Their ubiquity and widespread popularity can be at least partially attributed to Wuxia novels (such as Wan Nian Qing), as well as the mythology around anti-Qing organizations such as the Heaven and Earth Society, which were spreading rapidly through China in the early 19th century.

Other accounts portray Bak Mei as having been banished from Shaolin Temple because he killed several of his fellow monks when he first began practicing his new fighting style.

The leader of the Shaolin Temple, Hong Mei (“Red Eyebrows”) died, leaving his legacy to Chi Thien Su, also known as Jee Sin, one of the five Great Kung Fu Masters.

There, Bak Mei slew the “invincible” Shaolin leader, Chi Thien Su, in single combat by breaking his neck.

In 1723, on the sixth day of the first new moon of the lunar calendar, Qing forces launched a sneak attack on the southern Shaolin temple, which began by bombarding the largely wooden monastery with a relentless deluge of burning arrows.

Soon only five remained: After two years of running and hiding from the Qing army, these fugitives of the cloth regrouped at Mount Emei in Sichuan Province.

It was decided that Bak Mei would infiltrate the Qing imperial court as a spy while the others travelled throughout China to establish an alliance of anti-Qing rebels.

For that matter, the legend of Bak Mei may have no basis in historical fact at all, and come solely from wuxia novels like Wan Nian Qing.

Unique to Bak Mei is its classification of the following 6 powers: biu (thrusting), chum (sinking), tan (springing), fa (neutralizing), tung, and chuk.

The Taoist Fung Fo in turn passed the art on to Lau Siu-Leung, who established the Futshan lineage of Bak Mei.

Cheung Lai-Chuen began his study of the martial arts at the age of 7 with the traditional Chinese medicine practitioner Shak Lim, who taught him the Vagrant style.

There is no material evidence to suggest that Guanghui came from Emei Shan; all we have is the oral tradition from Zhang Liquan (Cheung Lai Chuen) that his Shifu, Zhu Fayun, came from a temple in Sichuan Province.

Zhu Fayun is said to have been a Buddhist monk from Emei Shan in Sichuan Province on a pilgrimage to the Guangxiao (Bright Filial Monastery), in Guangzhou.

During his stay in Guangxiao, Zhu Fayun committed to teach Zhang Liquan (Cheung Lai Chuen) the Baimei arts.

It would appear contradictory to suggest that such a man, who has been totally honest about the origins of all that he has learnt, would deny the existence of one teacher, or indeed invent a fictional character to disguise his own works when he has already affirmed creating several of his own.

Hong Mei ("Red Eyebrows"), abbot of the Southern Shaolin Temple, died during this time and his position was passed onto Chi Thien Su, known by his Dharma name Jee Sin Sim See, "Chan teacher Perfection".

Chu Long Tuyen refused to provide his real name for fear of retribution against his family and students, in case they survived.

While he is often portrayed as a traitor, Bak Mei's actions were undertaken, including the destruction of the temple, with the intention of preventing harm to those who had chosen to follow him.

Rumors soon began to spread about the threat posed by a power so great that it defeated the entire Xilu army with a force of only 128 monks.

He began his reign by plotting the temple's destruction and was said to have secretly recruited a band of renegade warrior monks from Tibet to carry out his plan.

Their identities vary but they are generally accepted as the following: After two years of running and hiding from the Qing army, these fugitives of the cloth regrouped at Mount Emei in Sichuan Province.

It was decided that Bak Mei would infiltrate the Qing court as a spy while the others travelled throughout China to establish an alliance of anti-Qing rebels.

Some say he was finally killed by the combined effort of Hoong Man Ting and Wu Ah Phiew who employed the Crane Style and the Tiger Style to avenge the burning of the Shaolin Temple and the death of their sigung (teacher's teacher), the Venerable Jee Sin, the Abbott whom Pak Mei is said to have killed in a duel during the burning of the temple.

It traces its origins to Mount Emei, where Bak Mei is said to have transmitted the art to the Chan (Zen) master Gwong Wai, who then passed it on to Juk Faat Wan.

Bak Mei's fighting style makes use of the four principles of "floating" (fou), "sinking" (chum), "swallowing" (tun) and "spitting" (tou) common in the southern Chinese martial arts.

Unique to Bak Mei, is its classification of the following 6 neijin (powers): biu (thrusting), chum (sinking), tan (springing), fa (neutralizing), tung, and chuk.

(source: Barbary Jonathan) [4] Jeung Lai Chuen began his study of the martial arts at the age of 7 with the Classical Chinese Medicine practitioner Sek Lam, who taught him the vagrant style.

[4] Cheung Lai Chuen's first set of six disciples in Guangzhou were: (Chinese) (Cantonese) (Mandarin) 邱人和 Yau Yan Wo / Qiu Renhe 劉鑫容 Lau Yam Yung / Liu Xinrong 朱百貴 Jyu/Chu Bak Gwai / Zhu Baigui 葉竹林 Yip Juk Lam / Ye Zhulin 王耀光 Wong Yiu Gwong / Wang Yaoguang 李達橋 Lei Dat Kiu / Li Daqiao Bak Mei Pai remained relatively obscure and unknown until the 20th Century, when its popularity grew and it became more widespread.

After fleeing mainland China during political unrest, some Bak Mei Masters, including notable figures such as Cheung Lai Chuen (张礼泉), relocated to Hong Kong.

[7] In the 1960s and 1970s, Bak Mei arrived in Western countries, such as the United States,[8] Canada,[9] and Australia,[10] as Chinese immigrants and martial artists opened schools in their new communities.