Lin Jing Shan

Praying Mantis Shifu



The information presented in this chart was collected from different sources -see Bibliography-, therefore the romanizations in Pinyin according to the Mandarin pronunciation of the characters sometimes is not available. If you find any mistakes or inaccuracies please contact me.

Lin Ching San / Lin Jing Ji / Lin Chin San.
Born the 4th October 1885 in Jiang Tuan village, Lai Yang district, Shan Dong Province.
Shifu Lin Jing Shan at the age of fourteen moved to Yantai to find a job, he was introduced by "Lai Yang Townmate Association" chairman Mr. Gai to work in Yung Chang Cereal Store located at the South Road. Shifu Fan Xu Dong's boxing school was at Ku Yi Street, very close to shifu Lin Jing Shan's place of employment.
Shifu Lin Jing Shan was very fond of martial arts but he was also too poor to afford gong fu lessons. Therefore he would secretly watch shifu Fan Xu Dong teaching, and would later practice the technique he saw by himself. One day shifu Fan Xu Dong spotted shifu Lin Jing Shan secretly watching him and asked him why he is spying on him. After knowing of his intentions, shifu Fan Xu Dong asked him to show him what he have learned. Shifu Lin Jing Shan was a small man with fast hands and quick footwork. Amazed by shifu Lin Jing Shan's movement and execution of the forms shifu Fan Xu Dong accepted him as his student, teaching him for free. That year was 1902, which began shifu Lin Jing Shan's formal praying mantis boxing training.
Shifu Fan Xu Dong had many students but only nine of them were considered disciples, shifu Lin Jing Shan was the second disciple. It is said that shifu Lin Jing Shan was the best in Iron Palm of all of shifu Fan Xu Dong's students.
Shifu Lin Jing Shan was the elder brother of shifu Luo Guang Yu. In addition to Qi Xing Tang Lang Quan he also knew Tie Zhe Zhang (Iron Palm), Luo Han Gong, Sword, Six Combination Staff, Plum Flower Spear, and Spring Autumn Long Handled Broadsword.
Shifu Lin Jing Shan taught at Tian Jin from 1911-1915, but then returned to Yantai and took over shifu Fan Xu Dong school in Yantai (Shandong) where he stayed teaching until the Cultural Revolution. It is said by some that shifu Lin Jing Shan taught for a short period in a military academy but this is not agreed to amongst his remaining students. During the years of Cultural Revolution, and because of the pressure of the Red Guards, shifu Lin Jing Shan returned to his hometown in Lai Yang, where he taught until his death.
Shifu Lin Jing Shan passed away at Jiang Tuan hospital the 1st June 1971 at the age of 86. Shifu Lin Jing Shan had three sons and at least one of them continued his praying mantis teachings.


Page Updated: 1st July 2007.
If you have comments please contact me !! Fernando Blanco Dopazo .


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