Grandmaster Tse’s Wing Chun Note 370

Shàolín Five Ancestors 少林五老 – Part 5

The frouth of the Shàolín Five Ancestors 少林五老 is Baahk Mèih Douh Jéung (Bái Méi Dào Zhǎng) 白眉道長 – White Eyebrows Master. After the burning of Sīu Lam Jih (Shàolín Sì in Mandarin) 少林寺 – Shàolín Temple, Baahk Mèih escaped and settled at Ngòh Mèih Sāan (Ér Méi Shān) 峨嵋山 – Ér Méi Mountain in Sìchuān Shěng 四川省 – Sìchuān Province. Here he passed his skill onto Gwóng Waih 廣慧, and Gwóng Waih passed the skill onto Jūk Fāt Wàhn 竺拂雲. Up until that point they were all Buddhist monks, until the skill passed to Jēung Láih Chyùhn 張禮泉 (1882-1964) and then the skill was able to pass out to the public and it was known as Baahk Mèih Paai 白眉派 – White Eyebrow System. However, some people believe that Jēung Láih Chyùhn was the founder of the system and that he learnt from teachers, the first was Làhm Sehk 林石, then from Sahp Jih Kuan 十字拳 – Crossing Fist, and third was Léih Yih Sī 李義思 from whom he learnt his weapons, sword, broadsword, staff, spear etc. Jēung Láih Chyùhn worked in Gwóngjāu (Guǎngzhōu in Mandarin) 廣州 – Canton City and opened a Kung Fu school there and he trained the police and the army. He also fought against the Japanese when they invaded China. Later he went to Hong Kong and this is where he called his style Baahk Mèih Paai. Then he had many schools and students and today Baahk Mèih Paai has spread all around the world.