ak Mei (Cantonese), Pak Mei (Catonese), 白眉派, White Eye Brow (Direct English translation), Nan Quan (南拳  Southern Fist) 白眉拳 (Baimeiquan), Bach My Phai (Bach Mi,Vietnamnese)

Bak Mei Kung Fu is a Chinese Martial Art popular in Southern China, especially in the regions of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau.  Bak Mei is considered to be the Southern Internal Close Fighting Style (白眉派乃是南方之短打內家拳種 ). 

1. History
   
   
2. Philosophy and Practice
   
   
3. Links

History

Bak Mei ( 白眉道人 ), Founder

Bak Mei (白眉 ), lived during the Ch'ing Dynasty (Emperor Ch'ian Lung era). Although very little historical information exist – only rumours and speculations. In some martial arts schools, Bak Mei is considered to be one of the five elder monks of Shaolin Temple, Songshan, Province of Henan while others suggest that he was a Taoist from the Ermei Mountains in Sichuan Province. He is the acknowledged founder of a Southern martial arts styles (南拳 Nan quan). In some stories, Pak Mei was considered to have allied with the Ch'ing Empire and fought against the Shaolin Temple. Those stories are often represented in many Hong Kong kung fu movies and stories but are not based on any verifiable facts.

Bak Mei was followed by his student, the Monk Kwong Wei (Gong Wai) of Sichuan province. Kwong Wai's students include: Zhu ? Taoist (竺缘道长), Ling Sang and Monk Jok Fah Wan (Chuk Fat Wan, Zhu Fuyun 竺拂云, 竺法雲禪師),

The Taoist Zhu Yuan had one student, Chi ShangGuo(在韶关). Chi's student, Liu Shaoliang (刘少良 (刘伯)) together with another Bak Mei practitioner, Qiu Taisheng (仇太生 (老仇)) promoted the style in FuShan (佛山), Guandong Province. They eventually established Fushan Bak Mei Quan (佛山白眉拳).

Monk Jok Fah Wan ( 竺法雲禪師 ) eventually moved to Kwong How Temple, Guangzhou, Southern China. In this region, the Monk started to accept lay students including Chang Lai Chuen ( 張禮泉, Cheung Lai Chun).

Chang Lai Chuen ( 張禮泉 , Cheung Lai Chun)

Chang Lai Cheun ( 張禮泉, Cheung Lai Cun, Zhang Lich'uan, Truong Le Tuyen ) was born in 1889, in in Weiyang District, Dong Jiang, Guangdong Province (廣東省東江惠陽縣). He studied martial arts since he was thirteen years old. Through his life, Cheng acknowledges four teachers. His first two teacher's were Sek Lam (石林 Wanderers Style) and Lee Sze-yee (李義, Lee Gar). His maternal uncle then introduced him to Lam Ah-hop (林亞合), a student of Monk Yu-seng (玉成大師)of the Wah Sou Buddish Monastery, Law Fau Shan, Guangdong Province (廣東省羅浮山華首台玉成大師). Both Lam Ah Hop and Monk Yu Sheng were acknowledge masters of the Dragon style (龍形拳). Chang first learned from Lam Ah-hop's son, Lam Ah-yuen, but later became friends with Lam Ah-yuen's son, Lam Yiu-Kwei (林耀桂).

Chang, at nineteen, moved to Canton, the capital of Kwong-tung province in Southern China. In the provincial capital, he meet and challenge the Monk Lin Sang (蓮生). He was defeated by the Monk which prompted him to ask Lin Sang to be his teacher. Lin Sang declined and instead refer Chang to his own teacher. This is how Chang meet his fourth and final teach, the Monk Jok Fah Wan (竺法雲禪師) and learned the complete art of Bak Mei Kung Fu. He studied with the two monks for the next two years.

Chang opened his first Lai Chun Martial Art School in Wai On Lane in Guangzhou. The local newspapers reported on his exploits and the martial arts community gave Chang the nickname “The Tiger of the East River” (「東江之虎」, 東江猛). The press also labeled him as the “martial champion in seven provinces” (七省拳王美譽). He continued to teach during the war agaisnt the Japanese and the Chinese Civil War. Because of his close ties to the Nationalist government, Chang and some of his students moved to Macau after the victory of the communist government. He continued to teach in Macao and established a strong Bak Mei Community in the former Portuguese Colony. He later moved to Hong Kong and continue to teach with his three sons, Cheung Beng Sum ( Hong Kong), Cheung Beng Lam (張炳森; Hong Kong) and Cheng Beng Fat (,Cheung Beng Fat; Hong Kong). In 1964, Chang passed away at an age of eighty-six. His students have continued to spread the art throughtout the world.

Philosophy and Practice

The essence of this style can be summarised in the following poem:

內家拳白眉，	The Internal Style of Bak Mei,
練就寸寸肌，	Practice using power from short distances
雙眼炯炯明，	Both eyes glows brighter and brighter
身輕燕子飛。	The body as light as the flying swallows.

The fundamentals of this style is summarized by the following ideas:

·        Three body shapes (三形) – concerns the various angles of the body, namely: round, flat and straight (三形為身形角度，即：圓、扁、直)

·        Four Dynamics (四標) –the four dynamics deals with internal strengths and concerns the concepts of: inhale, exhale, float and sink (四標為內勁，即：吞、吐、浮、沉)

·        Six Points of Power (六勁) - Six strengths is obtained from the cordination of the parts of the body: teeth, neck, waist, back, hands and legs (六勁為發勁身體配合，即：牙、頸、腰、背、手、腳)

·        Eight Techniques (八式) - Eight techniques describes the skills used, namely: whip, inward cut, outward clear, body ram, spring out, hand pull, double-hand outward clear and body charge (八式為拳術之手法，即：鞭、割 挽、撞、彈、索、盤、衝。)

·        Five Features - powerful, fast, accurate, stable and merciless

The characteristics of Bak Mei fighting includes chain movements of heavy strikes, the hollowing of the back to generate power and the use of the phoenix –eye punch to attack the opponent's vital points.

There are many forms in this style, I have collected the names of those forms here.

Links

School	Description
Chong's Wing Chun and Bak Mei Kung Fu Association	Eddie Chong studied with Lee Yung Gien in Fushan. He continued to teach Fushan Bak Mei (佛山白眉拳) and Wing Chun in Sacramento, CA, USA
White Eyebrow Pak Mei Kung Fu	Kwong Man Fong was the last and youngest student of Chang Lei Cheung. He is now teaching in New York, New York, USA
David Garcia	David Garcia, a student of Man Kwong Fong, is teaching Orlando,Fl, USA.
Damon Davidson	Damon Davidson teaches Bak Mei in Longmont, CO, USA.
White Dragon Kung Fu Academy	Zhong Luo is teaching Fushan Bak Mei at the White Dragon Kung Fu Academy, SF, USA.
Wong's Acupuncture Chinese Herbs & Kung Fu	Dr. Wong Yeu Quang , a student of Ng Nam King and Chang Beng Fat, is teaching in Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA
Ko Mu Do Kwan	Li Yang Jian's students have a school at Ko Mu Do Kwan, Wichita, KS, USA
White Brow Hap-Ging-Do Martial Arts and Lion Association	Lau Siu Chun student of Kwan Kwok Fai and Leung Sai Hoy teaching Calgary, AB, Canada.
Shing Tak Tong — Sam Choi Pak Mei Kung Fu	Sam Choi a student of Cheung Bing Fat is teaching in Toronto, Canada.
Canadian Athletic Association of Chinese Martial Arts (CAACMA)	Mike Doucet is a student of Lee Chun Pai and his teaching at the CAACMA in London, ON, Canada.
École Wing Chun Nam Anh Kung Fu	Students of Nam Anh teaching in Montreal, Canada.
Bak Mei in Argentina	Bak Mei in Argentina
Fushan Bak Mei Quan ( ????? )	Fushan Bak Mei Quan, Quandong, China.
Pak Mei Lai Chuen Martial Arts Association Limited	From the linearage of Cheung Ping Lam located in Tsimshatsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong since 1986.
Global Pak Mei Martial Arts Association	International Pak Mei organization located in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong.
Pak Mei L.S.K. Association (Hong Kong) ???????	??? (Lie Sai Keung, Li Se Kiong, Lee Sai Keung also studies Li Gar and Northern Tong Long)
Pak Mei Students Association ??????	Teaching in Hong Kong.
Chow Fook	Tang Cheong Shing, a student of Chow Fook (鄒福) is living and training in Hong Kong.
Chinese Martial Arts Society of New Zealand	Lee Ngai Shing is a student of Chan Kwok Wah teaching in the Chinese Martial Arts Society of New Zealand, Glenfield, Auckland,NZ.
White Eyebrow Kung Fu – Guanzhou Style – Sydney, Australia	Leung Yuk Seng teaching at the Sydney Guangzhou White Eyebrow Kungfu, Australia.
Wah Nam Martial Arts Academy	Andy Truong teaching Pak Mei, Jow Gar and Lung Ying at the Wah Nam Martial Arts Academy in Australia .
Pak Mei Kung Fu Club Hampshire, UK	Teaching in Hampshire, UK
Viet Anh Mon Association	Tran Ngoc Dinh student of M. Diep Quoc Luong (†1991) trains in Bak Mei in Vietnam. He is now teaching at the Viet Anh Mon Association in Italy.
Jie Kon Sieuw Students Association	The students of Jie Kon Sieuw teaching in Amsterdam ZO (Holland) & Antwerp (Belgium).
Nam Anh Kung Fu	Nam Anh is a student of Lu Ping Qoon (Lu Ping Woon) teaching in Paris, France.
European Kung Fu Organisation	Buttler and Heek students of Jie Kon Sieuw teaching in Europe.
General Link on Bai Mei	General Links on Bai Mei
MSN BBS on Bai Mei	MSN Group for Bai Mei (registeration required)

I have started to collect a family tree for bak mei practitioners, please take a look here.

Copyright 2003