According to legend, in the year 520 A.D. a Buddhist monk named Bodhiharma (Da Mo to the Chinese) entered China bringing a new form of Buddhism called Ch’an (Zen in Japanese). He ended up at a Buddhist temple located at the foot of the Sung Shan mountains next to a small forest. It was called the Shaolin Temple for shaolin means small forest in Chinese. It was his intent to spread the Ch’an sect of Buddhism. This new sect was a more direct form Buddhism which involved long periods of static meditation. Finding the monks of Shaolin to be in less than top physical form, Da Mo, who was believed to be trained in both Yoga and the fighting arts of India and Persia, developed a set of eighteen exercises based on breath work and isometric stretches called Ji Jin Ching, or Muscle Change Classics. He taught these to the monks of the temple and they became a part of their daily life. There is no doubt that forms of boxing already existed in China. But from the Shaolin Temple with its mandatory practice came a reputation of monks who were highly skilled in martial arts. Various styles of fighting developed, some based on the defense maneuvers or characteristics of animals.
As time passed, Kung-fu styles spread throughout China. In the year 714 A.D. legend has it that the Black Dragon style of Kung-fu was developed at the temple in Kwangtung, China by a man named Wu Chen Pai. He is referred to as Si Jo which means founder. He named his style Sillum Wu Hok Lung. Sillum is Cantonese for Shaolin, Wu is his family name, and Hok Lung is Cantonesd for black dragon. In Mandarin it is Shaolin Wu Hei Long. At the temple in Fukien province a style had developed known as Five Animal Style. Black Dragon was a "cousin" style to this also using the animal styles of dragon, tiger, crane, snake, and leopard. Later, Black Dragon added eagle, monkey, and praying mantis as well as a drunken form which gives us the eight animals which we learn today.
Below are the Eight Virtues of the Shaolin Warrior
Compassion
ABOUT THE BLACK DRAGON STYLE
The Black Dragon style is mostly known for its trapping and infighting preference. Although kicks are used, it is primarily a close range style. It also contains drills such as rolling hands, sticking hands, and push hands designed to increase your sensitivity to an opponent's movement thereby improving your fighting skill.
In the 1940's Si Gung Tai (grandmaster) Wu Han Su brought the system to the United States from China. Settling in Seattle, he worked and practiced his kung-fu but had no students. In the early 1970's he moved to St. Louis Missouri.
In 1973 Si Gung Tai Wu met Ike Bear, who at 12 years old had just won first place in his class at a martial arts tournament. Ike was practicing Shotokan Karate at the time and remembers being approached by Master Wu and being complimented on being a good fighter and then being asked if he would like to learn a "real" martial art. Ike responded that he already knew a "real" martial art. Master Wu's next step was to smile and nod and say "you hit me" to Ike. After a few minutes of demonstration, Ike asked "when do we start"?
Thirteen years later, In 1986, Master Wu conferred upon Ike Bear the status of lineage holder of Black Dragon Kung-fu. Two years later, living with family In Chicago, Master Wu passed away.
Black Dragon is a well rounded system containing grappling aspects (Chin'na), wrestling and throwing ( Shuai Chiao), pressure point strikes (Dim Mak), energy development (Qigong), as well as kicking and striking techniques.
The dragon is symbolic of the warrior's inner spirit, and since inner growth is one of kung-fus goals, it became representative of some styles. The eight animals allow any body type or mindset to find a fighting style that suits them while learning from and growing through study of the others.
The following is a list of all Wu Family Black Dragon lineage holders, the time period of their position as Grand Masters and their geographic locations.