A Short Biography of Grandmaster Wang Haijun

Wang Haijun was born in January 1972, in the city of Zhengzhou, just South of the Yellow River, in Henan province. At the age of nine he met Chen Zhenglei for the first time and at age 11 in 1983 his father arranged for him to move to Chen Village to live and study with Chen Zhenglei. Each day before school he would train from five thirty or six o’clock to seven thirty in the morning. After school he would train from four until six, frequently training again in the evening for another hour or two before going to bed.

He studied with Grandmaster Chen Zhenglei for seven years, including five years living in Chen Zhenglei’s home, the only student of Chen Zhenglei to do this. He become the first non-Chen-family-student to be traditionally trained at Chen Village in Henan during modern times. At the age of 16 he was invited by Chen Zhenglei to travel with him and demonstrate his skill.

It was during this time that chan su jin (reeling silk skill) exercises were developed and he accompanied Chen Zhenglei and Chen Xiao Wang in teaching them to larger groups for the first time outside Chen Village.

In the autumn of 1988, he gained entry to the Wuhan Physical Culture University, one of the top Universities of its kind in China, to study sport. He competed successfully for his university in many competitions as well as coaching their highly successful university wushu team. He graduated in 1990 at age 18 and was assigned to the post of coach of Pingdingshan Wushu Research and Study College.

From 1988 to 1998 Wang Haijun entered and won numerous competitions, with as many as 6 per year, at local, regional, provincial and National level. His major awards, including undefeated national push-hands champion at the three highest weight categories, are detailed below.

After retiring from competition in 1998, he established his own school in his home city Zhengzhou, becoming President and Head Coach at the Zhengzhou Wushu Training Institute in Henan, China. His school quickly grew to 600 students due to his success as a practitioner and a teacher. He has established a following of students in Asia, Australia, Europe and the United States. He is a senior state Wushu referee and coach of Henan Chen Zhenglei Taiji Culture Co., Ltd. He is an official lineage holder of Chen Style Taiji (12th generation Chen Taiji).

In 2000 with the Chinese Government’s support he closed his school and moved to the UK to help increase the understanding and skills of taiji outside of China in preparation for the Bejing Olympics. He is currently resident outside Manchester, in the United Kingdom.

He generously shows the principles of taiji, and engages in “hands-on” teaching. His method of tuition is very practical, offering a student significantly likelihood of gaining serious skills with dedicated practice. He limits his corrections to those which are most likely to bring about the required change in his students. He is very committed to his students, making frequent trips to his various groups and establishing a system whereby “practice leaders” maintain students’ momentum between his visits. He is a great inspiration and gives proof of what is possible with high quality teaching and diligent practice.

Success as a Practititioner: Competition Awards

In 1992 (at the age of 20) he won three gold medals in national competition, winning the championship in push-hands at the National Taiji Boxing, Sword and Push-hands Competition.

In 1993 he accompanied Grandmaster Chen Zhenglei when he travelled outside China, giving demonstrations and workshops at the invitation of France and Hong Kong.

In 1994 he won two gold medals in Taiji boxing and sword at the International Wenxian Taiji Championships, and he won the 80-kilo championship in push-hands at the National Wushu Championships.

In 1996 he won three gold medals at the International Wenxian Taiji Boxing and Sword Championships, and won the overall championship in Chen-style Taiji boxing at the National tournament held in the same year, winning in form, sword and push hands.

In 1997 he won gold medals in Chen-style boxing, 85-kilo push-hands and for the second time he was overall champion at the National Yue Cup Taiji Boxing and Sword Tournament, winning in form, sword and push hands.

In 1998 he won three gold medals in Taiji all-round boxing and the 85-kilo push-hands division at the National Wushu Tournament, and for the third time was overall champion at the National Taiji Boxing and Sword Tournament, winning in form, sword and push hands.

Frequently there was no overall champion at the national championships. To be overall champion someone must win all three of the form, sword and pushhands competitions. This is understandably a rare event and having acheived it three times, Wang Haijun retired from competition at the age of26.

His success as a teacher is equally or more impressive

Awards Received by Wang Haijun’s Students

Students trained by Wang Haijun have achieved exceptional results at the highest level of competition in the world. Entry into the Chinese National Tournament, held once per year until 1999 in eight weight categories, requires a competitor to have won at district, city and provincial level successively, with up to 1,000 entrants at each level. The competition to simply gain entry to the national tournament was exceptionally fierce.

Wang Haijun had trained ten national push-hands medal winners from 1994 to 1999.

• Fu Zihui won the 52-kilo push-hands division in 1997.
• Fu Nengbin, a prominent student of his, won six titles from 1994-9 at 56 kilos.
• Shir Zhengwen won the 52-kilo push-hands division in 1999.
• Zhao Zhifang won the 60 kilo title in 1996
• Yang Lei won the 65-kilo push-hands title in 1998.

Wang Haijun has trained many other gold medallists, among both his Chinese and non-Chinese students. 

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