Deschutes Public Library

Chen Village

eng

videorecording

Chen Village

956901429

Originally produced by Empty Mind Films in 2009

77

When you first arrive at Chen village, you are struck by how unremarkable it is. Set in the remote countryside of central Henan, it appears to offer very little. That is until you check one fact. 3,000 people live in Chen Village. 2,500 practice Tai Chi Chuan. In China it is known simply as Taiji village. Although a poor village surrounded by farms, it is the birthplace of Tai Chi Chuan and one of the most significant locations in Martial Artś. ђجÍђةve been here a long time now and Íђةve met people from all over the world in this little village in the middle of Hunan, Chináђح says Joseph, a student from the UḰ́ђŒђحand theýђةve all got something in common, theýђةre all interested in Tai Chí.ђح The Chen family, standard bearers of Chen style for 400 years, continue to teach Tai Chi Chuan at the school in the center of the village. In this intimate journey to Chen village we discover how the present generations of the family have rescued the Chen style from obscurity and why every year thousands of Tai chi students from all over the world make the long pilgrimage to a small villagé. ђحTraining here improves your Tai Chi so mućhђح says student Daryl from Seattlé, ђجit́ђةs like going to the source, back to the well where the water is sweeteŕ.ђح Joseph addś ђجJust by being here you imbibe a lot of knowledge of Tai Chi because of the environment́.ђح Running throughout the documentary is the backdrop of the schooĺђةs Tai Chi classes taught by the Chen family. As our journey unfolds, you will realize just how remarkable Chen village and its people really are

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