Féng Zhì Qiáng 馮志強

## Biography

Feng Zhiqiang (1925- ) is a grandmaster of the 18th generation of Chen Style Taijiquan and is considered the top student of 17th generation masters, Chen Fa-ke (Taijiquan) and Xinyi Grandmaster Hu Yuezhen.  To learn more about GM Feng, read this interesting interview (2000) from his disciple, Yang

## Bajiquan, Teacher of Lu Baochun 呂寶春

Feng Zhiqiang (1928-2012) became interested in martial arts because his great-grandfather had been a famed master of martial arts. He trained in several different martial arts, but his main martial arts became xinyi, which he learned from Hu Yaozhen, as well as the Chen-style of taiji, which he was trained in by the master Chen Fake, to whom Hu Yaozhen had presented Feng. Feng Zhiqiang developed his own style, Chen Shi Xinyi Hunyuan Taijiquan, from these martial arts and he was famous for his great inner strength combined with a skill to apply taiji effectively in combat situations.

Feng Zhiqiang and Lü Baozhun first met in 1984 at a martial arts school where they were both teaching at the time. Lü was deeply impressed by Feng’s skills and asked to be allowed to be his trainee. Lü was one of the ten first trainees in Feng’s inner circle.

## Legacy

### Chen Shi Xin Yi Hunyuan Taijiquan

He is the originator of *Chen Shi Xinyi Hunyuan Taijiquan*, a distinct training system that is mainly the combination of what he learned from Grandmasters Chen Fake and Hu Yaozhen.

In Hunyuan taijiquan, every movement contains Yin/Yang, movement & stillness.  Hunyuan taijiquan put virtue & morality at the foreground.  As GM Feng often said,

Feng Zhiqiang is a grandmaster of the 18th generation of Chen Style Taijiquan and is considered the top student of 17th generation masters, Chen Fa-ke (Taijiquan) and Xinyi Grandmaster Hu Yuezhen.

Over the years, Hunyuan taijiquan would become one of the vehicles for students all over the world to reach what GM Feng called, “The Big Tao”… reaching beyond just taiji boxing… nurturing qi and expanding spirit.

Read GM Feng’s Poem, “Taiji is Like…”

## What Is Taijiquan Like? | Feng Zhiqiang

*Practicing Taiji is like enjoying a peaceful rest.*

*Practicing Taiji is like experiencing the sensation of Qi flowing smoothly & without obstruction through all the meridians.*

*Practicing Taiji is like the balancing of Yin and Yang.*

*Practicing Taiji feels like swimming in air.*

*Practicing Taiji is like a moving form of “Standing” skill.*

*Practicing Taiji is like using the body to draw beautiful Taiji diagrams.*

*Practicing Taiji is like drawing in the new (fresh Qi) & expelling the old (stale Qi).*

*Practicing Taiji is like the total relaxation of the body and mind.*

*Practicing Taiji is like repairing & healing the mind, body and spirit.*

*Practicing Taiji is like nourishing the body with the vast, upright Qi of the Universe.*

*Practicing Taiji is achieving the ultimate unification of Heaven, Earth & Man.*

– Grandmaster Feng Zhiqiang

## Death of Feng Zhi Qiang - 馮志強 (1928-2012)

On Saturday, we have lost another link to the past, Grandmaster Feng Zhiqiang passed away at 14:56 on the 5th May in Beijing at the age of 85. My Sifu was also affected by this as he had studied with Feng in Beijing and in Hong Kong in the 1980s. Upon hearing the news many of his disciples came from all over the world to attend his funeral.

Grandmaster Feng Zhiqiang was born in 1928 in 束鹿縣 Shulu County in Hebei Province and came from a martial arts family, beginning to study at 8 years of age. He studied with the renowned Xinyi Quan Master 胡耀貞 Hu Yao Zhen as well as the 17th Generation Chen Taiji Grandmaster 陳發科 Chen Fa Ke, becoming one of his favourite pupils. At 30 he was already well known in the martial arts circles in Beijing.

Besides his strengths in martial arts, his personality was also well respected by others and always emphasized ethics. 人品有多高，功夫有多高 - the deeper your cultivation / refinement, the greater your martial arts. An he was also very strict in choosing his students, focusing very much on character, and he taught them for free.

Besides opening the Feng Zhi Qiang Martial Arts Studio, he also wrote a number of books including, 《陈式太极拳精选》、《太极混元功》、《心意混元太极拳》, and also created the Chen Style Xin Yi Hunyuan Taiji Quan, leaving a lasting impact on Chen martial arts. Grandmaster Feng has always emphasized that was not his personal property and Taiji has always belonged to the Chinese People and was a means of transmitting Chinese culture and to bring happiness to people. Even when he was very sick, he instructed his students to continue to spread Taiji.

Master Feng also played an important role in the popularity of Chen Taiji, besides being Chen Fa Ke's direct disciple, he was also asked to go to the Chen Village to teach many of today's Grandmasters, such as the Four Heavenly Kings.