Meet a real-life Mr Miyagi based in Fuzhou, China – but what is his Incense Shop kung fu style?
Unlike his Karate Kid counterpart, Lin Shan Quan doesn’t do discretion – instead he’s going all out to bring his particular martial art to the uninitiated masses
Down an otherwise nondescript back alley in Fuzhou, the capital of southeastern Fujian province, hangs a sign that reads “Lin Shan Quan’s Bonesetting Clinic”.
Inside, it’s fairly unremarkable – books are piled up near the back, acupuncture charts adorn a wall and in the middle, a large, oblong table is covered in old magazines, used teacups and a couple of ashtrays. What does stand out are the characters on the front door that read “Shaolin Incense Shop Boxing”.
He loves to fight, he says. “I can’t guarantee I will always win, but I will give anyone a try.”
As the name suggests, this particular style originates, according to legend, from incense shops. The story goes that when the Southern Shaolin Temple was burned down because of its role in anti-Qing activities, many of its warrior monks went into hiding. One, by the name of Zhi Yuan, took refuge in an incense shop and while living there, taught the staff Shaolin Luohan kung fu. It is said the workers’ style of the martial art incorporated their incredibly strong forearms, developed through the daily grinding of herbs to make incense.
