Chen Village
The Chen village near the Yellow River in China's Henan province is universally credited, by all styles of Tai Chi, as the place where the style was developed. How Tai Chi came to be practised by the Chen family is much debated. However it is from this time (circa 1600) that the practice of Tai Chi as a unique form of martial art can be historically documented. Among the origin myths of Chen style Tai Chi Chuan, is the story that a disciple of Zhang Senfeng, a monk of mythical abilities, taught it to the Chen family. Historically verifiable sources indicate that Chen Wangting organised the already existing Chen style of martial arts, adding principles he learnt from a number of martial arts manuscript.
It is generally accepted that there existed a style of Martial Arts in the Chen village, then known as Changyang village, before the arrival of the Chen family. This style was thought to have been a hard, external form of Kung Fu and not Tai Chi Chuan. Because of the village's proximity to the Shaolin Temple, many believe that this art was a style of Shaolin Kung Fu, possibly Tai Tzu Quan.
According to Chen family history, there were marauding bandits ravaging both Changyang and other nearby villages, upon the family's arrival at Changyang village. The country was in disarray following the wars of the early Ming Dynasty and the local garrison did nothing to stop the parasitical marauders. Chen Bu, having recently moved to the village, mounted an offensive against the bandits. With his superior training in martial arts, he led his younger brothers and the villagers to victory. Once the bandits had been crushed, it is said that peace reigned in the area. Thus the village was renamed after its saviours as Chen village and the Chen Tai Chi dynasty began.
Whatever seed Chen style Tai Chi sprung from, the resulting family tree spawned generations of champion fighters. On all but a single occasion, Chen Style Tai Chi was kept a closely guarded secret for 600 years, only taught to those within the village. It was not until the early 20th century that Chen Fake began teaching open classes in Beijing.