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KU YU CHEUNG

Ku Yu Cheung learned his martial art from Yim Kai Wun, but to trace the origin of his Northern Shaolin Style Martial Art, one should go back to his father, the great Tam Tui Kicker, Ku Lei Chi. He was a follower of the Shaolin Monastery at Sung Shan. Ku Lei Chi, a native of Founing County, Kiangsi Province, had set up in Nanking an escort office, known as the Lei Chi Escort House, to furnish armed protection to merchant teams (these were security companies, similar to armed guards today). As an outstanding martial artist, his name had spread everywhere, having defeated innumerable roaming swordsmen who had happened to come his way. The heroes of greenwood, too, shuddered at the mention of his name, and where the banner of Lei Chi Escort House fluttered, all would be smooth going.

As a result, his escort business was booming and the number of escorts he engaged had become more than two hundred. Normally, he was in charge of the everyday routine in his escort house and only in exceptional cases did he care to take the trouble of escorting the merchant teams himself. His wife and children were then in his native village and it was time he got them to join him in Nanking, and he did, enjoying after that a happy family life.

Though Ku Lei Chi was conversant with the art of fighting, he was, nevertheless, illiterate. This went hard with him, for even to read the accounts of receipts and payments he had to turn to others for help. He had three children, two boys and a girl, the elder son being known as Yu Man and the younger Yu Cheung. He decided that they should not be uneducated like himself.

As soon as Ku Yu Cheung had attained the age of seven, he was sent to a private school, and not until he was twelve did he begin to pick up the martial arts. The elder brother, Ku Yu Man was not interested in the fighting skills, being by nature quiet. Ku Yu Cheung, was on the other hand, fond of the martial arts and was as clever as he was diligent.

Ku Lei Chi was well pleased with his two sons. The one, he thought, would reflect glory on his ancestors, while the other could carry on his work. As the saying goes, “A tiger-like father will not have a dog-like son.” He had good reason to be well contented.

Heaven often begrudges the wishes of men, and Ku Lei Chi was suddenly taken ill and confined to bed for over a month, without any sign of recovering. The doctor could do nothing to cure him and he knew this would be his end. He sent for Yu Man and Yu Cheung to come to his bedside, utterly overwhelmed with grief and his eyes brimming with tears.

He told them that he had been lying in bed for quite some time and none of the drugs he had taken had been of any good. He thought he might not live long, as he was well on in his years. Now that he had attained what he had wished for, he should not be unreasonable and ask for more. He was quite ready to quit this world, and his only regret, he said, being that he would be unable to hand down to his own son all the martial art techniques he knew. He continued telling them that if they had made up their minds to become martial artists, they could go to Feicheng of Shangtung Province to see Yim Kai Wun and become his disciples.

Ku Yu Cheung bore this in mind. A few days later, Ku Lei Chi's illness had taken a turn for the worse and he passed away. The whole family was grieved beyond words and Yu Cheung, then fourteen, fell to his knees and wept in sorrow at the loss of his father.

Grandmaster Ku Yu Cheung was known for his

incredible feats of strength. Here he is pictured

bending an iron bar around his arm!

Remember now that Ku Yu Cheung’s father had passed away, and his mother had many hard decisions to make. Being the two brothers were too young to run the Escort House, she made the decision to shutter the business and dismiss all the escorts. They then respectfully carried the spirit tablet of Ku Lei Chi back to their native village and there they mourned for the deceased.

In spite of his youth, Ku Yu Cheung knew he had had a plan for his future. The kung fu he had learned from his mother for the last two years was far from being adequate to set him on his way. Thus, with the consent of his respectable mother, he left for Nanking and there he entered a middle school.

Pak Chi Cheung, a native of Nanking, was his classmate, whose father kept a business firm in Nanking. Ku Yu Cheung was a constant guest in the shop, and as he was not a good-for-nothing ruffian, Pak Chi Cheung's parents were glad to have their son associated with him, and in time they all became close friends.

How time flies! Two years passed very quickly, and Ku Yu Cheung was already sixteen years of age. He was by now quite fed up with book learning and felt that too much time had been wasted. Then it suddenly flashed through his mind what his father had told him on his deathbed; to look for Yim Kai Wun in Feicheng of Shantung Province and become his disciple.

Ku Yu Cheung packed up and was ready to leave school, and as Pak Chi Cheung had been his close friend for years, there existed a profound friendship between them. With Ku Yu Cheung leaving, Pak Chi Cheung realized he would be grieved beyond measure. He therefore asked Ku Yu Cheung why did he not go on with his studies. Ku Yu Cheung revealed to Pak Chi Cheung the secrets of his heart, telling him that he had no mind to continue schooling and that he was leaving for home to have a short family reunion with his mother before going North to learn kung fu in Shantung.

The moment Pak Chi Cheung knew Ku Yu Cheung's intentions; he was bent on following him, even though he was still young in age. The thought of Pak Chi Cheung leaving for a distant place had caused his mother much worry, for she loved her son dearly. The father, however, thought quite otherwise. He was of the opinion that a boy should make an earnest effort to stand on his own two feet and his ambition should extend beyond what was under his nose. Even at his young age, Pak Chi Cheung had such lofty ambitions that his father felt this was something to be congratulated, and so he granted his son’s request. Accompanied by Pak Chi Cheung, Ku Yu Cheung went home to visit for a few days.

Fearing that his mother would hold him back, he could not but leave her a note and take a French leave. He was quite sad in his mind, and though the South Mountain be moved, he would not waver in his will (Chinese folk saying). Together with Pak Chi Cheung he went north to Shantung. Arriving at Tsinang, he was told that Feicheng was to the southwest of Taian County, and It took them more than a day to reach Feicheng.

Again showing his incredible strength, and the power of

his internal 'Chi', Grandmaster Ku Yu Cheung not only

supports the weight of the boulder, but the added weight

of three adults!

Remember that Ku Yu Cheung and Pak Chi Cheung had traveled to Feicheng. Here Ku Yu Cheung discovered that Yim Gat Fort (Fort of the Yim family) was some thirty miles north of Feicheng. As it was growing late in the day and night was approaching, they had to stay at an inn for the night. The next morning they made an appearance at the Yim Gat Fort, where a young male page led them to a house with a porch and three courtyards. The house and courtyards were very extensive with all types of weapons placed throughout them, such as stone mortars and pestles, wooden human figures (classic wooden dummies), and pounding sticks, etc.

They soon saw an older gentleman, quite high-spirited, teaching kung fu to his disciples, and discovered that he was none other than Yim Kai Wun. Both Ku Yu Cheung and Pak Chi Cheung came before the Master and saluted and bowed to him, saying they had come to learn kung fu from him as they had heard of his great fame. The Master, Yim Kai Wun knew of course that they had traveled from afar, but had no clear idea as to their native province.

Ku Yu Cheung told Master Yim Kai Wun that he was the second son of Ku Lei Chi, the founder and boss of the Lei Chi Escort House, and that his father had considered him the ‘grand master of the day’ when he had passed away two years prior.

Ku Yu Cheung spoke at length to Yim Kai Wun of his love of kung fu and that he had stopped practicing his martial arts since his father’s death two years ago. He spoke also of his long travels from a distant place and of his friend, Pak Chi Cheung, who had accompanied him on this journey in search of a master.

It was at this point in the conversation that Yim Kai Wun realized that standing before him was none other than his nephew. This reminded him of events in the past, as some years before he had escorted a certain merchant to Kiangsi in the South. Due to his negligence, he had fallen into the trap of Kou Fu, a notorious bandit chieftain. It was Ku Yu Cheung’s father, Ku Lei Chi who had saved him from this dangerous situation, and from this episode had sprang a close relationship between them.

Another Photo of Master Cheung demonstrating

the mighty Ion Palm.

Note that there are 12 bricks

in this stack, all cracked and broken!

Alas, Feicheng and Nanking were quite distant from each other, and it was not easy for Yim Kai Wun and Ku Lei Chi to see each other, a pity though it was. Yim Kai recalled that when he visited Ku Lei Chi on his way South, Ku Yu Cheung was but a frolicsome young boy, and now with his beloved friend gone, he had grown up into a man. It was now time for him to return kindness with kindness and to teach Ku Yu Cheung kung fu, even if it was only an expression of his gratitude for an old friend. Yim Kai Wun took both Ku Yu Cheung and Pak Chi Cheung as his disciples.

Ku Yu Cheung followed his Sifu for eleven years. The ten ways of Shaolin Tam Kick Ku Yu Cheung and Pak Chi Cheung had learned soon after they had gone through the formality of 'acknowledge the master', this being the basic training of leg movements and it usually took one six months to complete the course. Nevertheless, they both took delight in learning, and learned with diligence, not in the least cowed by hardship.

Time flies like an arrow and almost in a twinkling of an eye nine years had already passed. One day Pak Chi Cheung received a letter from home, telling him to inform his Sifu of the grave condition of his father's health and to leave for home. Soon, he took leave of his Sifu and Ku Yu Cheung, and upon his arriving at his home, Pak Chi Cheung went into mourning for his father's death. As he had to look after his father's shop, Pak Chi Cheung could not go back to Feicheng to continue his martial art training.

Here Grandmaster Ku Yu Cheung is having

a slab of quarried stone broken

on his head with a sledge hammer.

Ku Yu Cheung followed Yim Kai Wun for eleven years. He was then twenty-seven and it was the tenth year of the founding of the Republic of China. In addition to the skills of the Northern Shaolin Style of Martial Art, he was by now thoroughly well versed in the Buk Sil Lum hand forms, the techniques of Iron-Sand Palm, and Iron Body training (Gum Jung Chi Gung). He had also learned the breath control of the kung fu, the flying spears and the flying knives, and many other weapons. At this time, he happened to write home and was told by return post that his mother had passed away, and that both his elder sister and elder brother had been married. This news made him quite home sick, and he bade his beloved Sifu farewell and left for home.

Just before he made his departure, Yim Kai Wun gave him some moral advice, saying that his skills had now reached an adequate level that would enable him to stand on his own feet. However the world, he added, was quite large, and beyond this mountain there was yet another mountain. Great talents and crack hands were everywhere and one should always act with care. Ku Yu Cheung assured his Sifu of his carrying out what he was told to do, took leave of Sifu Yim and henceforth began to make his way in the world.

Remember that Ku Yu Cheung had left his Sifu of eleven years, Yim Kai Wun. Ku Yu Cheung continued to learn martial arts from other masters. He learned ‘Tai Chi Chuan’ and sword from Master Lee King Lum. He learned the ‘Cha Kuen’ style from Master Yu Jung Sing and the ‘Hsing Yi Kuen’ from Master Sen Lok Tong.

In 1925, Ku Yu Cheung left the North and journeyed south, where he became the Chief Body Guard for the Secretary of Finance, Yim Ka Chi. In 1926, he became the Chief Instructor of the Nanjing Martial Arts Association. In the winter of 1928, the military commander of Canton founded the Canton Kwayzou Martial Arts School in Guangzhou. He appointed Man Li Sing as Principal of the school, and Ku Yu Cheung as the Chief Instructor of the school. He worked there for only half a year, as the military was having some internal conflicts, and the commander that had founded the school had to resign his commission.

Ku Yu Cheung opened a school of his own, the Guangzhou Kung Fu Association. At this same time, the now famous Buk Sing Choy Lay Fut Master, Tarm Sarm, had opened a school of his own, and he and Ku Yu Cheung became very close friends. They had both trained together, and soon had an exchange program in place for their respective students, so they could gain the benefit of both the styles being taught. This exchange of talents, concepts and techniques is considered even to this day to be one of the greatest things to happen in the Chinese Martial Arts circle.

In 1934, the Canton Military Commander in Chief, Chan Gio Tong, appointed Ku Yu Cheung to become the Chief Instructor in martial arts for the military. By this time, Ku Yu Cheung was very well known and quite famous for his Iron Body and Iron Palm skills. He would do demonstrations by having a truck loaded with three of his students drive over his body!

Again, Grandmaster Ku Yu Cheung demonstrates the power

of internal Chi. The car is parked on his stomach, with the

added weight of the passenger on the running board!

In one legendary feat of strength, a circus from Ceylon was visiting Canton (Guanzhou) and with it came a strong weight lifter called Kalik, who was skilled in Qigong (Chi Gung), the Internal Strength. His show of strength was to have a horse trample on his stomach and be able to absorb this punishment without being bruised. He was an extremely arrogant individual, and ridiculed the Chinese as ‘Sick Men of Asia’. Kalik challenged anyone to perform his feat and offered a five hundred dollar prize and a motorcycle.

Ku Yu Cheung could not stand the arrogance of this man and his constant insults of the Chinese people, so he accepted the challenge. He took his position on the ground, and focused his internal power (Chi). The horse, ridden by Kalik, kicked out with its hind legs but missed. On the second kick, the hind legs struck their target, Ku Yu Cheung’s stomach. To the surprise of Kalik and the onlookers, there was no affect on Master Ku! Master Ku was not finished, and he proposed that since the horse had kicked him, it would be only fair to have the horse receive a blow from him in return.

This was agreed upon, and as Kalik rode past Master Ku, he struck the horse with his palm. The horse immediately fell to the ground, dumping his rider, and died a short time later! Master Ku Yu Cheung had used the ‘Swallow’ principles to absorb the power of the horse’s kick. He had used the Iron Palm technique in hitting the horse, a technique that is known to only a few modern masters. Named a general in the nationalist military, Ku Yu Cheung fought the bloody struggle of the Sino-Japanese War and survived such atrocities as the rape of Nanjing to retire from military service to teach kung fu in the new capital Nanjing. He continued his study of the internal arts, such as Sun Style Tai Chi with Sun Lu Tang and died in what was believed to be his late fifties in 1952. So ends the final chapter of another of the truly great Grandmasters of the Chinese Martial Arts. Even today, Ku Yu Cheung is considered to be one of the greatest of all the Northern Shaolin Style practitioners.

These are the very principles & techniques that are taught within the White Lotus Kung Fu School .

Our thanks to Great Masters like Ku Yu Chueng , We thank them for the wealth of knoll age that they passed on to us.