History of Shaolin Si Tie Chuan Fa

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     The art of Shaolin Si Tie Chuan Fa (Young Forest Temple Iron Fist Method) has its development beginning in the ancient Shaolin Temple located on the Song Shan mountain, in the Henan (Honan) Province, in north central China. This system of Chuan Fa was developed during the Ming Dynasty, by one of the elders named Sijo Yang. It was during this time in the mountain monastery, several other Chuan Fa arts were developed as well, many of which are still practiced today. For the next 300 years, this art was practiced not only in the Shaolin Temple, but eventually found its way down to be practiced in what is known as the Chen Village, located at the base of the Song Shan mountain. It is here, in the Chen village, in approximately 1679, that the art was being carried on and taught by Tai-Sijo Yon Ho Chen. During the early development of this art it was known as a Pao Chuan (Cannon Fist) style, being developed from the older five animals of Temple Boxing, Long Staff (gun) and later, secondarily, Rams Head Fist and Praying Mantis. Yon Ho Chen passed away in 1751 leaving the leadership of this system to his son, Tai-Sijo Lee Ho Chen. Lee Ho Chen carried on the teachings of this system until his passing in 1814. It was during this time that the art was also called Shaolin Si Chen Ba Chuan Fa (Young Forest Temple Chen Family Eight Fist method) and became known as a "Shen-Xin Chuan" (Respectful-Fist) system (sometimes written in English as Chin-Chen). It was from this term Shen Xin that the modern Japanese term of Shin Shin / Kami Shin was developed.

 

At the passing of Lee Ho Chen, the system was passed to one of his students, Tai-Sijo Lee Chi Wang. Lee Chi Wang is accredited with moving the art from China to Ingea City, Korea (Likely located in the modern Pyongyang City area). It is thought that the move from China to Korea was due to the continuing upheaval in China that led up to the Boxer Rebellion in 1899. The art was known in Korea as Sorim Sa Cheol Kwon Bup (Korean translation of Young Forest Temple Iron Fist Method). Lee Chi Wang died in 1881 and his son, Tai-Sijo Kim Chi Wang became the next lineage inheritor of this system. Kim Chi Wang moved to the city of Yong Dong Po, Korea (next to the South Korean capital of Seoul). Kim Chi Wang was known to have also studied the Korean national martial art of Taekkyon. It was during this time (1910-1945) the Japanese occupied Korea and began to infuse Japanese language, customs and arts into the Korean nation. During the time of the Japanese occupation, this system was influenced by Japanese Judo/Jujutsu as well. The Japanese Judo/Jujutsu was used to enhance the “Iron Fist” teachings of Shuai Jiao (Unbalancing and Throwing Techniques) and Chin Na (Seize and Control Techniques) .

 

   In 1950, Albert C. Church, Jr. was deployed to Seoul Korea with the First Provincial Marine Brigade. It was here during the Korean War that Albert C. Church, Jr., an accomplished martial artist, began training with Kim Chi Wang in Sorim Sa Cheol Kwon Do (renamed from Kwon Bup to Kwon Do during the Japanese occupation). In 1956, Kim Chi Wang (Jpn. Kin Ki-Oh) moved to Japan to seek medical help not available in the battle torn country of Korea. In Japan, Kim Chi Wang did not teach the local Japanese his inherited art, known in Japan as Shorinji Tetsu Kempo (Japanese translation of Young Forest Temple Iron Fist Method). Master Church continued teaching Sijo Wang’s art here in the United States from his end of service from the Marine Corps until the passing of Kim Chi Wang in November 1967. Before the passing of Kim Chi Wang he called for Master Church to come to Japan to complete his training as he was his most steadfast student. At the passing of Kim Chi Wang, Tai-Sijo Albert C. Church Jr. became the next generation inheritor of the art of Young Forest Temple Iron Fist Method, as well as founding his own Japanese art of Kamishin Ryu as Shodai-Soke (First generation Founding Head-Family).

 

In 1969, Albert Church returned to Charleston, SC and named Harold Martin as his Inheritor Elect of the Shaolin Si Tie Chuan Fa based on the Five Animals and secondarily Mantis. In the next few years, Albert Church also named others to the position of Inheritor Elect of separate divisions of his art, such as Sijo Thomas Brandon in a division of the art Shaolin Si Tie Chuan Fa based on the Dragon, Rams Head Fist and secondarily Mantis. Harold Martin continued training and teaching the art(s) he learned from Albert Church beginning in 1962 until his untimely death in 1980. From 1980 until 2002 Tai-Sijo Harold Martin did not publicly teach his inherited art under the organization of the Nippon Kobudo Renokai he received from Albert Church in 1977.

 

  In 2002, Tai-Sijo Harold Martin began teaching Darrell Collins, a master of the art of Nippon Kamishin Ryu. Harold Martin taught Darrell Collins the advanced teachings of Nippon Kamishin Ryu Karate, Nippon Kamishin Ryu Jujutsu as well as the inherited art of Shaolin Si Tie Chuan Fa, naming Sijo Collins as the inheritor of his Young forest Temple Iron Fist Method as well as “Soke” of his Kamishin Ryu system under the Nippon Kobudo Renokai.

 

  In 2016, before Tai-Sijo Harold Martin’s untimely passing, he gave approval to Sijo Collins to join with Tai-Sijo Thomas Brandon, who was Inheritor Elect under Tai-Sijo Church in the teaching system of Young Forest Temple Iron Fist Method. Today, together they are passing the fullness of this ancient Chuan Fa system to the next generation of students.

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