A. If you want to understand how to find a good teacher, first you must understand what Taijiquan is all about. Most people who seek out Chen style specifically already are interested in Taijiquan, and have some basic knowledge about the art. A good teacher will embody the fundamentals of the art. The most basic requirement is that when you practice, your body is upright: your footwork is very solid and steady, and the hips and kua is open and relaxed. Externally, the frame looks very big and comfortable, and the movement is continuous, without any hesitations, like running water or clouds passing in the sky. When you seek to release energy (fa jing), it goes from inside to outside, from the legs (or root) thru the body to finally release in the hand. If the footwork is solid and steady, and the body is light and natural, and, if after practicing a routine several times in sucession one is not out of breath and drained of energy, and can breathe normally, laugh and talk, then this is the mark of a teacher with good skill.

Q. Due to the demands of work and family, many practitioners of Taiji are limited in the amount of time that they can train each day. What advice do you have for them?

A. Regardless of how busy you may be, you should make the time to practice for at least 20 minutes each day. The most important aspect of your practice is "heart": even if you don't have time to practice formal exercises or routines, Taijiquan is in your heart, always. You are always thinking about it, using its' principles. Everything you do, working, eating, walking, it is all a way to practice Taijiquan. If I have the time and the space, I will practice the entire form: if I don't, I will practice just a few movements. So, if you are at work, and it is difficult to practice routines, perhaps you can practice by reading documents in the "pile stance". If you are writing at a desk, don't use your chair, stand in a low horse stance. When you feel tired in your daily doings, apply the principles of "Feng Song", and stay loose and relaxed.

Therefore, Taiji must be put in your heart: it must be there with you all of the time, not just when you feel like practicing. When we were growing up farming in the village, there was not enough time to practice due to our work, so, when we worked, we practiced: everywhere, all the time, in any activity. Digging with a shovel, plowing, doing carpentry, lifting: all were done using Taiji body mechanics. In my boyhood, all of that work was done by hand: now much of it is done by tools and machines.

Q. In Chen Village, how is the art taught?

A. Because Chenjiagous' location is so rural, so out of the way, there are not too many influences on the villages culture from the outside. There is no other martial art in the village besides Taiji. So, the children of the village, as they grow up, are exposed to it and influenced by it because it is the only art they see.

In the old days, they began training children at the age of about seven years: now, they begin training as early as five or six years of age. In the big cities, most people understand Taiji as being only for health, meditation, and exercise. In Chenjiagou, Taiji is understood as being foremost a martial art. So you can see there is a large difference between the approach to training in the village and in other parts of the country. Since this is the only martial art taught in the village, children are started young. The schools teach it as part of their physical education programs.

In the old days, children would begin by learning forms right away, in the traditional manner of learning sequence, corrections to movement, and then developing internal energy. Now, things are more sophisticated: children begin training with flexibility exercises and chan ssu gong, but do not begin the forms for a while. Traditionally, everyone begins with Laojia I Lu at first. From there, they learn the single edge sword. After training in ILu, after two years, the body is relaxed, and the student begins learning pushing hands and Erh lu.

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