Kungfu artists in China were persecuted as outlaws and revolutionaries toward the end of the Qing Dynasty (later part of 19th C). Many who had established their schools in Foshan, south China, fled to Hong Kong. Some eventually immigrated to the United States.
When my son was small, he took lessons with Sefu Dino of Hung-Sing Kuen (fist) at his Sunset studio. Sefu Dino (second generation grandmaster in San Francisco) wanted to find his Kungfu roots in China. After doing some research for him, we traveled to Foshan in 2000. The legends of the founder still reverberated in the ancestral temple, the alley ways, the tiny dwelling where he lived and died. A small group of Hung-Sing artists were active in teaching and preserving the sites. Sefu Dino and his new found colleagues worked out together. The fist style had changed with time and place, but as they showed off their moves, they were able to recognize many of the signature movements and fondly called each other brother.
Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan would trace their roots to Foshan. The smell of money was too pungent for the government and the movie industry to ignore. Since my visit, I heard Foshan was changing rapidly, surrendering its innocence and simplicity to the modern times. It is to be expected.
