Living LegendIt was a tremendous honor to host Great Grand Master The Kang Hay, my Sukong, of the Shaolin Hek Ki Boen Eng Chun Pai at the Ving Tsun Museum in Dayton, Ohio on June 1st and 2nd, 2011.
After searching for the truth, root, origins, history, and philosophy of Wing Chun since 1993 as Curator of the Ving Tsun Museum, I have had the privilege to meet, interact, and learn from many great, famous (and some not so famous) teachers - some of whom became my Sifu, and some of whom I view as brothers and sisters in the larger Kung Fu Family. I've certainly had my share of politics, internal and external, disappointments, betrayals, and the like - but I've also had tremendous insights, shared joy and love of learning, developed an expanded sense of the truly life-changing (and positive) impact the martial arts can make on a person's life, and celebrated the growth, maturity and development of my own students, and now my grand students.
The reason I joined the Shaolin Hek Ki Boen Eng Chun family was primarily due to the personal caliber of Suhu Kenneth Lin. I can honestly say I'm one of the most well-studied martial artists and kung fu guys on the planet but I was happily humbled by Suhu Lin's personal skill, martial arts ethics (mo dak), and compassion for others. After more interaction with the extended Shaolin Hek Ki Boen family - including the elders and younger students in Indonesia - I'm certain I made the right decision. Suhu Lin's teacher, Great Grand Master The Kang Hay, is - to me - a living Shaolin Warrior Monk (woseung). He doesn't shave his head, wear robes, or live in a temple, but in every facet of his being he is the example of the Shaolin Warrior Monks of old: not only is his skill and knowledge exceptional, but he also possesses a shinning, humble and compassionate heart and in a glowing spirit.
The Great Grand Master's teaching truly represents the heart of compassion and personal cultivation. For example, the Hek Ki Boen lineage has been under public criticism (some might say attack) since the lineage went public. We have identified the primary source of the criticism but during our time together, there wasn't one moment the Great Grandmaster talked negative about anyone - including the "attackers" or people who have broken promises; instead, he taught us a better way to see the situation, with the proper focus. Without getting into the details of the day-by-day activities, let me highlight a few key moments:
- 1) Great Grand Master The's sensitivity in energy and Qi is extremely advanced. When he connects with you - even as simple as shaking hands or simply looking at you - he can get to know you, telling you things about who you are and your characteristics.
- 2) When he demonstrated his kung fu, he really expressed the essence of what is internal and soft. His ability to absorb your energy is exceptional. During a private lesson, he extended his index fingers and absorbed all my strikes with minimal effort (jabs, crosses, hooks, and uppercuts) - witnessed by Suhu Lin and one of my students. This reminded me of a scene in Kung Fu Panda 2, in how Po and Master Shifu flowed with the drops of water. I felt like I was seeing the skill of the movie brought to light as the Great Grand Master was playing with me. My student wanted to try, and the Great Grand Master demonstrated the same skill then counter-attacked with a single finger whip to my student's wrist. My student immediately reacted as if hit by a massive force, his eyes bulging and face contorting in pain.
He also demonstrated the ability to emit power with little-to-no distance and almost no movement. And even as he is now in his senior years, he would say where he would hit you on your body, and move so quickly to the target you couldn't stop him. This was demonstrated during the workshop. Many times he also demonstrated his skill with live attacks by allowing participants to attempt various attacks in chi sau, loose training, and free training - his skill was so far above his attacker, that we would even dance with his feet while simultaneously stopping an attack and positioning for a counter-attack that couldn't be stopped!
- 3) In his teaching, he was always humorous and focused on character. But his teaching of positive character is tied directly back to the physical techniques, drills, and training methods. This is what's so great about this system, to me: the body, mind/emotions, and spirit are all connected in a direct relationship. For example, in the Virginia Headquarters, he taught us the emotional training in the Sam Chian Po which is primarily focused on the middle Dan Tien area. In Dayton, he focused on spiritual training in the Sam Chian Po which is primarily focused on the upper Dan Tien area. Everyone realized that there is no end to the personal cultivation possible through the Sam Chian Po.
- 4) In Dayton, the Great Grand Master also went extensively into the Shaolin Hek Ki Boen theory, which revealed the core principles and concepts that give the system Maximum Efficiency. As a researcher, this was extremely enlightening. It was fascinating to see how all the pieces come together. Throughout the Dayton workshop, he demonstrated many applications through bridge hand training, stick hand training, and joint controlling drills (kam na). He also took the effort and time for all participants to work with him one-on-one; for those participants he felt needed extra attention, he didn't hesitate to share additional time and expertise.
- 5) Outside of the kung fu training, he maintained a monk's disposition: happy, grateful and thoughtful. Never once did he demand anything, or complain anything (or anyone). He is simply a walking and talking example of a positive body, positive mind, positive emotions, and a positive spirit. The few days I shared with the Great Grand Master will be memories I treasure for the rest of my life.
- 6) Finally, in light of everything else above... Great Grand Master The was in a car accident over 10 years ago that took the life of two of his sons. The accident also left the Great Grand Master with effective blindness in his right eye, a constant ringing in his right ear, his right shoulder blade was removed, several of the ribs on the right side of his body are floating (more than just the naturally floating ribs), he has pins in the lower part of his body... and yet he never complained or even winced the entire workshop, still has joy in his heart, and still laughs easily and naturally. Truly he expresses non-attachment, which is the ultimate goal of training in the system.
Suhu Lin was right next to the Great Grand Master the entire trip to assist and help out with translation. Suhu Lin also had support in translation from Royce, a student of Great Grand Master The from Indonesia (and also the nephew of Grand Master Tio Tik Kwi). Royce travels the world to play golf and directly attributes his success to learning Hek Ki Boen Eng Chun with Great Grand Master The.
For me, Great Grand Master The is one of the highest level martial artists, and one of the highest level human beings, I've ever had the privilege to meet in my entire life. He expresses a senior level of skill in all facets of life, not just in chronological age. This is why he is the successor and senior Great Grand Master of Shaolin Hek Ki Boen Eng Chun today.
And, as always, much gratitude and thanks are owed to Grand Master Lin for making such a wonderful event possible. It was his vision to bring the system out to the public. Without his dedication and sacrifice, none of this would have been possible.
