During the Qing Dynasty, in the years under the motto of Yongzheng (about 1723-1736), the Japanese army occupied the island of Taiwan. When the news about the Japanese seizure of some towns reached the Qing Government, it was terrified and sent the Chinese troops there to take back the island, but the Chinese army suffered defeat one after another. Military commanders of different ranks were not able to drive the Japanese away.

After that a detachment of monks from the Shaolin Monastery in Fujian province came to Taiwan. They, full of audacity and courage, delivered a decisive blow to the Japanese army. The Japanese suffered a defeat and retreated. Taiwan was liberated. The Qing Government rejoiced over the victory and intended to grant various titles and posts to the most courageous monks. However, the unworldly monks did not accept granted posts, so they were awarded with land allotments to grow rice and with other valuable presents. 

The Qing bureaucracy thought that if there were such outstanding persons in the Shaolin Monastery, they might be dangerous for the Emperor Palace. If anti-Qing feelings become strong among the monks, it could be very harmful. The Qing Government sent to the monks grain and presents. At the same time some people sent by the government secretly brought to the walls of the monastery a lot of straw. One night broke out a fire that completely ruined the Southern Shaolin Monastery.

The monks who saved after the fire dispersed in different direction all over China like "stars in the sky". One of the most esteemed monks settled in the Haichuang Temple in Nanhai District near the city of Guangzhou (Canton). There he started to teach monks different methods of Fighting Arts. The most outstanding among his disciples was Luk Ah Choy, a monk who made a great success in learning. Luk Ah Choy handed down his skills to Wong Tai (Wong from the village of Louzhou in Nanhai district, small district of Xiqiao). Wong Tai handed down his skills to his son Wong Kay Ying, Wong Kay Ying to his son Wong Fei Hung who became a  successor of the fighting arts in the third generation.

Later on, Wong Fei Hung taught the fighting arts to generals Wu Quanmei and Liu Yongfu. In the years under the motto of Guangxu (1875-1908) he won a contest and was nominated for a post of jingxun daqishou (something like an official person responsible for flood prevention). He served under the assistant of the governor of Fujian province Tang Jinsong. At that time riots of common people started in Fujien. The people of this province demanded that Tan should become the head of a democratic state and Wong Fei Hung - the commander-in-chief. That news made Li Hongzhang become the commander of the government army numbering several thousands of men to suppress the riots. Tang Jinsong could not resist such a large force and decided to hide after shaving his moustache and beard. Wong Fei Hung followed Tang. Both of them took a flight to Guangzhou (Canton). In Canton in Zienan street Wong Fei Hung opened up a drugstore named Bo Chi Lam. He lived in solitude there, he did not seek any posts and did not hand down his superb skills to outsiders. 

This book will help to reach the mastership in Fighting Arts that are not simple to understand. It has been written with the aim of handing down the knowledge to disciples who are eager to find tutors and expect to receive instructions.

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Short Historical Essay on Master Lam Sai Wing Written by his Disciple Zhu Yuzhai

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