Five Elders

In Southern Chinese folklore, the Five Elders of Shaolin (Chinese: 少林五祖; pinyin: Shàolín wǔ zǔ; Jyutping: Siu3 lam4 ng5 zou2), also known as the Five Generals are the survivors of one of the destructions of the Shaolin temple by the Qing Dynasty, variously said to have taken place in 1647, in 1674 or in 1732.

This article is about the folklore figures. For the martial art style, see Five Ancestors.

Five Elders
Chinese	少林五祖
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Shàolín wǔ zǔ Wade–Giles Shao⁴-lin² wu³ tzu³ Tongyong Pinyin Shào-lín wǔ zǔ IPA [ʂâulǐn ù tsù] Yue: Cantonese Yale Romanization Siu làhm ngh jóu Jyutping Siu^3 lam^4 ng^5 zou^2 Canton Romanization Siu^3 lem^4 ng^5 zou^2 IPA [ɕīːu lɐ̏m ŋ̬̍ tsǒu]

The original Shaolin Monastery was built on the north side of Shaoshi Mountain, the central peak of Mount Song, one of the Sacred Mountains of China, located in the Henan Province, by Emperor Xiaowen of the Northern Wei Dynasty in 477. At various times throughout history, the monastery has been destroyed (burned down) for political reasons, and rebuilt many times.[1]

A number of traditions also make reference to a Southern Shaolin Monastery located in Fujian province.[2][3] Associated with stories of the supposed burning of Shaolin by the Qing government and with the tales of the Five Elders, this temple, sometimes known by the name Changlin, is often claimed to have been either the target of Qing forces or a place of refuge for monks displaced by attacks on the original Shaolin Monastery. Besides the debate over the historicity of the Qing-era destruction, it is unknown whether there was a true southern temple, with several locations in Fujian given as the site for the monastery. Fujian does have a historic monastery called Changlin, and a monastery referred to as a "Shaolin cloister" has existed in Fuqing, Fujian, since the Song Dynasty. Whether these have any actual connection to the Henan monastery or a martial tradition is still unknown.[4]

The Five Elders of Shaolin

Within many martial arts circles, the original Five Elders of Shaolin are said to be:

	Traditional Chinese	Simplified Chinese	Mandarin pinyin	Cantonese Yale
Ji Sin (Gee Sin)	至善禪師	至善禅师	Zhì Shàn Chán Shī	Ji Sin Sim Si	Also transliterated as Ji Sin Sim Si, literally, Chan (Zen) teacher" Speculated to be also known as Chi Thien Su.
Ng Mui	五梅大師	五梅大师	Wǔ Méi Dà Shī	Ng Mui Daai Si	Noted for Ng Mui Kuen, Wing Chun Kuen, Dragon style, White Crane, and Five-Pattern Hung Kuen
Bak Mei (Pei Mei)	白眉道人	白眉道人	Bái Méi Dào Rén	Bak Mei Dou Yan	Literally "Taoist with White Eyebrows" Speculated to be also known as Chu Long Tuyen.
Fung Dou Dak	馮道德	冯道德	Féng Dàodé	Fung Dou Dak	Taoist Founder of Bak Fu Pai.
Miu Hin	苗顯	苗显	Miáo Xiǎn	Miu Hin	an "unshaved" (lay) Shaolin disciple

The Five Family Elders

The founders of the five major family styles of Southern Chinese martial arts were all students of Gee Sin (see above), and are sometimes referred to as the Five Elders. This has caused some confusion.

Common English	Traditional Chinese	Simplified Chinese	Mandarin pinyin	Cantonese Yale
Hung Hei (Goon)	洪熙官	洪熙官	Hóng Xīguān	Hung Hei (Goon)	founder of Hung Ga
Lau Saam Ngan	劉三眼	刘三眼	Liú Sānyǎn	Lau Saam Ngan	literally "Three-Eyes" Lau; founder of Lau Gar
Choi Gau Yi	蔡九儀	蔡九仪	Cài Jiǔyí	Choi Gau Yi	founder of Choi Gar
Lei Yau Saan	李友山	李友山	Lǐ Yǒushān	Lei Yau Saan	founder of Lei Gar; teacher of Choy Li Fut founder Chan Heung
Mok Ching Giu	莫清矯	莫清矫	Mò Qīngjiǎo	Mok Ching Giu	founder of Mok Gar

See also

• Fong Sai-Yuk
• Shaolin kung fu
• Tiandihui/Hongmen

References

1. Shahar, Meir (December 2001). "Ming-Period Evidence of Shaolin Martial Practice". Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies. Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies. 61 (2): 359–413. doi:10.2307/3558572. ISSN 0073-0548. JSTOR 3558572.
2. Title: Martial Arts of the World [2 volumes]: An Encyclopedia of History and Innovation, Thomas A. Green (Editor), Joseph R. Svinth (Editor) Page. 94, Hardcover: 663 pages,Publisher: ABC-CLIO (June 11, 2010), Language: English, ISBN 1598842439, ISBN 978-1598842432
3. "Destruction of shaolin temple". Archived from the original on 2012-11-12. Retrieved 2012-10-16.
4. Author: Meir Shahar, Publisher: University of Hawaii Press; 1 edition (January 1, 2008), Language: English, ISBN 082483349X, ISBN 978-0824833497

Further reading

• Chu, Robert; Ritchie, Rene; Wu, Y. (1998). Complete Wing Chun: The Definitive Guide to Wing Chun's History and Traditions. Boston: Tuttle Publishing. ISBN 0-8048-3141-6.