Chen Yuan Hsing, whose American name is James Chen, At 61, he moves with the fluidity and grace of a 25-year-old. He is flexible and strong and doesn’t suffer from many of the common ailments of men his age, such as arthritis or heart problems. In fact, Master Chen is in excellent health.

Master Chen is grandmaster of the martial art known as T’ai Chi Chuan. He credits his health to the art as well as to his own personal form of martial art, known as Pai Da Qi Gong (pronounced: PIE DAH CHEE GOHNG). Master Chen developed Pai Da Qi Gong over thirty years ago, picking from among T’ai Chi’s movements the “best of all T’ai Chi forms,” as he put it.

Pai Da Qi Gong involves a series of eight movements that, when practiced properly and consistently, have tremendous health benefits for the practitioner including reduced blood pressure, reduced stress, more energy, more flexibility, better eyesight, relief from asthma, and better circulation. 

Pai Da Qi Gong in Chinese means flapping or beating, while Master Chen translates the phrase as “self-massage.” 

The eight movements are, like T’ai Chi, performed slowly, steadily and involve turning and twisting the body to stretch and loosen the life force, or Qi, that may be trapped and blocked up within the body.  

According to Master Chen, “When Qi flows properly, you feel good, you have energy. When Qi is blocked, you feel bad, tired, rundown.” 

Master Chen developed his martial art on the concept of twisting, and almost all of the movements involve turning the body and spine in some manner. “Most people stretch,” said Master Chen, “but twisting is better for health.” Pai Da Qi Gong emphasizes leg strength and relaxing the upper body.