(1600- 1680) – Founder of Chen Style Tai Chi Chuan
Chen Wang Ting also known as Zou Ting, was the founder of Chen Style Tai Chi Chuan. Counting from the first year of Hong-wu in Ming Dynasty when Chen family moved from Hong Dong County in the Shanxi province to Chang Yang Village (currently Chen Jia Gou), He was the 9th generation of the Chen clan living in Chen Village.
His grandfather and his father were both officer of the Ming Court. He was the second of four brothers, and was very bright and very studious. Not only did he grasp the essence of family martial arts and achieve extraordinary mastery of its techniques, he also immersed himself in books, dug into classics, explored history, and as a result, he was both physically and intellectually fit.
In 1644 ( the 14th year of Chongzhen in the reign of emperor Sizong- also the final year of the Ming dynasty, in which the combined influences of Manchu military expeditions from the north and rebel insurgences in central China served to topple the dynasty) he was appointed Commander of the Garrison Force of Wenxian county. He engaged in military expeditions against rebel forces commanded by Li Zicheng in Shandong. Upon the fall of the Ming, his opportunities for advancement ruined by the change of dynasties, he retired to his home, Chen Jia Gou.
He past his time studying the “Huang Ting Classic?(Scripture of the Yellow Court), and in his old age, he vowed to leave a “Chuan?legacy for future generations by creating a unique style of “Chuan? He began devoting his energy to collecting and organizing the documents of martial arts from the people and surrounding communities. By comparing and contrasting the styles, he was able to preserve some and improve on others. Building on the foundation of Tai Chi Ying Yang theory illustrated in “He Tu?and “Luo Shu? coupled with “Dao Ying?(regulated breathing) and “Tu-Na?(breathing exercise) from traditional Chinese medicine’s theory, he was able to develop a new style of martial art called Tai Chi Chuan that can be taught to people of all ages.
It combines Yin-Yang opening and closing, interchanges reality and false hood, mingled strength and gentleness, and alternates swiftness and slowness. This newly developed form of Tai Chi Chuan employs the theory of Tai Chi, which transforms Wu Ji into Tai Chi (from emptiness, fullness came into being), Wu Xiang into You Xiang (from invisible, visible evolve)
There are five routines of Tai Chi Chuan, one routine of Paochui (Cannon Fist), Chang Chuan (108 postures long fist), two person push hand, and many others. Based on the same theory, he developed and recorded routines for broadsword, spear, sword, mace staff, etc. These Tai Chi Chuan and weapon routines were the beginning of what has now become known all around the world.