aussieChi uses the the legendary exercise system used by the Shaolin monks to maintain strength, flexibility, endurance and balance into older age for 1500 years, as a foundation of its system. 

History – Shaolin Lohan Qigong

Yong Fa Chen (centre) and Australian students - China, 2006.

Legend has it that an Indian monk known as Bodhidharma (Ta Mo) arrived at the Shaolin Temple and sat in silent meditation in a cave for nine years in search of enlightenment. During these long years of meditation, he noticed that the lack of movement plus the bitter cold and wind fatigued his body causing aches and pain. His disciples suffered the same fate and often dozed off to sleep during meditation.

To combat these hazards Ta Mo created a set of exercises known as 18 Lohan Hands. These exercises were based on: traditional Yoga; Indian dance forms; existing fighting arts of the time; Chinese health and longevity exercises; and his observation of the natural movements of wild animals. The exercises were used by the monks to maintain their strength, fitness and ability to defend themselves against bandits and wild beasts in the area. This system became the foundation for the development of Tai Chi, Wu Chi and Pakua and the blueprint system for many of Asia’s Martial Arts.

Initially Lohan Qigong was practiced and kept within the confines of the Shaolin Temple until its sacking and destruction by fire nearly 200 years ago. One of the surviving senior monks Choy Fook (96 years) fled south to Kwangtung province. There he was sought out by Chan Heung (an already accomplished martial artist), whom Choy Fook accepted as his disciple. Chan Hueng learned the entire system of Lohan Qigong, Shaolin Kung Fu and Traditional Chinese Medicine from Choy Fook. After perfecting his skill Chan Hueng was sent down the mountain to form his own school. He named his style Choy Lee Fut in honour of his teachers Choy for Choy Fook, Lee for Lee Yau San his second teacher and Fut (Buddha) in honour of the Shaolin Temple to whom all three of his teachers including his first teacher Chan Yuen Wu had their roots.

Over the last two hundred years Lohan Qigong had become a ‘folk qigong’, which is an orally transmitted tradition within the confines of a particular family. Master Chen Yong Fa the great-great grandson of Chan Hueng and custodian of the Choy Lee Fut system has acknowledged his wish to make this live-saving treasure available to the world. As Shaolin Lohan Qigong is one of the few soft martial arts systems world wide that can trace its direct descendants back to the original founder, the system provides clear concise transmission of training knowledge and the subsequent benefits.

from Wing Sing Tong Special Edition, Chen Yong Fa, 2006


Thanks to Master Yong Fa Chen custodian of the Choy Lee Fut martial arts system, this once secret ancient health treasure is now available for anyone to learn. 

Shaolin Lohan Qigong System

Shaolin Lohan Qigong is a comprehensive set of exercises for cultivating the ‘three treasures’: Qi or Chi (vital energy), Jing (essence) and Shen (spirit). The system consists of two categories of training.


Category 1: Stick Exercises; Breathing Exercise; Walking Exercises; and the Five Forms.

First form: 18 Lohan Hands (Jing cultivation)
18 Lohan Hands (Yang form) uses movement to generate qi. This form emphasises the extremes of yin and yang in its movements and the full extension and contraction of the circulation of qi. The body remains soft and supple without any stiffness even when moving through postures exhibiting the full expression of yang.

Second form: Sui Lohan (Qi /Chi cultivation)
Sui Lohan (Yin form) is more rounded in movement and softer. In contrast to the 18 Lohan Hands this form places focus on the breath rather than body movement to generate the qi circulation. It also incorporates stationary postures at different points of the form.

Third form: Dai Lohan (Shen cultivation)
Dai Lohan is done sitting cross-legged with the arms in different mudras or postures. The mind coupled with the breath is used to focus the qi at the different meridian points along the central axis of the body. Where the first two forms work mainly on the organ meridians, the Dai Lohan utilises the jen-mai or conception meridian and the tu-mai or governing meridian.

Forth form: Taiji
Taiji explores the yin and yang movements in the body with a flow similar to that in a taiji diagram. The body contracts and expands and the footwork retreats and advances according to the functional requirements. The form is done with martial art intent so the player not only visualises the qi flow in the body, but is also mindful that a block is a block and a punch is a punch.

Fifth form: Wuji
Wuji combines the skills of the previous four forms with fighting intent. The movements are fluid and flowing, the body soft and supple. Stillness of mind is blended with movement of the body, the fast flows into the slow. It is a reflection of the cosmic dance of creation where yin and yang the universal opposites interact to form the myriad phenomena and entities of the universe.


Category 2: Unicorn Hands; Standing Postures; Medical Theories; and Bagua Kung forms

Australian Instructor: Kear Whitewolf

Prior to building one of the largest tai chi schools in regional Australia (Port Macquarie), Kear trained in a number of prominent Australia tai chi schools between 1987 and 1996. His Port Macquarie School was set apart from these schools as he started applying biomechanics and rehabilitative exercise principles to the tai chi training, which accelerated results for many of his students.

When Kear started practicing Shaolin Lohan Qigong with Sifu John K. Saw (International Master) in 1999 he was teaching tai chi to over 100 regular students per week.

“Although I had gained significant insight into Tai Chi through teaching and personal training I found myself a beginner when faced with the depth and knowledge held within the Shaolin Lohan Qigong system” - Kear

After training with Sifu John. K. Saw for two years, Kear was invited to train with the custodial Master, Yong Fa Chen in 2001. In 2007, Kear was invited to become a Wing Sing Tong member (inner chamber disciple) and was given permission to teach this extraordinary system.


Sifu John K.Saw and Kear Whitewolf - China, 2006.

Kear currently works at Australia’s Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing and runs a limited number of qigong workshops, not connected to his work at the Department.

Qualifications:

• Certified International Shaolin Lohan Therapeutic Qigong Instructor under Choy Lee Fut 5th Generation Direct Descendant and Custodial Master Yong Fa Chen
• 23 Years qigong/tai chi training, 13 years teaching experience
• Bachelor of Arts Population Health & Sociology (Distinction)
• Associate Diploma Health Science (Distinction)
• Workplace Trainer (Certificate IV)