The Legacy of Iron Body, Burning Palms & Warrior Spirit
Five Elders Kung Fu is a deeply personal system—born from loyalty, struggle, and the fusion of Taoist alchemy with martial brotherhood. Rooted in the traditions of the Southern Shaolin Five Ancestors, this art combines Buddhist internal palm methods, rare Shaolin forms, and the legendary 18 Daoist Palms, a system of internal cultivation and external power.
Unlike styles bound by rigid history, Five Elders Kung Fu is a living art—refined through my lineage and reborn for a new generation of warrior-healers. It blends the resilience of Iron Body training, the explosive force of Burning Palms, and the meditative depth of Taoist and Buddhist methods. This system is not just about combat—it is about carrying forward the wisdom of the elders while forging strength, health, and spirit.
In my own training, I have studied methods attributed to Miu Hin, including the 18 Daoist Palms and the rare Song Tan Burning Palm, which emphasize internal energy projection and devastating striking power. I have also trained in arts connected to other members of the Southern Shaolin Five Elders—studying Pak Mei (White Eyebrow) through my practice of Bai Mei Kung Fu, and training in Wing Chun, the art attributed to Ng Mui. These studies, alongside my Five Elders Kung Fu training, have given me a unique perspective on the legacy of the Five Ancestors and how their methods continue to shape internal and external martial arts today.
Lineage & Training
I trained under Sigung James Patrick Lacy from 1996 to 2001. A devoted and complex teacher, Jim shared with me the internal foundations and combative applications of what was then known as White Tiger Kung Fu and the 18 Daoist Palms system. His instruction blended brutal martial efficiency with deep internal practice, shaping the foundation of my journey into Five Elders Kung Fu.
Jim was more than just a martial artist—he was a recognized expert in American Kenpo Karate, having trained directly with Parker Linekin, one of Ed Parker’s senior black belts. Though debate exists over the exact nature of his connection to Ed Parker, there is no question that Jim’s knowledge of Kenpo, combined with his passion for Southern Shaolin and Taoist arts, gave him a unique ability to bridge traditional Chinese martial arts with modern combative thinking.
His personal story was one of resilience. As a teenager, Jim survived being struck by a train, which shattered his pelvis and left him with lifelong damage to his hips. He struggled with poor mechanics, crippling arthritis, and constant pain—but despite this, he threw himself into martial arts with an intensity that inspired everyone around him. Every movement he taught carried the imprint of this hardship: raw determination fused with an understanding of both suffering and healing.
Jim’s teacher was Grandmaster Doo Wai, a controversial figure associated with Bak Fu Pai (White Tiger Style) and the 18 Daoist Palms. While debates about Doo Wai’s legitimacy and lineage still persist within the martial arts community, what remains undeniable is the sheer depth of knowledge, power, and internal method that was transmitted to Jim—and through Jim, passed on to me.
During my five years of intensive study, I was taught methods of Iron Body conditioning, Burning Palms, Daoist meditation, and forms that traced their inspiration back to the Southern Shaolin Five Ancestors. These teachings were both physical and internal—rooted in martial effectiveness, yet equally focused on energy cultivation and spiritual refinement.
Over the years, I have chosen to step away from the drama and controversy surrounding the decades-long feud between James Patrick Lacy and Doo Wai, as well as the stigma that often follows the names 18 Daoist Palms and White Tiger (Bak Fu Pai). To avoid that baggage and to honor the broader spirit of my training, I call my art simply Five Elders Kung Fu. This name reflects not only the systems I inherited but also the influences I have integrated from Pak Mei (White Eyebrow), Wing Chun, and both Buddhist and Taoist internal practices. My Five Elders Kung Fu is therefore not a frozen relic of history, but a living, evolving system—one that continues to grow as I deepen my studies in Qigong, Neigong, Iron Body methods, and Southern Shaolin Five Ancestors traditions.
Internal Conditioning
Golden Bell & Ba Ting Gum Iron Body
Internal Iron Palm
Tibetan Lama Burning Palm
Red Crown Burning Palm
Miu Hin’s Song Tan Burning Palm
Shaolin One-Finger Burning Palm
Shattering Palm, Vibrating Palm, and Springy Palm
Forms & Swordplay
Seven Star Continuous Fist
Heavenly Thunder Palms
Sparrow Descending to Its Perch
White Lotus Sword
Continuous Returning Sword
Goddess Spreading Her Flowers Sword
Clouds in Heaven
Miu Hin’s Core Forms
Miu Hin’s Core Meditations
Meditative Practices
San Yi Gong (神意功)
Stars Among the Heavens Meditation Series
Wind Amongst the Heavens Series
White Tiger Dim Mak Meditation Series
This training was not simply physical—it was energetic, transformative, and deeply internal. Under James Patrick Lacy, I was taught that the 18 Daoist Palms were more than striking methods; they were a system of Five Elders Kung Fu that integrated Iron Body conditioning, Taoist Neigong practices, and Southern Shaolin Five Ancestors forms into a unified path. Every palm strike, sword form, and meditation was a step toward balance between external power and internal cultivation. Through this system, I came to understand that martial training is not just about combat—it is about resilience, healing, and carrying forward the wisdom of the elders into modern practice.
A Path Forked by Conflict
In the early 2000s, tension between James Patrick Lacy and Doo Wai escalated into a bitter feud. Accusations flew, allegiances broke, and students like myself were caught in the middle of a conflict that tarnished reputations and cast shadows over the legacy of 18 Daoist Palms, White Tiger Kung Fu (Bak Fu Pai), and other systems connected to the Southern Shaolin Five Ancestors. What should have been a path of martial brotherhood and inner cultivation was instead marked by division and controversy.
At the height of that conflict, Grandmaster Doo Wai even extended an offer to me—to become the next Grandmaster of Tibetan Lama Burning Palm, a title I had dreamed of since first beginning my training. But I could not accept. To do so would have meant betraying the man who had guided me, challenged me, and stood beside me through years of blood, sweat, and fire. While Jim Lacy was far from a perfect man, he was my teacher. He was my mentor. He was my friend.
I stepped away from the politics of those systems for a time—but I never stepped away from Jim, nor from the lessons of Five Elders Kung Fu that he entrusted to me.
Gratitude & Remembrance
Though our formal training eventually came to an end, Jim and I never lost touch. In 2009, when I opened my first martial arts school, Jim was a voice of unwavering support. He would spend hours on the phone with me, generously sharing his insights, struggles, and hard-won advice for a young teacher finding his way.
Jim taught me more than just techniques. He taught me how to show up for the community: to empower women in need of self-defense, to support kids facing bullies, to strengthen the underserved. Inspired by his example, I offered free seminars to Girl Scouts, women, and those who might never otherwise step foot into a martial arts school. Jim believed that the real spirit of Kung Fu lives in service—a lesson I have carried forward into my own teaching of Qigong, Neigong, Pak Mei, Wing Chun, and Five Elders Kung Fu.
Despite the controversies and hardships that surrounded him, I will always remember Jim as an excellent teacher and mentor, one who passed down not only the physical methods of 18 Daoist Palms and Southern Shaolin Five Ancestors Kung Fu, but also the spirit of resilience, loyalty, and courage. I miss him deeply. I honor him in every form, every circle, every breath of practice. And I carry forward his legacy by ensuring that the arts which defined his life’s work—Five Elders Kung Fu, Taoist and Buddhist Qigong, and internal martial training—continue to grow, evolve, and inspire the next generation.
A New Name, A Living Legacy
The decision to teach under the banner of Five Elders Kung Fu was not made lightly. For years, I wrestled with the weight of history, the feuds between teachers, and the stigma that followed the names 18 Daoist Palms, White Tiger Kung Fu (Bak Fu Pai), and even Tibetan Lama Burning Palm. While these systems held powerful methods of Iron Body training, Burning Palms, and Taoist internal alchemy, they were often overshadowed by arguments over legitimacy and lineage.
By calling my art Five Elders Kung Fu, I honor the legendary figures of the Southern Shaolin Five Ancestors—Ng Mui, Bai Mei (Pak Mei), Jee Sin Sim See, Fung Dou Dak, and Miu Hin—while also recognizing that what I teach today is something distinct. My system is not locked in the past; it is an evolving blend of the arts I have studied, refined, and lived.
From Pak Mei Kung Fu, I carry forward explosive short-power strikes, rooted stances, and the White Eyebrow emphasis on precision and efficiency. From Wing Chun, the art attributed to Ng Mui, I integrate close-range combat, structural economy, and chi sao sensitivity. From Qigong and Neigong, I apply Taoist and Buddhist methods for healing, meditation, and energetic refinement. And from the 18 Daoist Palms—the core of my early training under James Patrick Lacy—I preserve the dynamic strikes, palm variations, and internal methods that shaped my foundation.
Yet Five Elders Kung Fu is not a relic of these traditions; it is their living synthesis. It is a system that combines internal conditioning, martial applications, and spiritual cultivation into a unified path of transformation. The elders themselves adapted, survived, and evolved their teachings to meet the challenges of their time. I strive to do the same today, ensuring that these practices remain relevant, powerful, and accessible for modern students.
At its heart, Five Elders Kung Fu is about more than forms or fighting. It is about carrying forward the legacy of resilience, loyalty, and integrity. It is about honoring my teacher, James Patrick Lacy, who passed down the methods of the 18 Daoist Palms, while also transcending the controversies that surrounded his generation. It is about respecting the roots of the Southern Shaolin Five Ancestors, while embracing the truth that every generation must adapt the art to their own era.
This system changed my life. It helped me overcome physical, mental, and spiritual challenges. It gave me a vehicle for growth, a way to connect ancient Taoist and Buddhist wisdom with practical martial training, and a means to teach others the value of discipline, health, and courage.
When I say “Five Elders Kung Fu,” I am not just speaking of history. I am speaking of a living, breathing legacy—a system that draws from the past but is fully alive in the present. It is both a tribute to the masters who came before and an offering to those who seek a path of transformation today.
Ready to Begin Your Five Elders Journey?
If you feel called to explore the path of Five Elders Kung Fu, I invite you to train with me. Whether your interest lies in Pak Mei striking methods, Wing Chun structure and sensitivity, Qigong and Neigong for healing, or the Iron Body and Burning Palm practices of the 18 Daoist Palms, this journey will challenge and transform you.
At Agniyana, training is not about learning techniques in isolation—it is about cultivating a complete art that unites body, breath, and spirit. Each class, form, and practice is designed to help you discover resilience, balance, and strength both inside and outside the martial circle.
The elders carried their arts forward through centuries of upheaval. Today, I carry them forward to you. Five Elders Kung Fu is more than tradition—it is a living path waiting for those ready to walk it.
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