In Memory of Grandmaster Yim Sheung Mo

[kai men]

Dear Fellows:
I woudl like to discuss about this great man´s life. Anything will be helpfull as there is little written material on him (as far as I know, of course). Knowing there are so many knowledgeable colleagues here, from the Bak Siu Lam family, I would like to discuss about him
Kindest Regards
Horacio

[Ravenshaw]

Although he is my sigung, I only know this much about him (should give non BSL students some idea):

He was the top student of Ku Yu Cheong (Gu Ruzhang), who is probably the best-known Bak Sil Lum master. Master Ku was famous for his Iron Palm, Small and Large Golden Bell qigongs, and his role as one of the Five Southbound Tigers.

Master Yim was actually older than Master Ku by a couple years and had already mastered the Hung Gar style by the time he met him. But when Master Yim started with BSL, he dropped the Hung Gar and learned the entire system in three years.

Now, my favorite story about Master Yim is his famous performance of Cha Chuan #4 (an external set characterized by light, quick movements and high leaps) at the age of 81(!!!!). He died the next year (1974?) at the age of 82.

He specialized in the spear vs. three-section-staff sparring set and taught many of the well-known Bak Sil Lum masters: Wong Jack Man, Chan Kowk Wai, Wing Lam, etc.

Gene and NS definitely will know more...

Consider this the brief introduction ;)

[kai men]

Thanks a lot Raven, I would like to know who is your teacher!! :-)
I have read and heard that he was a hung gar practicioner. But different sources, very relyable, say that he was indeed a ZuranMen style practicioner, student of Wang Lai Sheng, and that it was Wang himself who introduced YSM to Ku Yu Cheung.
Anyone can add his opinions on this subject?
Thanks a lot
By the way I didn't know the story about his Cha Chuan demonstration. Thanks!

Horacio

[kai men]

Correction: YSM was - according to many sources - a LoHap (Liu Ho Men) practicioner under Wang lai Sheng.
My apologyzes for stating that the style was Zuranmen
Kind Regards
Horacio

[Ravenshaw]

KM: I'm a student of Wing Lam in California.

You know, I'd always assumed it was Ku Yu Cheong who'd introduced the Lok Hop (six harmonies) sets into the BSL cirriculum. Though if YSM did in fact study Lok Hop, it would make sense.

I wonder why a Northern long fist style like Lok Hop was taught in Southern China at that time - before the Southern Kuoshu schools had been established. Does your research say when it came to the South?

[kai men]

Raven, YSM leartn Liu Ho style with Wang Lai Sheng. So that's the reason, as he (Wang Lai Sheng) was one of the Five Tigers of the North who travelled South.
My teacher taught me just one hand set and the broadsword set (lohap do) but he doesn't know the second set which supposedly YSM knew.
Regards
Horacio

[Ravenshaw]

My sifu teaches the Lok Hop Broadword and Spear sets. There was also a hand set (Lok Hop Kuen) listed in our cirriculum and I hear from older students that at one time Sifu Lam indeed knew it.

But that was long before my time (but maybe not brother Gene's) and he has forgotten that particular form. I think that after he made his video series, the forms that were not taped (the Cha sets and Lok Hop Kuen) kind of fell out of the cirriculum.

[kai men]

Ravenshaw:
In fact, maybe Lohap Kuin (liu ho chuan set) came from Ku Yu Cheung and not from YSM, as in GuangZhow, Lai Gan Qing teachs the same form to his students. I have a tape recorded by my students who travelled to GuangZhow, trained with Lai Han Liang, Lai Gan Qing´s son, and one of his students showed Liu Ho Set.
Regards
Horacio

[kai men]

Hi guys.
Well, I suppose I should say "it is over" as there has been little or no interest in this subject. If there is anybody here interested in GreatGrandmaster Yim sheung Mo /Yang Sheng Wu bio, I would like to exchange materials and opinions about this man who has made a mayor contribution to the spread of or beloved Bak Siu Lam style.
I was looking forward to read some inputs from knowledgeable people as Gene, Northernshaolin, etc.
Thanks a lot to everybody,
horacio

[herb ox]

Give the thread time, brother. YSM is my sigung as well, I too would like to hear some stories, but it may take some time...

herb ox

[GeneChing]

...I really don't have any stories about GM YSM that come immediately to mind. Strange, isn't it? I started digging around some of my old notes when this thread was first posted, but unfortunately I didn't get very far (I've been very busy researching other stuff lately). If I find anything, I'll let you know.

I was kinda hoping NS would chime in. ;)

[NorthernShaolin]

Well I just returned from my vacation so I'm sorry to be late in responding to this thread.

First I have read from many old documentations and heard from my sisuks that YSW learnt Lui Ho from Wan Li Sheng. Now KYC also taught Lui Ho style . Again, from many written sources who were direct disciples of KYC that he taught the style of Lui Ho but only one written source stated he knew all 10 hand sets of Lui Ho Chuan. According to written documenations and by my sisuks first hand knowledge, KYC learnt Lui Ho Chuan from WLS some time after he completed his BSL studies and only learnt the Lui Ho style because they were very good friends. The exchange of knowledge was a common form of professional reconization. Usually in these circumstances, the masters do not learn the complete style but only selected sets or "favorite sets" of the style.

According to my sifu, he states that KYC learnt more than one hand set in Lui Ho but really only taught one hand set that he felt was the essence or best represeted the style which turns out to be the first hand set. Out of the complete curriculum of Lui Ho weapons, KYC taught only a few weapons from the Lui Ho style, i.e., Lui Ho Spear. Lui Ho Double Sabers and Single Saber and Eight Fairy Sword. Originally I thought Kun Yu Sword was part of Lui Ho Curriculum but upon more research, this sword set, like 9 Island Staff, may have been absorbed into Lui Ho curriculum by WLS himself. Later KYC taylored down and just taught the saber and the spear.

Now YSW originally taught all 10 hand sets of Lui Ho but as he got older, he cut it back to a few hand sets until only one was taught.

Now if you look carefully at the first hand set as taught by KYC, and compare it to WLS's written book of 1927, KYC's set is longer, almost twice that of WLS's original set as it appears in his book. When I asked my sifu about this, he stated that when KYC selected that particular set to be the represented set of Lui Ho Moon, he smooth the set out and made the set longer. Interesting fact because years later when WLS wrote another book in 1985, it included four hand sets with the first hand set containing KYC's additions. I believe that this was a reflection of how close both of these men really were and how much they repected one another.

Stories about YSW are rare and few because YSW was a very private person. He never talked about himself but rather about KYC's life or about how proud he was about his students when they performed.

Again according to written documentation and my sisuks, YSW first learnt Lui Ho Moon from WLS then started to learn BSL from KYC at the age of 37. This was after, Asking WSL to write a letter of introduction to KYC that he wanted to learn BSL from him. Another condition was that YSW also had to pass a written examination to qualify to learn from KYC in the Kuo Shu schools.

Now YSW was not KYC first student nor was he the top student. But after long years of hard practice, KYC reconized him as being one of his top disciples. According to my sifu, YSW practice everyday so long (morning to night) and hard that YSW could hardly stand up from practicing. He did this everyday while learning under KYC. Image that at the age of 37 years old!!

According to Kuo Ching Ma who was close to YSW, he states that YSW's beliefs were simple..."To teach kung fu is to teach kung fu." This means that he never liked to show off his skills.

Mr. Kuo also stated, " YSW was very strict with his students and took a personal interest in any trouble that his students were involved. He advertised that BSL was his speciality but never stated he learnt from KYC or that he was his disciple. He did not like to talk much nor did he like to socialize. When LTH was alive, he would bring YSW to social functions and YSW would just hate it and felt out of place."

The late Tai Chi Praying Mantis Grandmaster, Chu Chuk Kai, once said, "YSW is a silent person but his kung fu is highly developed".

[Gncintra]

This maybe may be first post.. not sure!
For sometime i have been reading this forum.. pretty much since i started BSL..
Many time ,for curiosity ,i have dig the Archives. Every time i amazed on the knowledge display by some members as Northernshaolin, Lokhokuen, GeneChing r.(shaolin), and many others.
Thank you for giving a glimpse on such a rich martial art. I, merely a novice at it, am sincerely honored to start walking this steps.