History
Originally, there were five main Southern Gung Fu styles that were designated by the word Gar (which means family) following the founder's name. Most people are familiar with the Five Family Fist System as it exists today, know that it covers the five family arts of Choy, Li, Fut, Mok, and Hung and the classic Southern Sil Lum Five Animals of the Tiger, Dragon, Crane, Leopard, and the Snake. During the Yuan Dynasty (1280-1368) a great change occurred in Shaolin Gung Fu. A great General, well trained in combat arts Gwok Yuen (Abbott Zhao Yuen) sought refuge at the Shaolin Temple in Honan. In a short time, Gwok Yuen had mastered the arts of Shaolin and became Abbott of the Honan Temple. However, he felt that improvements could be made and innovated the changes that would impact the Shaolin system and its branch styles for generations. He took the existing Sup Baht Lo Han kuen (Eighteen Buddhist Disciples Fist) which according to legend had been devised by Da Mo (Bodhidarma, founder of Gung Fu), and expanded it to 72 movements to create a more comprehensive fighting form. together with Master Bai Yu Feng and Li Sau they produced a most commendable outcome: the creation of the Ng Ying (Five Animals). The Five Family-Five Animals System originated in the Southern Sil Lum Temple and was created by five Sil Lum descendants. Each of whom contributed their elite techniques to form a new system which had better transition and strength, and compensated for the weakness in their own styles. the new system concentrated on speed, accuracy, and power. The 5-Animals (Tiger, Dragon, Crane, Leopard, and the Snake) fighting actions were added to strengthen and expand the combative concept. The Dragon techniques however, were used to enlighten spiritual thinking. During the Ching Dynasty (1644-1912 AD) The Emperor became worried that the peaceful monks were a threat to his power. The emperor ordered the Shaolin Temple burned and all the Shaolin monks killed. Most monks were killed in battle to save the Temple. Five of the monks were able to escape this persecution and escaped to Southern china. One monk was Chih Shan, he escaped to the south and began to teach S Shaolin kung fu under different names.
Southern Shaolin Comes to California USA
In 1864 there were 20,000 chinese
residing in California, living their lives much as they had in China for the past 5000 years. North american settlers had no idea the kind of knowledge the chinese had, many people through the ages went to great lengths to keep their lives private. During World War 2 there began a wide spread of interest in Judo and other japanese forms of fighting. The end of the chinese martial art secrecy came to an end at the hands of Grand master Ark Yuey Wong(1898-1987), a well respected Kung Fu instructor in Los Angeles opened the Wah Que Studio in 1919. During his eight plus decades of Kung Fu, Master Wong trained many high profile artists and film stars, including Bruce Lee, Dan Inosanto, Douglas Wong and David Carradine.
Southern Shaolin and FlatBlack Clothing
From this great Master (Ark Wong) came a whole liniage of Southern Shaolin Sifu's and Grandmasters. Among them Master Wong's grand son Seming Ma, Ralph Shun, George Sanchez, Richard Vera, Gilbert Bates, Abel Crespo, Jorge Castro, Louie Martinez, Manuel Marquez and many others forming a large Southern Family. John Zender founder of FlatBlack Clothing was a long time student of Sifu Gilbert Bates in the mid eighties in the City of Bell. There he was introduced to Southern Shaolin at the age of 14 giving community demonstrations and acquiring a deep appreciation for all martial art forms. In April of 2004, Zender was re-introduced to his long lost Southern Family through the Shaolin Temple Lomita School in Lomita California. Under the guidance of Sifu Manuel Marquez and Sifu Louie Martinez, John Zender has dedicated much of his time to the Temple. Zender would like to give respect to the southern Family with this page.
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