This exercise was a precious secret kept within the Shaolin temple until its sacking and massacre of its inhabitants about 200 years ago. The monk Choy Fook, one of the few survivors, fled south to Guangdong province, and was sought out by Chan Heung who became his disciple. Chan Heung mastered the whole system of Shaolin kung fu including the Qigong exercises and medical knowledge; which has then been passed from generation to generation through his family.

There are four Lohan Qigong sets forming a comprehensive system of progressively more advanced techniques towards gaining complete mastery of ones Qi, or vital energy.

Our Sifu - Jerng Mun, Chen, Yong Fa is the great great grandson of Chan Heung and the present custodian of Choy Lee Fut kung fu, including, until now, the secret Lohan Qigong exercises. There are four Lohan Qigong sets forming a comprehensive system of progressively more advanced techniques towards gaining complete mastery of ones qi, or vital energy. Master Chen is also a practitioner of traditional Chinese medicine, specialising in zheng gu, (bone setting).

Master Chen is the sole inheritor of this ancient traditional health system - the Shaolin Lohan Qigong, which are the internal health exercises of the Choy Lee Fut system of martial arts.

Legend has it that Da Mo spent nine years in meditation in a cave. During these years of meditation he discovered that the lack of movement of his body and limbs over a long period of time, plus the bitter cold and wind around his mountain retreat caused fatigues, body aches and pains. His disciples also suffered the same problems and often dozed off during meditation. To combat those hazards Da Mo devised a set of exercises based on Indian yoga exercises, Chinese exercises of the time and his own observations of the natural movements of wild animals. This set of exercises is known as the "18 Lohan Qigong".

Lohan Qigong is not just another Chinese exercise to be introduced to the West; it is the original ‘blueprint’ for Shaolin Kung Fu, from which the more familiar Karate, Aikido, Jujitsu, Taekwondo, Tai Chi, ... systems evolved or drew inspiration.

During the Yuan Dynasty the "18 Lohan Qigong" (consisting of 18 movements) was further enlarged to 72 movements, and later still to 173 movements to form the basis of Shaolin Chuan Fa, which in turn, greatly influenced the developments of all branches of Asian fighting arts. For the martial arts student it is essential to appreciate that Lohan Qigong is not just another Chinese exercise to be introduced to the West; it is the original ‘blueprint’ for Shaolin Kung Fu, from which the more familiar Karate, Aikido, Jujitsu, Taekwondo, Tai Chi, Hsing I, Pa Kwa, Kung Fu, etc. systems evolved or drew inspiration.

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Edited by Darryl Choy
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