Times are changing in Vancouver's Chinatown Kung Fu community!

[firepalm]

Well the Vancouver Chinatown Kung Fu oldtimers will be up in arms. Just got back from a CNY dinner with one of the bigger Chinatown societies, they are starting a Chinese martial arts class & it will be taught by the first ever non Chinese to teach in one of Vancouver's Chinatown societies.

Vancouver's Kung Fu community has been fraught with politics for the past couple years & this one is really going to make for interesting times.

[Diamond Talons]

Firepalm this is great news for all peoples & I understand the old timers but they are so living in the past that they can't be the ones who say what is & what isn't on this thing anymore as stupid color of peoples stuffs make problems for all & deny good peoples the chance to share in what we have to offer world such that it is. Change is painful & needs to happen as only things that don't change that much are dead & road to death the way of the older guys who just don't understand & don't want to understand. Ever wonder Firepalm why these older guys don't stay the same in all ways of life & turn air conditioning on in summer & central heat on during winter but say old ways always best in all things.

[iron_silk]

Hi firepalm,

Which is the Vancouver Chinese Association that did so? and what style does the new master teaches?

Thanks!

[firepalm]

Chinese Benevolent Association, the largest in Chinatown I believe (next to the Freemasons possibly). From what I understand the instructor has been invited, his own students performed at their annual dinner the other evening (a very entertaining demo I might add), however classes haven't been formerly started yet so I can't tell you too much more then that.

I just think it will make for interesting times!

[iron_silk]

This is very interesting.

Even though I know there are many non Chinese practicioners there were never any formal instructors in Chinatown.

I heard there is an event at the Chinese Cultural Centre in the coming Sunday. Will you be there? Do you think there is anything related to this?

Thanks!

[firepalm]

Wasn't aware there was to be any martial art activity @ CCC. What is it? Don't know if it is related to Chinese Benevolent Ass'n.

Myself I will probably go check out the Mah Kin Fung Jubilee.

[nospam]

Times changed decades ago...

Vancouver's First non-chinese Gung Fu Instructor

Look under Barry Richardson link.

nospam.

[firepalm]

Not trying to dispute you Nospam, but there have been several non Asians that have taught within their instructors Kung Fu clubs as far back as the early seventies. Louis Reisic (also known as Louis Mah) joined the Wong Ha Club back in the late sixties & was appointed to open a branch school in 73 or 74. T. T. Tchoung had several westerner students that would often teach for him within his school. Alex Kwok who taught My Jong La Hon back in the early seventies in Strathcona (community next to Chinatown) had his senior student Chris Taylor sometimes teaching for him. These like Raymond Leung Lap Yau's private Kung Fu club were open to non Asians & often would have these persons teach in some capacity, as was the case with Sifu Barry Richardson.

I am referring more to the private societies which are quite another story. These societies, also known as benevolent ass'ns, tongs, fraternal organizations, etc... will have many functions (not just for Kung Fu) & can be very specific about their membership. Some are specifically for certain family lines, just about every major Chinese family name has a private society ie; Lee, Wong, Lum, Tse, Chan, Chang, etc... Some societies are for persons from a specific village or region of China ie; Hoy Ping, Yue Shan, Toi Shan, etc... Some are for people with specific political leanings ie; Taiwan Nationalists (aka Kou Min Tang). Some societies were for persons with interest in specific cultural activities ie; Jin Wah Sing Music society. Many of these societies are also very specific about who may not join ie; Vancouver's Chinese Freemason's used to have a sign on their door that read "Chinese only no Whites".

These organizations, unlike the independantly run Kung Fu schools, had many functions such as providing a social meeting place for their members, education (Chinese school for the young), cultural activities (music & opera big ones), job placement, some of the larger societies actually provided housing for early Chinese immigrants, some of the larger societies today like Shon Yee & the Freemason's actually have low income housing projects (in the Stratchcona area) for seniors. Providing Kung Fu instruction was only small part of what they did, that which they provided though was only for their membership & often the instructor came from within their membership ranks.

The addition of a non Asian within one of these societies is quite another thing, particularily in Vancouver's Chinatown which is still very steeped in custom & tradition.

[Gold Horse Dragon]

Vancouver's Chinese Freemason's used to have a sign on their door that read "Chinese only no Whites

Vancouver's Chinatown which is still very steeped in custom & tradition

Custom and Tradition?....Chinese only, no Whites...This is nothing but pure racism against Non-Chinese. Call a spade a spade. There are racists in all races of man, not just the Caucasian race. But at least the racism is disappearing (on both sides) and there have always been those individuals with an open mind and spirit who saw past skin color and eyeshape, otherwise there would be no Non-Chinese today who would know traditional Kung Fu. Speaking of the Chinese Freemasons...sure is ironic they at one time would not allow Caucasians into their organization, when the organization of Freemasons was started and proliferated by Caucasians.
I find any type of racism dispicable.

GHD

[iron_silk]

Where were the quotes from?

[iron_silk]

I am not sure but I will look into the detail of the Sunday event.

I think it has something to do with Hoi Ping...not sure.

[firepalm]

Golden Horse just to clarify, do not confuse Chinese Freemasons with the British Freemasons. Chinese Freemasons otherwise known as Hung Men Society grew out of the Anti Ching (Dynasty) movement. The Hung Men included rebels united in their cause to overthrow the Ching & restore the Ming. My personal feeling is the choice of 'Freemason' name for their English namesake was a result of the British colonization of Hong Kong & the possible usage of the Freemason term by British ex pats.

British Freemasons on the other hand is an out growth of the Knights of Templar, & if you are really into conspiracies the Priory of Zion. For a good read on the history of Freemasons find 'Holy Blood Holy Grail'.

Long story short Hung Men for whatever reason simply adopted the Freemason name no relation other then that.

As to racism, yes it exists in every culture, unfortunately. In the case of the Vancouver Chinese Freemasons, not a justification but the time the sign was on the door was back in the seventies. Many of the older Chinese generation of that time still had firmly in their minds (or had been told by their elders) the racism they had suffered at the hands of 'whites' in the form of race riots early in the century, head taxes, being unable to vote, simple discrimination, etc...

[iron_silk]

firepalm

impressive!

Actually I was kind of confused when you mentioned Freemason...but now I know you are refering to Hung Men

[iron_silk]

neito

Hey so you are in Vancouver as well?

Which school do you belong to?

[Ao Qin]

Interesting subject - the meeting of East & West Freemasonry.

The two are not very different - kind of like our DNA - some people see only differences (e.g. skin colour), some don't see any differences. The symbols (as Neito pointed out - shared square / compass), allegory (Shaolin legend vs. Freemason legend), and moral code are quite similiar. They met sometime ago - before any of us (hopefully) were born, and the meeting is fairly clear to those who practice both Crafts (and here I'm specifically refering to Dragoners & Eyebrowers) - in fact, it's interwoven into our bows, our forms, our poetry, etc.

This particular moral code emphasizes basic Confucian / Christian morality as the foundation as to how we should live our lives, and a more spiritual / esoteric spiritual system for those who are so inclined, and less lazy than myself!

Just my own four cents!

Toodles - Ao Qin