jee shim

One of the Shaolin five elders, Jee Shim was the abbot of the southern Shaolin temple in Fukien. Jee Shim used his position at the southern Shaolin temple to organize activities wit secret anti government societies. After the destruction of the southern Shaolin temple at the hands of the Qing government Jee Shim traveled on the opera boats that frequented the waterways of Guangdong. Interesting to note, according to Ving Tsun legend, it was during this time that Jee Shim passed his long staff techniques to the performers and anti Qing sympathizers aboard the red opera boats. Once in Canton Jee Shim took six students. The six students were Liu Chan, Hung Hei Koon, Choy Chin Kwong, Mok Tai Cheung, Lee Yau Shan and Lau San. Five of these six students would eventually go on to form the five families of southern kung fu. The five families Hung, Lau, Choy, Lee, Mok form the foundation for most of the southern systems in existence today. Lee Yau Shan went on to promote the martial arts taught to him by the Shaolin Monk Jee Shim. Eventually he taught Chan Heung and laid a valuable piece of the foundation to the Choy Lay Fut system.

*Note: The information in this section of the website is based on oral transmission. Over time facts can become distorted or exaggerated. While reading this always remember that it is the usefulness of the method practiced today that is important.