The Drunken Boxing Podcast #024 - Marin Spivack

[wushutiger]

The Drunken Boxing Podcast #024

This is the 2-year anniversary episode of the podcast, and I asked my first guest, Marin Spivack, to return, except this time with a specific topic to discuss. The topic is the contrasts between what we call Chen Jia Gou or Chen Village Taiji Quan today and the style and methods that have been handed down through Chen Fake lineage in Beijing, which continues up until today. This is an in-depth discussion on the subject, which also delves into connected and related issues such as history and cultural nuances. It was a very interesting discussion to say the least.

[Bao]

Didn’t hear anything new. But I really liked his description or definition of silk reeling. He explained it as internally storing movement energy and potential power instead of externally visible coiling. Much different than from what I’ve heard and seen many Chen Xiaowang followers who describe and show It exactly as externally visible coiling movements. (Or... “if you can’t see dantian movement it’s not there” )

Interesting... Beijing style vs Village style... Beijing style receives my point once again.
(I am just like a judge, someone giving out scores with hardly any experience of Chen style(s)... )

[Rhen]

No thanks. Seen him on Facebook...what a character.

[GrahamB]

Firstly, congratulations on the podcast!

Second, the stuff Marin is saying about Chen stylists wanting to remain annoymous, invisible and humble, staying hidden and secret... and that's why they didn't even have name for their art..., let alone calling it Taijiquan, is just..... wack.

He's just making that stuff up. (He says at the start that history is not his forte, but then goes on to talk about it for ages, making definitive statements he can't possibly know are true....why???)

What he's saying is historically inaccurate. The Chens were not shrinking violets. They had a reputation in the 1900s as serious martial artists, militia trainers, bodyguards and for fighting bandits for real - there are historical accounts of them capturing bandits (or "freedom fighters" depending on which side you were on) and handing them over to the Ching, who presumably executed them after interrogation. This was what they were known for and how some of them earned their living.

(and how they came to the attention of the Wu brothers in Beijing.)

The 'which Chen style is the real Chen style' I've got no interest in, and I don't know if it's that important. I'm sure it's a big deal if you do Chen style