Martial Arts Research Instruction and Practice in Chen Style TaijiQuan
Home 2006 2007

Training on the Mountain - Daqingshan, China


May 2007

June 2006
Just returned from 17 days of full time training at Daqingshan Master Chen's new training facility is open and the first Full Time class began on May 2, 2006. I felt it was critical to support this new adventure and managed to clear my schedule and attend from June 2 through June 21st.
Interior Courtyard & a view of the facility from the Pagoda
Gate along the old wall
The training was largely controlled by one's own motivation. If you want to train then you train, if you need to rest, then rest.
Along with me were, Paul, Bernie, John, Dave, Remco, Jeff, Mike and Blake.
We would get up before dawn while it was still cool and quite outside. We followed our own course of action somewhat, but generally started by warming up the body, Circles, (Silk Reeling), Jibengong drills and then repetitions of Yi-lu.
10-15 a day was enough for me as I am old and decrepit. I also spent a good bit of time learning and practicing the Chen Straight Sword routine. Thanks to Paul's efforts, I was able to get all of the choreography committed during my stay.
The staff at the facility were great and did their best to keep us fed and comfortable while they continuously worked on the grounds, planting and rearranging the surroundings.
Master Chen would organize us as he saw fit. Sometimes leaving us to work alone and other times leading our efforts or correcting us.
After lunch and a bit of rest, we usually took hikes into the surrounding mountains along paths or forging ahead on our own.
In the evenings, after dinner, as it grew dark and cooled off a bit, was generally time for more impromptu instruction with Master Chen, concerning Chen theory or Push Hands.
The day would end, maybe we would watch a movie or just hit the sack, to be ready for another day of training.
Training Images: (thanks to Paul O'Rourke,photograper)
In the Fog (Paul, Bernie & John) & Jeff & Paul
almost lost in a haze
All in all, a superb experience to deepen the experience of Chen and
improve our skills. We should all be "on the mountain".