March 19, 2008

London shaolinThis old photograph shows an elderly Yang Fatt Khun (standing) with Ho Fatt Nam squatting in the foreground.

As a young man Yang Fatt Khun earnt a living from a roadside stall selling medicines. Part of his sales pitch would be a demonstration of his kung fu skills. One evening an elderly passing monk happened upon the performance. The legend has it that after six nights of watching the demonstration the old monk confronted the young medicine seller telling him his kung fu for 'not real and only for show'. Of course the issue was soon put to test in a friendly sparring match in which Jiang Nan, the elderly monk, easily beat his young opponent.

Yang Fatt Khun became a student of Jiang Nan and years later passed what he had learnt to Ho Fatt Nam. One of the last students that Ho Fatt Nam accepted was a young man named Wong Kiew Kit. A hundred years from the start of our story the arts are passed on by the Shaolin Wahnam Institute. For your chance to join the story just click on the 'class info' button on the right.