Shaolin-Do
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Shaolin-Do is a lineage of kung fu that traces its origins back to the Shaolin Temple. About 100 schools in the United States are in good standing with the current grandmaster, Sin Kwang Thé. Many of these schools are visited by Grandmaster Thé on an annual basis, when he conducts testing for senior black belts (2nd and above) and advanced training. If a school is too small or new to warrant a visit, the students will travel to a school that the Grandmaster will visit.
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[edit] Lineage of the Art
[edit] Grandmaster Su Kong T'ai Djin 1849 - 1928
One of the most famous Shaolin Master's is known as the "Dog Master." Born in the Fukien Province in 1849 he had genetic disorder called Hypertrichosis or Human Werewolf Syndrome.
Hypertrichosis causes the body to grow an excessive amount of hair. Believing he was a demon, his parents abandoned him in the woods, where he was rescued by Shaolin monks. Because he was rasied by the monks, each master thought of him as his own child and Su Kong T'ai Djin was able to train under all of the masters. According to the school's history Su Kong T'ai Djin realized that he would never be accepted into society, after seeing his reflection in a pool of water. Once he came to this realization he decided he would do something no man had ever done. He mastered everything the shaolin system had to offer, thus becoming the first grandmaster.
[edit] Grandmaster Ie Chang Ming 1880 - 1976
After the Shaolin temple was burned in the boxer rebellion, Su Kong T'ai Djin fled into the mountains with his best students, vowing to return during more favorable times. Ie Chang Ming was the senior student of Grandmaster Su. Su Kong T'ai Djin taught him everything he knew. Many years later, in an act of self-defence, Grandmaster Ie was forced to kill eleven Manchu soldiers. As a result, a bounty was placed on his head. He fled China and eventually settled in Bandung, Indonesia where set up a school, and continued the tradition of the Shaolin Monastery's kung fu.
[edit] Grandmaster Sin Kwang The 1943-
Sin Kwang The began studying under Grandmaster Ie Chang Ming when he was eight years old. He studied for up to eight hours a day, only taking time off to attend school and his chores. After five years of training, Sin Kwang The earned the rank of black belt. Realizing the need to have somebody to succeed him, Ie Chang Ming taught him with a vigor to determine if Sin Kwang The could become a Grandmaster. In 1968 he was awarded the title of Grandmaster at the age of 25. Grandmaster Sin had the intent to attend college in Berlin, Germany but because of the political situation of the time period, he was forced to choose another school. He considered UCLA but a professor from the University of Kentucky convinced him that he could get just as good an education for a fraction of the cost at UK.
When Ie Chang Ming died, Sin Kwang The discontinued his study. He had been working on a Masters degree in Nuclear Engineering at the University of Kentucky, but realized he was the only one left to continue the Shao-Lin lineage.
Grandmaster Sin specializes in the Golden Snake system.
[edit] Shaolin Do
Sin Kwang The established his school in Kentucky. There are now currently over 120 schools in over 29 states and four foreign countries in good standing with Grandmaster The. The art is also taught on many college campuses.
The style teaches numerous styles of Kung Fu. A student is required to know over 20 different forms before testing to black belt. The forms will include Tiger, Crane, Southern/Northern Fist, Bird, numerous weapons, and internal chi kung.
[edit] The Use of the Gi
Some have questioned the use of the "Gi" and belting methods.
One account says that when Ie Chang Ming was in Indonesia, the Indonesian government forbade the teaching of Chinese Martial Arts. In order to protect the art, Ie Chang Ming adopted the dress and terminology of Japanese martial arts. This included the uniform, the belt system, and the addition of "do" to the end of the name. While some believe that this may not be traditional attire, it can be argued that the uniforms associated with Kung Fu today are not truly traditional either. Please read below.
Another thing to consider: if one has ever been to the Shao-Lin temple in China and has seen the ancient statues, murals, and frescoes on the walls, they will have noticed that the Shao-Lin monks are depicted wearing V-neck tops, and belts of various colors - the same that that is used by the Grandmaster and most of his students and instructors. Therefore, the "Japanese gi" that is used in Shao-Lin Do today is the same one that was used by the Shao-Lin monks. Therfore it can be argued that the Japanese adopted the Shao-Lin uniform and not vice-versa.
Only since Mao Tse Tung were the Chinese martial artists actually forced to wear the frog-button peasant outfits that are, in this day and age, so readily associated with Chinese Kung-Fu. In communist China, everyone was made to wear the same outfit, regardless of profession or status. It has nothing to do with martial arts.
Since Mao Tse Tung and the communist movement outlawed martial arts (as Indonesia did later as well) and was known to have killed, exiled, or imprisoned many martial artists because of the unwillingness to stop their martial practice (and to have destroyed most of Shao-Lin temples since the turn of the century), one could argue that wearing frog-button uniforms for martial arts is not only non-traditional, but outright insulting to the history of martial arts and Shao-Lin monks in China.
Shao-Lin Do Grandmaster Sin Kwang The' and many of his instructors have preferred to educuate the public and their students as to the traditional use of the "Japanese" gi instead of adopting the frog-button uniform like many modern kung-fu schools have done. The use of frog button uniforms or the omission of "belts" is only to cater to a prospective student's "romantic idea" about martial arts and is frowned upon by some traditional Shao-Lin practitioners. To say that frog-button uniforms are somehow associated with Chinese martial arts or that belt colors are exclusively Japanese shows ignorance and a lack of understanding about the history of Shao-Lin and the Chinese martial arts.
On every formal, annual gathering of Grandmaster Sin Kwang The's visit to his original Lexington Kentucky school to teach new material, the students are all required to: "Wear a gi, like Grandmaster Sin The's, to the seminar!"
[edit] Future of The Art
It is not public knowledge who would succeed Grandmaster Sin Kwang The as the head of the Shao-Lin Do art in the future. Grandmaster Sin Kwang The has promoted six students to the rank of Elder 8th Degree Master.
[edit] Elder Master Bill Leonard
Elder Master Bill Leonard is GrandMaster Sin Kwang The's oldest and most senior student. He has been studying the art since 1967. He was the first American to be promoted to 8th degree black belt. He currently resides in Lexington, Kentucky and runs Grandmaster Sin's main school. Elder Master Leonard was promoted in 2003. Elder Master Bill Leonard is the Senior Vice President of the Shao-Lin Do Association, an organization in the Eastern United States dedicated to preserving the Shao-Lin martial arts under Grandmaster Sin Kwang The'.
[edit] Elder Master Sharon Soard
Elder Master Sharon Soard started studying under Grandmaster Sin The in 1972. Elder Master Sharon Soard was promoted in 2004 and is the first woman to be promoted to 8th degree black belt. She currently resides in Colorado where she, and her husband, own an operate two full-time facilities under the guidance of Grandmaster Sin Kwang The'. In 1979, she and her husband co-founded the Chinese Shao-Lin Centers, an organization which now consists of 16 full-time facilities from New York to California. It is considered, for the most part, a mostly Western United States organization dedciated to preserving the Shao-Lin martial arts under Grandmaster Sin Kwang The'.
[edit] Elder Master David Soard
Elder Master David Soard started studying under Grandmaster Sin The in 1972. Elder Master David Soard was promoted in 2004. He currently resides in Colorado where he , and his wife, own an operate two full-time facilities under the guidance of Grandmaster Sin Kwang The'. In 1979, he and his wife co-founded the Chinese Shao-Lin Centers, an organization which now consists of 16 full-time facilities from New York to California. It is considered, for the most part, a mostly Western United States organization dedciated to preserving the Shao-Lin martial arts under Grandmaster Sin Kwang The'.
[edit] Elder Master Garry Mullins
Elder Master Garry Mullins is located in Johnson City, Tennessee. He has been studying under Grandmaster Sin since 1973. Elder Master Mullins was promoted in 2004.
[edit] Elder Master Eric Smith
Elder Master Eric Smith currently resides in Troy, Michigan. He has been studying under Grandmaster Sin since 1968. He is also an accomplished lawyer and a graduate of Harvard University. Elder Master Smith was promoted in 2006.
[edit] Elder Master Frank Mingione
Elder Master Frank Mingione currently resides in Madison, Indiana. He has been studying under Grandmaster Sin since 1976. Elder Master Mingione was promoted in 2006.
[edit] The Movie
A great deal of Grandmaster Sin Kwang The's time has been dedicated to a movie loosely based on his lineage.
[edit] Web Sites
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