On Sunday, February 10, I had the good fortune of attending the Taiji Tournament that is always held as part of the annual Phoenix Chinese Week. This festival celebrates many aspects of Chinese culture, including history, food, art, opera performances, and- of course- martial arts. I have attended the tournament several times in the past as a spectator. As a newer disciple, I decided that it would be good for both myself and the promotion of Practical Method to finally participate. Read more
Benjamin Benefiel
My name is Benjamin Benefiel and I live in Phoenix, Arizona, USA with my wife and two young daughters. On January 21, 2018, I became Master Chen Zhonghua’s 259th disciple along with taiji brother Winston Wang. I grew up near Chicago, Illinois before moving to Phoenix area for graduate school in 1999. My appreciation of martial arts began as a child with karate lessons and a love of ‘kung fu cinema’. During my 20s and early 30s, I studied various styles of martial arts intermittently (including Baguazhang, Xingyiquan, and Deng family Sengmenquan, as well as a very small amount of experience with Yang style Taiji which was taught only as a health exercise). Chen style Taijiquan always held a strong fascination for me, but I was never fortunate enough to find a teacher. Read more
