# Chen Changxing

Chen Changxing (Chinese: 陳長興; Wade–Giles: Ch'en Chang-hsing; 1771–1853) was a tai chi master belonging to the 6th generation of Chen-style tai chi. He is most famous as the teacher of Yang Luchan, but there is much disagreement over which style of martial art Chen actually taught Yang Luchan.
Some schools of thought suggest that Chen Changxing was a maverick who practiced and taught a style of martial art that was not part of the Chen family martial arts tradition, and that was passed to him either directly or indirectly from a tai chi master known as Jiang Fa. Some other schools of thought suggest that Chen Changxing re-worked two or more of the traditional Chen family routines into his own style and then taught it to Yang Luchan and others. Both schools successfully explain why the tai chi that Yang Luchan's descendants now practice is substantially different from the modern Chen routines, but neither theory can be completely substantiated and thus much controversy remains. At the same time, the members of the Chen clan believe that not much changed in Chen tai chi from the times preceding Chen Changxing, nor after him besides, perhaps, the sequence of the movements and their grouping in to the forms. The differences between Chen tai chi and other big styles are mostly attributed to the independent development of non-Chen styles in the modern and pre-modern eras. The visual representation of the Sun style, for instance, looks strikingly different from the Yang style, which in its turn mirrors the Chen style to a high degree, both in the appearance and movements names.
Chen Changxing is said to have been of an irreverent character and was given the nickname "Mr Ancestral Tablet" due to the directness of his posture. In "The Genealogy of the Chen Family" he is noted as a martial arts instructor, but the detail of the style he taught is not present.

## Tai chi lineage tree with Chen-style focus

vteChen-style tai chi lineage tree :
Key:NEIJIA
Solid linesDirect teacher-student.
Dash linesIndividual(s) omitted. Wang Zongyue* TAI CHI
Dash crossBranch continues.
Dot linesPartial influence /taught informally /limited time.Chen Wangting 1580–1660 CHEN-STYLE(蒋法) Jiang Fa 1574-1655 Zhaobao-style
(陈汝信) Chen Ruxin 2nd gen. Chen(陈所乐) Chen Suole 2nd gen. Chen
(陈大鹍) Chen Dakun 3rd gen. Chen(陈大鹏) Chen Dapeng 3rd gen. Chen(陈光印) Chen Guangyin 3rd gen. Chen(陈申如) Chen Shenru 3rd gen. Chen(陈恂如) Chen Xunru 3rd gen. Chen(陈正如) Chen Zhengru 3rd gen. ChenZhang Chuchen 3rd gen. Zhaobao
(陈善通) Chen Shantong 4th gen. Chen(陈善志) Chen Shanzhi 4th gen. Chen(陈继夏) Chen Jixia 4th gen. Chen(陈节) Chen Jie 4th gen. Chen(陈敬伯) Chen Jingbo 4th gen. Chen 4th gen. Zhaobao
(陈秉奇) Chen Binqi 5th gen. Chen(陈秉壬) Chen Bingren 5th gen. Chen(陈秉旺) Chen Bingwang 1748–? 5th gen. Chen(陈公兆) Chen Gongzhao 1715– after 1795 5th gen. ChenZhang Zongyu 5th gen. Zhaobao
Chen Changxing 1771–1853 6th gen. Chen Chen Old Frame(陈有恒) Chen Youheng 6th gen. ChenChen Youben 1780–1858 c. 19th century 6th gen. Chen Chen Small Frame(张彦) Zhang Yan 6th gen. Zhaobao
(陈耕耘) Chen Gengyun 7th gen. ChenYang Luchan 1799–1872 YANG-STYLEChen Qingping 1795–1868 7th gen. Chen 7th gen. Zhaobao
Chen Yanxi 8th gen. ChenWu Yuxiang 1812–1880 WU (HAO)-STYLE(他招远) He Zhaoyuan 1810–1890 8th gen. Zhaobao Zhaobao He-style
Li-style
Chen Fake 1887–1957 9th gen. Chen and 1st gen. Chen of Beijing Chen New FrameWU-STYLESUN-STYLE
(冯志强) Feng Zhiqiang 1928-2012 10th gen. Chen(田秀臣) Tian Xiuchen 1917–1984 10th gen. Chen and 2nd gen. Chen of BeijingHong Junsheng 1906–1996 10th gen. Chen
(陈照奎) Chen Zhaokui 1928–1981 10th gen. Chen focused on Chen New Frame(陈照旭) Chen Zhaoxu 1911–1960 10th gen. Chen(陈照丕) Chen Zhaopi 1893–1972 10th gen. Chen focused on Chen Old FrameWudang-style
"4 Tigers"
(陈瑜) Chen Yu b. 1962 11th gen. ChenChen Xiaowang b. 1945 11th gen. ChenChen Zhenglei b. 1949 11th gen. Chen
Chen Xiaoxing b. 1952 11th gen. Chen(王西安) Wang Xi'an b. 1944 11th gen. Chen(朱天才) Zhu Tiancai b. 1944 11th gen. Chen
CHEN-STYLEYANG-STYLEWU-STYLESUN-STYLEWU (HAO)-STYLE :
Note:
This lineage tree is not comprehensive, but depicts those considered the 'gate-keepers' & most recognised individuals in each generation of Chen-style.
Although many styles were passed down to respective descendants of the same family, the lineage focused on is that of the Chen style & not necessarily that of the family.
Names denoted by an asterisk are legendary or semi-legendary figures in the lineage; while their involvement in the lineage is accepted by most of the major schools, it is not independently verifiable from known historical records. :