Chen Weiming

Who was Chen Weiming?

Chen Weiming was a scholar, taijiquan teacher, and author. He was also known by his name Chen Zengze, Weiming being his hao, a pen-name.

Chen came from an educated family with roots in Qishui, Hubei, China. His great-grandfather was a famous scholar; and his mother was skilled at calligraphy. As a boy, Chen prepared for the civil service exams by studying the Chinese classics, Chinese calligraphy, poetry, and essay-writing. He passed the mid-level exam of juren in 1902, and received a post in the Qing History Office. His two brothers also became scholars and authors.

Chen began to study the Chinese martial arts in Beijing under Sun Lutang, with whom he studied xingyi and bagua. He then began to study taijiquan with Yang Chengfu, grandson of Yang Luchan, founder of the Yang family lineage.

In 1925, Chen moved to Shanghai and established the Zhi Ruo Taijiquan Association.

Chen recorded Yang's teachings in three books under his own name: Taijiquan shu, Taiji jian, and Taijiquan da wen. These books are important not only for their content, but because they were among the first taijiquan books published for a mass audience.