Cho-Si Seh Koh Sum

Last Shaolin Fighting Monk Sek Kho Sum.
Sek Kho Sum was born on 6th December 1886 in his home town of Hailou Village, Lingtao Town, North Gate, Fukien province China (though one source actually dates his birth as being 27th December 1886). His birth place was about 80 miles from the original site of the immortalized Southern Shaolin Temple, which had  been so treacherously destroyed in the previous century, giving rise to the almost mythical legends of the 5 ancestors: and the birth of Shaolin Kung fu as we know it today.
There are many sources of information about this great man. To some he is remembered as Lim Tian Par (In), his given name as Ya Hong (Ah Hoong) which means ‘Welcome’. Another name recalled in these annals is Tian Bao (Dien Pha). He also had the nickname ‘Fei Tian Bao’ which means ‘flying Leopard’
He was one of four brothers in his family and family records show that he was the second son. From a very early age he was seen to be a precocious child, highly intelligent and extremely focused on what he wanted to be when he grew up: a Shaolin Fighting Monk. He was an intensely determined young man. He read avidly any book and texts he could find on Traditional Chinese Medical Science. He is recalled as a man with a very big heart, a caring individual known locally for his willingness to help people in whatever way he could.
He studied diligently during what was a period of great adversity for a poor class family. He knew that if he was to devote his life to the assistance and protection of others that merely curing their ills was not enough. To really help the distressed he would have to ‘weed out the wicket’ and he must also learn the martial arts.
These times were very different to our own, a different kind of society. Hoards of bandits roamed the territory and a police force as we would know it today did not exist. Often villages would spring up around the Shaolin Temples, seeking protection from the fighting monks.
In 1886, at the age of 10, Sek Koh Sum began his study, he became an apprentice of Cheo Hok Piew of Shung Tung province who was a master of the Northern Shaolin System.
Northern Shaolin is a very demanding system, requiring great strength and flexibility. It involves high kicking and almost acrobatic techniques, which were well suited to ‘demonstrations’ in the market places they visited. Much of this type of Kung Fu techniques can be seen in modern day ‘Wushu’ demonstrations.
According to some accounts Sek Koh Sum was also taught the Ngo Char Kuen (5 Ancestors Kung Fu), which descended from the Southern Temple and was very popular in Fukien province at that time.
As Cheo Hok Piew traveled widely, the young apprentice would accompany him, carrying his baggage and assisting him in the treatments. He also took part in his martial arts demonstrations. Martial arts and Traditional medicine go hand in hand in China. This was a period of great learning and great adventure for the apprentice and set him on the path towards his destiny as a Fighting Monk of the legendary Shaolin Tradition.
At the age of 13 he entered the monetary for the first time. He was accepted as a student at the Chen Im monastery, in Hui An. There he studied deep meditation with his master, Heng Liong Siong Lin.
Shortly after he was sent as a disciple to the Mui Hong San Temple in the Putien district to continue his studies of Buddhism and meditation. The monastery was very near to the site of the original Shaolin Temple. After much studying he was ordained a monk and given the name Koh Sum. This was the beginning of a new life as a monk an important step towards the realization of young Fei Tien Bao’s dreams.
Upon attaining the level of monkhood and the completion of his basic studies it was a requirement of the order that he travel around the country, preaching and discussing the Sutras with other monks and laymen. This was an important part of a monk’s development. Not only must they know the Sutras they must understand them too. Even today you can see the monks in discourse at the Buddhist Temple, in heated discussion on the true meanings of the Sutras, slapping their hands to punctuate their statements and theories.
He traveled around China for 6 years, during which time he not only studied Buddhism, but also visited and learned from many martial arts masters, increasing his understanding of Shaolin martial arts too. In the course of his travels he came upon the temple of Nanhai Puji (Cher Chiang Lam Hai Por Chay). There he began to study under a monk called Sek Hui Jing (Hui Cheng) who was 47th generation disciple of the Shaolin traditional martial arts and a direct descendent of one of the 5 masters (the venerable 5) who escaped the burning and destruction of the original Shaolin Temple.
Sek Koh Sum began a serious study of the Shaolin traditions under Sek Hui Jing (Sek is a title given to senior monks and can be translated as the venerable2 or reverend). Sek Koh Sum remained there and trained diligently for 10 years, a fulltime student in the austere and disciplined regime of the Shaolin Fighting Monk, Sek Koh Sum threw himself into his training with the same minded determination he had shown as a child.
At last he was working his life’s dream, to be a true Shaolin Monk.
Eventually he was named 49 generation disciple. Whilst at the Temple, he further studied Chinese medicine and acupuncture, eventually gaining high skill in all these disciples. His wish was to eliminate disease for everyone, especially the poor and people in need.
Sek Koh Sum was the only ‘inner circle’ discipline of his master. He took a vow that he would never disclose the art to outsiders, and in 1926, at the age of 40, he set off once again to travel and preach, this time outside China, settling initially in Vietnam.
After some time preaching the Sutras he left Vietnam to take the teachings of the Buddha to Burma, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia. In every place he visited he treated the sick and ailing and preached the Sutras.
In fact, it is for his good works amongst the poor he gained his greatest repulsion. In modern times he would be seen as a kind of ‘Mother Theresa’ type figure, devoting his life to the care and assistance of the people who most needed it, giving freely the medical skills he had worked so hard to acquire.
He spent 21 years at the Zhen Yuan Gong Temple, in Medan on the island of Sumatra, eventually being appointed abbot there. As he became older, he decided to ask for permission to spread the Shaolin teaching. He had learned so much and felt that it would be wasted when he passed away if he were not to pass it to others. What was the point of great wisdom if it was not shared!
He sent a letter to his master in China, Sek Hui Jing,  asking for permission to teach. Typically he found that his master had already passed away. After much thought and consideration, he made the momentous decision to break his promise to his teacher and began teaching. The world had changed greatly in his life time and he felt that his master would understand his reasons and approve of his actions.
Once ordained, he set about instigating a regime of martial arts training at the temple. No more than 50 students at a time could train at the temple. (The maximum number of disciples at any one time was 18). The training was tough. Disciples lived within the temple and were responsible for cooking, cleaning and maintenance. They were not allowed to leave the temple.
The other students were supervised by the disciples rather than Sek Koh Sum. He was primarily a Buddhist monk and was very active preaching and healing the sick, as well as teaching martial arts.
He would teach different things, to different people in different ways. Often one group would appear to be practicing something different to another group, but Sek Koh Sum’s knowledge was very wide ranging and he would place students in which ever groups trained with each other, too, creating a flow of knowledge and experimentation within the schools.
The disciples were accepted into the temple and initiated personally by him and were asked to burn and eat the ashes of the ‘fu’ (yellow paper) to signify obedience and as acceptance of the Shaolin Traditions and their masters. Most importantly, they were to hold the name of Shaolin close to theirs hearts and vow never to be involved in anything that could bring the name and the traditions into disrepute.

Should they do so, or be asked to leave the temple or the order due to some kind of misconduct, they were forbidden to use the name of Shaolin ever again.
Sek Koh Sum had a formidable reputation as a martial arts master and was greatly respected by all who met him. In 1954 he founded Singapore Sao Hun San Athletic Association, which opened up a whole new direction for Chinese martial arts in South East Asia, located at the gates of the Shuang Lim temple. The character requirements to be accepted as a student were a large part of the enrolment process and those considered ‘unworthy’ were not allowed to join. Eventually around 10 schools were opened by his disciples, all with the same emphasis on character development in their syllabus.
In spring of 1955, Sek Koh Sum traveled to Malaysia in order to further develop the discipline. In today’s world where martial arts can be found on every street corner, it is difficult to grasp the secrecy that surrounded these arts, so he must be seen as a great pioneer for their development.
In 1956, he founded the temple of Song Kheng See in Penang where he accepted students who wished tom study martial arts and Traditional Chinese medicine. With the assistance of his disciples, he created Penang Sao Lim Athletic Association in a small house in the town.Other schools were allowed by senior disciplines in Penang and the same structure in the names, and emphasis on character development were required as in the temple at Singapore. The art he founded still flourished in Malaysia and Singapore. The association today is under the tutelage of master P’ng Chye Kim. Some practice in privacy in the ‘closed door schools’ Tradition, some teach and practice publicly.
In 1958 Sek Koh Sum initiated the Nanyang Sio Lim Martial Arts Association and accepted the role of chief instructor. The teaching there, and his leadership, greatly contributed to the expansion of Traditional Shaolin Martial Arts throughout South East Asia countries and created a great bond between all Shaolin martial arts master, disciplines and students. He had great knowledge and understanding of a large number of MA systems. He knew many forms, he was a master of Iron Palm, Iron Fist and Iron Shirt. There are few masters alive today with the ability to teach and perform these skills.
Sok Koh Sum came from a very poor family. He had scaled many mountains and forded rivers, traveling many thousands of miles on foot in his quest to take his understanding of Buddhism, his medical skills and his beloved martial arts to as many people as he could.
Sadly, on 16th May, at the age of 74, Sek Koh Sum passed away.
His mortal remains were placed in the temple for 7 days to allow the monks and disciples to pay their last respects and on the 22nd May, he was cremated on the Guang Ming Shen before a crowd of more than 7,000 mourners. His memorial tablet still stands today in the Singapore Shuang Lim Temple.
Sek Koh Sum was unique, in that he was the last Shaolin Fighting Monk, and one of the very few who taught outside China. The family, and the lineage he represents, continues to expand and flourish. It is in possession of a wealth of knowledge that could have been lost to the world had he not broken with tradition.
A very courageous and unselfish act by a very special and humble man. He devoted his life to the aid of the desperate, the helpless and the under privileged.
He was, and is still today, a truly inspirational character.

36 Rules and regulations by Great Grand Master Sek Koh Sum