Chen Tuan
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Chen Tuan 陳摶 (allegedly October 10, 871 – July 22, 989) was a Chinese
Taoist Taoism (, ) or Daoism () refers to either a school of philosophical thought (道家; ''daojia'') or to a religion (道教; ''daojiao''), both of which share ideas and concepts of Chinese origin and emphasize living in harmony with the ''Tao'' ...
credited with creation of the
kung fu Chinese martial arts, often called by the umbrella terms kung fu (; ), kuoshu () or wushu (), are multiple fighting styles that have developed over the centuries in Greater China. These fighting styles are often classified according to common ...
system
Liuhebafa Liuhebafaquan (六合八法拳; Pinyin: liùhébāfǎquán, literally ''Six Harmonies Eight Methods Boxing'') is an internal Chinese martial art. It has been called "Xinyi Liuhebafa" 心意六合八法拳 and is also referred to as "water boxing ...
("Six Harmonies and Eight Methods"). Along with this internal art, he is also said to be associated with a method of qi (energy) cultivation known today as Taiji ruler and a 24-season
Daoyin Daoyin is a series of cognitive body and mind unity exercises practiced as a form of Taoist neigong, meditation and mindfulness to cultivate '' jing'' (essence) and direct and refine '' qi'', the internal energy of the body according to Traditio ...
method (''ershisi shi daoyin fa'') using seated and standing exercises designed to prevent diseases that occur during seasonal changes throughout the year.


Name and titles

The character "Tuan" (摶) is sometimes confused with the very similar-looking character "Bo" (搏), thus the name is sometimes incorrectly romanized as Chen Bo or Chen Po. In Chinese, he is often respectfully referred to as "Aged Ancestor Chen Tuan" (陳摶老祖 Chén Tuán Lǎozǔ) and "Ancestral Teacher Xiyi" (希夷祖師 Xīyí Zǔshī). Chen Tuan, styled Tunan, titled himself Fuyao Zi (one soaring upward in the high sky, from Nan Hua Jing written by
Zhuangzi Zhuangzi may refer to: * ''Zhuangzi'' (book) (莊子), an ancient Chinese collection of anecdotes and fables, one of the foundational texts of Daoism **Zhuang Zhou Zhuang Zhou (), commonly known as Zhuangzi (; ; literally "Master Zhuang"; als ...
). Known as the "Sleeping Immortal", he is credited with using and creating sleeping
qigong ''Qigong'' (), ''qi gong'', ''chi kung'', ''chi 'ung'', or ''chi gung'' () is a system of coordinated body-posture and movement, breathing, and meditation used for the purposes of health, spirituality, and martial-arts training. With roots in ...
methods of internal alchemical cultivation.


Biography and legends

Little is certain about his life, including when and where he was born. He was born around the end of the
Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period The Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period (), from 907 to 979, was an era of political upheaval and division in 10th-century Imperial China. Five dynastic states quickly succeeded one another in the Central Plain, and more than a dozen conc ...
(907 AD - 960 AD) and the start of the
Song Dynasty The Song dynasty (; ; 960–1279) was an imperial dynasty of China that began in 960 and lasted until 1279. The dynasty was founded by Emperor Taizu of Song following his usurpation of the throne of the Later Zhou. The Song conquered the rest ...
(960 AD - 1279 AD), possibly in what is now
Luyi Luyi County () is a county of eastern Henan, People's Republic of China, bordering Anhui province to the east. It is under the administration of Zhoukou City. The county is known for its make-up brushes production, with over 150 million brushe ...
in
Henan Province Henan (; or ; ; alternatively Honan) is a landlocked province of China, in the central part of the country. Henan is often referred to as Zhongyuan or Zhongzhou (), which literally means "central plain" or "midland", although the name is al ...
. By another account, he was born in Zhenyuan of
Haozhou Haozhou or Hao Prefecture () was a '' zhou'' (prefecture) in imperial China centering on modern Fengyang County, Anhui, China. It existed (intermittently) from 582 to 1367. Geography The administrative region of Haozhou in the Tang dynasty is in ...
(today's
Anhui Anhui , (; formerly romanized as Anhwei) is a landlocked province of the People's Republic of China, part of the East China region. Its provincial capital and largest city is Hefei. The province is located across the basins of the Yangtze River ...
Province). Chen is said to have been astonishingly intelligent and erudite in his childhood. According to certain Taoist schools who claim him as a founder, he lived two decades of a secluded life in the
Nine Room Cave 9 is a number, numeral, and glyph. 9 or nine may also refer to: Dates * AD 9, the ninth year of the AD era * 9 BC, the ninth year before the AD era * 9, numerical symbol for the month of September Places * Nine, Portugal, a parish in the ...
on
Mount Wudang The Wudang Mountains () consist of a mountain range in the northwestern part of Hubei, China, just south of Shiyan. They are home to a famous complex of Taoist temples and monasteries associated with the Lord of the North, Xuantian Shangdi. The ...
, though traveled frequently. In the first year of Xiande Period of
Later Zhou Dynasty Zhou, known as the Later Zhou (; ) in historiography, was a short-lived Chinese imperial dynasty and the last of the Five Dynasties that controlled most of northern China during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. Founded by Guo Wei ( ...
(954) he is known to have been living on the
Mount Hua Mount Hua () is a mountain located near the city of Huayin in Shaanxi Province, about east of Xi'an. It is the "Western Mountain" of the Five Great Mountains of China and has a long history of religious significance. Originally classified as ...
, one of the five
sacred mountains of China The Sacred Mountains of China are divided into several groups. The ''Five Great Mountains'' () refers to five of the most renowned mountains in Chinese history, and they were the subjects of imperial pilgrimage by emperors throughout ages. They ...
. The story goes that Chen Tuan had planned a career at the Imperial court, but flunked the state examination and became a hermit sage instead. Thus, as a student he was conversant with the
Confucian Confucianism, also known as Ruism or Ru classicism, is a system of thought and behavior originating in ancient China. Variously described as tradition, a philosophy, a Religious Confucianism, religion, a humanistic or rationalistic religion, ...
classics, history, and the theories of various schools of thought. Among the Confucian classics, he was particularly fond of the ''
Yi jing The ''I Ching'' or ''Yi Jing'' (, ), usually translated ''Book of Changes'' or ''Classic of Changes'', is an ancient Chinese divination text that is among the oldest of the Chinese classics. Originally a divination manual in the Western Zho ...
'' (Book of Changes), which he was unable to put down. Apart from the classics, he was said to be conversant with medical principles, astronomy and geography, and famous for his poems as well. Chen Tuan had a good command of primordial Yi learning, taught the
River Chart A river is a natural flowing watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, sea, lake or another river. In some cases, a river flows into the ground and becomes dry at the end of its course without reaching another body of wate ...
and Luo River Book as well as the Infinite and
Taiji Tai chi (), short for Tai chi ch'üan ( zh, s=太极拳, t=太極拳, first=t, p=Tàijíquán, labels=no), sometimes called " shadowboxing", is an internal Chinese martial art practiced for defense training, health benefits and meditation. T ...
Charts. As an important teacher of Taoist doctrines who pioneered the Confucian school of idealist philosophy of the Song and Ming Dynasties, he had a profound influence upon later generations. Having rejected the emperor's orders and edicts, he was still conferred the title of "Master Xi Yi" (Master of the Inaudible and Invisible) by the Emperor Taizong of the Song Dynasty. During the first year of Duangong Period (988), Chen appointed his disciples to cut a stone chamber in the Zhao Chao Valley (later renamed Xi Yi Valley); then Chen Tuan presented a report to the imperial court in which he wrote the following note: "I will die soon. I am about to leave, nowadays I’m transformed in the Zhang Chao Valley at the foot of Lotus Peak on the 22nd day of the tenth month of the lunar calendar." By the time he died when he cupped his cheek in his hand his facial features remained unchanged. Many tales of Chen Tuan have been circulated around and it is said that "He wanders around and shows no concern for worldly benefits." However, despite many mystical and mysterious stories, Chen was known to care about and was compassionate to ordinary people. For this he is deeply respected by the common folk. This Taoist sage was considered the embodiment of the Supreme Lord Lao and received the nickname of "Aged Ancestor," a symbol of Taoism in
Mount Hua Mount Hua () is a mountain located near the city of Huayin in Shaanxi Province, about east of Xi'an. It is the "Western Mountain" of the Five Great Mountains of China and has a long history of religious significance. Originally classified as ...
. Chen Tuan is depicted in the
Wu Shuang Pu ''Wu Shuang Pu'' () is a book of woodcut prints, first printed in 1694, early on in the Qing dynasty. This book contains the biographies and imagined portraits of 40 notable heroes and heroines from the Han Dynasty to the Song Dynasty, all acco ...
(無雙譜, Table of Peerless Heroes) by Jin Guliang.


Later historical references

According to the "semi-historical" biography of General
Yue Fei Yue Fei ( zh, t=岳飛; March 24, 1103 – January 28, 1142), courtesy name Pengju (), was a Chinese military general who lived during the Song dynasty, Southern Song dynasty and a national hero of China, known for leading Southern Song force ...
, it was the immortal Chen Tuan who, disguised as a wandering Taoist, warned the Yue Family of the imminent Yellow River flood.


Sources

*General Yue Fei


See also

*
Chan Yik Yan Chan Yik Yan (陳亦人, Chen Yi Ren) 1909-1982 was a disciple of Liuhebafa Master Wu Yi Hui. Although Wu Yi Hui taught many students, it's only Chan Yik Yan who is known to have completed the entire Liuhebafa system. Chan Yik Yan taught Liuhe ...
*
Wu Yi Hui Wu Yihui 吳翼翬 (Cantonese Ng Yik-fai) (1887 - 1958) was a Chinese martial artist and scholar. He was the first person to open teachings and spread the art of Liuhebafa in public, and was a prominent fighter and instructor who influenced many ...


References


Sources

*


External links


History of Liuhebafa and Chen Xiyi



Taoist Culture & Information Center


{{DEFAULTSORT:Chen, Tuan 871 births 989 deaths Chinese religious leaders Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Taoists Legendary Chinese people Song dynasty Taoists Taoist immortals