The Green Grass Monk -why is there so much doubt about his existence but not the monk Choy Fook? Do we need to have birth and death certificates, dig up the graves of those buried some 150 years ago (what if the graves were unmarked?), and conduct DNA tests on the bones of the dead in order to verify the existence of such persons?! What evidence are you referring to? Have you been able to retrieve the birth and death certificates of the monk Choy Fook? Has anyone have the birth and death certificates of Jesus, Moses or Abraham or Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan and Shih Huang Ti (first Emperor of China)? If not, does it necessarily prove or disproof anything? Many great events and historical figures in History "lack historical dates". That doesn't mean they were fictional. However, the Chan Clan has been able to furnish dates like it had been scripted and enunciated with the official stamp of approval of the Chinese Imperial Palace! Have they got the exact date (day, month and year) of Chan Heung's famous "Tiger killing saga" on their files of Historical Records?

Chan Heung was not a court official nor was he a nobleman. He was a man purported by his later generations to be involved in the underground revolutionary movement that was planning to overthrow the Ching government. Would such a man leave behind trials of evidences (names, dates etc.)? Would the Chan Family have wanted to keep such records -evidences that would link them and any other Ming (Dynasty) sympathizers to the revolutionary movement? On the contrary, the character of Cheung Yim was very elusive. He was an orphan (his parents were killed) who grew up imbued with the revolutionary spirit to topple the corrupt Ching regime. He was deeply patriotic to the work of the Secret Revolutionary Organization and contributed his martial arts skills to help train many of these revolutionists. In his position, he was not about to leave behind any "discriminating evidences" for those (of the Ching Court) seeking to kill or capture the revolutionary rebels. For someone involved in anti-government activities during that era, the prospect of being beheaded if caught by the authority is very real, and this also extends to those who were "even remotely" connected with such a man!

Chan Heung was a sympathizer to the cause that Cheung Yim fought for and he was well aware of the great risks involved by those who faced the full wrath of the Ching government - it was very real. If Chan Heung was deeply involved in revolutionary activities, then the "impeccable records" that the Chan Clan can produce actually casts more doubt than clearing the air. It was not without reason that some Hung Sing elders had suspected that Chan Heung had taken in the fugitive Cheung Yim to hide him from the authority. For that chivalism and daring deed alone, Chan Heung deserves to be respected. Why do you think the Hung Sing elders were reluctant to totally discredit Chan Heung?

You ask for evidence of Ching Cho's existence but have you proof of the existence of the monk Choy Fook (Chan Heung¹s mentor)? Even if you took us to a remote place and pointed to a gravesite and told us that Choy Fook is buried there - do you think we¹ll be convinced?! Likewise, the Hung Sing people can do the same - will you take their word that the grave they show you is that of Ching Cho? So what do we do - start faking evidences (documents, portraits, names on gravestones etc.) to show proof? WHAT PROOF HAVE YOU GOT THAT THE PORTRAIT OF CHAN HEUNG IS NOT A FAKE?! IF NOT, THEN WHY SHOULD YOU ASK US TO SHOW PROOF THAT THE PORTRAIT WE SHOW YOU OF CHEUNG YIM IS HIS REAL IDENTITY!?

The monk Ching Cho was one of the surviving Five Fathers of the Southern Shaolin Temple who escaped from the burning of the monastery by the invading Ching troops. He escaped to Buck Pai mountain to elude capture from the authorities who were searching for the survivors of the Shaolin monastery. Ching Cho (or "Qingcao" in Mandarin) meaning "Green Grass" was the "monasterial" name given to the monk at the monastery. Now, do you think that a fugitive monk from the Shaolin Temple, having been in a battle with the Imperial troops who set the temple on fire, would grab his personal documents (birth certificate or any other forms of ID) before he made his escape?! Even if he did (why would he?), don't you think he would destroy it (the evidence) - or do you think he'd keep his ID on him or maybe place it on the mantle-piece for the authorities to see should they catch up with him!? If you committed a serious crime, would you want to leave discriminating evidences behind? Don't you guys ever think before you ask such questions? What else do you want to know? How many monks were killed at the Shaolin Temple massacre, their names, their ages and dates of births etc.? I SUPPOSE YOU ARE GOING TO TELL US THAT WITHOUT " EVIDENCES " TO BACK UP THIS HISTORICAL EVENT OF THE " SHAOLIN TEMPLE MASSACRE " THIS TOO IS TO BE DISPELLED AS A FICTIONAL STORY!

*Here are the answers to some of your questions about the monk Ching Cho taken from the historical records pertaining to the Legacy of the Hung Sing Choy Lay Fut martial arts. I will reveal the complete TRUE story on Choy Lay Fut, Cheung Hung Sing and the first original Hung Sing Gwoon at a LATER DATE.

WHO WAS THE MONK "CHING CHO"?

WHAT WAS HIS REAL NAME?

HOW DID HE GET THE NAME "CHING CHO"?

WHERE DID HE COME FROM?

"Ching Cho" (Cantonese pronunciation) or Qingcao (Mandarin pronunciation) was a monk at the Jiulianshan Shaolin Temple in Southern China after the Ming Dynasty fell to the Ching (or Manchu Dynasty). His teacher and mentor was Zhishan, a favorite disciple of the chief monk (abbott) Xingyin. Zhishan had 4 favored disciples and together the 5 Shaolin disciples were honored as "The Five Fathers of Southern Boxing" (Southern Shaolin Martial Arts) for their exceptional wushu (kung fu) skills. Qingcao (or "Ching Cho" in Cantonese) was one of the 5 Fathers of Southern Boxing and he was the eldest of Zhishan's 4 favored disciples. "QINGCAO" (Ching Cho) was the "monasterial" name given to CAI DEZONG when he became a monk at the Shaolin Temple. He was also known as "QINGCAO MONK" (Ching Cho Wor Seung in Cantonese - meaning "Green Grass Monk"). Please note: all names are translated from the Mandarin dialect.

1) ZHISHAN

2) CAI DEZONG ("QINGCAO" or "CHING CHO")

3) LI SHIKAI

4) FANG DAHONG

5) MA CHAOXING