Also known as "The Emperor's Art," White Tiger Kung Fu has been passed down through the Doo family for nearly 400 years. The Doo family served as the right hand to Chinese emperors, and their security force protected the emperor during feudal times. They were responsible for both the emperor's physical safety as well as his health and well-being.
Believed to have been lost in the 1800's, Bak Fu Pai is still around today. It was said, "that the only time someone saw the White Tiger system was just before death." Considered one of the most secretive, mysterious, and deadly arts in the world, White Tiger has recently been made available to the public through the current grandmaster's certified instructors.
The History Of Bak Fu Pai
Kung Fu's history, much like that of China's is often ambiguous and filled with gaps. These gaps are the result of numerous wars, natural disasters, and governments bent on rewriting China's history. As a result, much of China's past has been lost. Western culture, until very recently, has had little interest in eastern history, and therefore most of the history of China that we have and almost all of the history of Kung Fu has been preserved by an oral tradition, that remains even today prevalent throughout Eastern cultures. This oral tradition, while stepped in myth, is derived from stories based on facts. Our picture of Kung-Fu's history is also based on myths, legends, and facts, all intricately woven together. To separate stories from actual events, myth from fact, can not be done now, for we know so little of what really happened so long ago. As for the White Tiger System, written records date back several thousands of years (some still on the preserved silk that used cuttlefish ink).
Much of what we do know of Chinese martial art history comes from the Honan Shil Lum Temple. The Honan province has been the reputed center of Chinese Boxing activity since 500 AD. We know that an Indian monk, named Bodhidharma, introduced the people of the Honan province to meditative, respiratory, and defensive techniques. These techniques, over time evolved and flourished in Buddhist, and later Taoist monasteries, eventually developing into many separate styles. Chinese religion was a very powerful force, and with many monks single minded dedication, meditation, medicine, and self defense was transformed, refined, and perfected. It is important to note that much of what we call Kung Fu today, is the product of over one thousand years of study and change.
China's political past was written by the victors. Dynasties rose and fell over its long history. One of the most well known Chinese dynasties was the Ming Dynasty. In the 17th century the Ming Dynasty fell to foreign invaders. The new dynasty was called this Ching (Qin) dynasty. The Emperor of the Qin Dynasty knew that monks had been instrumental in the aiding the overthrow of previous governments. Therefor, the Qin Emperor garnered for support within China's monasteries, using spies, money, and murder where necessary. The thought of foreign rule was unacceptable to many people. Rebellion against the Qin was a constant drain on the government's resources. An air of paranoia grew as more and more, rebellions grew. It was this paranoia, coupled with resentment that caused the Emperor to react by eliminating his internal threats. Many hundreds temples were either killed to a man, or burned, under the pretense of harboring rebellious monks. One such temple was the Fukien Province Shil Lum Temple. This temple had gathered a reputation for producing some of China's most skilled martial artists. It was renowned for the skill of its monks. Legend has it that one of its monks had been dismissed for failing to jump high enough to light a lantern. The banished monk lusted for revenge and gained admittance to the Emperors court, where he then falsely confessed that the monks of Fukien Province were planning a rebellion.
The Emperor, out of fear of rebellion, decided that the monastery should be burned to the ground, with no one surviving. The soldiers carried out the Emperor's orders and burned the monastery to the ground. They could not however, stop and kill all of those who fled the fire. Of those who escaped four master monks, and a master nun managed to gain safety. Their names were Jee Shin Shim Shee, Ng Mui, Fung Doe Duk, Bak Mae, and Mew Hing.
These monks and nun fled to the southwestern province of Szechwan and sought sanctuary in the Emei mountain monasteries. Two of the monks, Bak Mae and Fong Doe Duk settled in the Doaist Kwong Wai temple. They shed their Buddhist roots and adopted the Doaist tradition, in an effort to remain hidden from the Emperor. For two years Fong Doe Duk traveled through the mountains and nearby deserts gathering knowledge from the nomadic tribes. Over time four of the five escapees developed their own systems of Kung Fu. Jee Shin Shim Shee helped develop the northern Shil Lum style of Kung Fu. Ng Mui developed the Plum Flower system. Bak Mae developed the White Eyebrow system, and Fong Doe Duk developed Bak Fu Pai (White Tiger).
Fong Doe Duk was well liked by the villagers surrounding the monastery. His skills in both Kung Fu, and in herbal medicines earned him the name Jung Shee meaning "accomplished one" or grandmaster. In the late 1600's Fong Doe Duk taught but a few people his art. It is said that on his deathbed Fong Doe Duk passed his title and knowledge to Doo Tin Yin, with the instructions that Doo Tin Yin must teach the art and pass it from generation to generation. And so it has been passed from the late 1600's to today one generation at a time. Doo Wai is the 6th generation Grandmaster and direct descendant of Doo Tin Yin. Along with Grandmaster Doo Wai, his disciple, Jung Shee Joel Rizzo, continues to teach the tradition that has endured for over 300 years. Only recently has the Grandmaster allowed Bak Fu Pai to be taught to the public.