陈家沟位于温县城东5公里的清风岭上，它南临黄河，与古军事要塞虎牢关、伏羲画卦台、河洛文化遗址隔河相望；西北四十公里处的二仙庙以及县域内的卜商墓、慈胜寺、司马懿故里、邢邱遗址等古迹，使整个村庄处于浓厚的中华古老文化的氛围之中。
太极拳是由明末清初温县陈家沟陈氏第九世人陈王廷（1600—1680）依据祖传拳术，博采众家之长，汇集《易经》太极阴阳之理、中医经络学说和道家导引吐纳、养生功法而创编，荟萃了中华传统武术、医学、哲学、兵学、美学、运动学诸多优秀文化精华，融技击、健身和养生功能于一体，以内外兼修、刚柔相济在武林独树一帜，以老少咸宜、延年益寿而备受推崇。300余年来，经过陈家沟陈氏族人和各地太极拳爱好者的传承与发展，太极拳已在世界150多个国家或地区广为传播，习练者达2亿之多。在1990年北京亚运会和2008年北京奥运会开幕式上，两千多名太极拳选手行云流水的表演震撼了世界，目前太极拳已成为世界性语言，是21世纪人们最喜爱的健身运动项目之一。
2006年，陈氏太极拳被列入首批国家级非物质文化遗产名录；2007年，温县被中国武协、民协正式命名为“中国武术太极拳发源地”、“中国太极拳发源地”和“中国太极拳文化研究基地”；2010年，温县被世界华侨华人社团、中华文化促进会、国际休闲经济促进会联合授予“中国十大文化休闲旅游县”荣誉称号。
Tai Chi which is the treasure of oriental culture and the miracle of Chinese Kungfu, has been inherited and developed for hundreds of years during which masters have been arising from generation to generation. The development of Tai Chi has realized magnificent and fruitful achievements, especially contributed by the formation of Chen, Yang, Wu, Sun, and many other schools of Tai Chi. To go after the source, however, all the schools of Tai Chi originated from Chen's family, which at the very beginning rose from Chenjiagou in Wen County.
Chenjiagou, located on the Breeze Ridge five kilometers east of Wen County, was named Chang Yang Village in ancient times. It lies on north of the Yellow River, across which lies the ancient fort—Hulao Barrier, the Platform of Fuxi Drawing the Diagrams and He-Luo Cultural Relics. On forty kilometers northwest of the village lies the Erxian Temple, and in the county the Tomb of Bushang, the Tsisheng Temple, the Hometown of Sima Yi, the Xingqiu Relics, and so on. All the historical sites have endowed the village of Chenjiagou with a rich atmosphere of Chinese ancient culture.
Tai Chi was created during the transitional period of Ming and Qing Dynasty by Chen Wangting, who was the ninth generation successor of Chen's family of Chenjiagou, Wen County. He initiated Tai Chi on the base of the ancestral martial arts of his family by absorbing merits of others' and integrating the principle of Tai Chi and Yin Yang in Yi Jing, the meridians and collaterals theory of Tradition Chinese Medicine, and the principle of guided breathing and health exercise of Taoism. Tai Chi displays the essences of traditional martial arts, medicine, philosophy, military studies, aesthetics and sports. It aims to help with competing, body shaping and health keeping. Tai Chi, outshining others in martial art, is popular with both the aged and the young. Over 300 years, inherited and developed by the Chen's clansman of Chenjiagou and the enthusiasts from various regions, Tai Chi has been spread to over 150 countries and areas all over the world and developed over 200 million practitioners. On the opening ceremonies of 1990 Beijing Asian Games and 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, the performance of over 2000 selected Tai Chi players, as beautiful as the floating clouds and the flowing water, impressed the whole world. Today, as a universal language, Tai Chi has become one of the favorite fitness sports of people in the 21st century.
In 2006, the Chen's Tai Chi was enrolled in the first batch of National Intangible Cultural Heritage list. In 2007, Wen County was officially named as "the Birthplace of Chinese martial art Tai Chi", "the Birthplace of Tai Chi", and "the Research Base of Chinese Tai Chi Culture" by Chinese martial arts Association and People's Association. In 2010, Wen County was granted the title of honor as Ten Chinese culture and leisure tourism County by the World Overseas Chinese Community, Chinese Culture Promotion Association and International Leisure Economy Promotion Association.
