Grandmaster Tse’s Wing Chun Note 368

Shàolín Five Ancestors 少林五老 – Part 3

The second of the Shàolín Five Ancestors 少林五老 – is the Shàolín monk Ji Sihn (Zhì Shàn) 至善. Ji Sihn had a very high level of Shàolín Kung Fu 功夫 and he was a very senior monk within the Shàolín Temple. After the Shàolín Temple was burnt down by the Qing Government 清政府 he escaped to Gwōng Haau Jih 光孝寺 – Gwōng Haau Temple, Gwóngjāu (Guǎngzhōu in Mandarin) 廣州.

Ji Sihn had four top students in the Shàolín Temple, Hùhng Hēi Gūn 洪熙官 (the founder of Hùhng Kyùhn 洪拳) Fōng Sai Yuhk 方世玉， Tùhng Chīn Gān 童千斤 and Wùh Waih Kìhn 胡惠乾. All of them eventually become very well known, especially Hùhng Hēi Gūn洪熙 and Fōng Sai Yuhk, becasue they fought against the Qing Government.

At one time, Ji Sihn hid himself as a cook in the Gwóng Dūng (Guǎngdōng) Hùhng Syùhn廣東紅船 and there he taught his Lùhk Dím Bun Gwan 六點半棍 – Six and Half Point Pole to a student named Lèuhng Yih Táih 梁二娣. In the end Lèuhng Yih Táih met Wong Wàa Bóu 黄華寶 who was a master of Wing Chun Kyùhn 詠春拳. They became friends and exchanged skills. Wong Wàa Bóu taught Lèuhng Yih Táih the Wing Chun skill, and Lèuhng Yih Táih taught Wong Wàa Bóu his pole skill.