Chen Style Tai Chi: Training with Grandmaster Chen Xiaowang in Chenjiagou, China

From the birthplace of Chen Style Taijiquan to Bulgaria – a personal experience dedicated to tradition, knowledge and passing on the art. 

It is an immense honour and a genuine joy for me to have been part of the first course within the new instructor training and certification programme, held at the Chen Xiaowang Taijiquan Training Institute in Chenjiagou, China – the birthplace of Chen Style Taijiquan.

This experience marks another important step in my long journey of studying and teaching traditional Chen Style Tai Chi.

Training at the Heart of the Tradition

This was no ordinary seminar, nor was it simply a matter of learning another form.

Over several days, we worked on the very foundations of the system – body structure, internal effort, Qigong, Chan Si Gong (silk-reeling exercises), Fajin (the release of explosive power), the principles of movement, and how this knowledge should be understood, taught and passed on.

What makes this experience particularly meaningful to me is the opportunity to have been part of the first group of participants in this new stage of development of Grandmaster Chen Xiaowang's training system.

Direct Guidance from Grandmaster Chen Xiaowang

I had the honour of receiving direct instruction and personal corrections from Grandmaster Chen Xiaowang (陈小旺) himself.

This is an experience that cannot be measured simply by the number of movements learnt or the forms recorded on a certificate.

What matters most is understanding the underlying principles – how the body works as a unified whole, how movement originates from the centre, and how external technique gradually develops into internal skill.

It is during these moments of direct instruction that one begins to appreciate the depth of the Chen Taijiquan tradition and the importance of transmitting knowledge through personal example, practice and continuous correction.

Certification and Responsibility to the Tradition

For me, the certificate I received through the training and assessment programme in Chenjiagou represents much more than a document.

Ovanes Budakyan with Grandmaster Chen Xiaowang during the certificate presentation in Chenjiagou, China – October 2026. 

It represents my participation in a much broader undertaking – preserving, teaching correctly and supporting the international development of traditional Chen Style Taijiquan.

I accept this recognition with gratitude, but also with the clear understanding that true mastery requires continuous development.

Every new piece of knowledge carries with it the responsibility to understand it correctly, refine it through personal practice and pass it on to future generations.

From Chenjiagou to Bulgaria

For me, this training represents not only a personal achievement but also a responsibility.

I look forward to continuing to share this tradition in Bulgaria, passing on what I have learnt and contributing to a living connection between Chenjiagou and the Bulgarian Taijiquan community.

Through the work of Chen Tai Chi Academy – Bulgaria, we strive to preserve and transmit the traditional principles of Chen Style Taijiquan, placing an understanding of movement and consistent practice at the heart of our teaching.

We do not simply study the heritage. 

We become part of its continuation. 

With sincere gratitude to Grandmaster Chen Xiaowang, to all the teachers, and to the wonderful friends from different countries with whom I shared this first course.

The journey continues.

Discover Traditional Chen Style Tai Chi in Bulgaria

If you would like to discover traditional Chen Style Taijiquan, its principles and philosophy, we warmly invite you to join the classes at Chen Tai Chi Academy – Bulgaria in Sofia.

Whether you are a complete beginner or already have experience, what matters most is your willingness to learn and develop.

Learn more about our Tai Chi classes in Sofia 

Author: Ovanes Budakyan 
Founder and Instructor, Chen Tai Chi Academy – Bulgaria 
October 2026