There couldn’t be better occasion than the one organized by Master Giuseppe Bon’s Kung Fu and Taijiquan School to make us moving to the best of our ability along the path that we began to follow last March. The School succeeded in hosting one of the Taijiquan Chen Style Hong Method greatest Master for the first time in Italy: Master Chen Zhonghua. He came directly from Canada where he has lived and taught for about 20 years. He is President of Hunyuantaiji and Master of 19th generation Chen Style having been directly taught by the Great Master Hong Junsheng. He is also Hunyuantaiji Master of 2nd generation having been directly taught by the Great Master Feng Zhiqiang.
Master Chen Zhonghua was born in 1961 in Weifang (province of Shandong). He studied and practiced Sitongchui, Baiji and Taizu, Xuao Wushou and Da Wushou at a young age. The President of Jinan Martial Arts Academy Master Li Enjiu introduced him to the Great Master Hong Junsheng (18th generation Taijiquan Chen Style) at Black Tiger Springs Park in Jinan (China) so he became his direct disciple and he underwent training every single day for six year despite the weather conditions. He was so impressed by that white-haired Master – a pipe-smoking Kung Fu expert – that he regarded him as a constant reference model until his death in 1996.
Master Chen Zhonghua went to Beijing in 1998 to meet the Great Master Feng Zhiqiang (18th generation Taijiquan Chen Style). He became his disciple and learnt his Chen Shi Xinyi Hunyuan Style. At present he is both the International Representative for Taijiquan Chen Hong Practical Method and President of Hunyuan Taijiquan Academy. After he took his degree in modern languages in China he moved to Canada where he now lives and teaches Taijiquan Chen Style and Hunyuantaiji getting excellent results with his disciples all over the world.
Master Chen Zhonghua has a profound knowledge of forms contents, internal energy, theory and applications. He’s made several works like books and videos, such as “The Way of Hunyuan”, “The Circles of Taijiquan”. He’s also translated books such as “Hunyuan Qigong” by the Great Master Fen Zhiqiang and “Chen Style Taijiquan Practical Method” by the Great Master Hong Jungsheng. We experienced a great emotion as we met him at Venice airport for the first time on April 9th. Any disciple of Martial Arts knows what meeting a leading Master means – he feels a thrill along his spine as soon as he happens to shake the Master’s hand. That feeling was even stronger for us as we realized that Master Chen Zhonghua was willing to devote his precious time with helpful humility to allow us study in depth those techniques and philosophy steeping and expanding the great Art of Taiji. An explosion of energy hit all those who attended the demonstrative meeting which took place at Palestra Axel in Vicenza on Thursday April 9th. The subject of the workshop was “HOW TO TRANSFORM THE INTERNAL ENERGY” and Master Chen Zhonghua really showed us how and by which power such energy can turn into action. So one of the principles of Taoism – “Action is no-action” – is demonstrated in a practical way; the Master seems to stand absolutely still while his overwhelming energy drives back anyone opposing him. He keeps on repeating that his applications are not a miracle, yet what we can see really appears like a miracle.
We tell him that if we show a video of some of his applications to other people they will say it’s a trick, so he replies with great naturalness: “when you do something to just one person that may be a trick; when you do the same thing to either two or three people that may be a good trick; but when you do the same thing to dozens or hundreds of people definitely that cannot be a trick at all”. The antique breath of the Supreme Chinese Martial Art involved us in those applications showing us the martial genuineness of Taiji Chen, which actually is a splendid Martial Art. Taiji Chen is often confused with anything mysterious, perhaps because of its antique origins and its subtle link with philosophy, art and lifestyle. Master Chen Zhonghua was a direct disciple of the Great Master Hong Junsheng, who in turn had been disciple of the Great Master Chen Fake, probably one of the greatest Taiji Chen Style Master of all times. Master Chen Zhonghua best expresses the applications of his teaching by a stupefying delicacy while revealing them.
Master Chen Zhonghua permeated us with his energy and naturalness for more than two hours leaving some messages and teaching which will remain as indelible memories in our mind. The following day we took the Master to Venice for a visit and then to the airport, from which he had to leave for Prague for a one-week workshop. We hope to succeed in organizing one in Italy next year too as when someone knows a Master of that kind it is then impossible to forget him: a great Master who can teach and lead his disciples to goals which seemed impossible before, like all great Masters do, through paths which are hard and difficult to understand, yet with his constant support, simplicity and lucidity. We thank Master Chen Zhonghua once again for making us taste the refined Supreme Art of Taiji. Many thanks to Master Giuseppe Bon of Scuola Italia Poon-zè Team from Vicenza too for uninterruptedly sharing the difficult path to Kung Fu and for the fantastic presence of Master Mario Mandrà of Tana dei Dragoni from Milan. Thanks to you all and if you wish to get achievements then do practice continuously.
