Shaolin Feet and Shaolin Fists

Northern Feet and Southern Fists are considered a fortuitous combination. It is necessary to reconcile two aspects of Kung Fu teaching, which incorporate different principles, points of view and histories. The following autobiographical sketch considers the formative influences and key people who shaped my own career in Shaolin martial arts.

Lineage and Lineal Descent

You really should know where you come from and be able to tell anyone who asks your teachers name and the style(s) you practice (eg Changquan)! It is considered even better if you can name the Teacher of your teachers; anything else is even more bonus points. These are the two lines of teaching that I have followed for the last 38 years!

Shaolin Feet

At’a, (Ao Tai) General of the Ever Victorious Army, was also a bodyguard for Captain Charles Gordon (later General Gordon of Khartoum), during the T’ai Ping T’ien, often known as the Boxer Rebellion and originated in malaysia Malysian Leong’s Grandmaster and Grandmaster Chee, who moved there, almost certainly knew each other. Yap Leong, when he was young, lived near Si Jo (Style Founder) Leong Fu in Ipoh and knows some fascinating anecdotes about him. What few people know is that Grandmaster Leong Fu was also a Middleweight Wrestling World Champion for 3 consecutive years before retiring undefeated – his Chin Na (gripping and holding technique) must have been amazing!

Grandmaster Leong Fu taught Rex Jones, meeting him while Rex was serving in the SAS (Special Air Service) during the Malayan ‘Emergency’ (CE 1948-60) teaching him Ao Tai Dao (At’a’s Way); Jern Jing Kuen Fat (Elephant Fist Way) and other styles of Changquan including its applications 5 Animal (Wu Xing) and much more. Serpent Form, the Introductory Form of Hoan Lung Quan comes from here. The term ‘Emergency’ was used constantly as the insurer, Lloyds of London, would have refused to pay compensation for ‘War’ damage! Sifu Jones became Leong Fu’s best student and obtained the title and rank of ‘Flying Dragon’ (Fei Lung).

Si Gung Rex Jones Fei Lung Quan (Flying Dragon Society) and became my Sifu in 1972, remaining my teacher until he retired around 1992. A red dragon tattoo, with a single dot above (mark of student number 1 ) on my left forearm, from when I became a Sifu, reflects the organization and structure of Fei Lung Quan much more than on paper. Hoan Lung Quan (Red Dragon Society) works in a similar and related way. Rex also gave me my Chinese name ‘Wo Lei’ (The Fox) which I sometimes use in correspondence, or the Mandarin equivalent Hu Da Ge (Big Brother Fox).

shaolin fists

Grandmaster Chee Kim Thong had several notable teachers (1) see “Kung Fu Secrets” Vols. 2-3) (2) and Si Jo Chee’s disciples include Yap Cheng-Hai, Chan See-Meng, and Yap Leong. Yap Cheng-Hai taught me, very briefly, in a memorable seminar in London, but eventually (I’m glad to say) events followed a certain pattern and I became a “closed door” student of Grandmaster Yap Leong. . Yap Leong knew and spoke highly of Leong Fu and Rex: “He’s very Fei Lung!” were the first words he said to me about the latter: those who knew him know that Yap Leong is not addicted to idle praise! Hence my permanent gratitude to all my teachers. Grandmaster Yap Leong welcomed me into ‘The Family’ in 1993.

other teachers

I have also had other teachers: Shr Yanzi (UK Shaolin Temple Director) for about 3 years, Yang Jwing-Ming (albeit very briefly), most notably John Gunning (Leong Fu disciple and Fei Lung Quan Senior Sifu) and, most recently, Master Wu in Beijing recently (from where I intend to return for further training).

recent developments

Since then Grandmaster Yap Leong has founded Shaolin Fists International with me as a founding member and technical advisor. Prolonged (and continuous) study with him over the past 18 years has led me to further qualify as a Sifu in Qigong, undertake Iron Shirt Training, and greatly expand my knowledge and awareness of Kung Fu styles and systems and Qigong. This has fundamentally influenced my Kung Fu and my teaching style, as has his HYL (Health, Youth and Longevity) Energizer Program. Those desiring a deeper understanding of internal energies and Nei/Wei Dan Qigong, an essential prerequisite for progressing to higher Kung Fu grades and levels of training, will find such structured multi-level programs of considerable benefit.

Originally designed to provide longevity or life extension on the battlefield, Kung Fu was extended to life in general. Chinese martial artists discovered that they enjoyed a longer life (3) through Kung Fu training, where they could achieve things they never thought possible. Hence the popularity of Kung Fu as a ‘way of life’ and as a self-development tool in China that has spread to the rest of the world.

Still, until now, it has been a case of ‘Nan Chuan: Bei Tui’ Southern Hands and Northern Feet. Although this is considered by some to be an ideal “diet” of balanced martial arts, nothing could have been accomplished without those excellent teachers I have referred to in the body of this text, except a bad dose of martial indigestion!

Notes and references

(1) He had six in all, covering a huge variety of styles. I am indebted to ‘Toby’ who posted a detailed comment on an earlier version of this article where, trying to piece together a passage from memory, I inadvertently said I only had three. He also pointed out that he was succeeded by his son, Master James Chee, who, I believe, teaches in Australia.,

(2) Obtainable from Shaolin Way Uk (see below)

(3) See, for example, Allsop, P. (2010) ‘250 Years and Still Going Strong with Qigong: Chinese Herbalist and Martial Artist Li Ching-Yuen’ EzineArticles.com