By the start of the 17th century there was great turmoil brewing in the country and there was also unrest between the 5 elders at Shaolin. In (1644), the Manchus invaded China and ruled it with an iron fist for nearly 300 years. The Manchus were well aware of the skills of the Shaolin monks and their sympathy for refugees.

A man named Chan Man Wai helped the Manchus formulate a plan to attack the temple. Chan was not alone in these efforts, a monk by the name of Ma Ning Yee along with a few others in the temple were persuaded to help the government.

When the time came to carry out the plan, those who were persuaded began to set fire inside the temple. When everyone came running out of the temple the Manchu were waiting to kill them outside. The Shaolin Temple was burned to the ground, while the monks and disciples scattered.

 
 

The 5 elders (were Taoist and Buddhists monks) of the Shaolin temple who escaped were: Ng Mui, (buddhist nun, Bil Gee master and Dim Mak expert) helped develop the practical aspects of Wing Chun Kung Fu, founded Dragon shape boxing and Wu Mei boxing. Chi Shin - Shaolin Iron Cloth - (Iron Head Qi Gong master, Kung Fu expert, wooden dummy expert and weapons expert) Pak Mei - Golden Bell Iron Body - (Iron Body Qi Gong master) was the founder of White Eyebrow Kung Fu. Fung To Tak, (famous swordsman) was the founder of White Tiger Kung Fu. Miu Hin, (was not an ordained monk, but was a Kung Fu elder) was the founder of Five Shape boxing and helped in developing Wing Chun Pak Mei, left the temple because of his mistreatment and sought revenge. He offered his services to the Ching and then taught them the Shaolin way of fighting.

Miu Hin returned to civilization in Guangdong Province. Fong To Tak fled and took refuge on Wu Dang Mountain in the Hubei Province. Abbot Chi Shin relocated at Fujian Shaolin temple, which was also destroyed. After this, Chi Shin escaped and roamed the countryside spreading the word of Shaolin Kung Fu. He finally joined the Red Junk Opera troupe as a cook. Ng Mui went south to the White Crane Temple on Tai Leung mountain. This is where she met Yim Yee and his daughter Yim Wing Chun. Ng Mui felt sorry for Wing Chun, when she saw a local bully trying to force her to marry him. Ng Mui decided to teach Yim Wing Chun kung fu that was made up of moves from the snake and crane so she could defend herself. They went into the mountains and trained night and day. When she challenged the bully and beat him Ng Mui decided to name this style after her first student, and this was the birth of Wing Chun Kuen.
 

Ng Mui continued to travel, while Yim Wing Chun carried on the Kung Fu traditions and continued to train after her marriage.

Wing Chun taught her husband Leung Bok Chau. He passed his knowledge of the style down to Leung Lan Kwai. He then passed them down to Wong Wah Bo. Bo was a member of the Red Junk Opera working alongside Leung Yee Tei. Abbot Chi Shin was hiding on the boat as a cook. Chi Shin taught the six-and-a-half Long Pole techniques to Leung Yee Tei. Tei and Bo shared what they knew about Kung Fu and the Long Pole was incorporated into the Wing Chun System. Originally, the Wing Chun Kung Fu system consisted of butterfly swords, dart knives and Dim Mak. Leung Yee Tei's successor was the famous herbalist Dr. Leung Jan, who unlocked the inner-most secrets of the Wing Chun System and passed it down through his 2 sons.

One of his sons, Leung Bik passed on the traditional aspects of the Wing Chun system to Grandmaster Yip Man. The other, was Leung Chun who taught Chung Mei. Chung Mei passed his knowledge down to Chung Yuk Kwai.

Kwai continued teaching Leung Jan Style Wing Chun. He then passed his teachings down to many students one of which was Todd Shawn Tei. Tei passed on his knowledge down to a student with a passion to learn all that Wing Chun had to offer, Sifu Manny.

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