Travelogue: The Mecca of Tai Chi

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Tai Chi enthusiasts, rejoice! A huge project is underway to create a Tai Chi Mecca in the place where the martial arts was born, almost 400 years ago.

Chenjiagou, or Chenjia Village, is located in Wenxian County, Jiaozuo City, northern Henan Province.

There are several theories as to how Tai Chi came about, but only one can be proved with historical evidence.

A Tai Chi master teaches his teenage students. /CGTN Photo

In the mid-17th century, the retired general and village head Chen Wangting combined his Kung Fu training with military experience and elements of Chinese philosophy to create Tai Chi.

Nowadays, according to some sources, Tai Chi has spread to 150 countries and is practiced by hundreds of millions of people worldwide, mostly for its health benefits.

The multistory Tai Chi Museum in Chenjiagou. /CGTN

Wenxian County was recognized in 2007 as the birthplace of Chinese taijiquan – the official name of Tai Chi, and so began what you could call a Tai Chi rebirth.

Since then, much of Chenjiagou has been restored, a towering Tai Chi museum established, and the Chen family compound in which Tai Chi originated touched up and transformed into an interactive gallery. Five-star resorts are being built, plus a lakeside utopia for peaceful outdoor Tai Chi practice amidst the greenery.

An international Tai Chi exhibition in one of Chenjiagou’s arenas. /CGTN

For Tai Chi enthusiasts looking for expert Tai Chi coaching in an authentic setting, there are plenty of options. The streets in Chenjiagou are lined with guesthouses that offer private Tai Chi instruction with medium- to long-term stays.

There are also three Tai Chi schools in Chenjiagou run by Tai Chi masters. Indeed, they are primarily boarding schools for five to 18 year olds with a Tai Chi focus added to the national curriculum, but they also cater to adults of all ages and backgrounds.

Foreign students at one of the Tai Chi schools in Chenjiagou. /CGTN Photo

In Chenjiagou, there’s no escape from Tai Chi, a way of life there for centuries, and now, it could be your way of life too, if you make a pilgrimage there.

Join Travelogue host Min-Zhui Lee and discover the Mecca of Tai Chi – Chenjiagou, where the ancient martial arts and philosophy were born. "The Sacred Home of Tai Chi" broadcasts on CGTN on Sunday, January 28 at 7:30 a.m. BJT.