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Master Hong Junsheng transformed Chen Style Taijiquan by grounding esoteric martial concepts into direct, testable reality. A lineage heir to the legendary Chen Fake, Hong demystified the art through clear, everyday language, as detailed in his landmark work, Chen Style Taijiquan Practical Method. |
| At the core of Hong’s teaching is precision over brute strength. Beginners must construct a rock-solid foundation through basic forms before chasing elusive concepts like internal energy. True relaxation isn’t collapsing into limpness, just as true strength isn’t rigidity; it is maintaining active, living tension (Peng) while remaining fluidly connected to an opponent. All motion relies on spiral mechanics—combining body rotation with limb revolution—demanding an upright, centered posture. By mastering dynamic balance (continually alternating empty and substantial weight), practitioners transition from reactive defense to effortless, proactive control.
Ultimately, Hong demonstrated that Taijiquan extends far beyond martial application or physical exercise—it is a holistic system of self-cultivation rooted in Taoist philosophy. By replacing raw power with unified mind-body intention, the art unlocks mental clarity, emotional composure, and sharp adaptive intelligence. Authored by disciple Zhang Shengjian, this reflection emphasizes that true mastery requires disciplined practice, authentic mentorship, and profound engagement with the art’s philosophical roots. Strip away the mysticism, master the mechanics, and Taijiquan becomes an inexhaustible blueprint for lifelong resilience. |
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Adapted from a post by Kelvin Ho:
“Conversations with Grandmaster Hong Junsheng on Taiji” based on a Chinese article by Zhang Shengjian (張生健) September, 2003 |
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Knowledge : Stories
Presenter: Chen Zhonghua Length: 0 mins Difficulty: 3/5 Language: English
Year: 2022 Location: Edmonton, Canada
Treasure in the Sleeves Assignment-Chen Zhonghua Online Lesson 20220302.
Hong Junsheng noticed that Chen Fake would put his two hands in the sleeves and move them in strange ways. He asked his master Chen Fake what he was doing. The answer was that he was training. This happened in 1930 in Beijing when Hong was a student of Chen Fake.
In those days in winter, people were heavily quilted coats with large and long sleeves. They would joint the two sleeves together to form a tube. The two hands are kept inside the tube/sleeves for warmth.
What Hong saw was Chen Fake rotating his two forearms inside the sleeves. This is the 3rd move of Change Palm Three Times (19th move of Yilu) . Hong later named this exercise Xiu Li Cang Jin, (Sleeve, inside, hide, treasure), like the English saying "Card up the sleeves".
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Presenter: Chen Zhonghua Length: 1 mins Difficulty: 3/5 Language: English
Year: 2021 Location: Edmonton, Canada
Don't Move is a major concept in Chen Style Taijiquan Practical Method.
Chen Zhonghua Path to Taiji ATNI Interview-20211121.
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Presenter: Chen Zhonghua Length: 57 mins Difficulty: 3/5 Language: English
Year: 2021 Location: Edmonton, Canada
Chen Zhonghua Path to Taiji ATNI Interview-20211121.
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Presenter: Chen Zhonghua Length: 5 mins Difficulty: 3/5 Language: English
Year: 2021 Location: Edmonton, Canada
Taiji is about curvatures and straight lines. A curvature refers to rotational moves that can create power. A straight line is the power produced and to be delivered to the opponents. All these are very vague to understand, let alone doing it.
Master Chen Zhonghua uses a rack and pinion set to explain this phenomenon.
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Presenter: Chen Zhonghua Length: 6 mins Difficulty: 3/5 Language: English
Year: 2021 Location: Edmonton, Canada
Rotation is the source action in Practical Method. There are different types and levels of rotation, from dot to a stick and sheet, etc.
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Presenter: Chen Zhonghua Length: 5 mins Difficulty: 3/5 Language: English
Year: 2021 Location: Edmonton, Canada
Rubbing (Cuo,搓）involves two body parts and they must rotate against each other in opposite directions. So essentially rubbing is like a set of gears. Theoretically we use gears as templates. In physical training we use words like rubbing, twisting, grinding and rotating.
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Presenter: Chen Zhonghua Length: 1 mins Difficulty: 3/5 Language: English
Year: 2021 Location: Edmonton, Canada
First you have to have a true rotation. Why are we saying this? Because the human body is not designed to rotate. So you cannot assume you can rotate. We also need to know that while you rotate, you must step forward to gain advantage over your opponent.
This simple exercise that Master Chen Zhonghua shows will give you that bit of special power.
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Presenter: Chen Zhonghua Length: 8 mins Difficulty: 3/5 Language: English
Year: 2021 Location: Edmonton, Canada
How to turn the body into a lever-structure that we can use in fighting? Master Chen Zhonghua explains and shows the method.
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Presenter: Chen Zhonghua Length: 1 mins Difficulty: 3/5 Language: English
Year: 2021 Location: Edmonton, Canada
Cut-Hand is part of the Cannon Fist form. It is an application designed to break the opponent's arm. How does it work? What do you use to do the cutting?
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Presenter: Chen Zhonghua Length: 8 mins Difficulty: 3/5 Language: English
Year: 2021 Location: Edmonton, Canada
Face the danger. Some stories.
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Duanwu Festival, also known as Dragon Boat Festival, is one of the four most celebrated traditional festivals in China. It is on the 5th day of the 5th month of the traditional Chinese lunar calendar. The exact date varies from year to year on the western calendar. This year it is on Monday the 14th June.
Duanwu Festival
Wang Ting Hotel on Daqingshan
Chang Xing Training Hall inside Wang Ting Hotel
Taiji families DQS 20210604
Every day is different. DQS 20210604
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John Upshaw and I met because of Practical Method. He lives in Iowa, USA, and I live in Toronto, Canada. We started to get to know each other through Facebook posts and chats. We first met in person in New Jersey Camp in June 2012. Despite living far apart, we started to train together in early morning on weekends using video conferencing, such as Google Hangout and Skype. We learned straight sword, erlu, and recently broadsword together. Last night, I stumbled some upon notes I made back in 2013/2014 for the online practice sessions. Upon reviewing the notes, what we have been practicing remains the same over the years. To name a few, the instructions include:
- Out with hand
- In with elbow
- Don’t move, lock, fix something, such as the hand, the knee.
- Stretch
- Go over
- Open the kua
We improve over time in terms of detail and quality of the movements, but we will never be perfect. and the training just keeps going. Such notes allowed me to re-live some of the wonderful memories, and thanks to shifu to keep reminding us to make notes.
During this time of the pandemic, I had a very valuable opportunity to attend Shifu Chen Zhonghua’s online class. By listening, seeing and following the instructions given in the class I began to understand the principles of the Taiji practical method and apply them to yilu and push hands. All this time I thought that I understood and could do yilu well, but what I understood was wrong. Read more
After many years of watching Master Chen practice taiji, it occurred to me that he moves like a predator. I have always known that he makes micro-adjustments in each muscle when he does the form, but watching it has always felt mechanical; like he is a machine, able to move each joint in his body independently. But, when I watched my cat hunt for the first time, I realized that his movements are actually very natural. Read more
John Saw – My journey from a hotelier, gambler and Qigong Master to a faithful and loyal disciple of Master Chen Zhonghua 6
John Saw at Sydney Chen Zhonghua Taiji Academy – 8 March 2020
John Saw – My journey from a hotelier, gambler and Qigong Master to a faithful and loyal disciple of Master Chen Zhonghua.
I was born in Burma in 1935. I lived there till I was 29, had to leave everything behind as the country was taken over by the military. I swam across the Mekong river to Thailand in 1964. Started work at the Bangkok Hilton and after 6 years, decided to migrate to Australia.
In June 1970, I arrived Sydney with my wife and infant son and started work in a motel. In no time I got involved in gambling. Life was easy and had so much fun that by the time I was 60, I suffered a stroke due to smoking, bad diet and not enough sleep. My left side of the body was affected, my speech was slurred and I lost my balance. Through Qigong, I gained back my health, and I recovered fully after years of hard work.
After 20 years traveling around the world spreading our Qigong system, I felt restless, something missing. Even though I was an International Master of Lohan Qigong, I just couldn’t figure out what’s missing in my life.
Throughout my travels, I’ve met many great Masters and practitioners in Qigong and Taiji, and became friends but nothing really impressed me.
Then in December 2014, I was invited to attend a lecture by Taiji Master Chen Zhonghua at the UTS. I went along as I was free at that time and also curious as to what’s there for me to see. The first time I saw Master Chen, I was impressed by his demeanor, he was a humble man with twinkling eyes. When he started talking about his style called Chen Style Taiji Practical Method, I was a bit hesitant. I thought another Master promoting their style. The minute he explained the technique and showed us why it’s called Practical Method, I was blown away.
Mind you, I’ve travelled a fair bit and met many skillful Masters, but what Master Chen did with one slight movement of his body was incredible, seeing is believing I should say. He let people touch him and let them feel that he didn’t move his muscle. I was very impressed and decided to join his workshop that weekend. There again, I was amazed with his skill but most importantly, it’s his willingness to share his knowledge without withholding anything, thats got me hooked.
Since then, I’ve been to Daqingshan many times and attended his seminars yearly without fail.
I was accepted as a disciple in 2017 and my number is 257.
I went to Bali last Nov 2019 to join his workshop and again in February 2020 in Sydney. Master Chen never stop to amaze me with his willingness to share and spread this wonderful system.
The last day of the workshop in Sydney was my 85th birthday. Master Chen was kind enough to join my family and friends with some disciples to celebrate this special occasion with me.
Thank you Shifu.
Your disciple,
John Saw #257
John Saw – Burma Days
John Saw – Burma Days
John Saw – Gambling Days
John Saw – Qigong Days
John Saw with Master Chen Zhonghua at Daqingshan
John Saw with Master Chen Zhonghua at Zhenbudong Rizhao Taiji Acacdemy
John Saw Discipleship Photo in Sydney with Master Chen Zhonghua
Daqingshan Taiji Flame Torch Bearer 2018
Chen Zhonghua Practical Method Workshop Sydney 2020 February
Back in 2011, I wrote about how my taiji journey got started: http://practicalmethod.com/2011/10/how-did-my-taiji-journey-get-started/. 7 more years passed by quickly on this journey, and it is now 2018. Much of the time was spent learning how to learn. In this article, rather than talking about taiji principles or concepts, let me share Master Chen Zhonghua’s teachings on learning.
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Nathan Heintz was accepted as Master Chen Zhonghua’s disciple on July 28, 2018 at the North American Practical Method Training Camp in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
The discipleship ceremony also welcomed Spencer Jones and Edward Liaw as disciples. Read more
