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During the reign of the Qing Emperor Yongzheng 雍(正) (1723-1736), Taiwan 台灣 was seized by Japanese troops. The Qing Government was shocked to hear this news, but even after several campaigns, none of Civil or Military commanders was able to take back the Island, and returning to court, they came across the Shaolin Monastery 少林寺 in Fujian 福建 province. A detachment of monks gallantly advanced and repulsed the Japanese army, taking back Taiwan. When the Qing Government heard about this, it was greatly pleased and intended to grant official titles and posts to the monks. However, as the monks had left behind all worldly affairs, they did not accept these titles, so they were given farmlands and grain and rice as a payment. However, the Qing government suddenly realized that if such capable men living inside the monastery had any ideas for revolution, then the harm would certainly not be inconsequential. So, consumed with suspicion, while sending the grain to the monastery as a reward, the government also secretly sent men to pile hay and grass along the walls of the monastery to use as kindling, and under the cover of night, they set it on fire and burned the monastery to the ground. At that moment, the monks seeing the situation escaped from the temple and fled, scattering, like shooting stars, all over the various provinces. One of them, Zen master Zhi Shan 至善禪師 escaped to Guangdong, and settled down in Haichuang Temple 海幢寺 in Nanhai District 南海 near the city of Guangzhou 廣州. Thereafter, he began teaching martial arts (National Arts) in the temple. He passed his secrets on to his best student Luk Ah Choy (Lu Acai) 陸亞彩, who handed down those skills to Wong Tai (Huang Tai) 黃泰 (a man from Luzhou village in Xiqiao township 西樵 in Nanhai district 南海); Wong Tai 黃泰 passed this teaching on to his son Wong Kay Ying (Huang Qiying) 黃麒英, who in turn passed them on to his son Wong Fei Hung (Huang Feihong) 黃飛鴻 (1847-1924); This is the transmission of the three generations. Wong Fei Hung was once the martial arts instructor in the armies of the generals Wu Quanmei 吳全美 (1859-1886) and Liu Yongfu 劉永福 (1837 - 1917). During the reign of the Qing emperor Guangxu 光緒 (1875 -1908) he was promoted to the position of jingxun daqishou 靖汛大旗手 (Great Bannerman for flood control). Later, in Fujian province, he was in the troops of the chief provincial judge, Tang Ching-sung (Tang Jinsong) 唐竟崧 (1841–1903). At that time, the common people demanded that Tang should become the head of the Republic (of Formosa), and Wong Fei Hung (dianqian dajiangjun) generalissimo. (The Qing official) Li Hongzhang 李鴻章 (1823－1901) commanding the Huai Army懷軍 (淮軍), numbering some several thousand, wiped out the revolutionary party, and Tang Ching-sung now hopelessly outnumbered shaved off his moustache and beard and escaped. Thereupon, Wong Fei Hung, followed Tang and escaped to Guangzhou, and because their plans had all come to naught, Wong subsequently established the pharmacy named Bo Chi Lam (Baozhilin) 保芝林 on Ren’an street 仁安街. There he lived in seclusion not passing on his skills. In front of the gate there was a sign written with large characters saying, “Martial arts and kung fu are difficult to pass on, even if you seek instruction with a 1000 catties of gold, I will not teach you; do not even come here looking for a teacher.” Therefore, those who were eager had no one to learn from.
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