Who Was Chen Fake?
Few individuals have shaped the modern history of Tai Chi as profoundly as Chen Fake (1887–1957).
Today, Chen Style Tai Chi is practiced around the world, but that was not always the case. For centuries, the art remained largely within Chenjiagou (Chen Village) in Henan Province. It was Chen Fake who carried the Chen family's martial tradition to Beijing, where it gained widespread recognition and laid the foundation for the global spread of Chen Style Tai Chi.
At Dragon Phoenix, we teach traditional Chen Style Tai Chi because of dedicated masters like Chen Fake, who preserved the art during a time of tremendous social and political change. His life reminds us that authentic Tai Chi is more than graceful movement—it is a complete martial art built upon centuries of accumulated knowledge.
Born Into the Chen Family
Chen Fake was born in 1887 in Chen Village, the birthplace of Tai Chi.
He was the seventeenth generation of the Chen family and a direct descendant of Chen Wangting, the founder of Chen Style Tai Chi.
Growing up in Chen Village meant that martial arts were part of everyday life.
Like many children born into martial arts families, Chen Fake began training at an early age.
Family tradition tells us that he was not initially considered the strongest or most naturally gifted student. Through years of determined practice, however, he developed into one of the most accomplished martial artists of his generation.
His story is often remembered as an example of perseverance rather than natural talent alone.
Bringing Chen Style to Beijing
For generations, Chen Style Tai Chi remained largely within the Chen family.
That changed in 1928, when Chen Fake accepted an invitation to teach in Beijing.
This was a turning point in Tai Chi history.
Until then, the wider martial arts community was much more familiar with Yang Style, which had already spread throughout China through the teaching of Yang Luchan and his descendants.
Many martial artists in Beijing had never seen authentic Chen Style.
Chen Fake's demonstrations immediately attracted attention.
Observers were impressed by his relaxed power, rooted structure, spiral body mechanics, and practical martial applications.
His reputation quickly grew, and Chen Style gained recognition far beyond its birthplace.
A Martial Artist First
Although Chen Fake is often remembered for his forms, he was first and foremost a martial artist.
Students described his ability to:
remain relaxed under pressure
issue explosive power
maintain exceptional balance
neutralize force effortlessly
apply techniques with precision
His demonstrations were not theatrical performances.
They reflected decades of disciplined training rooted in traditional martial principles.
For Chen Fake, forms, Push Hands, weapons, and martial applications were all parts of one integrated system.
The Evolution of Xinjia
Chen Fake is closely associated with Xinjia (New Frame), one of the two major branches of modern Chen Style Tai Chi.
This sometimes leads people to believe that he invented Xinjia.
The history is more complicated.
Many historians believe the body mechanics and training methods associated with Xinjia had long existed within the Chen family. Chen Fake emphasized and openly taught these methods, making them far more visible than they had been previously.
Compared with Laojia (Old Frame), Xinjia often features:
more pronounced silk-reeling spirals
additional circles and coiling movements
greater emphasis on internal connections
more obvious expressions of fajin
intricate body mechanics
Despite these differences, both Laojia and Xinjia preserve the same fundamental principles of Chen Style Tai Chi.
At Dragon Phoenix, students study both traditions to gain a broader understanding of the art.
Teaching Through Principles
One reason Chen Fake became such an influential teacher was his emphasis on principles rather than memorization.
He encouraged students to understand:
whole-body connection
rooting
waist-driven movement
relaxation
spiral force
martial application
Rather than simply copying the appearance of a movement, students were expected to understand why it existed.
This approach remains central to traditional Tai Chi instruction today.
Preserving Tai Chi During Difficult Times
Chen Fake lived through one of the most turbulent periods in modern Chinese history.
He witnessed the fall of the Qing Dynasty, the Republican era, war, and the early years of the People's Republic of China.
Despite these challenges, he continued teaching and preserving Chen Style Tai Chi.
Many of today's leading Chen Style lineages trace their teachings directly to his students.
Without his dedication, much of the traditional curriculum might have been lost.
Chen Fake's Lasting Influence
Today, nearly every major branch of modern Chen Style owes something to Chen Fake.
His students and descendants helped spread Chen Style throughout China and eventually across the world.
Among the qualities that continue to define his teaching are:
practical martial effectiveness
whole-body power
silk-reeling energy
rooted footwork
relaxed structure
continuous refinement
These principles remain at the heart of authentic Chen Style training.
Chen Style and Yang Style
Because Dragon Phoenix teaches both Chen Style and Yang Style Tai Chi, students gain a unique perspective on Chen Fake's place in history.
Yang Style traces its origins to Yang Luchan, who learned from Chen Changxing generations before Chen Fake.
Chen Fake preserved and expanded the original Chen family tradition, while Yang Style continued its own development through the Yang family.
Although the two styles developed different outward appearances, they continue to share the same historical roots and many of the same underlying principles.
Studying both styles helps reveal just how closely they remain connected.
Learning Traditional Chen Tai Chi at Dragon Phoenix
At Dragon Phoenix, students train in authentic Chen Style Tai Chi with an emphasis on the principles that masters such as Chen Fake worked so hard to preserve.
Training includes:
traditional forms
silk-reeling exercises
Push Hands
martial applications
weapons
whole-body body mechanics
This traditional approach helps students appreciate not only the movements themselves but also the generations of knowledge behind them.
A Legacy That Lives On
Chen Fake did more than teach Tai Chi.
He helped ensure its survival.
By bringing Chen Style beyond the boundaries of Chen Village, he introduced the wider martial arts community to a system that had been refined for centuries.
His dedication, skill, and willingness to teach openly transformed the future of Chen Style Tai Chi.
Today, every time a student practices Chen Style—whether in China or elsewhere in the world—they are connected to a lineage that Chen Fake helped preserve.
His greatest legacy is not simply the forms he taught.
It is the living tradition that continues to inspire new generations of practitioners to study Tai Chi as both a martial art and a lifelong path of self-improvement.