Great news from Master Earl Blijd, the legendary ‘Panther of Curaçao’ and Master Jan Silberstorff:
Master Earl Blijd's Bao Trieu Wushu Association in Groningen becomes the new branch of the WCTA in the Netherlands.
Taijiquan according to Grandmaster Chen Xiaowang can now also be learnt professionally in Groningen:
https://www.baotrieu.com/trainen-bij-btb/taiji
Here are some impressions of our Grand Master's visit to Earl Blijd in March this year (text and photos Mika Schmetz)
Silence, concentration and respect during a visit to a tai chi grandmaster in Groningen.
‘He is a great person, but at the same time very down to earth.’
At Earl Blijd's Bao Trieu in Paddepoel this weekend, imagine yourself in Asian spheres. Not only because of the traditional accessories dressing up the space, but especially because of the presence of Tai Chi Grandmaster Chen Xiaowang.
The 79-year-old Chinese Tai chi legend, a direct descendant of Chen Wangting, the founder of the sport, will give an exclusive workshop here. An opportunity that practitioners from all over the Netherlands won't want to miss at the venue on Reitdiep.
Absolute silence
As soon as Chen Xiaowang starts speaking and reciting the motions, the whispers in the room hushed. All eyes are on him. The only sound that still penetrates is the raging wind outside, beating against the building. But inside there is absolute silence. When he recites a movement, every muscle, every shift of his weight is closely watched by the participants.
Everything in the room oozes respect. Traditional weapons hang on one of the walls, but the atmosphere in the room remains peaceful. Here, strength is not measured by brute force, but by mastery and control.
During the workshop, he takes the group through a series of movements that at first glance look easy. But in reality, they require tremendous concentration and body control. Sometimes he stops to correct a participant's posture; small adjustments make a big difference.
,,You suddenly feel why something works,‘’ says Chris de Jongh (65) from Groningen, a karate teacher himself. ,,He sometimes gives very small corrections for your posture, but inside it feels like a huge difference in energy. This is so special to experience, a very beautiful weekend. You also see all kinds of different people here, everyone is welcome.‘’
Unique opportunity
One of them is a Tsui Tan who has come to Groningen from Amsterdam especially for this weekend. For her, this weekend is a special experience: ,,I was also here last year at his workshop. It is just very unique that Mr Chen Xiaowang is visiting the Netherlands for the second time. It is also special to be taught by him in such a group.‘’
For her, the grandmaster's arrival is a dream come true: ‘’Thirty years ago, I used to watch videos of him and think, wow. That Chen style, very few people in the Netherlands practise it. So when he then visits the Netherlands, that is a unique opportunity to experience and you have to be there. It's all very inspiring.‘’
During the breaks, participants come together. There is some food and drink and experiences are exchanged. But there are also participants who do a few more exercises for themselves. As soon as the break is over and Chen starts the next series of movements, there is an immediate silence in the room again.
Learning from a grand master
Tai chi is not only a physical art, but mental discipline also plays a big role. Tan explains why these workshops have so much impact: ,,Online you can watch plenty of videos, but then you don't see it from all sides. What I really like is that, despite being such a great artist, he doesn't come across as arrogant. You sometimes see that with teachers, but Chen comes across as very down-to-earth. It is therefore very pleasant to be taught by him, a very unique opportunity.‘’
Great experience
Linda Ho from Nijmegen is another participant impressed by the workshop. ,,It was great to experience. Chen Xiaowang is one of the biggest names in this style of tai chi. When I saw he was coming to the Netherlands, I booked immediately, this was not to be missed. The level of everything you are taught is incomparable to any master. I also give training in China myself, but this is at a completely different level. It's in the small details that make the difference."
‘’I am here today with a few of my students, so it is also nice to let them experience and witness this.‘’ This weekend is even causing Ho to consider travelling after the grandmaster: ‘’I know he is also going to a few other countries like England and Germany. So I already said to him that if I can get it arranged, I will travel after him.‘’
Despite teaching herself, Ho continues to learn herself: ,,He tells something about the flow of chi and a certain movement goes with that. Because he explains that movement very precisely, you notice that you do the movement very differently than before. That is also what I like about tai chi and under his guidance you really learn to make those movements differently."
Photo session
At the end, there is a customary salute and loud applause follows. Afterwards, the atmosphere is relaxed, people talk after and thank Chen. He is asked some more questions by participants; he himself looks back on the weekend with satisfaction: ,,It was a successful weekend and I am happy that I was able to teach these people something in tai chi.‘’ A photo session also follows, with almost everyone present only too happy to have their photo taken with the grand master to capture this special weekend.