ctjla wrote:Only thing I might add is that it may not have really been CXW's idea or desire to go collect all of this info. Seems there may have been some prodding and incentives.
That would explain some things. I only have accounts through Hong and Feng, so they are one-sided stories.
Hong Junsheng thought Chen Xiaowang acted strange when he visited. Chen Fake and his family had lived with Hong for several years, and their children had played together. Years later, Hong's family had to live with Chen Fake's, so the families were well acquainted. Chen Xiaowang mainly wanted to talk about that and not taijiquan. I sort of understand that Chen might have wanted to hear about the father who died when he was 14 and the grandfather he didn’t remember.
Chen did ask if Hong had ever heard of Chansi Gong. Hong replied, "No, there’s chansi jin, but I’ve never heard of Chansi Gong. Show me what you are talking about.” Chen demonstrated. Hong laughed and said, “That’s just part of the jibengong students have to learn before they learn anything else.” Chen asked a few other questions. Hong replied with one of his favorite sayings, “Black horse or white horse [why debate?] let’s take it for a ride,” offering to push hands with him to show him and explain his answer, and Chen Xiaowang started making excuses, eventually ending on you are so old and feeble I am afraid I might hurt you, essentially an insult. This to the man who was known throughout Jinan as "the old man in the park that no one can beat."
Chen Xiaowang was later teaching Chansi Gong claiming it was the secret key to Taijiquan given only to the Four Tigers and no one else. He had asked all of Chen Fake’s students and no one had heard of it.
Hong said of it, “Well, I did say No, I had not heard the name. He did not hear what he wanted to and didn’t listen. His grandfather and father would be very disappointed in such behavior.”
If Chen Xiaowang had been reluctant and coerced in some way, that might account for his behavior a little better. His trip was so “they" could claim that he was the Standard Bearer, not because he really wanted to glean information or skills from his grandfather’s students. I had also wondered why he did not take any of his cousins with him.
That might also be part of why Chen Xiaowang now lives in Australia.
Thanks for the perspective. I wonder whose baby the idea of martial tourism was.