Who Is Chen Xiaowang?
Few people have done more to introduce authentic Chen Style Tai Chi to the modern world than Grandmaster Chen Xiaowang (陈小旺).
As a nineteenth-generation descendant of the Chen family, Chen Xiaowang inherited one of the oldest continuous martial arts traditions in history. Through decades of teaching, demonstrations, and international travel, he helped transform Chen Style Tai Chi from a little-known family art into one of the most widely studied traditional martial arts in the world.
Today, thousands of instructors and hundreds of thousands of students trace their Chen Style training directly or indirectly to his teaching.
At Dragon Phoenix, we believe that understanding the lives of masters such as Chen Xiaowang helps students appreciate not only the techniques of Tai Chi but also the generations of dedication that preserved this remarkable art.
Born in the Birthplace of Tai Chi
Chen Xiaowang was born in 1945 in Chenjiagou (Chen Village), Henan Province, the birthplace of Tai Chi.
He belongs to the nineteenth generation of the Chen family and is a direct descendant of Chen Wangting, the seventeenth-century military officer traditionally recognized as the founder of Chen Style Tai Chi.
Growing up in Chen Village meant that Tai Chi was more than an activity.
It was part of everyday life.
From an early age, Chen Xiaowang was immersed in a tradition that had already been preserved for centuries.
Learning from Great Masters
Chen Xiaowang received instruction from several of the most respected teachers of his generation.
Among his most influential instructors was Chen Zhaopei, whose return to Chen Village helped preserve Laojia (Old Frame) for future generations.
He also benefited from the teachings of Chen Zhaokui, the son of Chen Fake, whose detailed instruction helped preserve and transmit Xinjia (New Frame).
Studying under both masters gave Chen Xiaowang an unusually complete understanding of traditional Chen Style.
His education included:
Laojia
Xinjia
Push Hands
martial applications
traditional weapons
silk-reeling exercises
internal training methods
This broad foundation would later become one of his greatest strengths as a teacher.
Bringing Chen Style to the World
During the late twentieth century, interest in Tai Chi expanded rapidly outside China.
Chen Xiaowang became one of the leading ambassadors of authentic Chen Style.
He traveled extensively throughout:
Europe
North America
South America
Australia
Asia
Through seminars, workshops, and teacher training programs, he introduced countless practitioners to the traditional principles of Chen Style Tai Chi.
For many students outside China, he was their first opportunity to learn directly from a senior member of the Chen family.
Preserving Traditional Principles
Although Chen Xiaowang taught internationally, he consistently emphasized that authentic Tai Chi is built upon principles rather than appearance.
His instruction focuses on:
whole-body connection
rooted footwork
silk-reeling energy (Chan Si Jin)
correct body alignment
relaxation
martial applications
efficient body mechanics
Students are encouraged to understand how the body functions rather than simply memorizing choreography.
This emphasis reflects the traditional approach passed down through generations of the Chen family.
The Importance of Silk Reeling
One concept especially associated with Chen Xiaowang's teaching is Chan Si Jin, often translated as Silk-Reeling Energy.
Rather than treating silk reeling as a separate exercise, he teaches it as the underlying body method present throughout every movement of Chen Style Tai Chi.
Whether practicing forms, Push Hands, or weapons, students learn to coordinate the entire body through continuous spiral movement.
This principle has become one of the defining characteristics of his instruction.
The Nineteen Essential Principles
Chen Xiaowang is also well known for clearly explaining the body mechanics that underlie traditional Chen Style.
Through lectures and seminars, he has organized many classical ideas into practical teaching methods that help modern students understand concepts such as:
alignment
rooting
balance
relaxation
coordination
internal connection
Rather than changing the traditional art, he has helped make its principles easier for contemporary students to understand.
Martial Art and Health Practice
Like the generations before him, Chen Xiaowang teaches that Tai Chi is both a martial art and a system for improving health.
These two goals are not separate.
Correct body mechanics that improve martial effectiveness also promote:
better posture
efficient movement
improved balance
coordinated breathing
reduced unnecessary tension
This integrated approach reflects the traditional philosophy of Chen Style Tai Chi.
Influence on Modern Chen Style
Today, many of the world's leading Chen Style instructors have studied directly or indirectly under Chen Xiaowang.
His influence can be seen throughout the international Chen Tai Chi community.
Because of his teaching, authentic Chen Style has become available to students in countries that previously had little or no access to the original family art.
His work has helped ensure that traditional Chen Style continues to flourish while remaining connected to its historical roots.
Learning Traditional Chen Tai Chi at Dragon Phoenix
At Dragon Phoenix, students study authentic Chen Style Tai Chi through forms, Push Hands, silk-reeling exercises, martial applications, and traditional weapons.
The principles emphasized by masters such as Chen Xiaowang—whole-body connection, rooted movement, relaxation, and martial function—remain central to our curriculum.
By preserving these traditional methods, students gain a deeper understanding of Tai Chi as both a martial art and a lifelong practice of personal development.
A Living Link to Tradition
Every generation of the Chen family has faced the responsibility of preserving Tai Chi for those who would come after them.
Chen Wangting organized the system.
Chen Changxing transmitted it beyond the family.
Chen Fake introduced it to Beijing.
Chen Zhaopei and Chen Zhaokui preserved it during difficult times.
Chen Xiaowang helped share it with the world.
His legacy is not measured simply by the number of students he has taught.
It is measured by the authenticity of the tradition he has helped preserve.
Through his efforts, countless practitioners have gained access to one of the world's oldest and most sophisticated martial arts.
That living connection to tradition continues every time authentic Chen Style Tai Chi is practiced.