The Shenfa Society draws from a number of sources in its material. On this page we are beginning the process of documenting the primary streams of knowledge that we work to combine, to develop, and to pass on. It’s a work in progress, and we hope to add more detail as we assemble it. To see a listing of certified Shenfa Society instructors, click here.

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Northern Chinese Martial Arts

Praying Mantis

Paul Sun (孫博文) was introduced to northern styles of Chinese martial arts by his uncle, James Wu (吳長螢). James Wu learned praying mantis from Shi Zhengzhong (施政忠), who had many teachers across different families of praying mantis, and traded forms with peers from different sects, but whose primary two teachers were Zhang Dekui (張德奎) and Li Hongjie (李鴻傑). A split lineage showing these lines follows:

• Wang Lang (王朗)
• Li Bingxiao (李炳霄)
• Zhao Zhu (趙珠)
• Liang Xuexiang (梁學香)
  • Song Zide (宋子德)
    • Wang Zhijing (王之敬)
      • Zhang Dekui (張德奎)
        • Shi Zhengzhong (施政忠)
          • James Wu (吳長螢)
            • Paul Sun (孫博文)
              • Andrew Shinn (沈安吉)
  • Jiang Hualong (姜化龍)
    • Li Kunshan (李崑山)
      • Li Dengwu (李登五)
        • Yang Fengshi (楊逢時)
      • Li Hongjie (李鴻傑)
        • Shi Zhengzhong (施政忠)
          • James Wu (吳長螢)
            • Paul Sun (孫博文)
              • Andrew Shinn (沈安吉)

Paul’s education in praying mantis and other northern styles was continued through his study with Ho Tsong-Yuan (何聰源 ; pinyin Hé Cōngyuán). Ho Tsong-Yuan learned praying mantis from a variety of sources, including but not limited to Gao Daosheng (高道生) and Yang Fengshi (楊逢時). Ho Tsong-Yuan would accompany his teacher Wu Shaolin (武紹林) on trips to Gao’s school, where he became brothers with Yang Fengshi, who was a student of Gao’s at the time but also learned under Li Dengwu (李登五), Zhang Dekui (張德奎) [see above lienage chart] and increased the mantis repertoire in Gao’s school. Here is a lineage of Gao Daosheng’s Longfist Praying Mantis:

• Wang Lang (王朗)
• Li Bingxiao (李炳霄)
• Zhao Zhu (趙珠)
• Liang Xuexiang (梁學香)
• Liang Zhongchuan (梁中川) [son of Liang Xuexiang]
• Huang Yongkai (黃永凱)
• Ji Zhongde (紀忠德)
• Wang Songting (王松亭)
• Gao Daosheng (高道生)
  • Yang Fengshi (楊逢時)
  • Ho Tsong-Yuan (何聰源)
    • Paul Sun (孫博文)
      • Andrew Shinn (沈安吉)

Longfist and Ground Earth

The primary source of information for Longfist and Ground Earth styles in the Shenfa Society is Ho Tsong-Yuan. Ho Tsong-Yuan’s two primary teachers were Su Kegang (蘇克綱) and Wu Shaolin (武紹林), whose lineages are below:

Su Kegang (蘇克綱)

• Li Ermiandazi (李二麵袋子)
• Liu Xiwei (劉希偉)
• Su Kegang (蘇克綱)
• Ho Tsong-Yuan (何聰源)
• Paul Sun (孫博文)
• Andrew Shinn (沈安吉)

Wu Shaolin (武紹林)

• Graduate of the first class of the Qingdao Martial Arts Academy (青島國術館). He was a classmate of Gao Daosheng (高道生) and Sun Shaotang (孫紹棠).
• Later Wu Shaolin learned Sun Bin Quan (孫臏拳) from Yang Qingxian (楊慶先), who was the son of Yang Jindong (楊金棟).

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Southern Chinese Martial Arts

Six Harmonies Boxing (六 合 拳)

The Six Harmonies Boxing that we practice comes to the Shen Fa Society from James Wu, Paul Sun’s uncle. It is a strong example of Fujian boxing as practiced in Taiwan, and builds a solid body with strong but supple limbs.

Thanks to information generously provided to us by Ghyslain Kuehn, his teacher Lu Wen Rui (盧文瑞), and his grand-teacher Lu Song Ji (呂松吉), we are able to expand our presentation of the history of this style a bit.

The Six Harmonies style we practice is an offshoot of Nan Zong Shaolin Cai Jia Quan (南宗少林蔡家拳), also known as “Tiger Eagle Boxing,” Hu Ying Quan (虎鷹拳). Lu Song Ji is the current head of the main branch.

The lineage below refers to the inheritance of Cai Jia Quan, and claims its origins in the Southern Shaolin Temple.

Lineage

• Chan Monk Zhi Wu (至悟禪師)
• Cai Jiuyi (蔡九儀)
• Cai Dezong (蔡德宗)
• Cai Botai (蔡伯泰)
• Cai Jiegao (蔡節高)
• Cai Wei (蔡尾)
• Wu Dachao (吳大朝)
• Chen Yizu (陳奕卒)
• James Wu (吳長螢)
• Paul Sun (孫博文)
• Andrew Shinn (沈安吉)

James Wu’s teacher, Chen Yizu, can be seen in this video:

Chen Yizu was born in 1907. He was originally a direct disciple of Chen Clan Chief Chen Chuangye (陳創業), and in 1925, he flew to Taiwan and was introduced to his master, Wu Dachao, as a close disciple. In 1933, at age 26, Chen Yizu began to accept apprentices and teach them Cai Jia Quan. Chen Yizu died in 1997 at age 88 in An Nan district of Tainan city.

Chen Yizu’s teacher, Wu Dachao, is a big name in the martial arts history of Taiwan. He was considered the master of the Jianghu at that time. Anyone who wanted to enter the Jianghu in Taiwan had to pay him his respects and ask for permission. He had links with both the outside world (officials, etc.) and the secret societies and triads. Cai Jia Quan, like most southern styles, has had deep links with the Hong Men / Tian Di Hui. Wu Dachao was very skilled in both Taizu Quan and Cai Jia Quan.

Chen Yizu’s art differs from the Cai Jia Quan practiced in the main line under Lu Song Ji (who was also a direct disciple of Chen Yizu’s master, Wu Dachao). At some point, one of Chen Yizu’s early students, Lin Tiansong (林天送 ), seems to have started referring to the art we practice as Liu He Quan, Six Harmonies Boxing. Chen Yizu’s son, Chen Kunliang (陳昆良), still practices the art in Taiwan.