Marnix Wells is involved in many aspects of Chinese culture, including music, poetry, painting and tàijíquán. This site is designed to inform the viewer about these areas and to provide insight into them.
He is an active researcher, spending large portions of the year in China, as well as being a frequent speaker at conferences on various aspects of Chinese culture.
This site contains an overview of his current work, including details of speaking engagements.
Marnix graduated with a degree in classical Chinese from Oxford University under Professor David Hawles in 1967.
In 1968, at the height of the Vietnam war and China’s “Great Cultural Revolution”, he arrived in Hong Kong and began to practice taijiquan, Chinese calligraphy and musical instruments.
Since Beijing was then in turmoil, Marnix travelled to Taiwan, Japan and Korea. He learned internal martial arts from Zhang Yizhong in Tokyo, and later from the legendary Wang Shujin in Taiwan. He later helped plan the “Way of the Warrior” feature on the Hong brothers of Taipei for the BBC.
In 2001, he earned a PhD in ancient Chinese philosophy from SOAS, London University.
Marnix teaches internal martial arts, serves on the executive committee of the Tai Chi Union of Great Britain, and lectures widely on Chinese art, music and philosophy. His book “Scholar Boxer” was published in 2005 and is a translation and discussion of the Internal martial arts and philosophy of Chang Naizhou. He has other books in preparation, and is also involved in Chinese opera and music, playing the qin. He is associated with various groups.
If you wish to know more, or wish to discuss speaking or other engagements, please feel free to contact him.
For more information about the work of Marnix Wells with Tàijí in the UK and overseas, or for any other aspects of Chinese culture, please contact Marnix