William C. C. Chen Tai Chi Chuan

My Autobiography
William C. C. Chen

I was born in Chekiang province, China, in 1935. Shortly after World War II, I moved to Taiwan with my family. As a teenager, I was very fascinated by all those imaginative martial arts novels, movies, and kung-fu handbooks popular with my generation. My most ambitious dream was to learn martial arts from a great master. One day, my father took me to see his old-time playmate, Professor Cheng Man-Ching, who was the best-known Tai Chi Chuan master. Very pleased to meet the son of his childhood friend, he asked if I would be interested in learning Tai Chi Chuan. I answered yes, with great delight.

A week later I became the youngest of Prof. Cheng's students. After a while I became deeply involved with Tai Chi Chuan. Besides relaxing my mind and body, it made me feel as if my inner energy were flowing throughout my entire body. My palms and fingertips were swollen with sensation, in harmony with my heartbeat. Such a wonderful feeling was beyond what any words could express. Soon, I fell deeply in love with this so-called "Supreme Ultimate Martial Art," and my progress sharply improved. Prof. Cheng was very proud of me and I became one of his favorite disciples.

For about a year I was assigned to the special internal training which is the most advanced part of training for Tai Chi Chuan. This was carried out three times a day--early morning, noon and late in the evening. Each day I arrived at his house early in the morning and did not leave until late at night. This full schedule gave me a great opportunity to understand his life style and martial arts skill. Every day I listened to his lectures and answers to questions about Tai Chi Chuan asked by students and visitors who streamed to his house. I realized the great advantage of staying in the master's house.

A few months after the special internal training, the brick fence of his house collapsed due to a combination of earthquake and typhoon. He asked if I would sleep over in a small training room at the back of his house to guard against the breaking-in of thieves. So I stayed in this small room for almost three years.

This started my career in teaching Tai Chi Chuan. During the first year I stayed in his house, I was asked to teach beginners in their homes, thus getting pocket money as my remuneration. During the second year, in 1953, I was assigned to teach Tai Chi Chuan to the staff of the Postal and Telecommunications Administrative Agency of the government. A few months later I started another class in a branch of the Telecommunications Bureau. Soon after, I was also teaching at China Petroleum Company and Central Trust Bureau. This really kept me busy and earned me the title "Baby Master," since all those I taught were older than myself.

During those years I also took part in martial arts tournaments. In 1954 I was defeated. Two years later I was a member of the Taiwan group competing with experts from Hong Kong and Macao. Although I won at the beginning, I was eventually eliminated from the games. In 1958 I became fairly successful in the Chinese martial arts tournaments, becoming a winner in the light-weight division. I also gained recognition among Tai Chi Chuan enthusiasts in Singapore and Malaysia, so that in early 1959 I was invited to teach Tai Chi Chuan in Singapore, Malaysia, and later in Bangkok, Thailand.

In 1962 I enrolled as a student in the University of Hawaii right after I arrived at the paradise island of Oahu. There I was approached by various experts of Chinese martial arts for friendly matches, and in no time at all I began to give demonstrations. Within two weeks I was honored to teach as head instructor at the Honolulu Tai Chi Chuan Association. I also gave group and private classes in the community.

In 1963 I spent my entire summer vacation in San Francisco, where I gave a demonstration at the Chinatown Tai Chi Chuan Club. As a result I was asked to give instructions to the assistants there, and also to lecture to some of its masters. Dr. Lu Hui-ching, a noted instructor who was teaching a different style of this art at her Tai Chi Chuan studio on Teller Street in San Francisco, requested me to instruct her and her friends, and later her advanced students. She wrote a book called "A Manual of Instruction" on Tai Chi Chuan in 1974, giving me credit for my instruction.

Around the middle of 1965, Prof. Cheng Man-Ching wrote me several times, asking me to teach at Springfield College in Springfield, Mass., and at the United Nations in New York City. After my arrival in New York, I turned down the Springfield offer because it was too far away. I also decided against teaching at the United Nations since it would mean depriving someone who was already there of his position. Instead, I opened a studio of my own, the William C. C. Chen School of Tai Chi Chuan, in the Chelsea area of New York City.

For the public acceptance I have received in the United States I should thank many. Among them is Robert W. Smith, whose book, "Chinese Boxing," contains a chapter about me and my Tai Chi Chuan. Another is Master Aaron Banks, one of the greatest martial arts promoter in this country.  He invited me to give exhibitions from his very first session of the Oriental World of Self-Defense in 1967 and for many subsequent years.  I also thank Bronson Dudley, who, in an article in the August 1968 issue of Black Belt, called me "the Barnum of Brawl." As Tai Chi Chuan was quite new to Americans in the mid-1960's, all these things helped me gain acceptance not only in this country, but also in Europe and Australia.

Since the 1950s, there have been countless published articles here and abroad about my involvement in Tai Chi Chuan. The following represents a partial listing of awards, honors and articles of recognition in different publications (books, magazines and newspapers) by noted individuals and organizations.

June 17, 1967 "Oriental World of Self-Defense" at Town Hall by Aaron Banks / Award of appreciation for participation and support. 

Feb. 4th 1968 "East Coast vs. West Coast" Karate Championship by Aaron Banks / Award of appreciation for participation and support. 

July 1968 "Orient vs. America" Open Karate Championship Tournament by Aaron Banks at N.Y. Hilton / Award of appreciation to William C. C. Chen for participation and support.

Oct. 3rd 1971  "Howard Lee's Annual International Open Karate Championship" Rockville Center, NY / Award of appreciation to William C. C. Chen for participation and support. 

1972 "First Chinese International Tournament" / Award of appreciation to William C. C. Chen for participation and support.

July 1973  "Chinese Kung-Fu Invitational Tournament" by Fu-Jow Pai / Award of appreciation to William C. C. Chen for participation and support.

Feb., 1974  "Fu-Jow Pai Award"  for Excellent Performance / Award of appreciation to William C. C. Chen for participation and support.

Aug. 31, 1974  Eastern U.S. Kung Fu Tournament - Jow Ga Kung-Fu Association / Eastern U.S. Kung-Fu Federation Dean Chin / Award of appreciation to William C. C. Chen for participation and support.

May 30th 1977 - Masters in Action Award nominated by Prof. Ron Van Cleef, Ph.D. Martial Arts Zen Psychotherapist for William C. C. Chen to the University of Martial Arts and Science Hall of Fame - for proper mental, physical and spiritual essence of true Martial Arts ideology his many to the world of Martial Arts.

1980  "Cheng San-Feng Festival"  Tai Chi Society / Award of appreciation to William C. C. Chen for participation and support.

1981 -  The Turtull Gold Cup "HALL OF FAME" Proudly inducts Master William C. C. Chen for his steadfast and continuing contributions to all martial arts, sciences and philosophies. Presented by E. Walter Boze, Jr.  Oct. 18th 1981

Throughout all the years of my Tai Chi Chuan career,  I have gained greatly in the knowledge and understanding of this unique form of martial art, which is one of the most effective for self-defense, as well as for physical fitness and mental well-being.   I am really happy to share it with all those in my school and my workshops in different parts of the U.S.A. and other parts of the world.   I am happy that they appreciate my way of using the simplest, easiest and most common words, instead of the old terminology, to explain the mechanics and philosophy of Tai Chi Chuan.