A Brief Intro

The short version..

We are historical researchers and practitioners of the Chinese arts of stealth. Unbeknownst to us, we have found ourselves at the forefront of a niche aspect of Chinese military history and tradition. Furthermore, we are the last family to practice the complete Chinese arts of stealth, a circumstance entirely unintentional.

This site serves as an evolving record of the arts of stealth and their historical significance in China and the wider Sinosphere.

The longer version..

Throughout the Far East, there are legends of black-clad, veiled operatives, of both men and women, stealing into households as spies, assassins, and thieves. They were said to move with the fluidity of shadows, navigating treacherous terrain and slipping past unsuspecting guards with an almost supernatural grace. Walls seemed to melt away before them, and locked doors presented no obstacle. Their knowledge extended beyond the physical realm and they possessed a deep understanding of herbal remedies and deadly concocted poisons. Whispers spoke of their ability to manipulate the very elements of the universe, vanishing into thin air, or conjuring illusions to deceive their enemies. When the need arose, these operatives were as lethal as they were elusive. Their movements were swift and precise, their blades whistling a deadly tune in the darkness. They were masters of disguise and subterfuge, capable of striking from the shadows before their targets even knew they were in danger.

Such exotic legends of these stealthy figures have captivated the imagination for centuries, blurring the lines between history and myth. In 1987 – as two naive youngsters – we set out to find the origin of these legends and study the esoteric skills we hoped to find. The journey was to be more than we could ever have imagined.

The term ninja 忍者 is commonly associated with this ‘hidden warrior’ concept, and while it is partially correct, it is important to note that ninja 忍者 were specifically the stealth operatives of Japanese history. However, the black-clad stealth operatives of the night have been a common figure throughout Far Eastern history and tradition.

While the Chinese roots of Far Eastern stealth traditions are widely acknowledged today, a comprehensive understanding of this history has – until now – remained elusive due to a complex interplay of political and economic factors. Notably, Japanese scholars, wary of potential political and financial repercussions, exhibit reluctance to definitively attribute the origins of the ninja 忍者 phenomenon to China. This hesitancy stems from the significant cultural and economic capital invested in the image of the ninja, both domestically and internationally. To complicate matters, significant historical evidence perished during the Chinese Cultural Revolution of 1966-1976, hindering a comprehensive reconstruction of the origins and evolution of the stealth traditions.

This difficult terrain plagued our research for decades. Each time we felt we had the full historical picture, something new and surprising would surface. This happened repeatedly – ad nauseam! If we had not served a twenty-year apprenticeship in a living tradition of the ‘Way of Ten Thousand Things’ 萬物之道, an assassin’s art of stealth in the ‘Warrior Heart’ 戦士心 school, we most certainly would not have been able to uncover the truth that has been buried so deeply in history. It was through our Master, Kwan Yuen Cheong 關潤昌, that we received the once-forbidden training, the school’s oral history, and a handwritten record of the tradition.

Few experiences compare to receiving a direct oral transmission of this ancient warrior art. Witnessing this knowledge, forged in the fires of three millennia, pass from teacher to student was profoundly moving. Yet, this journey went beyond mere witnessing. To cross-reference this living tradition with cold, hard evidence – historical records, archaeological finds, and social studies – was an astonishing validation. The past, once shrouded in myth, began to reveal its secrets. The true revelation lay in putting theory into practice. Embodying the movements ourselves, feeling the echoes of history in our own muscles, was breathtaking. This wasn’t just dusty rice paper or academic discourse; it was a living, breathing art form connecting us to generations past. Even more surprising was how the physical practice resonated not just with history, but with the whispered legends themselves. The elusive power attributed to these ancient warriors seemed to find tangible expression in the flow of movement. This unique confluence of oral tradition, historical evidence, and personal practice has yielded a multifaceted understanding of this remarkable art. It’s not just a collection of techniques; it’s a window into the lives, values, and even the myths of those who came before us.

Video Intro

Below, Les talks about how this journey began…