Mind Like Gunpowder, Hands Like Bullets ON THE SECOND ROAD – CANNON FIST – IN CHEN-STYLE TAIJIQUAN By NABIL RANNÉ A Brief Historical Note Early twentieth-century research by the renowned historians Xu Zhen and Tang Hao documented Paochui or Cannon Fist, also called the Second Road, as an integral part of the Chen-Clan curriculum. In the 1930s, they received various manuals on the Chen family's Taijiquan tradition during their research. Drawing on these materials handed to them by Chen Ziming (?-1951), from the 17th generation of the Chen family, these researchers identified Paochui as a long-standing component of Chen-Clan Taijiquan (Tang Hao 2008, Xu Zhen 2006). STYLE 14 CHEN Cannon Fist
When Chen Fake moved to Beijing in 1928, he was invited to demonstrate his skill. Contemporary accounts describe a powerful and vigorous expression of the art, including the performance of the Second Road, which left a deep impression on those present. While posture names and sequencing evolved and slightly differ in various Chen family lineages, the functional role of Cannon Fist remained mostly consistent. Our version, handed down from Chen Fake in direct family transmission, has 72 movements.
Two Roads, One Method Traditionally, Chen-Clan Taijiquan employs two long solo routines: the First Road (Yilu) and the Second
Chen Fake Road (Erlu), commonly known as Cannon Fist (Paochui). These routines do not represent different systems, but two complementary training environments within one method. They are often seen in a Yin-Yang relationship, the First Road