Shaolin Nam Pai Chuan. Genuine?

[CraigD]

Hi, I have been searching for kung fu in Manchester for when I move there later this year. One of the schools I found was teaching Nam Pai Chuan.

Is this a real Shaolin style as claimed?

[B-Rad]

Doubt it. Their history talks about Shaolin "chambers" which is a movie creation, and it's pretty far removed from Shaolin even if the history is true.

[Ozzy Dave]

Hi CraigD,

Nam Pai Chuan is real.

It's based on the teachings of Shi Gao Can (Sek Koh Sum) who taught mainly in Singapore and Malaysia.

The martial arts of Shi Gao Can are Southern Shaolin, largely of the Lohan style.


B-Rad,

From my understanding the "chambers" mentioned relate to the religious teachings of the first five Chan patriarchs after Ta Mo not martial arts.

Dave

[David Jamieson]

Shi gao can was a wandering Shaolin monk who was master of the 2nd chamber of the arts. He traveled through malaysia and singapore spreading teachings of shaolin kungfu and zen.

He taught thousands of people literally.

Even in my own lookback on what goes where, he shows up as teacher of a classmate of my teachers teacher. :eek:

The name shaolim nam pai chuan (shaolin southern family fist) is pretty generic though, but that's cool.

[B-Rad]

Interesting, didn't know that :)

Oh, and David, Pai means North in this case. It's a new name meaning south north fist when the more recent master combined their inherited "fut gar" with some northern stuff.

Did I get it right this time Ozzy Dave? :D

[David Jamieson]

ah, a dialectic thing. who woulda thunk it.! lol :p

mmmm pie.

[Ozzy Dave]

Hey B-Rad,

To my knowledge Shi Gao Can learnt much of his martial arts at the Nam Pu Ji Monastery on Pu To Shan in Zhejiang Province.

These martial arts are said to decend directly from the Shaolin monks who were sent to protect the coastal areas from pirates.

I understand Zhejiang and Fujian province martial arts tend to have historical influences from both north and south also due to this influx of fighting monks specifically to combat the pirate problem during the Ming Dynasty.

I'm not sure of the basis for the name Nam Pai but I know their lineage is legitimate.

My teacher refers to the style usually as Gao Can Pai i.e. martial arts based on the teachings of Shi Gao Can. It's also known in SE Asia and Hood Ga Pai (Hokkien dialect) or Fo Jia Pai (Mandarin).

Dave

[B-Rad]

Decided to finally do a good search :p:

http://www.nampaichuan.com/

[TrollTerminator]

Decided to finally do a good search :p:

http://www.nampaichuan.com/

Looks alot like Shaolin Do

[B-Rad]

Sifu Lai also trained with Master Leow Cheng Koon, who was the chief instructor of the Taekwondo Federation. Master Leow Cheng Koon's brand of martial arts transcended Taekwondo and had incorporated other arts he had learnt, some of which include Chinese Kung Fu, Hap-Kido and Hwarang-Do. Master Lai found there was much to be gained by using modern Taekwondo training and teaching techniques in teaching and unlocking the traditions of Chinese martial arts. He helped in the formation of the Malaysian Taekwondo Association (WTF) in 1974 and was its first Secretary-General from 1974 until his departure in 1979.

I think that explains the "Shaolin-Do" look, though to tell you the truth I don't see the resemblance other than they don't look entirely "kungfu" either. (I think these guys move a lot better than the SD guys I've seen). The TKD tyle training of this branch really shows through, imo. It'd be interesting to see the schools back in Asia since they don't have that TKD background with their instructors.

[David Jamieson]

Sek Ko Sam has touched tkd schools, kun tao schools, karate schools,sil lum schools, and obscure schools. South east asian martial arts in general have been effected by his wanderings and teachings in many cases.

Not everyone learns to the same drum beat and not everyone learns the same material, but what they do have they hold onto and they indicate where it comes from.

To me, that's a good thing. :)