Front row l-r: 7th Chen Bo-Xiang, 8th Chen Li-Qing
Seated with Feng Zhi Qiang
1979
Pushing Hands with her brother, Chen Li-Xian
Teaching in Hangzhou, 1986
Chen Li-Qing (1919-2009) was born in ChenJiaGou, Wen County, Henan Province, PRC. She is the daughter of Chen Hong-Lie. She also studied with her grandfather, Chen Chun-Yuan, and his friends.
She is famous for her Xiaojia method of Chen Taijiquan and the use of the Da Dao (Kwan Dao). She also holds the Chen Family "108" Long Boxing. This is one of the original forms belonging to the Chen family and used by Chen Wang-Ting to develop Chen Taijiquan.
CLQ is the first female to be recognized as a master in the Chen family lineage. She is also listed in the Big Frame lineage as a student of Chen Da-Lu, brother of Chen Fa-Ke. Her niece, Chen Pei-Ju is the second and last female to be listed in the Chen Geneology.
She is one of the first women, of her generation, in Wen county to attend college. She became a teacher of Chinese history and was later moved to Xi'an to teach high school. Xi'an is also referred to as Little ChenJiaGou.
In Chenjiagou training hall with masters and students.
Chen Zheng-Lei, Chen Xiao-Xing and Zhu Tian Cai standing
CLQ teaching in Hangzhou in 1988.
Master Fan Chun-Lei in the foreground
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Chen LiQing past away in 2009 at the age of 90. She was returned to Chenjiagou where she is buried and her stelle has been erected and stands amongst the other famous Chen masters of generations past. Below is a video of her burial ceremony shown on China's CCTV. Translation is provided below with special thanks to Andy Cheung (Zanejin). Other videos of her are located on the videos page of this site.
Live reporter: I am currently standing inside Chenjiagou's ancestral hall, where the memorial-erection ceremony of Chenjiagou's 19th-generation Chen family member, 11th-generation taijiquan lineage holder, and the first female lineage holder Chen Liqing is underway.
Reporter: General Office Director of the County Party Committee's Standing Committee and of the County Party Committee Qin Yingjun; Political Consultative Conference Vice Chair Zheng Aizhen; and leaders of the Xi'an Wushu Association, County Sports Administration, and Chenjiagou Village Party Committee participated in the ceremony. Chen Liqing was born on 1919 in the birthplace of taijiquan, Wen County's Chenjiagou. She was bestowed the arts of her ancestors, and her martial skill was great. Chen Liqing's life was laced with patriotism, teaching in schools, and the spread of taijiquan. In her adolescence, she joined the Party's Peripheral Organization and often organized Japanese-occupation opposition movements and national salvation movements with her colleagues. As a young adult, she led the life of a history teacher, cultivating the new generation. She worked at Pingliang in Gansu Province and Xi'an's No. 73 Secondary School. In her old age, based in Xi'an, she devoted her time to spreading her ancestral arts throughout the world.
Chen Yongfu: My teacher, Chen Liqing, held much prestige throughout Xi'an, even throughout the nation. She was a schoolteacher for forty years and a martial arts teacher for sixty. She loved her students, both martial and academic. In school and in teaching taijiquan, she paid special attention to cultivating wude.
Chenjiagou Party Chief: Chen Liqing, a true master, was born in a family of taijiquan greats. In the years when taijiquan was about to die out [Cultural Revolution], she did much to spread it. Her efforts were enormous in spreading taijiquan and making it accessible to the public, and the results matched the efforts. We must carry on her memory, and I think erecting this memorial is absolutely appropriate.
Reporter: Chen Liqing's son Yuan Dingyu represents his family in recollecting how Chen Liqing diligently and frugally managed the household and strictly brought up younger generations, in recollecting from many angles her accomplishments, to demonstrate her extraordinary life.
Yuan Dingyu (Son): Her life was a great one, but it was also a common one. The places she once traveled to, the people she met, have all returned to her side. She was endearing and accepting to all. Now, she has passed. But many have come to honor her memory and expressed their determination to honor and develop taijiquan. As her son, when I remember and miss her, I also congratulate her and wish her well as she departs.
Reporter: During the memorial-erection ceremony, county leaders Qin Yingjun and Zheng Aizhen, the Xi'an Wushu Association, and Chen Liqing's relations presented Chen Liqing with flowers.
Opening credits to the movie, "Secrets of Taiji"
Where she was a consultant with Chen Xiao-Wang, 1984
Xiaojia Demo
In Chenjiagou, the new memorial halls house several murals of famous family members and their deeds throughout history. Chen Liqing has 5 different stories listed about her.
This one depicts a fight she had gotten into when 3 men attacked her while cooking for her family. She was making dumplings and threw them at her assailants to distract them. She then fought them and kicked them out of her home.
This mural tells a story about her when she was 13 years old in her familys home. Her grandfather had taught her a technique and she tested out on a "victim" which threw him to the ground.
