Living in Chen Jiagou, or Chen Village, for over five years (2017–2023) has been nothing short of life-changing. Coming from Boston, a city filled with some incredible Tai Chi teachers, you might wonder why I decided to travel halfway across the world. The answer is simple: I wanted to find the source, the birthplace of Tai Chi, and learn its original style in its purest form. Don’t get me wrong, you can learn a lot from a senior instructor or even a short class, but Tai Chi is an ocean of knowledge. You can’t truly grasp its depth in just a few days or few hours , attempt to a semiorr for a few hours course maybe benefits you, but you wont get much of it,.
Before making this life-altering decision, I knew I had to prepare alot. Being single, with no wife, kids, or major attachments, gave me the freedom to take this adventure , i guess life does balance it self. But freedom doesn’t mean a free ride—I needed a plan. i was plan to Studying in China for years and would cost me a lot money, even with the favorable exchange rate of 1 USD to 7 RMB. Living expenses like food, housing, and transportation add up, and as much as I wanted to focus solely on Tai Chi, I also wanted to explore the culture, the sights, and everything China had to offer. So, I have worked hard to save money penny by penny. By day, I worked as an IT professional from 9 to 5. By night, I drove for Uber, often until 11 or midnight, depending on the day’s workload. After hard grinding for a year, I managed to save roughly around $40,000— may not look like a fortune, but enough to cover the first few months without stress. I hoped.
The Journey Begins
I still remember the exact date I left the U.S.—a scorching hot day in July. Summer was the perfect time to travel, allowing me to pack light and avoid bulky luggage. After landing in Beijing,(PEK) I caught a connecting flight to Zhengzhou, (CGO)the capital city of Henan Province. Zhengzhou was massive—towering skyscrapers filled the skyline, bustling streets stretched for miles, and the sheer energy of the city was both overwhelming and exhilarating, it just so much different from the US, I exchange some USD at the airport, the rate was little less then rates shows online,but i guess airport everything are expensive, So i just exchange a few hundred thing enought to cover the first few days stay, and do whatever later .
From Zhengzhou, I hopped on a city bus headed directly to Chen Village. The four-hour ride was the fastest way to reach the village, though there was another route: taking a train to Jiaozuo City and then a 50-minute bus ride to the village. But after a long flight and layovers, I was exhausted and chose the more direct path, a few hours sleep on the bus seems most suitable for me at the time.
By the time I arrived in Chen Village, night had fallen. Even in the dark, I could tell this was no sprawling metropolis. It was quaint and peaceful, with just two main roads forming the village’s crossroad. On the main road leading into the village, farmland stretched out, dotted with schools like the Wang Xi’an School of Tai Chi. The schools were impressive, with their two- or three-story buildings, gated yards, and modern materials that still managed to evoke an ancient style.
The village itself felt like a mix of tradition and tourism. Photos I’d seen online showed old-world charm, but the reality was more polished—modern buildings designed to look like they had stepped out of history books. The roads were quiet, with barely a soul walking about. Exhausted, I found a small family-run hotel, checked in for the night, and told myself I’d figure out my next steps in the morning.
Day One:
I stayed in a small, family-run hotel that looked more like a rectangle-shaped building tucked into the narrow pathways of the village. Many of the older ones houses were built with a mix of wood and concrete, there not many of that, mostly are all new buildings, the old one are mostly have some sort protect fence, but newer ones were made entirely of brick and concrete. Most buildings were only two stories tall, some are like two stories and half high , they have one corner built like three stories, i dont know why they like that, and the alleys between them were so narrow, you’d be lucky to squeeze a bike through, let alone a car. The hotel I stayed in had three rooms, and like most buildings in the village, the entrance was off to the right corner, not in the center—a feng shui choice, I was told.
Once you entered, there was a small courtyard. The left corner housed a toilet hole (yes, just a long rectangle hole), and beyond that, the right side wall concealed the kitchen. Past the kitchen were the living room and three small bedrooms. Unlike back in the States, where bedrooms often have dressers, half-baths, or at least some extra space, these were extremely basic. all room painted in whites colors, Each room was just big enough for a queen bed, the bed size are not like here in the State, all same size, either you get queen or king or just full size, their is different, dont look like a standard size, shorter and not that long, also the room size maybe a clothing rack if you squeezed it in. I’d guess the size was smaller than the space needed for two parked cars.
That night, it was sweltering. When I entered my room, a ceiling fan was spinning lazily above, but I noticed the AC unit on the wall. Politely, I asked the owner if they could turn it on, and they kindly agreed. Thank goodness for that—the night became bearable after the cool air kicked in.
I thought about exploring the village streets but decided against it—it was late, and I didn’t want to risk getting lost in an unfamiliar place. Instead, I stepped outside for a moment,the night is very quite, no car seir , stood in the warm night air, and then I headed back inside. The owner offered me some vet soup, which I gladly accepted. It wasn’t soup in the traditional sense but more like a mixture of raw rice and brown flour, simple and organic. It tasted pretty good, kind of like a rustic cereal. After finishing my meal, I considered getting online, but it was late, and the owner, who lived in the next room across the courtyard, had already turned off the lights. So i did not bother, With nothing else to do, I turned in for the night.
Waking Up in Chen Village
The next morning, I woke earlier than planned—thanks to a rooster’s persistent crowing. That’s when it hit me: I wasn’t in the city anymore. No car horns, no bustling streets, just the sounds of village life. After getting dressed, I asked the hotel owner for directions to explore the village. They sketched a simple map for me—just a few lines, easy to follow—and I set off to begin my first tour of Chen Village.
The main street was paved with large stone blocks, not like the place i stay, they have conrcet full cover the roads, the village main street are like typical of many tourist-friendly towns. The stones were heavy and durable, giving the street a timeless, rustic charm that felt far removed from the sleek modernity of city life. Walking along, I noticed plenty of signs for local businesses—hair salons, massage parlors, small hotels, and grocery shops. look like they are all in same color and shapes regulated, Each sign had English translations under the Chinese characters. The translations weren’t always accurate, but they gave you a rough idea of what each shop offered.
A Cheap and Delicious Discovery
On my way to the Tai Chi school i sign up, I stumbled upon something intriguing: a small shop selling Mi Pi, a local rice noodle dish. When I thought of rice noodles, I immediately pictured Vietnamese pho—bean sprouts, round-eye beef, that whole delicious package. But this was nothing like pho. The bowl was entirely vegetarian, with fresh, vibrant ingredients, and it only cost 6 RMB—about a dollar.
I couldn’t resist trying it, and let me tell you—it was a revelation. The flavors were simple yet incredibly satisfying. The noodles were soft but firm enough to hold their texture, and the vegetables were so fresh, they tasted like they’d been plucked from the garden that morning. At that moment, I knew my stay in Chen Village was going to be filled with surprises and unforgettable experiences.
