Bodhi Dharma and Oceanic Silk Road

Bodhi Dharma and Oceanic Silk Road 
Tstuomu Kambe
Historical Background
Bodhi-Dharma (菩提達摩) was an Indian Buddhist monk who came to China from India in the first quarter of the sixth century. He brought Mahayana Buddhism to China. Coming to China, he stayed nine years at the Shao-lin Temple (少林寺), located in He-nan Province (河南省). Bodhi-Dharma is well-known in connection to a story expressed by the phrase “Wall Contemplation Nine Years (面壁九年)”. From the philosophy and practice represented by this phrase, the Chinese Zen Buddhism originated and developed in ensuing generations. The Bodhi-Dharma is respected as the First Zu (First patriarch) of Chinese Zen Buddhism.
It is said that he was born as the third prince of a kingdom of south India. Name of the kingdom is expressed with two Chinese characters 香至. Late in his life, he left India. It was the year 520 CE (or 527 CE) when he arrived at Guang-zhou of south China by taking a sea route. It is not welll known which course he took on the way. This article proposes a tentative account that the route he took was the Sea Silk-Road.
Chinese historical literature describes what took place at the time when he left India. “He met the King and told him of his wish to go to China. The King tried to persuade him to stay in his home land, but Bodhi-Dharma was determined to go. There was no longer anything for the King to do but to prepare a large boat with necessary items for a safe voyage. His hope was for the future return of Bodhi-Dharma (preferably with the same boat). On the day of departure, the King accompanied Bodhi-Dharma up to the harbor, together with the families of his relatives and vassals. At this moment, there were none who were not in tears.
After a three-year voyage, the ship of Bodhi-Dharma arrived at Guang-zhou of south China. There, the local governor came to greet him. It was September of the year 520. It was the time of Emperor Wu of Liang Dynasty (梁朝, 武帝)。He was informed of this event. Knowing it, the emperor invited Bodhi-Dharma to the capital Jian-kang (now Nan-jing). During his stay at the capital, it is said that there was the following dialogue between the Emperor Wu and Bodhi-Dharma. The Emperor asked: “I have constructed many temples for Buddhists and used to serve for transcribing a number of Buddhism sutras. What karmic merit is promised?” Bodhi-Dharma replied: “No merit (無功徳)”.
The kingdom where Bodhi-Dharma was born is recorded as ”香至” in Chinese literatures. At the time of Tang dynasty (618 - 907) established a hundred years later from the time of Bodhi-Dharma, it is likely that 香至 is pronounced as “Kang-zhi”. This is close to “Kanchi” (-puram), an old capital town in the state Tamil-Nadu of south India (the part ‘puram’ means a town or a state in the sense of earlier times). It was a capital of Pallava Dynasty at the time when Bodhi-Dharma was living. The Pallava Dynasty is recorded as an oceanic state, trading with Mediterranean countries to the west and with China, Siam, Fiji and others to the east. It is conjectured that Bodhi-Dharma departed from Kanchipuram to the nearest port Mamallapuram and embarked from there.
On the other hand, from the time of Former Han Dynasty (前漢, established in 206BC) more than two thousands years ago, China also traded by sea with south-east Asia, India, Middle-east and Mediterranean countries by using large oceanic boats. It is said that return journey took four years or so between China and Middle-east. In China at the time of 3rd century, oceanic boats were called “Konron-chuan”. “Konron (崑崙)” meant the area of south-east Asia in general. A picture shows that an early-time trading boat is equipped with wooden arms on its both sides (supposed, for stability). It is noteworthy that there are remains described as China-Pagoda in a trading harbor-town (Nakapattinam) of south India near Sri-Lanka island. This was built by the order of a Chinese king for the sake of Chinese Buddhists who came to India from China for trade or for pilgrimage (perhaps in the 8th century). Kanchipuram is famous now in India as a town of quality silk cloths. Even Indian Buddhist monks used silk goods. This is written in the travel record [2] by Yi Jing (義浄, 635 - 713). Original silks were likely imported from China, although mulberry trees (for silkworms) were planted in south India too. Some sources record that Yi Jing wrote a letter during his stay in Java (691) and sent it to the authorities of Tang Dynasty (at the time of Wu Zetian武則天), in which he asked to construct a China Pagoda in India. This corresponds to the above record in India.
Sea Route of Fa-Xian (Buddhist monk, 335 -423)
A number of Buddhist monks visited India from China and vice versa. A record of most famous travel is that of Xuan-Zang (629-645), who took the land route both ways to and from India. In an earlier travel by Fa-Xian (399 - 412), he took a land (mountain) route on his way to India and returned back by a sea route. Why Fa-Xian took the sea route on his return is not written in his travel record. It is conjectured that he wanted to avoid steep and dangerous mountain routes because his age had advanced to over seventy at the time.
Beginning his way back to China, he stayed at a town at the mouth of the Ganges river and waited for two years to take a large commercial ship. During his stay, he has transcribed Buddhism texts (and possibly looked for a person or a merchant who would assist him on his return journey). By taking advantage of seasonal (monsoon) wind in the
2
beginning of winter, his ship arrived at the island of Simhala (now Sri-Lanka) after fourteen days. It is well known that there is a seasonal wind from the north-east along the east coast of India in the Bengal Bay. After he had stayed for two years in Sri-Lanka too, he took a large ship (possibly helped by another merchant). The number of passengers on board was more than two hundreds. They embarked for the east. In the beginning there was favorable seasonal wind, but from the third day a storm occurred. After thirteen days, they arrived at an island. It is speculated that it was one of Nicobal islands. Tending to repairs due to flooding of the ship, they resumed their journey. After nine or ten days (or ninety days by another reading) by passing through the Strait of Malacca, they arrived at a harbor in Sumatra or Java islands. Fa-Xian stayed there for five months.
Route of Fa-Xian (thick solid line) and a speculated route of Bodhi Dharma (dotted line)
Helped by another merchant, he took a large ship bound for China where two hundred passengers were on board. Guessing the size of the ship, it could be one corresponding to two carriage cars of a modern electric train connected side by side and one underneath them. A relief of a big ship remains in Borobudur’s Buddhist structures (below) on the Java Island, which suggests such a ship as Fa-Xian took.

Ship relief in Borobudur.
They embarked with food on board of fifty days, but they encountered a storm on the way and drifted on the East China Sea. Eighty days after their departure, they arrived at a place on the south coast of Shan-dong Peninsula of China.
This was a voyage that occurred at a time a hundred years before Bodhi Dharma. At
3
his time, it appears that voyages across the Indian Ocean by using the monsoon seasonal wind are well-known. It is likely that such a sea route would have been recommended to Fa-Xian. According to modern data of observation, there is Monsoon wind in the Indian Ocean from Indian side to Malay Peninsula from May to September every year.
Sea Route of Bodhi Dharma
Bodhi Dharma’s ship departed Mamallapuram, a main port closest to Kanchipuram, and headed for Sri-Lanka. This is just a conjecture. It is likely that they stayed there a couple of months waiting for favorable monsoon wind, preparing for the great journey crossing the Indian Ocean. It might take another couple of months to get to a port in Sumatra or Java island. It may have taken a half or more of a year (depending on circumstances) since he departed his home country Kanchipuram. It is likely that he may have been invited by a royal family at the place he was staying, or that he stayed at a temple for rain retreat in summer time according to the Buddhist custum, or that he spent half a year by preparing his next journey, waiting for a favorable wind, or trading. Once everything was ready, they finally embarked for Guang-Zhou, China. It may have taken two months or so to get to their destination. Two years should have been sufficient time for the whole journey. The “three years” written in the record may imply that it was the third year since he departed his home country, rather than that it took full three years.
Bodhi Dharma according to old records was born in Kanchipuram of south India., and his final place of rest was at the Bear-Ear Mountain of He-Nan Province of China, where there is a temple Kong-Xing Si to commemorate Bodhi-Dharma. However, in the ancient town Kanchipuram where Bodhi-Dharma is supposed to have grown up, there is nothing to remind us of him. It is considerd that there were many Buddhist structures in Kanchipuram, but most of them were destroyed by the ravages of time and by the opponents of Buddhism. At the present time, it is a sacred town of Hinduism. Historical remains related to Buddhism found in that region are very limited in number, although one can come across a large number of Buddhist remains in the Hindu temples of this antique city.
Devotees and interested individuals from different countries may wish to be informed and experience some sense of this great person Bodhi-Dharma in Kanchipuram. Currently, a project is being planned by those who intend to build a memorial structure at the land (in Kanchipuram) owned by the Institute of Asian Studies (Chennai, India). This article is written with the hope and confidence in worldwide spiritual support for this endeavor.

more history come true........ta -mo we like you

Travels of Bodhidharma

According to Southeast Asian folklore, Bodhidharma travelled from south India by sea to Sumatra, Indonesia for the purpose of spreading the Mahayana doctrine. From Palembang, he went north into what are now Malaysia and Thailand. He travelled the region transmitting his knowledge of Buddhism and martial arts^[29] before eventually entering China through Vietnam. Malay legend holds that Bodhidharma introduced preset forms to silat.^[29]

[edit]Appearance after his death

Three years after Bodhidharma's death, Ambassador Song Yun of northern Wei is said to have seen him walking while holding a shoe at the Pamir Heights. Song Yun asked Bodhidharma where he was going, to which Bodhidharma replied "I am going home". When asked why he was holding his shoe, Bodhidharma answered "You will know when you reach Shaolin monastery. Don't mention that you saw me or you will meet with disaster". After arriving at the palace, Song Yun told the emperor that he met Bodhidharma on the way. The emperor said Bodhidharma was already dead and buried, and had Song Yun arrested for lying. At the Shaolin Temple, the monks informed them that Bodhidharma was dead and had been buried in a hill behind the temple. The grave was exhumed and was found to contain a single shoe. The monks then said "Master has gone back home" and prostrated three times.

For nine years he had remained and nobody knew him;
Carrying a shoe in hand he went home quietly, without ceremony.^[30]

[edit]Modern scholarship

Bodhidharma has been the subject of critical scientific research, which has shed new light on the traditional stories about Bodhidharma.

[edit]Biography as a hagiographic process

According to John McRae, Bodhidharma has been the subject of a hagiographic process which served the needs of the Chinese Ch'an movement. According to him it is not possible to write an accurate biography of Bodhidharma:

"It is ultimately impossible to reconstruct any original or accurate biography of the man whose life serves as the original trace of his hagiography - where "trace" is a term from Jacques Derrida meaning the beginningless beginning of a phenomenon, the imagined but always intellectually unattainable origin. Hence any such attempt by modern biographers to reconstruct a definitive account of Bodhidharma's life is both doomed to failure and potentially no different in intent from the hagiographical efforts of premodern writers"^[31]

McRae's standpoint accords with Yanagida's standpoint:

"Yanagida ascribes great historical value to the witness of the disciple T'an-lin, but at the same time acknowledges the presence of "many puzzles in the biography of Bodhidharma". Given the present state of the sources, he considers it impossible to compile a reliable account of Bodhidharma's life".^[32]

Several scholars have suggested that the composed image of Bodhidharma depended on the combination of supposed historical information on various historical figures over several centuries.^[33] Bodhidharma as a historical person may even never have actually existed^[34]

[edit]Origins and place of birth

See also: Bodhidharma/Birthplace sources

Dumoulin comments on the three principal sources. The Persian heritage is doubtful, according to Dumoulin:

"In the description of the Lo-yang temple, bodhidharma is called a Persian. Given the ambiguity of geographical references in writings of this period, such a statement should not be taken too seriously".^[35]

Dumoulin considers Tan-lin's account of Bodhidharma being "the third son of a great Brahman king" to be a later addition, and finds the exact meaning of "South Indian Brahman stock" unclear:^[36]

"And when Tao-hsuan speaks of origins from South Indian Brahman stock, it is not clear whether he is referring to roots in nobility or to India in general as the land of the Brahmans"

These Chinese sources lend themselves to make inferences about Bodhidharma's origins. "The third son of a Brahman king" has been speculated to mean "the third son of a Pallavine king".^[3] Based on a specific pronunciation of the Chinese characters 香至 as Kang-zhi, "meaning fragrance extreme",^[3] Tsutomu Kambe identifies 香至 to be Kanchipuram, an old capital town in the state Tamil-Nadu. According to Tstuomu Kambe:

"Kanchi means 'a radiant jewel' or 'a luxury belt with jewels', and puram means a town or a state in the sense of earlier times. Thus, it is understood that the '香至-Kingdom' corresponds to the old capital 'Kanchipuram'."^[3]

[edit]Indian caste system

In the context of the Indian caste system the mention of "Brahman king"^[37] acquires a nuance. Broughton notes that "king" implies that Bodhidharma was of a member of the Kshatriya caste of warriors and rulers.^[38] Brahman is, in western contexts, easily understood as Brahmana or Brahmin, which means priest.

[edit]Bodhidharma's name

According to tradition Bodhidharma was given this name by his teacher known variously as Panyatara, Prajnatara, or Prajñādhara.^[39]

Bodhidharma is associated with several other names, and is also known by the name Bodhitara. Faure notes that:

"Bodhidharma’s name appears sometimes truncated as Bodhi, or more often as Dharma (Ta-mo). In the first case, it may be confused with another of his rivals, Bodhiruci."^[40]

Tibetan sources give his name as "Bodhidharmottāra" or "Dharmottara", that is, "Highest teaching (dharma) of enlightenment".^[41]

[edit]Bodhidharma's abode in China

Buswell dates Bodhidharma abode in China approximately at the early 5th century.^[42] Broughton dates Bodhidharma's presence in Luoyang to between 516 and 526, when the temple referred to—Yǒngníngsì (永寧寺), was at the height of its glory.^[43] Starting in 526, Yǒngníngsì suffered damage from a series of events, ultimately leading to its destruction in 534.^[44]

[edit]Martial arts

Traditionally Bodhidharma is being credited to be the founder of the martial arts at the Shaolin Temple. However, martial arts historians have shown this legend stems from a 17th century qigong manual known as the Yijin Jing.^[45]

The authenticity of the Yi Jin Jing has been discredited by some historians including Tang Hao, Xu Zhen and Matsuda Ryuchi. This argument is summarized by modern historian Lin Boyuan in his Zhongguo wushu shi:

As for the "Yi Jin Jing" (Muscle Change Classic), a spurious text attributed to Bodhidharma and included in the legend of his transmitting martial arts at the temple, it was written in the Ming dynasty, in 1624, by the Daoist priest Zining of Mt. Tiantai, and falsely attributed to Bodhidharma. Forged prefaces, attributed to the Tang general Li Jing and the Southern Song general Niu Gao were written. They say that, after Bodhidharma faced the wall for nine years at Shaolin temple, he left behind an iron chest; when the monks opened this chest they found the two books "Xi Sui Jing" (Marrow Washing Classic) and "Yi Jin Jing" within. The first book was taken by his disciple Huike, and disappeared; as for the second, "the monks selfishly coveted it, practicing the skills therein, falling into heterodox ways, and losing the correct purpose of cultivating the Real. The Shaolin monks have made some fame for themselves through their fighting skill; this is all due to having obtained this manuscript." Based on this, Bodhidharma was claimed to be the ancestor of Shaolin martial arts. This manuscript is full of errors, absurdities and fantastic claims; it cannot be taken as a legitimate source.^[23]

The oldest available copy was published in 1827^[46] and the composition of the text itself has been dated to 1624.^[23] Even then, the association of Bodhidharma with martial arts only became widespread as a result of the 1904–1907 serialization of the novel The Travels of Lao Ts'an in Illustrated Fiction Magazine^[47]:

One of the most recently invented and familiar of the Shaolin historical narratives is a story that claims that the Indian monk Bodhidharma, the supposed founder of Chinese Chan (Zen) Buddhism, introduced boxing into the monastery as a form of exercise around a.d. 525. This story first appeared in a popular novel, The Travels of Lao T’san, published as a series in a literary magazine in 1907. This story was quickly picked up by others and spread rapidly through publication in a popular contemporary boxing manual, Secrets of Shaolin Boxing Methods, and the first Chinese physical culture history published in 1919. As a result, it has enjoyed vast oral circulation and is one of the most “sacred” of the narratives shared within Chinese and Chinese-derived martial arts. That this story is clearly a twentieth-century invention is confirmed by writings going back at least 250 years earlier, which mention both Bodhidharma and martial arts but make no connection between the two.^[48]

[edit]Practice and teaching

Bodhidharma is traditionally seen as introducing dhyana-practice in China.

[edit]Pointing directly to one's mind

One of the fundamental Chán texts attributed to Bodhidharma is a four-line stanza whose first two verses echo the Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra's disdain for words and whose second two verses stress the importance of the insight into reality achieved through "self-realization":

"A special transmission outside the scriptures,Not founded upon words and letters;
By pointing directly to [one's] mind
It lets one see into [one's own true] nature and [thus] attain Buddhahood."^[49]

The stanza, in fact, is not Bodhidharma's, but rather dates to the year 1108.^[50]

[edit]Wall-gazing

Tanlin, in the preface to Two Entrances and Four Acts, and Daoxuan, in the Further Biographies of Eminent Monks, mention a practice of Bodhidharma's termed "wall-gazing" (壁觀 bìguān). Both Tanlin^[51] and Daoxuan^[52] associate this "wall-gazing" with "quieting [the] mind"^[9] (安心 ān xīn).

In the Two Entrances and Four Acts, traditionally attributed to Bodhidharma, the term "wall-gazing" is given as follows:

Those who turn from delusion back to reality, who meditate on walls, the absence of self and other, the oneness of mortal and sage, and who remain unmoved even by scriptures are in complete and unspoken agreement with reason".^[53][a]

Daoxuan states: "The merits of Mahāyāna wall-gazing are the highest".^[54]

These are the first mentions in the historical record of what may be a type of meditation being ascribed to Bodhidharma.

Exactly what sort of practice Bodhidharma's "wall-gazing" was remains uncertain. Nearly all accounts have treated it either as an undefined variety of meditation, as Daoxuan and Dumoulin,^[54] or as a variety of seated meditation akin to the zazen (坐禪; Chinese:zuòchán) that later became a defining characteristic of Chán. The latter interpretation is particularly common among those working from a Ch'an standpoint.^[55]

huo yuanjia story one of the famous martial artists

Huo Yuanjia 霍元甲
Huo Yuanjia
Born	January 18, 1868 Xiaonanhe Village, Jinghai County, Tianjin
Died	August 9, 1910 (aged 42) Shanghai possible arsenic poisoning
Style	Wushu Mizongyi
Rank	Grandmaster
Notable relatives	Huo Endi (father)
Notable students	Liu Zhensheng, Chen Gongzhe

Huo Yuanjia (January 18, 1868 – August 9, 1910^[1]) was a Chinese martial artist and co-founder of the Chin Woo Athletic Association, a martial arts school in Shanghai. A practitioner of the martial art mizongyi,^[2] Huo is considered a hero in China for defeating foreign fighters in highly publicized matches at a time when Chinese sovereignty was being eroded by colonization, foreign concessions, and spheres of influence. Due to his heroic status, legends and myths about events in his life are difficult to discern from facts

Huo was born in Xiaonanhe Village in Jinghai County, Tianjin, as the fourth of Huo Endi's ten children. The family's main source of income was from agriculture, but Huo Endi also made a living by escorting merchant caravans to Manchuria and back. Although he was from a family of traditional wushu practitioners, Huo was born weak and susceptible to illness (he had asthma and at an early age he contracted jaundice, that would recur periodically for the rest of his life), so his father discouraged him from learning traditional wushu.

Huo Endi hired a tutor named Chen Seng-ho from Japan to teach his son academics and the values of humility and perseverance. In return, Chen was taught the Huo family's style of martial arts, mizongyi. Against his father's wishes, Huo still wanted to learn wushu. He secretly observed his father teaching students martial arts during the day and practiced them at night with his tutor.

In 1890, a martial artist from Henan visited the Huo family and had a fight with Huo's older brother. Huo's brother was defeated and to the surprise of the family, Huo fought against his brother's opponent and defeated him. As Huo proved that he was physically able to practice wushu, his father accepted him as a student. In later years, Huo went on to challenge martial artists from neighboring lands and his fame grew as he defeated more and more opponents in bouts.

Huo joined his father at work as a caravan guard. One day, while escorting a group of monks, Huo was confronted by an aggressive bandit leader who threatened to attack the monks with his bandit followers. Huo fought against the bandit leader and defeated him. News of his feat spread and added on to his growing fame. In 1896, Huo went to Tianjin and made a living there by working as a porter in the Huaiqing pharmacy there and by selling firewood

Rise to fame

In 1902, Huo responded to a challenge advertised by a Russian wrestler in Xiyuan Park,Tianjin. The wrestler openly called the Chinese "weak men of the East" as no one accepted his challenge to a fight. The Russian forfeited when Huo accepted his challenge. The Russian told Huo that he was merely putting on a performance in order to make a living and made an apology for his earlier remark in the newspaper.^{[citation needed]}

Between 1909 and 1910, Huo traveled to Shanghai twice to accept an open challenge posed by a British boxer, Hercules O'Brien. The two of them had arguments over the rules governing such boxing matches and eventually agreed that whoever knocked down his opponent would be the victor. O'Brien fought Huo and lost. Huo's victory was a great inspiration to the Chinese people and had them questioning the basis of imperialistic dominance. There is a lot of controversy denying that the fight ever took place however. Even recently an article stated the same, that O'Brien^[4] opted to leave town instead.

Chin Woo Athletic Association

Between 1909 and 1910,^[6] Huo founded the Chin Woo Physical Training Center (later known as Chin Woo Athletic Association) with his close friend Nong Jinsun as president of the association.^[7] Huo was encouraged by close friends and sponsored by Sun Yat-senand Song Jiaoren who were living in Tokyo, Japan. The center was meant to be a school for learning the art of self-defense, improvement of health and mind.

Huo suffered from jaundice and tuberculosis and started seeing a Japanese physician for medication and treatment. The physician, a member of the Japanese Judo Association based in Shanghai, invited him to a competition upon hearing of his fame. Huo's student Liu Zhensheng competed with a judo practitioner. Although there were disputes over who won the match, both sides generally agreed that the disagreement culminated in a brawl and members of the judo team were injured, some with broken fingers and hands, including the head instructor.

Death

Huo died on August 9, 1910, at 42 years of age. In 1989, the tomb of Huo and his wife was relocated. Black spots were discovered in the pelvic bones, and Tianjin Municipality Police Laboratory confirmed that they contained arsenic.^[8] Consequently, it is difficult to ascertain whether his death was caused by malicious poisoning or the prescription of medicine. This was because arsenic trioxide has been used therapeutically for approximately 2,400 years as a part of traditional Chinese medicine.^[9]

Historian Chen Gongzhe, who was also one of Huo's students, believed that the cause of his master's death was hemoptysis disease. Chen wrote that Huo was introduced to a Japanese physician by the judo instructor as his health declined. The physician prescribed some medicine for his condition, but Huo's health continued to deteriorate. Huo was admitted to Shanghai Red Cross Hospital, where he died two weeks later. Although Chen did not mention that the medicine prescribed by the Japanese physician contained arsenic or any other poison, some leaders of the Chin Woo Athletic Association speculate that Huo was poisoned around the time of his death.

Huo's life story has been adapted into a number of films and television series. In these adaptations, Huo is depicted as a heroic martial artist who fights to uphold the dignity of the Chinese people in the face of foreign aggression. His death is portrayed dramatically: he is secretly poisoned to death by foreigners, usually the Japanese, who see him as a threat to their interests in their exploitation of China.

A notable feature in some of these adaptations is the appearance of Chen Zhen, a fictional student of Huo, who brings his teacher's murderers to justice and continues to uphold Huo's legacy.

• The Legendary Fok, a 1981 Hong Kong television series produced by RTV, starring Wong Yuen-sun as Fok Yuen-gap (Cantonesefor Huo Yuanjia) and Bruce Leung as Chan Zan (Cantonese for Chen Zhen).

• Legend of a Fighter, a 1982 Hong Kong film starring Bryan Leung as Huo Yuanjia.

• Fist of Fury, a 1995 Hong Kong television series based on the 1972 film of the same title that starred Bruce Lee as Chen Zhen. Produced by ATV, the series starred Donnie Yen as Chan Zan and Eddy Ko in a supporting role as Fok Yuen-gap.

• Huo Yuanjia, a 2001 Chinese television series starring Vincent Zhao as the titular character and Wu Yue as Chen Zhen. It was followed by a sequel Jingwu Yingxiong Chen Zhen.

• Fearless,^[11] a 2006 film starring Jet Li as Huo Yuanjia.

• Huo Yuanjia, also known as The Legendary Fok 2008, a 2008 television series starring Ekin Cheng as Huo Yuanjia and Jordan Chanas Chen Zhen. Jordan Chan reprised his role as Chen Zhen in the sequel Jingwu Chen Zhen.

The History of Wing Chun-By Yip Man

The Origin of Wing Chun-by Grandmaster Yip Man

---

The founder of the Wing Chun Kung Fu System, Miss Yim Wing Chun was a native of Canton Kwangtung Province in China. She was an intelligent and athletic young girl, upstanding and forthright. Her mother died soon after her betrothal to Leung Bok Chau, a salt merchant of Fukien. Her father, Yim Yee, was wrongfully accused of a crime and, rather than risk jail, they slipped away and finally settled down at the foot of Tai Leung Mountain near the border between Yunan and Szechuan provinces. There they earned a living by running a shop that sold bean curd.

During the reign of Emperor K’anghsi of the Ching Dynasty (1662–1722) Kung Fu became very strong in the Siu Lam (Shaolin) Monastery of Mt. Sung, in Honan Province. This aroused the fear of the Manchu government [a non-Chinese people from Manchuria in the North, who ruled China at that time], which sent troops to attack the Monastery. Although they were unsuccessful, a man named Chan Man Wai, a recently appointed civil servant seeking favor with the government, suggested a plan.

He plotted with Siu Lam monk Ma Ning Yee and others who were persuaded to betray their companions by setting fire to the monastery while soldiers attacked it from the outside. Siu Lam was burned down, and the monks and disciples scattered. Buddhist Abbess Ng Mui, Abbot Chi Sim, Abbot Pak Mei, Master Fung To Tak and Master Miu Hin escaped and went their separate ways.

Ng Mui took refuge in the White Crane Temple on Mt. Tai Leung (also known as Mt. Chai Har). It was there she met Yim Yeeand his daughter Yim Wing Chun from whom she often bought bean curd on her way home from the market. At fifteen, with her hair bound up in the custom of those days to show she was of an age to marry, Wing Chun’s beauty attracted the attention of a local bully. He tried to force Wing Chun to marry him, and his continuous threats became a source of worry to her and her father. Ng Mui learned of this and took pity on Wing Chun. She agreed to teach Wing Chun fighting techniques so she could protect herself. Wing Chun followed Ng Mui into the mountains, and began to learn Kung Fu. She trained night and day, until she mastered the techniques. Then she challenged the bully to a fight and beat him.

Ng Mui later traveled around the country, but before she left she told Wing Chun to strictly honor the Kung Fu traditions, to develop her Kung Fu after her marriage, and to help the people working to overthrow the Manchu government and restore the Ming Dynasty.

After her marriage Wing Chun taught Kung Fu to her husband Leung Bok Lau. He in turn passed these techniques on to Leung Lan Kwai. Leung Lan Kwai then passed them on to Wong Wah Bo. Wong Wah Bo was a member of an opera troupe on board a junk, known to Chinese as the Red Junk or Red Boats. Wong worked on the Red Junk with Leung Yee Tei. It so happened that Abbot Chi Shin, who fled from Siu Lam, had disguised himself as a cook and was then working on the Red Junk. Chi Shin taught the Six-and-a-half-point Long Pole techniques to Leung Yee Tei. Wong Wah Bo was close to Leung Yee Tei, and they shared what they knew about Kung Fu. Together they shared and improved their techniques, and thus the Six-and-a-half-point Long Pole was incorporated into Wing Chun Kung Fu. Leung Yee Tei passed his Kung Fu on to Leung Jan, a well known herbal Doctor in Fat Shan. Leung Jan grasped the innermost secrets of Wing Chun, attaining the highest level of proficiency. Many Kung Fu masters came to challenge him, but all were defeated. Leung Jan became very famous. Later he passed his Kung Fu on to Chan Wah Shun, who took me and my elder Kung Fu brothers, such as Ng Siu Lo, Ng Chung So, Chan Yu Min and Lui Yu Jai, as his students many decades ago.

It can thus be said that the Wing Chun System was passed on to us in a direct line of succession from its origin. I write this history of the Wing Chun System in respectful memory of my forerunners. I am eternally grateful to them for passing to me the skills I now possess. A man should always think of the source of the water as he drinks it; it is this shared feeling that keeps our Kung Fu brothers together.

Is this not the way to promote Kung Fu, and to project the image of our country?

Yip Man

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Sources:

• Leungs Publishing
• Various accounts and translations of this Text passed down by Yip Man.

copyright:Leungs publishing
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Chow Tze Chuen Version: The Origin of Wing Chun By Yip Man

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The founder of the Kung Fu system, Miss Yim Wing Chun was a native of Canton China . As a young girl, she was intelligent and athletic, upstanding and manly. She was betrothed to Leung Bok Chau, a salt merchant of Fukien . Soon after that, her mother died. Her father, Yim Yee, was wrongfully accused of a crime, and nearly went to jail. So the family moved far away, and finally settled down at the foot of Tai Leung Mountain at the Yunnan-Szechuan border. There, they earned a living by. All this happened during the reign of Emperor K’anghsi (1662 ¡V 1722).

At the time, kungfu was becoming very strong in Siu Lam Monastery (Shaolin Monastery) of Mt. Sung , Honan . This aroused the fear of the Manchu government, which sent troops to attack the Monastery. They were unsuccessful. A man called Chan Man Wai was the First Placed Graduate of the Civil Service Examination that year. He was seeking favour with the government, and suggested a plan. He plotted with Siu Lam monk Ma Ning Yee and others. They set fire to the Monastery while soldiers attacked it from the outside. Siu Lam was burnt down, and the monks scattered. Buddhist Abbess Ng Mui, Abbot Chi Shin, Abbot Pak Mei, Master Fung To Tak and Master Miu Hin escaped and fled their separate ways.

Ng Mui took refuge in White Crane Temple on Mt. Tai Leung (also known as Mt. Chai Har). There she came to know Yim Yee and his daughter Yim Wing Chun. She bought bean curds at their store. They became friends.

Wing Chun was a young woman then, and her beauty attracted the attention of a local bully. He tried to force Wing Chun to marry him. She and her father were very worried. Ng Mui learned of this and took pity on Wing Chun. She agreed to teach Wing Chun fighting techniques so that she could protect herself. Then she would be able to solve the problem with the bully, and marry Leung Bok Chau, here betrothed husband. So Wing Chun followed Ng Mui into the mountains, and started to learn kungfu. She trained night and day, and mastered the techniques. Then she challenged the local bully to a fight and beat him. Ng Mui set off to travel around the country, but before she left, she told Wing Chun to strictly honour the kungfu traditions, to develop her kungfu after her marriage, and to help the people working to overthrow the Manchu government and restore the Ming Dynasty. This is how Wing Chun kungfu was handed down by Abbess Ng Mui.

After the marriage, Wing Chun taught her kungfu to her husband Leung Bok Chau, and he passed his kungfu techniques on to Leung Lan Kwai. Leung Lan Kwai passed it on to Wong Wah Bo. Wong Wah Bo was a member of an opera troupe on board a junk, known to the Chinese as the Reb Junk. Wong worked on the Red Junk with Leung Yee Tei. It so happened that Abbot Chi Shin, who fled from Siu Lam, has disguised himself as a cook and was now working on the Red Junk. Chi Shin taught the Six-and-a-half Point Long Pole Techniques to Leung Yee Tei. Wong Wah Bo was close to Leung Yee Tei, and they shared what they knew about kungfu together they correlated and improved their techniques, and thus the Six-and-half-point Long Pole Techniques were incorporated into Wing Chun kungfu.

Leung Yee Tei passed the kungfu on to Leung Jan, a well known herbal doctor in Fat Shan. Leung Jan grasped the innermost secrets of Wing Chun, and attained the highest level of proficiency. Many kungfu masters came to challenge him, but all were defeated. Leung Jan became very famous. Later, he passed his kungfu on to Chan Wah Shan, who took me as his student many decades ago. I studied kungfu alongside my kungfu brothers such as Ng Siu Lo, Ng Chung So, Chan Yu Min and Lui Yu Jai. Wing Chun was thus passed down to us, and we are eternally grateful to our Kungfu ancestors and teachers. We will always remember and appreciate our roots, and this shared feeling will always keep our kungfu brothers close together. This is why I am organizing the Wing Chun Fellowship, and I hope my kungfu brothers will support me in this. This will be very important in the promotion of Kungfu.

The Chronical of Yip Mans Life-By Yip Chun

The Chronical of Yip Mans Life-By Yip Chun

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Born October 1893, died December 1972 Aged 79 years.

Grandmaster Yip Man spent his whole life as champion of the cause of Wing Chun Kung Fu. He was responsible for advancing Wing Chun Kung Fu to its’ eminence today. Throughout the world, students of Wing Chun Kung Fu continue to publish articles about Grandmaster Yip Man, his life and achievements. Therefore to celebrate the 100 anniversary of the birth of Grandmaster Yip Man this chronicle is being produced for all those interested in Wing Chun Kung Fu.

This chronicle is about Yip Man and his contribution to the style of Wing Chun Kung Fu. Therefore the details of his life, his education and profession, will be only be covered in brief. There are thousands of practitioners of Wing Chun Kung Fu and those who are not mentioned in this tribute must bear with the author for lack of space.

He was born on October 14th 1893 in the Ching Dynasty (Kand Shoui - September 5th in the Chinese calendar) in Fut Shan town in Kwong Tung province which was then in Lam Hoi county. So Yip Man’s birthplace is often referred to as Lam Hoi in Kwong Tung.

Grandmaster Yip Man’s father was called Yip Oi Dor, his mother was Ng Shui, he was one of four brothers and sisters. His brother was called Gei Gak (Grandmaster Yip Man was originally called Gei Man). His sister’s name was Wan Mei (Sik Chung)

1899 to 1905 (Ching Kwong Shui).

Grandmaster Yip Man 6 to 12 years old.

Location: Fut Shan.

Grandmaster Yip Man studied Wing Chun Kung Fu with Chan Wah Shun

(Money Changer Wan). The location was in Fut Shan town main street (song Yun Dai Gai) in the Yip family hall. The garden in now owned by the government and the hall is no longer there. At the time studying together with Grandmaster Yip Man were Lui Yui Chai, Ng Chung Sao, Ng Siu Lo and others.

1905 (Ching Kwon Shui).

Grandmaster Yip Man at 12 years old.

Location: Fut Shan.

Chan Wah Shun passed away, but before he died he asked Ng Chung Sao to helpYip Man to complete the Wing Chun system. Chan Wah Shun’s body was taken by his Kung Fu disciples to Chan village in Shun Dak, for burial.

1937 (Man Kwok year 26)

Grandmaster Yip Man 44 years old.

Location: Fut Shan.

The Japanese invaded south China.

1937 to 1945 (Man Kwok year 26 to 34)

Grandmaster Yip Man 44 to 52 years old.

Location: Fut Shan.

For 8 years Yip Man fought the Japanese but Fut Shan was occupied and ruled by a puppet government. The Grandmaster swore not to be used by the puppet government so he became very poor and often he went hungry. Luckily his good friend, Chow Cheng Chung, gave him food from time to time. Grandmaster Yip Man wanted to repay his kindness and so accepted his son, Chow Kwang Yiu, as his student. From 1941 to 1943 he taught Wing Chun Kung Fu in the cotton mill at Wing On. At this time studying with Chow Kwong Yiu were Kwok Fu, Chan Chi Sun, Ng Ying, Lun Kai, Chow Sai and others. These were the firstgeneration of students that Grandmaster Yip Man taught. Kwok Fu and Lun Kai are still alive and teaching Wing Chun Kung Fu in China today, in Kwong Chow, Fut Shan.

1945 (Man Kwok year 34)

Grandmaster Yip Man is 52 years old.

Location: Fut Shan.

The year Japan surrendered.

1945 to 1949 (Man Kwok year 34 to 38)

Grandmaster Yip Man 52 to 56 years old.

Location: Kwong Chow, Fut Shan.

During this period of time, Grandmaster Yip Man was at his busiest at work, even though he loved Wing Chun Kung Fu he had to leave it for a time. Until, in 1948, through his very good friend Tong Kai, he was introduced to Pang Lam who begged Yip Man to teach him Wing Chun Kung Fu. Through this busy time, Yip Man coached Pang Lam on the form at the Fut Shang Cheung Yee Athletic Association.

1949 (Man Kwok year 38)

Grandmaster Yip Man is 56 years old.

Location: Macao and Hong Kong.

Grandmaster Yip Man went through Macao to Hong Kong but while in Macao he stayed for two weeks at Cho Doi Street with friends who owned a bird shop.

1950 to 1953 (Man Kwok year 39 to 42)

Grandmaster Yip Man 57 to 60 years old.

Location: Hong Kong.

In July 1950, through Lee Man’s introduction, Grandmaster Yip Man started teaching in Dai Lam Street, Kowloon. The first Wing Chun Kung Fu class was for the Restaurant Workers Association. When he opened the class there were only 8 people including Leung Shang and Lok Yiu. All these were restaurant workers, but later he was joined by Tsui Shan Tin, Yip Bo Ching, Chiu Wan, Lee Yan Wing, Law Peng, Man Siu Hung and others. This period of time was called the forefront of the Restaurant Workers Association. Grandmaster Yip Man also taught in the Restaurant Workers, Shang Wan branch, Union HQ in Hong Kong. Students included Lee Wing, Yue May Keng, Lee Leung Foon and others.

1953 to 1954 (Man Kwok year 42 to 43)

Grandmaster Yip Man 60 to 61 years old.

Location: Hong Kong.

When Leung Sheung was defeated in the union elections, Grandmaster Yip Man moved the school to Hoi Tan Street. Learning at that time were Wong Shun Leung, Wong Kiu, Wong Chaok, Ng Chan and others. Yip Man also taught private lessons at Three Prince Temple on Yue Chow Street. Students were Lee Hong and others.

1954 to 1955 (Man Kwok year 43 to 44)

Grandmaster Yip Man 61 to 62 years old.

Location: Hong Kong.

Leung Sheung was re-elected chairman of the Restaurant Workers union and so Grandmaster Yip Man moved back to the union HQ. This is called the later stage of the Restaurant Workers Association. At this time he was joined by Lee Kam Sing, Kan Wa Jeet (Victor Kan), Lo Man Kam, Cheung Cheuk Heng(William Cheung) and others.

1955 to 1957 (Man Kwok year 44 to 46)

Grandmaster Yip Man 62 to 64 years old.

Location: Hong Kong.

Grandmaster Yip Man moved the school to Lee Tat Street, Yao Ma Tei in Kowloon.

The students here were Lee Siu Lung (Bruce Lee), Chan Shing, Haw Kin Cheung, Siu Yuk Man, Poon Bing Lid, Pang Kam Fat and others.

1957 to 1962 (Man Kwok year 46 to 51)

Grandmaster Yip Man 64 to 69 years old.

Location: Hong Kong.

During this 5 years Yip Man moved the school to Lee Chang Oak Chuen. At this time students were Mek Po, Yeung Hei, Moi Yat, Ho Kam Ming and others. During this period of time Grandmaster Yip Man taught mostly private lessons. Sau Kei Wan, Shun Kei pottery shop. Students were Wong Pak Yee, Wong Wei, Yeung Chung Han, Chow Lok Gee, Wong Kwok Yau and others.

Tsim ha Tsui, Bong Lak Hong. Students were Tong Cho Chi, Lee Fat Chi, Chang Tak Chiu, Tam Lai and others.

3 Tai Po Road. Students were Chung Kam Chuen, Chung Wing Hong.

1962 to 1963 (Man Kwok year 51 to 52)

Grandmaster Yip Man 69 to 70 years old.

Location: Hong Kong.

Grandmaster Yip Man moved the school to 61 Tai Po Road, a unit in the Heng Yip building. Students were Cheung Yiu Wing, Ho Luen, Jun Ching On, Chan Woon Lam, Chang Tai Yim and Kwok See Yan. Private lessons were taught at Yee Wa tailor’s shop at Tsim Sha Tsui. Students were Peter Chang and a group of people from Po Lak Hong.

1963 to 1965 (Man Kwok year 52 to 54)

Grandmaster Yip Man 70 to 72 years old.

Location: Hong Kong.

The school was moved to the top floor of the Tai Sang restaurant on Fook Chuen Street, Tai Kok Tsui. Originally this had been the storeroom. The owner was called Ho Luen who let them use the room. Most of the people from the school at the Heng Yip building also moved here. As well as Ho Luen there were also Yeung Chung Hon, Wat Yung Sung, Pang Kam Fat, Jun Ching On, Lee Yan Wing and Yau Hak So. During this period of time Grandmaster Yip Man also taught students, mainly from the police, privately at San Po Kong, Hin Hing Street. These included Tang Sang, Lam Ying Fat, Yuen Chi Kong, Lee Yiu Fei, Wong Kok and others.

1965 to 1972 (Man Kwok year 54 to 61)

Grandmaster Yip Man 72 to 79 years old.

Location: Hong Kong.

The school at the Tai Sang restaurant finished and Grandmaster Yip Man moved to live on Tung Choi Street residence because he was getting old. Although he was already partly retired he was still teaching one to one private tuition. Going to Yip Man’s home during this period of time, were Wong Chung Wah (Yat Oak Goi Tse), Wong Hei,Hong Jap Sum and others. He also went out teaching to three places:

1 The Ving Tsun Athletic Association, which, in 1967, was the first martial arts society to be officially registered with the government. The Ving Tsun Athletic Association then decided to open Kung Fu classes at the association’s address. The association placed Grandmaster Yip Man in charge of the instruction. Assisting him were Jun Ching On, Fung Hon, Wong Hon Chung and others. This was only about three months.

2 Chan Wei Hong’s home on Waterloo Road, Learning here were Chen Wei Hong, the Siu Lung brothers, also Wong Chi On, Chan Kam Ming, Chung Yau, Lau Hon Lam,Man Yim Kwong and others.

3 Chi Yau Road. When Chan Wei Hong had other business and could not continue at Waterloo Road, Grandmaster Yip Man moved to the roof top of Lau Hon Lam’shome. Joining here were Wong Chi Ming and he also officially accepted a female student called Ng Yuet Dor.

4 Siu Fai Toi. At solicitor Yip Sing Cheuk’s house. Apart from Yip Sing Cheuk the rest of the students were also mostly solicitors. This was the last place that Grandmaster Yip Man taught Wing Chun Kung Fu.

Grandmaster Yip Man passed away at his home on Tung Choi Street on the 1st December 1972 (Man Kwok year 61). 26th October in the Chinese lunar calendar. He enjoyed 79 years of life.