1905 to 1996
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Master Pan Wing Chow was the portrait of
health as he continued to perform the original Chen style
tai chi chuan as taught to him by master Chen Fake back
in the early 1930's till his death in 1996. The late master
Pan maintained his dedication to the traditional style
of Chen style tai chi maintaining the original form over
the years of his life.
Master Pan began to learn tai chi while
attending the university in Peking. He was one of a few
who learned Chen style tai chi outside of the Chenjiagou
village, from the Henan province where master Chen lived.
Master Chen Fake was hired by a group of people to come
and teach in Peking. There master Pan was introduced to
master Chen at the home of his friend Mr. Liou who belonged
to the Henan Association. At that time master Chen Fake
was living at the Henan Association Headquarters. Mr.
Liou was teaching master Pan Wu style tai chi but told
him if he really wanted to learn tai chi he should learn
from the master himself -- Chen Fake.
Master Pan described his teacher master
Chen as warm hearted, willing to help people, humble,
kind and very patient. Master Chen was about 44 years
old at the time and his techniques were very good and
powerful. Master Chen also taught him the History of Chen
style tai chi. He said that the form had undergone many
changes and had been passed down from generation to generation
for over 600 years at Chenjiagou village until it became
a fixed form as taught at that present time.
He taught ten students in the United States.
They are: Yun-Tei Pan, New York, N.Y., Randal T. Choy,
Hawaii, Kuang-Hsi Wu, Urbana, Ill, Paul Wen-Pei Chou,
San Francisco, CA, Chy-Chun Ho, Buffalo, N.Y., James W.
Mcneil, Rainbow, CA., Albert A. Dalia, Hawaii, Victor
R. Keahiolalo, Hawaii, and Yu-Hung Chang, Arlington, Texas.
Since he began his training in 1982 with Master Pan, Master
James McNeil has remained faithful to the training and
the art. He currently teaches it at Little Nine Heaven
in its original form.