attn: northern shaolin - Chan Kowk Wai ?

[cha kuen]

Hi NS,

I have only heard of this name through the web and a suspecting teacher. However this guy is supposed to be cantonese?

Seeing that you are cultured and such, in cantonese there isn't a family name of " KOWK" is there? I thought there was only "kwok" as in "aaron kwok" the pop star.

Have you heard of Chan Kowk Wai ( \supposed to have learned from Yeem Seung Mo)

Thanks for your time.

-cha kuen
http://cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewSellersOtherItems&userid=taichimaster06&include=0&since=-1&sort=3&rows=25

[GeneChing]

But never, never get hung up on the spelling. My BSL Sifu Kwong Wing Lam wrote a book for IKF and they misspelled his name as Kwon Wing Lam. He eventually dropped the Kwon/Kwong and now just goes by Wing Lam.

We did an article on Chan Kwok Wai back in Oct 2000 - here's the back issue reference: http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/magazine/article.php?article=126

[cha kuen]

Yeah but I asked one of his students if the spelling was "kowk" or "kwok" and he said that it's "kowk"

I don't think a family name like that exists in chinese.. does it...?

[JAZA]

If you understand spanish, here is his bio.http://kaimen.com.ar/chankway.html

[GeneChing]

They are all in characters. Whenever they are written, well, there is some standards, but most of us get stuck with whatever the immigration guy hears. For example, my name is Ching, but in proper mandarin it's Chen, and one of my classmates has the same character as mine but goes by Tan.

Don't get hung up on spelling in kungfu.

[cha kuen]

Okay Gene, so what you're saying is the guy and his lineage is legit.

Gotcha. =]

northern shaolin, does your sifu know this guy? Were they classmates maybe?

[SifuAbel]

Chan is the family name.

Otherwise, what is the point of this thread?

[NorthernShaolin]

Cha,

Long time since I've heard from you.

I never really gave his name any thought because I thought the spelling was a variation of Cantonese.

Anyway, yes my sifu was aware of him but only as a lower classmate and nothing more than that. They never practice as classmates because my sifu completed his studies 10 years before him.

I remember showing an article from a Chinese Martial art mag. (dated 1972?) about SIfu Chan completing his studies and going to South America to teach NSL.

Generally lower classmates know who the upper classmates are but not vise versa. Assuming everything being equal, upper classmates usually, but not always, are thought as being at a different level than the lower classmates. Same line of thought that a student can never be better than his sifu sort of thing. But we all know that this is old way of thinking.

[David Jamieson]

I have mistaken wing lams name as "kwon" because of seeing it published.

I have mistaken Chan's name as "kowk" because it was also published as that.

It's a major conspiracy of typographists to obfuscate the truth from the public that's what it is!

I once heard of a 137 year old man who attributed his longevity to a typographical error :D

NS or Gene, could you tell us who the 4th BSL master was that came west besides your respective sifus and Chan?

peace

[NorthernShaolin]

Kung Lek,

The fourth NSL master is Sifu So Bin Yuen, a.k.a., Johnny So, who is in the East Coast, around NYC area (?). He is my sifu 's lower classmate (sidi) and came to the USA about 10 years after my sifu came to USA in the west coast. However, Sifu So is the sihing to Sifu Chan and SIfu Lam. His disciples are at www.harmoniousfist.com

[NorthernShaolin]

Kung Lek,

There is a 5th sifu, Li Hung who is in the SF Bay Area in California. He was actually the second one to come to the USA in the late 1960's. He actually learnt NSL first from LTH then later with YSW.

[David Jamieson]

thanks!

peace

[kai men]

Dear colleagues:
I am a student of Teacher Chan Kowk Wai.
He began teaching Northern Shaolin in 1960 in Sao Paulo, BRazil.
He has studied under Yim Sheung Mo since 1950 until 1960.
I don´t know Sifu Wong´s background, my teacher has spoken very well about him, but I am not sure he is "lower" or "higher", may be you can clarify whenever he completed his studies with Yim Sheung Mo.
Chan kowk Wai is one of the most impressing teachers I have met. He is very knowledgeable not only in Bak Siu lam, but also in
Choy Lee Fut (Futsan Hong Sing) , Seven Stars Praying Mantis, Luohan, etc.
Did Mr Wong learn with Yim Sheung Mo in China? I wonder this because I believe that My teacher begun studying with Yim Sheung Mo as soon as he (Yim) arrived Hong Kong.
I would highly appreciat your comments on this, but please don´t take my questions as any mince to discretid or doubt anything, but as a matter of my ignorance only.
See photos of my teacher in

http://www.kaimen.com.ar

Kindest regards
horacio

[kai men]

who's that suspecting teacher you re talking about?

[NorthernShaolin]

kai men,

Your teacher's creditability was never in doubt. Just the tone of your writing style in the other posting and the lack of protocal that started all this. Live and learn, I guess.

To answer your question, WJM started learning from YSW in China at the age of eight in the late 1940's and completed his studies in NSL after 11 years. From there, he moved on like your sifu to other masters to continue his studies.

[cha kuen]

I remmeber Lai Hung teaches in Davis right? Also choy lay fut too.

-cha kuen
http://cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewSellersOtherItems&userid=taichimaster06&include=0&since=-1&sort=3&rows=25

[buddhapalm]

Hi NorthernShaolin,
I did not know that Wong Jack man learned from Yim Seurng Mo in China in the 1940's.

You said:

"To answer your question, WJM started learning from YSW in China at the age of eight in the late 1940's and completed his studies in NSL after 11 years. From there, he moved on like your sifu to other masters to continue his studies."

Is there any chance that he may have known about Dea Bak Do in Canton ?

Just another long shot :-))

Cheers

Buddhapalm

[kai men]

Dear NSL and others:
Peace! ;-) I never intended to be rude nor committing any fault on protocols. May be my poor english lead some confussion about my real feelings about the subject.
I apologize again, if anyone felt offended by any of my posts.
Anyway I thank you for leting me know about my "lack of protocol", moreover I would like to know what was exactly my fault (can be privately to kaimenkf@yahoo.com for not boring others).
On the other hand, I never suspected that the "suspectious instructor" was myself! jaja. I lookforward to keep learning a lot by these forums with so knowledgeable people.
Kindest regards
horacio

[kai men]

Cha Kuen:
Here you have a link where the Brazilian Inmigration Department has recorded my sifu, his name, and his date of arrival in brasil.

http://www.memorialdoimigrante.sp.gov.br/Horal/25_9.html

Regards
horacio

[NorthernShaolin]

Cha Kuen,

You are right, Sifu Li Hung teaches in Davis also. He teaches NSL first as a take off to his prize Choy Lay Fut style.

[NorthernShaolin]

buddhapalm,

I once asked my sifu over 30 years ago about Sifu Dea and he stated the only thing he knew about him was that he was teaching upstairs in a studio under the Dea Family Association on Grant and Pacific in SF. He mention that he taught NSL but the NSL was not the same as ours. He never mention any connection between Sifu Dea and Sifu Ma.

If I recall when you went to the Dea Family Association to conduct your research, they threw you out. LOL.

[buddhapalm]

Hi NorthernShaolin,
Yes they did throw me out :-))) Perhaps he thought I was just the average "Sey Gwai Jai". Maybe I will talk to his boss next time, since he showed no respect to a grand student of Sifu Dea of his clan.
Anyway if the ignorant old pop is racist its not my problem, maybe he thought I was an undercover :-))) Perhaps I should have had someone introduce me first...no wonder he freaked out. Thanks for reminding me though I will go back this week. I guess thats what happens when you sneak into old Chinatown Associations unintroduced :-)))))))

I did not know you asked Wong Jack Man about my Sigung Dea 30 years ago. Even though WJM didnt have any knowledge of a connection of Dea with Master Ma Kin Fung, Sifu Dea's picture ( as well as your Sifu, WJM's) was on the wall of Master Ma's school in Hong Kong, so Dea and Ma were related in some definite martial way. I remember Master Ma's Son mentioning that Dea was an old student of Ma's in Canton, and the curriculum was a little different there. It is strange that we only share three forms, the rest is a mystery. As I said it was either from other Northern Sifu's in Canton (Jing Wu ???) or picked up from the old syllabus of Master Ma before he moved to Hong Kong. Time will tell.

Once again, thank you though for all your help in my research, it has been invaluable. I am glad you do not treat me like the old A-Sook in the Association screaming "OUT, OUT, OUT !!!" You truly do help out your Brothers here in Mo Lum.

Sey Hoy Gee Noy Guy Hing Dai Yaht.

Buddhapalm

San Francisco

[kai men]

Northernshaolin , I re-write a post sent to another thread to make sure you read it.
horacio

Dear NS:
I have been writing you both in private and in some forums asking for some clarification about my lack of protocol.
Now, I have understood, I have just read your post in this thread where you explain it very clearly.
I have to point out that even being a 28 years practicioner, I had no information about your Teacher's background.
As I DIDN T KNOW that GM Wong had studies Bak siu Lam in China, I stated that my sifu was the oldest YSM student.
I understand your reaction but please try not to get confused, my intention never was to put my sifu over your sifu's head. I think that every good student respects his sifu whether he is older o lower classmate. That's my case. I have never been told about your sifu as being the oldest. I am VERY SORRY for my mistake, and want to present my apologies publicly here.
I really expect you to understand and accept my sincere apologies, including my deepest respect for your GrandMaster. I really believed what I have writen. My mistake could have dishonoured my sifu too, nothing more far away from my intentions.
I believe Wong Jack Man, Kwong Wing Lam, Johny So, etc, are all very respectable teachers no matter who begun earlier with this BSL training.
Sincerely and respectfully:
Horacio

[GeneChing]

That's the great lesson here - never never get hung up on the way a chinese word is spelled. or spelt. I'm not really sure. That's probably because I read too much Chinglish...

It's really great to see so many representatives from the BSL lineage posting here. When is one of us going to get it together and start some BSL association or host a big BSL tournament?