The Shrine that is typically placed in the front of the class is a very important part of the cultural heritage of Shaolin Hung Méi Kung Fu (少林洪眉派功夫). Having the Shrine not only gives us the opportunity to show respect to Guān Yŭ (關羽) (also called Yún Cháng (雲長) or Guān Gōng (關公)), one of the greatest men produced in China's greater than 5,000 year history, but provides a means to honor our Hung Mèi and Hung Mén ancestors.

The Shrine is divided into two parts, an upper half and a lower half. The picture in the top half shows Guān Yŭ (關羽) and his two, sworn blood brothers, Liú Bèi (劉備) and Zhāng Fēi (張飛). Guān Yŭ (關羽) is the man with the red face and the long, flowing beard. In China , whereas Confucius is worshipped as the greatest man of scholarly learning, Guān Yŭ (關羽) is worshipped as the greatest man of military prowess. His influence on the morality and practices of the Chinese has been far-reaching.

Guān Yŭ (關羽) was born in Xièxian (present day Changpíng Village , Xiézhōu Town , Yúnchéng, Shān Xī (山西) Province) in A.D. 160. He was an excellent master of martial arts and was known for his strength, dedication, honesty, loyalty and patriotism. As a result, many Emperors granted him honorary titles, the most popular of which, "Guān the Holy King" was given to him by Emperor Wan Lì of the Ming dynasty.

It is said that Guān Yŭ (關羽) was first worshipped as a divine being sometime during the Suí (隋) Dynasty (A.D. 581-618).  One night, a Buddhist Monk, Zhi Kai, claimed to have seen a vision of Guān Yŭ who wanted to become a disciple of Buddha. Afterward, Zhi Kai reported the meeting to Yang Guang, Prince of Jin, who gave Guān Yŭ (關羽) the title of " Temple Guardian of Law".

To properly show respect for Guān Yŭ (關羽), Liú Bèi (劉備) and Zhāng Fēi (張飛), three cups of tea and three plates with three pieces of fruit on each, are placed on the top shelf of the Shrine at the beginning of each class. In addition, the Teacher or a senior student lights three sticks of incense and, holding the incense, bows to the Shrine three times.

The plaque mounted on the bottom half of the Shrine pays respect to our Hung family ancestors. The writing across the top and down the center of the plaque essentially translates to mean "…in honor of the Shaolin ancestors who are seated here…". The names found to the left of center, Léi Bāi Xíng (雷白行) and Wú Shén Xĭ (吳神禧), are our forefathers from Hung Méi. The names to the right, Lín Ya Qìng (林亞慶) and Huáng Shuĭ Xíng (黃水行), are our ancestors from Hung Mén. Only the names of the Grandmasters who have passed away can be placed on the plaque. We light one stick of incense in remembrance of all of those from Shaolin who came before us.




Ten Rules for the Student to Keep in Mind at All Times

1. Maintain the honor of Hung Méi Kung Fu (洪眉功夫) at all times whether in class or in the general public.
2. Respect, loyalty and dedication should be shown toward Shī Fù (師父).
3. Respect and courtesy must be shown toward Shī Xiōng (師兄) (Elder Brother)
   and Shī Jiě (師姐) (Elder Sister).
4. Friendliness and helpfulness should always be shown to colleagues.
5. Do not be antagonistic toward other people but be gentle, understanding and merciful. Always be humble and refrain from aggressiveness, greed and boasting.
6. Use the Art only for LEGITIMATE SELF-DEFENSE - avoid combat and challenges.
7. Do not show the art to others who are not part of the Association - especially just to be a "show off" or "know-it-all".
8. Be disciplined to yourself and others.
9. Practice steadily without interruption.
10. Sincerity and loyalty to Hung Méi (洪眉) is essential in order to be a true disciple.

In order to truly learn your art, you must learn these rules. You will gain the respect and admiration of those around you as well as become a true disciple of Kung Fu (功夫). 

Some Important Terms

Shī Fù (師父) means "Knowledgeable Father"
Shī Xiōng (師兄) means "Elder Brother"
Shī Dì (師弟) means "Younger Brother"
Shī Jiě (師姐) means "Elder Sister"
Shī Méi (師妹) means "Younger Sister"

The Meaning of the Sashes Worn in Hung Mei

In Hung Méi Kung Fu (洪眉功夫), sashes are worn to signify the level of advancement of a practitioner in the Art. When one begins training, he or she will wear a red sash. As the student advances, he or she will be granted permission to test for a promotion and, if successful, will be given a sash indicative of the new ranking. The second level sash is yellow. Subsequent to yellow, the student would be eligible for a blue sash. The blue sash carries a special significance since the wearer of a blue sash, with the permission of Shī Fù, can act as an assistant instructor in the class.

Traditionally, the white sash indicates the next level of proficiency. It is at the time of achieving this level that the student will begin to understand and "feel" the soft power of our form of Martial Art. The first level of black sash follows the white and includes both the hard and soft powers. It is important to remember that a student of the Art never stops learning, even after achieving the seventh or highest level of black sash. In the Martial Arts, as in life, one continues to grow and learn. It is important to be humble at all times since no matter how much you may think you know, there is always someone with a superior level of knowledge.

Generations

With the beginnings of Kung Fu (功夫) in ancient China , the tradition of generations was established. A generation begins with the formation of a group of disciples in training under a
Shī Fù (師父). When one of these disciples, in turn, becomes a Shī Fù (師父) with his or her own group of students, a new generation is born. Each succeeding generation is started in this way and will continue as long as there are teachers and students.

In Kung Fu (功夫), as in any culture or society, there are different ways of showing respect. In Kung Fu, this greeting or show of respect is called "bai" (拜) or "bai zhù" (拜祝). As will be shown in class, there are different ways to perform the "bai" (拜) depending upon whether you are showing respect to Tai Shī Fù (太師父), Shī Fù (師父) or Shī Xiōng (師兄), Shī Jiě (師姐), Shī Dì (師弟) and Shī Méi (師妹). The stance for the "bai" (拜) shown to Shī Fù (師父) is called Diē Bó (跌搏), where one knee is down. As the generations alternate, so does the knee, which is down on the ground. For example, the students who learned directly from Zōng Shī Choung Shi Wú Shén Xī (宗師吳神禧), “bai” with the left knee down. Those who learn from his student, Tai Shī Fù Tonny Kho (師父許敬唐), will “bai” with their right knee down.

Another way in which the generation of a particular disciple is displayed is the side on which he or she knots the sash. As each new generation is formed, the side the sash is tied on alternates.

Four Elements of Teaching at SHMKF Kinesiology approach Northern versus Southern approach Health, self defense and/or promotion of culture The Individual component Kinesiology Approach The science of Kinesiology (the study of movement) includes many ways of interpreting and analyzing movement. One method teaches that all movements conform and mimic a “perfect” model. Another indicates that there is an optimal method for each individual. At SHMKF, we create a balance between these two concepts.The typical new student has not yet developed the specific sense of body synergy required by our practice. To be able to properly and effectively execute techniques, he needs to create a foundation of understanding. As a result, the student is instructed to be consistent with established ideals for the movements: eye contact; foot placement; shoulder, knee hip and shoulder orientation; and so on. In an effort to help the student gain the underlying, required “feeling”, the Teachers are very detailed while instructing and have created specific exercises to develop difficult, isolated, yet critical components of the movements. Once a student has demonstrated a real sense of body awareness, the technical exactness of the movement is no longer as important as total integration within the individual. Each of us has different body geometries, levels of flexibility, strength, speed, characters, and mind sets and “feel” movement differently. Once the student has reached this level, he needs to be free to adapt the execution to conform to his personal set of skills. Northern vs. Southern Shaolin Hung Mei Kung Fu contains a great variety of technique. In broad terms, we are composed of approximately 65% Northern and 35% Southern Shaolin (see the “History” section). Having such extensive content offers an effective teaching tool. Since each of us is truly an individual possessing different skills, different techniques apply better to some than others. All students learn the same fundamentals. Learning the full set of fundamentals including Tai Tzu Ying Jao (Southern), 12 Tan Tui (Northern), 12 Tan Tui Shuang Da, and Yung Chuen Shi Tse Quan (Southern) can take anywhere from one to two years. The students develop a greater sense of body awareness and the Teachers have the opportunity to better understand the individual students. Once students reach this stage, they are channeled down either a path of Southern or Northern practice depending upon which is more suitable. For example, one story teaches us that the people in the north had long legs relative to their torsos and were very skilled at leg technique (Bei Tui or Northern Leg). The people in the South had long torsos relative to their leg lengths and possessed the skill of assuming low, granite like stances and executing close range, upper body technique (Nan Quan or Southern Fist). If students remain with the practice long enough, they will cross over and learn the complimentary movements. These techniques may or may not become part of her core competency, but learning them will create a greater balance in the overall practice. Health, Self Defense and/or the Promotion of Culture There are three basic reasons for the practice of Kung Fu – health, self defense and/or the promotion of culture. Different students train for any one or combination of these three. The Teachers need to be aware of the individual student’s focus and instruct based upon that knowledge. Although the content will be the same, the concentration may be different. For example, the student who is mostly concerned with health may spend much of his time training Tao Lu or “sets” while the student who desires to gain defense skills, while also training Tao Lu, will highlight his practice of such exercises as Wu Heng, Xiao Lin Juan and so on. The Individual Component Every student is different – different age, character, mind set, physical abilities, goals, and so on. Such factors need to be carefully considered during the teaching/learning process. New students tend to emulate those more senior whether they are ready or not. While a student’s having goals in his practice will help keep him motivated, he should not be focused on what may happen in the future. Rather, she should remain mindful of the present training and avoid distractions. The Teachers help beginning students understand that it is the process of learning that is important and, while being aware of a goal, not become attached to the goal. Becoming attached to a goal can easily lead to frustrations and tensions if the objective is not readily achieved and these stresses create barriers to continued learning. Optimal learning requires that the student remain calm and open to receiving information allowing the knowledge to permeate his personal fabric. Each student needs to learn at her own pace. It is the Teacher’s responsibility to observe the student and come to know her well enough to establish a rate of learning that will maintain enthusiasm while not sacrificing quality. The student is simply asked to do his best and train with dedication and diligence. Learning will happen at the appropriate time.

In SHMKF, advancing levels of study are indicated by sash colors: Red – Yellow – Blue – White – Black. In contrast to many established martial arts systems, the white color is indicative of a high level of skill. It is at this level that the practitioner displays a deep understanding of “soft” or internal power requiring great awareness and integration of subtle forces. Many years of study and dedication to the practice are required before developing the ability to effectively execute internal technique.

While we recognize the benefits of a visible structure or hierarchy within the class, our culture de-emphasizes the drive to equate sash levels with skill and knowledge. Integrating the wisdom of authentic Kung Fu requires an investment of time and energy. Students need to be emotionally, spiritually and intellectually present during training and not be distracted by a possible future event. As a result, we hold tests infrequently. Rather, the students are taught according to their grasp of the teachings. Once they exhibit a level of understanding appropriate to their present state of learning, they will be introduced to new material regardless of sash level. When we do test, the student is evaluated based upon the knowledge and skill gained. If he or she has practiced with diligence and determination, the student may be eligible to skip levels. The Shaolin Hung Mei culture teaches us that the skill and knowledge assimilated by the student are critical factors in becoming an accomplished practitioner.