The Great Female Chen Style Master Chen Yuxia
Chen Yuxia is the daughter of Chen Fake, the 17th successor of the Chen Taijiquan tradition. She started learning Taiji from her father at the age of eight, practicing 10 to 20 forms a day. Her execution impressed the Taiji community precisely because of her natural, serene, tender but at the same time resolute style.
Between 1981 and 1986, Chen Yuxia was invited several times to participate in major events, such as the founding of Chen Taiji study circles, annual conventions, international martial arts competitions, and inaugurations of martial arts schools in Shijiazhuang, Jinan, Chenjiagou, and Beijing. She also served as an advisor to the Traditional Martial Arts Association from Shandong University. In her spare time, she gave Taiji lessons to her children and grandchildren. As a deputy of the Taiji-Chen Study Circle in Beijing, she has appeared several times at events organized by the Beijing Martial Arts Society and has contributed greatly to the spread of Chen Taijiquan.
Especially in 1984, when Chen Yuxia and Shi Donghua wrote works at home to bring the traditional Taiji sword art to full fruition. Chen Yuxia personally demonstrated with sword - Shi Donghua wrote down every detail. After several revisions, traditional forms of the Chen family Taiji sword were fully documented. In 1985, she started the column "Taiji Sword of Chen Family" in the newspaper "Shaolin Martial Arts" and published it in three consecutive issues. On Oct. 16, 1986, Chen Yuxia passed away in Beijing due to illness at the age of 62.
The life of Chen Yuxia is characterized by open-heartedness, selflessness and modesty - following the example of her father. Great importance was attached to trustworthiness and martial arts morality. She never bragged about a title as successor of the Taiji Chen tradition.
(translated from the Chen family genealogy in Chenjiagou)
provided by Sasa Krauter