Curriculum

Training in Temple Kung Fu is not a mere study of techniques—it is a transformative journey through progressive stages of mastery.

Each phase of the curriculum has been carefully designed to cultivate strength, skill, wisdom, and inner power, building a foundation that is both formidable and profound.

Rather than following the modern belt system, Temple Kung Fu honors tradition with the use of colored sashes—White, Black, and Red—each representing a deeper stage of development.

From the close-quarters precision of Wing Chun, through the rooted power of Hung Gar, to the dynamic fluidity of Northern Shaolin, and finally to the hidden teachings of the internal arts, every step along the path reveals new layers of ability, awareness, and self-mastery.

For those who seek not only martial prowess but also holistic transformation—to forge the body, mind, and spirit into a living expression of the martial way—Temple Kung Fu offers a path unlike any other.

BEGINNER LEVEL

White Sash

The journey begins with the White Sash, a symbol of purity, potential, and the quiet determination to walk the path of mastery.

At the Beginner Level, students are introduced to the brilliant art of Wing Chun (詠春)—a system designed for directness, economy of motion, and refined efficiency.

Wing Chun teaches the practitioner to move with precision and intention, stripping away unnecessary force and wasted effort, and replacing them with structure, sensitivity, and immediate responsiveness.

Training at this stage focuses on the essential building blocks:

Fundamental Stances and Footwork: Establishing balance, mobility, and correct body alignment.
Centerline Theory: Mastering the control of the centerline—the axis that protects oneself and threatens the opponent.
Basic Striking, Deflection, and Trapping Techniques: Developing sharp, clean techniques that flow seamlessly under pressure.
Chi Sau (黐手) - Sticking Hands: Awakening tactile reflexes and instinctive response, the heart of Wing Chun's legendary close-quarters efficiency.

A central focus at the Beginner Level is the introduction to the six traditional forms of Wing Chun, each serving as a vehicle for developing distinct martial and internal qualities:

Siu Nim Tao (小念頭 – Little Idea Form): The foundation of Wing Chun, teaching structure, relaxation, and the generation of power from stillness.
Chum Kiu (尋橋 – Seeking the Bridge): The art of motion—training the ability to find, connect, and control the opponent through precise footwork and body mechanics.
Biu Jee (標指 – Thrusting Fingers): Emergency techniques, advanced recovery, and the unleashing of focused energy when the structure is broken or compromised.
Muk Yan Jong (木人樁 – Wooden Dummy Form): Sharpening structure, angle, and timing through interaction with the wooden dummy—an essential training tool for precision under resistance.
Luk Dim Boon Gwun(六點半桿 – Six and a Half Point Pole): Training the use of long-range energy and developing the strength and coordination required to project force.
Baat Jaam Do (八斬刀 – Eight Slashing Knives): The ultimate expression of Wing Chun power—refining coordination, explosiveness, and total body integration through the use of short blades.

While not all six forms are mastered immediately at the Beginner Level, the foundations of Siu Nim Tau and Chum Kiu are laid with great care, preparing the student for deeper study in the coming stages.

More than just technical training, the Beginner Level instills the spirit of awareness, discipline, and internal quietude—qualities essential not only to martial success but to the development of a strong and harmonious character.

The White Sash is not simply a sign of starting; it is the first light on a path of transformation, where movement becomes meditation, and skill becomes a reflection of the spirit within.

ADVANCED LEVEL

Black Sash

With the achievement of the Black Sash, the student enters the Advanced Level, where roots deepen, the breath anchors, and the strength of the body begins to mirror the strength of the spirit.

At this stage, the focus of training turns to the formidable system of Hung Gar (洪家)—a style renowned for its deep stances, powerful hand techniques, and the fusion of hardness and softness, force and grace. Hung Gar builds the martial artist from the ground up—both literally and energetically—training the practitioner to become rooted like an old tree and explosive like thunder.

Hung Gar cultivates not only the external body—developing strength, stamina, and structure—but also begins to open the door to internal power, breath control, and subtle energy circulation.

Students train in the following core forms:

Gung Ji Fook Fu Kuen (工字伏虎拳 – Taming the Tiger in the I Pattern): Teaches foundational stances, structure, and linear power. Emphasizes discipline, rootedness, and taming of aggression through control.
Fu Hok Seung Ying Kuen (虎鶴雙形拳 – Tiger-Crane Double Form): Balances ferocity and grace, combining the crushing force of the tiger with the lightness, evasion, and precision of the crane.
Ng Ying Kuen (五形拳 – Five Animal Form): Develops adaptability and spirit by embodying the essence of the five animals—Tiger (power), Crane (grace), Leopard (speed), Snake (fluidity), and Dragon (spirit).
Sup Ying Kuen (十形拳 – Ten Form Fist): Expands on animal principles, introducing advanced combinations and flowing transitions between energies and intentions.
Tit Sin Kuen (鐵線拳 – Iron Wire Form): Introduced conceptually here, this powerful internal form develops breath control, dynamic tension, and the circulation of internal energy through isometric techniques.
Lau Gar Kuen (劉家拳 – Lau Family Fist): A fast and powerful hand form that develops coordination, hand speed, and explosive short-range energy.
Chin Ji Kuen (戰字拳 – Battle Character Fist): A form focused on practical combat application, integrating fast hands, close-range strikes, and aggressive forward movement.
Gau Ji Lien Wan Kuen (九連環拳 – Nine Continuous Link Fist): Emphasizes rhythm, combinations, and continuous motion—training stamina, control, and strategic footwork.
Yin Jow Lin Kuen (鷹爪連拳 – Eagle Claw Linking Fist): Incorporates eagle claw techniques such as seizing, tearing, and locking, enhancing joint manipulation and grip strength.
Jow Ga Kuen (周家拳 – Chow Family Fist): Offers a blend of Northern and Southern Shaolin principles, combining speed and mobility with grounded Southern Shaolin strength.
Ng Long Gwun (五郎棍 – Fifth Brother Staff): A long-range weapons form that builds coordination, reach control, and upper body power.
Fu Pa (虎叉 – Tiger Fork): A traditional Southern Shaolin weapon that enhances precision, aggression, and conditioning through the use of the heavy trident-like fork.

These forms are not simply choreography—they are living texts of martial wisdom, encoding principles of power generation, strategy, spirit, and adaptability.

By the completion of the Advanced Level, the student has developed a strong body, focused mind, and a heart tempered by discipline. The Black Sash becomes a mark of someone who has forged inner power from structure and sweat, and who now stands ready to refine that power into something truly extraordinary.

MASTER LEVEL

Red Sash

The Red Sash marks the beginning of a new chapter—not the end of training, but the transition into a lifelong path of mastery.

At the Master Level, the martial artist steps beyond the boundaries of a single system, embracing the full breadth of Temple Kung Fu's living tradition.

Here, training becomes a way of life: a constant refinement of body, mind, spirit, and energy through the disciplined study of multiple arts, internal cultivation, and deeper spiritual practices.

Master Level Training encompasses:

Northern Shaolin Systems (少林拳): A rich tapestry of forms and methods emphasizing speed, agility, long-range power, and aerial techniques. Students explore the grace and fluidity of Northern styles, mastering elegant yet devastating strikes, footwork, and extended energy.
Tai Chi Ch'uan (太極拳): the art of the Grand Ultimate Fist, where movement flows like water and power is cultivated through softness, yielding, and internal strength. Students learn the classical forms, push-hands exercises, and the martial applications of Tai Chi.
Hsing I Ch'uan (形意拳): Mind-Intent Boxing—the art of direct, unstoppable power generated through focused intention and unified body structure. Students cultivate explosive internal force (Fa Jing) and the elemental and animal strategies of Hsing I.
Baguazhang (八卦掌): The Eight Trigrams Palm—an art of continuous change, spiral force, and walking the circle. Students learn evasive footwork, dynamic flow, and the ability to attack and defend from all angles.
Advanced Qigong (氣功): Lifeforce cultivation practices to nourish vitality, strengthen the internal organs, and expand energetic capacity.
Iron Shirt and Iron Palm Training (鐵布衫 & 鐵沙掌): Specialized disciplines for developing internal resistance, external toughness, and the ability to both withstand and issue devastating strikes.
Muscle Changing Classic (易筋經) and Marrow Washing Classic (洗髓經): Legendary internal alchemical methods said to transform the body's sinews, bones, and marrow, renewing the practitioner's strength, vitality, and spiritual essence.

At this level, technique is no longer enough. The Master Level student is called to integrate physical, mental, energetic, and spiritual training into a seamless whole, moving from conscious skill to unconscious mastery, and from external performance to internal awakening.

The Red Sash symbolizes the fire of spirit—the inexhaustible drive to refine oneself, to walk the Way (Tao 道) with humility, perseverance, and a heart set not merely on victory, but on understanding.

Mastery is not measured by the ability to defeat others, but by the ability to conquer oneself—to bring body, mind, and spirit into perfect harmony.

Those who walk the path of the Red Sash do so with the knowledge that there is no final destination, only deeper levels of strength, wisdom, and grace waiting to be uncovered.

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