A BRIEF HISTORY OF FUJIAN WHITE CRANE
Although there are several versions as to how Fujian White Crane originated, they all acknowledge the founder as being a woman by the name of Fang Chee Niang. It is most widely believed that one day while washing her clothes at the river's edge a White Crane became overly inquisitive. To discourage the bird Fang Chee Niang attempted to ward it off with a stick. To her surprise the Crane did not retreat and effortlessly deflected all her attacks. Over the next few days the Crane persisted and the scene repeated itself. As an adept in the Martial Arts, having been taught from an early age by her father Fang Wei Shi (himself a disciple of Shaolin Kung Fu who had fled to Fujian to escape persecution from the Manchu government) she soon recognised the significance of the Crane's movements, and began incorporating them into her training pattern.
Over time the Art developed to contain four elements; Whooping Crane; Flying Crane; Eating Crane; and Sleeping Crane. Together they represent the Fujian White Crane System.
Of the well known Fujian White Crane Masters of the last century, Xie Zhong Xiang is perhaps the most famous. Having learnt from Pan Yu Ba, Xie Zhong Xiang became the first generation master of the Fujian Whooping Crane.
HUANG SHEN SHYAN (1910 - 1992)
Master Huang Sheng Shyan also learnt Fujian White Crane directly from Xie Zhong Xiang, from the age of fourteen. After a few years of personal tuition, Huang Sheng Shyan still only in his late teens was sent by Xie Zhong Xiang to study full time for two years with his eldest disciple Chen Shih Ting.
In 1930, Master Huang went on to train with another famous Fujian White Crane exponent Pan Chun Nien, who also began teaching him the use of medicinal herbs and stimulated an interest in Master Huang for other Chinese Martial Arts. In pursuit of these, Master Huang moved to Shanghai, where he first began teaching Fujian White Crane. He returned to his own village in 1934 at the request of Pan Chun Nien to take part in County competitions. Master not only convincingly won the competition he went on to the finals of the provincials. There he was runner up to Chang Jih Chang, whom Master Huang had previously knocked down but drawn with in a preliminary round. Due to his age and success, Master Huang became known in Fujian as "Young Hero" and later played an active role in the war with Japan. The recognition of his fighting abilities quickly earned him the rank of colonel.
Following the Communist take over of mainland China, Master Huang immigrated to Taiwan. There he met and knelt before Grandmaster Cheng Man Ching an outstanding exponent of Taiji Quan (Tai Chi Chuan). For seven years, he devoted himself to being a disciple of Grandmaster Cheng Man Ching and his art, before moving to Singapore in 1958. Although predominantly propagating Taiji Quan throughout South East Asia, with schools all over Malaysia and Singapore, it was only to his inner disciples that Master Huang taught Fujian White Crane until his death in 1992./p>
HEAD INSTRUCTOR - MR WEE KEE JIN
Mr Wee Kee Jin is the Head Instructor for the School of Central Equilibrium. He lived and studied full time with his teacher Master Huang from 1983-1988 and was one of only four students to have had this opportunity, becoming one of his inner disciples. A Gold medallist in the 1989 World Cup Martial Arts Championships, Mr Wee Kee Jin immigrated to New Zealand in 1991. As a teacher, Mr Wee Kee Jin is known for his ability, depth of knowledge and is renowned for his clarity and open approach to teaching.
It is estimated that Master Huang had more than 10,000 students study at his schools. Mr Wee Kee Jin was one of only a very few to learn the complete Fujian White Crane system. With over 30 years Martial Arts training, half of which has been spent professionally teaching Taiji Quan, Mr Wee Kee Jin is now to follow the expressed request of his teacher to broaden the access to the art of Fujian White Crane into Europe.