Bok Fu
Encyclopedia
Bok Fu is an external martial arts system incorporating primarily Kenpo
and Kung Fu fighting styles. Bok Fu translates to “White Tiger.” The white tiger
is a rare and aggressive animal that exemplifies the system's fighting mentality. Upon observing a white tiger in India, the founder of the system, Richard Lee Couvelier, adopted the Chinese translation of Bok-Fu for the name of his style of martial arts, which had been passed down over many generations, under many names, from Shaolin, by way of Japan.
, Japan
. Kosho was born to a high ranking Samurai
family, and as such was well versed in the Japanese Samurai arts. Until Shin Tzu returned to China in 1240, he practiced and passed his fighting knowledge to Kosho. Kosho in turn passed it down through his family for generations. Despite the legend, Prof. Meir Shahar
notes there is no historical evidence for the practicing of unarmed boxing at Shaolin until the transition between the Ming
and Qing
dynasties.
In 1923, the 21st descendant of the Kosho family was born, James Masayoshi Mitose.
He was taught the family secret at his family's private Shaka-in Temple, West Koyazon, Kumamoto, Japan. James Mitose
would break from tradition in 1937 – leaving Japan at the onset of war – and head to Hawai'i. There Mitose founded the Honolulu Official Self Defense Club in 1942 and taught what is now known as Koshoryu Kenpo.
William Chow
, one of James Mitose's Black Belts, was also taught Kung Fu by his father at an early age. Professor Chow saw the similarities between Mitose's Koshoryu Kenpo and father's Kung Fu knowledge, in spite of their thousand years of separation. Chow passed down his knowledge when he opened his Kenpo Kung-Fu school in 1949.
Professor Chow
passed his Kenpo Kung-Fu knowledge down to Edmund Parker. Edmund Parker in turn passed his knowledge down to Al and Will Tracy
. Al Tracy
systematized the art and added a belt structure. Al Tracy taught Chinese Kenpo to his student, Richard Lee.
Richard Lee in turn passed his tradition under the name of Bok Fu in 1967. His first three schools were located in Castro Valley, Dublin, and Walnut Creek. By 1974 the total student body numbered more than 5000.
and Shotokan
. The training progresses from hard Japanese Shotokan movements, to hard/soft Japanese Kenpo style movements, to fluid soft style Kung Fu movements - each with the mentality of the Tiger.
, assemble a team of Bok Fu artists to represent the United States at the World Kung Fu Championships Invitational held in the Republic of China. They became the first overseas team to win the event.
2009 - Ana Julaton, a Bok Fu Black Belt, becomes WBO Super Bantamweight World Champion, and IBA Super Bantamweight World Champion.
Kenpo
is the name of several Japanese martial arts. The word kenpō is a Japanese translation of the Chinese word "quánfǎ. This term is often informally transliterated as "kempo", as a result of applying Traditional Hepburn romanization, but failing to use a macron to indicate the long vowel...
and Kung Fu fighting styles. Bok Fu translates to “White Tiger.” The white tiger
White tiger
The white tiger is a recessive mutant of the Bengal tiger, which was reported in the wild from time to time in Assam, Bengal, Bihar and especially from the former State of Rewa.-Color comparison:...
is a rare and aggressive animal that exemplifies the system's fighting mentality. Upon observing a white tiger in India, the founder of the system, Richard Lee Couvelier, adopted the Chinese translation of Bok-Fu for the name of his style of martial arts, which had been passed down over many generations, under many names, from Shaolin, by way of Japan.
Lineage
According to the origin legend of Bok Fu, Shin Tzu, the head monk of the Shaolin Monastery, fled the Mongol invasion of China in 1235 AD to take refuge with a Shinto Priest named Kosho no Kumamoto at the Shaka-in Temple in KyushuKyushu
is the third largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. Its alternate ancient names include , , and . The historical regional name is referred to Kyushu and its surrounding islands....
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. Kosho was born to a high ranking Samurai
Samurai
is the term for the military nobility of pre-industrial Japan. According to translator William Scott Wilson: "In Chinese, the character 侍 was originally a verb meaning to wait upon or accompany a person in the upper ranks of society, and this is also true of the original term in Japanese, saburau...
family, and as such was well versed in the Japanese Samurai arts. Until Shin Tzu returned to China in 1240, he practiced and passed his fighting knowledge to Kosho. Kosho in turn passed it down through his family for generations. Despite the legend, Prof. Meir Shahar
Meir Shahar
Meir Shahar , born in 1959 in Jerusalem a Professor in the Department of East Asian Studies at the Tel Aviv University.After studying at the University of Jerusalem, he studied Chinese languages in Taipei...
notes there is no historical evidence for the practicing of unarmed boxing at Shaolin until the transition between the Ming
Ming Dynasty
The Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic...
and Qing
Qing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
dynasties.
In 1923, the 21st descendant of the Kosho family was born, James Masayoshi Mitose.
James Mitose
James Masayoshi Mitose James Masayoshi Mitose James Masayoshi Mitose (born Masayoshi Mitose, (December 30, 1916 — March 26, 1981) was a Japanese American martial artist who brought the art of Kenpo to the United States starting in the late 1930s....
He was taught the family secret at his family's private Shaka-in Temple, West Koyazon, Kumamoto, Japan. James Mitose
James Mitose
James Masayoshi Mitose James Masayoshi Mitose James Masayoshi Mitose (born Masayoshi Mitose, (December 30, 1916 — March 26, 1981) was a Japanese American martial artist who brought the art of Kenpo to the United States starting in the late 1930s....
would break from tradition in 1937 – leaving Japan at the onset of war – and head to Hawai'i. There Mitose founded the Honolulu Official Self Defense Club in 1942 and taught what is now known as Koshoryu Kenpo.
William Chow
William Kwai Sun Chow
William Kwai Sun Chow was instrumental in the development of the martial arts in the United States, specifically the family of styles referred to as kenpo/kempo....
, one of James Mitose's Black Belts, was also taught Kung Fu by his father at an early age. Professor Chow saw the similarities between Mitose's Koshoryu Kenpo and father's Kung Fu knowledge, in spite of their thousand years of separation. Chow passed down his knowledge when he opened his Kenpo Kung-Fu school in 1949.
Professor Chow
William Kwai Sun Chow
William Kwai Sun Chow was instrumental in the development of the martial arts in the United States, specifically the family of styles referred to as kenpo/kempo....
passed his Kenpo Kung-Fu knowledge down to Edmund Parker. Edmund Parker in turn passed his knowledge down to Al and Will Tracy
Tracy Kenpo
Tracy's Kenpo is a Kenpo martial arts style with historical roots back to William Chow and James Mitose.- Origins :Kenpo is an unarmed fighting style that came to Japan from China around the twelfth century. Kenpo continued to evolve separately in both countries over the centuries...
. Al Tracy
Tracy Kenpo
Tracy's Kenpo is a Kenpo martial arts style with historical roots back to William Chow and James Mitose.- Origins :Kenpo is an unarmed fighting style that came to Japan from China around the twelfth century. Kenpo continued to evolve separately in both countries over the centuries...
systematized the art and added a belt structure. Al Tracy taught Chinese Kenpo to his student, Richard Lee.
Richard Lee in turn passed his tradition under the name of Bok Fu in 1967. His first three schools were located in Castro Valley, Dublin, and Walnut Creek. By 1974 the total student body numbered more than 5000.
Knowledge
Bok Fu is an aggressive external martial arts system. It contains the 5 animals of Shaolin – Tiger, Crane, Panther, Snake, and Dragon – with Kenpo KarateKenpo
is the name of several Japanese martial arts. The word kenpō is a Japanese translation of the Chinese word "quánfǎ. This term is often informally transliterated as "kempo", as a result of applying Traditional Hepburn romanization, but failing to use a macron to indicate the long vowel...
and Shotokan
Shotokan
is a style of karate, developed from various martial arts by Gichin Funakoshi and his son Gigo Funakoshi . Gichin was born in Okinawa and is widely credited with popularizing karate through a series of public demonstrations, and by promoting the development of university karate clubs, including...
. The training progresses from hard Japanese Shotokan movements, to hard/soft Japanese Kenpo style movements, to fluid soft style Kung Fu movements - each with the mentality of the Tiger.
Notables
1987 - Ron Lee, a descendant of Grandmaster Richard Lee and Grandmaster Huang Sian TehHuang Sian Teh
Huang Sian Teh is a Taiwanese martial artist and former Army general.-Early life:Huang Sian Teh, was born on March 15, 1919 in Cai Village, Hui'an County, Fukien Province, China soon after the fall of the last emperor of the Qing Dynasty...
, assemble a team of Bok Fu artists to represent the United States at the World Kung Fu Championships Invitational held in the Republic of China. They became the first overseas team to win the event.
2009 - Ana Julaton, a Bok Fu Black Belt, becomes WBO Super Bantamweight World Champion, and IBA Super Bantamweight World Champion.