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Who's Who in
Kung Fu San Soo
Jimmy H. Woo
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History of Kung Fu San Soo
San Soo began at a Quan Yem
monastery in Hoy Song, Canton many centuries ago. The priests (monks) of
that monastery went throughout the countryside sharing their religious
teachings and conducting religious services in surrounding towns and
villages.
The people presented offerings to the priests to take back to their
monastery in appreciation for their teachings. Those offerings
contributed to the priests survival because they did not work the land
as the “common man” did. Whether the offerings consisted of food,
clothing or money, the priests being able to deliver those goods was
paramount to the survival of the monastery. Throughout the land it was
common knowledge these Quan Yem priests traveled unarmed and unprotected
while carrying valuables to the monastery. Knowing this, bandits often
lay in wait, targeting the priests for robbery and often death.
Outside the towns and villages there was no law to depend on. No one
whom the priests could call for help. Many of the priest fell prey to
these bandits. Obviously they faced a dilemma:
The only way they could survive depended on the offerings reaching the
monastery. The only way they could get the offerings to their monastery
would be to overcome their attackers. The Quan Yem priests came to a
certain understanding: “They had to fight to live!”
Because their religion did not allow them to carry weapons, they knew
their only effective tool lay in the use of their body. The monks knew
if they were to rely on their bodies, they must develop and organize a
method of unarmed combat. Their attackers would have no pity on them.
Combat would often be to the death. It would boil down to “my life or
yours.” Therefore movements had to be fast and swift; deadly or
immediately incapacitating despite the attackers size or number of
opponents. Experience showed the priests would fight both armed and
unarmed multiple attackers. Often they would be alone when attacked.
Help would not be available. Common sense dictated offensive and not
defensive fighting would be the norm . Literally hundreds of monks over
many generations trained continuously toward perfection of that goal.
Together, hundreds of men training every day throughout their lifetime
provided the result known today as Kung Fu San Soo.
As the art was being perfected, its teachings were kept exclusively in
the monastery and taught to all new priests for their protection. One
day, about five generations ago, one priest left the monastery.
Returning to the “outside” world, he took with him the training and
experience he had gained as a fighter. Additionally, he took two very
thick, hand written books from the monastery. Books containing an
unimaginable wealth of information dealing with all aspects of the art
of San Soo.
Authors Note - I once asked Jimmy how his relative came into possession
of the books? Because of their value and the fact he had taken them from
the monastery, I asked if they were stolen? Jimmy was noncommital.
Shrugging his shoulders he stated, “Maybe, I don’t know. Could be.” The
books are still in the family’s possession today.)
When the priest left the monastery, he returned to his family. Knowing
the power of the weapon he possessed by knowing this art, he decided to
keep the art secret. He taught only members of his family, after
swearing them to secrecy. They in turn passed down the art within the
family from generation to generation, from father to son, uncle to
nephew and cousin to cousin.
Finally, a man and his wife belonging to this family made a vow. They
promised that their second born son would dedicate his life to the
continuance of the art. This son was later born and he followed his
preplanned destiny.
As the great-great grandson of the priest who originally left the
monastery, this boy began his formal training when he was seven years
old. Now, grown into manhood, he has been actively involved in the Art
for more than 50 years.
We know this man in the United States as Jimmy H. Woo.
Jimmy H.Woo (Chin Siu Dek) is credited with bringing the art to America
in the 1930's, finally opening his own studio to teach formally in 1959.
San Soo is not a tournament sport. San Soo incorporates techniques that
can remove a threat as quickly and effectively as possible being as it
is a combative art. Typical moves during a fight could include blows to
the throat, upward blows to the nose, or kicking to the groin, all of
which are customarily banned from tournament fighting.
The application of proper technique is paramount for San Soo. This
paradigm can be used effectively by smaller, weaker persons against
large assailants, as it does not rely on brute force. Therefore, San Soo
is useful to women in rape prevention and self-defense. A basic premise
of San Soo is there are "no rules in a fight" and hence it is an
extremely brutal form of hand-to-hand combat. The swiftness of
neutralizing an opponent is another aspect of this paradigm, with some
practitioners aiming to end a fight within ten seconds, using merely
three blows.
San Soo is an efficient form of hand to hand combat, but this doesn't
preclude its practitioners from having respect for human life. This
point is demonstrated with a quote from Jimmy H. Woo, “The art of San
Soo does not lie in victory or defeat, but in building human character.”
San Soo is the first organized fighting system dating back as the
beginnings of Martial Arts Education. Martial Arts Education & It’s vast
array of History, Development and Cultural diversity: As the Arts are
dated back centuries and even go back to ancient days of China and
beyond. We can start by exploring the ancient history of China and ideas
that can even show that even prehistoric man had influence. It is
understood that until the early 1900s China was ruled by powerful
dynasties. The governing system of that time was unique and developed
from civilizations and cultures dating back to prehistoric - man. We can
see the Shang dynasty as one of the first dynasties, which were
established some time in the 1700s B. C.If we look at the influence of
religions, then we can see that, any of these influences didn't come
about till much later. Remember Taoism didn't start in China till about
200 B. C. Taoist believed simple ways of life was the way. Not quite
like the way of life practiced by the Confucianism practitioner. The
idea that ultimate peace could be found if man live in harmony with the
universe and nature. The ideas coming from India, called Buddhism,
influenced Chinese beliefs and this was adopted between 2 and 3 A.D. The
Chinese Buddhism had influences from several Confucianism and Taoism
beliefs. Buddhism became the main religion of the countries on Southeast
Asia's peninsula. Its influence can be seen on the culture by the large
amounts of Buddhist shrines and statues around the countries. Cities are
commonly covered with yellow-robed monks walking the streets. Young men
of the ripe age of 11 or 12 years old depart from home to become
Buddhist monks, for a short period of time, such as a few months, a few
years or even some stay their whole lives. Remember monks are highly
respected. It's not an easy life being a monk. It can be harsh for a boy
at the monastery. Early rising to pray with other monks and then they
walk to the nearby communities. Meditating, performing rituals and
studying holy books are how they spend the rest of the day. Remember
monks can leave the monastery at any time. In China records disclose
ancient civilizations which began between 5000 B. C. to 3000 B. C.
Beginning near the very long river known as the Yellow River or also
known, in Chinese, as the Huang He. In these times China was ruled by
dynasties and this went on for thousands of years. During these brutal
times the monks needed a form of exercise and an organized way to defend
themselves from being robbed and brutally roughed up. Being non-violent
they had to practice on each other and learn how not to hurt each other.
100s of brilliant minds developed a form of exercise that would not only
strengthen the body, but also strengthen their ability to defend
themselves. They had to study how the human body moved and functioned.
They learned the vital areas and non-vital areas of the human anatomy.
They learned the damages that would or could acquire when striking
different areas of the human body. But at the same time they kept a high
respect for their fellow man. They went on the supposition that the mind
and character of any individual is not completely known. With this
assumption any human could be equal as a fighter. Non-violence was the
intent. They trained with the thought that they had to commit themselves
to do their best if ever having to utilize their skills. It was an
attitude of; they knew what they could for the attacker. A confidence
level of, "you can take my life but not my confidence." As these trained
individuals branched off and left the training environment, deciding to
either raise a family of their own or travel elsewhere they taught bits
and pieces of their knowledge here and there.It was developed for
survival. Over the years Martial Arts, especially with the rise of the
Olympics, has been watered down for the utilization of a game or sports
environment. Depending on the environment and terrain, cultural
diversities and size of the individuals of that region was what aspect
of Martial Arts Education was dwelled on. The first organized fighting
system has no limitations of size of an individual or environmental
terrain. It was developed for survival no matter what the situation. The
size of your attacker and your environment that you may be in at the
time is a consideration in your training. In-fighting, ground fighting
and the ability to manipulate any individual to your advantage is the
main goal in the training in the first organized fighting system. The 5
elements of the system are simple; punching & kicking, leverages
(principles of physics) or joint manipulation, Pressure points or
knowledge of nerve points, Psychology or the knowledge of body reactions
(the thinking mans art) and the knowledge of power & balance or the
ability to maximize your effort with the least amount of energy
(concepts of physical and internal strength). As Martial Arts Education
began we have to note that it was based on the element of surprise. It
was determined that once an attacker was in the state of mind of
conflict, you needed the advantage. This advantage came from the element
of surprise. By appearing untrained or not having any fighting skill
knowledge. This is why true Martial Arts Education has been past down
from generation to generation in the manner that it has, to keep it pure
and true. It is not pretty or flamboyant. The practitioner uses their
own grace and skill to show the beauty of the movements as originally
taught. These devastating movements, strikes or techniques are truly an
Art form when practiced in a pure manner, as the original practitioners
did. In a manner as not to injure each other and still get the true
effect. Today this is known as the ancient Art of:"Kung-Fu San Soo"…
(Research & Documentation by Master Larry S. Dusatko)
San Soo Kung
Fu Lineage
Quan
Yin Monastery
Monk Chin Leong Kick
(Jimmy's Great-Great Grandfather)
Chin Moon Don
(Jimmy's Great Grandfather)
Chin Siu Don
(Jimmy's Grandfather)
Chin Neow Gee and Chin Siu Hung
(Jimmy's Great Uncles)
(Nicknamed Crazy Devil)
Chin Siu Dek
Jimmy H. Woo
(Grandmaster)
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