccin and the Italia Poon-zè Team

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UniTaichi May 7, 2012 at 10:09 am

My condolences. One of the greatest taichi grandmaster.

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AlexandraM May 7, 2012 at 10:10 am

Very sad. My deepest sympathy to you, Grandmaster Feng Zhiqiang’s family, freinds and students.
Alexandra Meinhold

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Gino Nasato May 7, 2012 at 11:56 am

The passing of Grandmaster Feng is truly a loss to the Taiji world. My deepest condolences to Grandmaster Feng’s family, disciples and students on their great loss.

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Alex Nay May 7, 2012 at 3:23 pm

my condolences to Master Chen especially, but also the taiji community.

I have only read and heard stories and seen youtube videos, but those indeed were enough to reveal his amazing skill and also down to earth nature. His passion for taiji and leadership was inspiring. A true exemplar in the taiji community.

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Nona May 7, 2012 at 8:31 pm

My sincere condolences on the death of grandmaster Feng Zhiqiang to his family, to Master Chen and to all those that feel this deep loss. He will be sadly missed by the taiji community. GM Feng Zhiqiang , eighteenth generation GM of Chen Style Taijiquan gave the world an extraordinary gift by creating the exceptional system Chen Shi Xinyi Hunyuan Taijiquan practiced and valued around the world. Indeed he lived his dream to make mankind better through the Chinese taiji .
I am very moved by this news, however I am glad that GM Feng Zhiqiang lived to see his disciple Master Chen bringing his skills, experience, Chen Style Taijiquan and the Hunyuan system to a new dimension by imparting it actively, intensively, with the whole world using best teaching style and new technologies. He always will be present in our hearts through his legacy.

Respectfully,
Nona

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michaelkoh May 7, 2012 at 11:18 pm

My condolences, shifu. I regret I did not have the chance to meet this great master.

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