{"id":7993,"date":"2018-11-15T10:18:07","date_gmt":"2018-11-15T15:18:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tambulimedia.com\/?p=7993"},"modified":"2023-07-24T14:47:53","modified_gmt":"2023-07-24T18:47:53","slug":"jook-lum-southern-mantis-carries-on","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tambulimedia.com\/jook-lum-southern-mantis-carries-on\/","title":{"rendered":"Jook Lum Southern Mantis Carries On…"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Sifu Norman Chin<\/span><\/p>\r\n

NOTE: The following article was excerpted from the 2017 New York Kwong Sai Jook Lum Gee Tong Long Pai Headquarters 60 Anniversary publication.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\r\n

The Southern Praying Mantis System has a history of over 200 years and is credited to Som Dart. He was a monk at Jook Lum Gee (Bamboo Forest Temple) in the shadows of Lung Fu San (Dragon Tiger Mountain) in China\u2019s Kwong Sai Province.\u00a0<\/span>Som Dart spent much of his life perfecting the system and later taught it to a fellow monk, Lee Siem. Due to Lee Siem\u2019s exceptional intelligence and physical prowess, he was able to master the system\u2019s intricacies under the skillful guidance of Som Dart.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

\"Jook<\/a><\/p>\r\n

Traditionally, the Chinese martial arts were taught at monasteries. Outsiders were usually not accepted as students. Due to political changes towards the end of the Ching Dynasty, the monks began accepting students from beyond the monastery walls. The first outsider to be taught this unique system was Chang Yu Jung. He was taught by Abbot Lee Siem, and later became the foremost authority on the system.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

From Chang Yu Jung, Lam Wing Fai (Lam Sang) became the second outsider to learn and inherit the system. After immigrating from China to the United States, Lam Sang introduced the system to New York\u2019s Chinatown during the 1950\u2019s. It was taught only to Chinese within the community. By 1969, Great Grandmaster Lam Sang retired to Taiwan leaving Grandmaster Chin Ho Doon the responsibilities of teaching the system at the Chinese Free Masons Athletic Club.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

In 1972, Grandmaster Norman Chin inherited the responsibility of teaching the system at the Chinese Free Masons Athletic Club after Grandmaster Chin Ho Doon returned to China to fulfill business obligations.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

\"Jook<\/a><\/p>\r\n

After more than forty five years of teaching, Grandmaster Norman Chin is still teaching in Chinatown New York, with branches in Brooklyn, New Jersey, Los Angeles, Montana<\/span>
and Kentucky.\u00a0<\/span>The Late Great Grandmaster Lam Sang, of Hakka descent, immigrated to the United States from China by way of England during the early 1950\u2019s. He made his home in New York City\u2019s Chinatown. For a short time, he taught at the Sung Tsing Association in the evenings after a long day\u2019s work.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

By the mid 1950s, he was invited to teach at the Hip Sing Association at 3 Pell Street. His stay there was also brief. Great Grandmaster Lam Sang taught and established his association with the Chinese Free Masons Athletic Club by the late 1950\u2019s. It was at the Chinese Free Masons Athletic Club, 96 Mott Street, where he accepted his most dedicated disciples. By 1963, Jook Lum Tong Long Pai was the largest kung fu school in Chinatown New York. He continued teaching until 1969 when he retired to Taiwan. He returned to New York in 1981 and taught privately until his passing in 1992.<\/span><\/p>\r\n