The two man system of shaolin that form the shaolin kung fu, as it is today are "Buk Hok Kuen" (White Crane Fist) kung fu and "Jow Gar Kuen" (Jow Family Fist) kung fu, sometimes known as "Fu, Pow Kuen" (Tiger, Leopard Fist) kung fu.

Buk Hok Kuen

The white crane system was formed in Tibet, during the Ming Dynasty when a monk named Adato, was sitting along the riverbanks in deep meditation. He was disturbed by the cries of a beautiful white crane protecting it's young from an attacking ape. Adato was surprised by the way the white crane bird maneuvered around the ape with such ease, frustrating the ape. With each attack the ape made, the white crane would use it's long wings to confuse the ape and each time it attacked, the crane would use it's long beak and claws to fight the predator off. After witnessing the fight between the crane and the ape, the Tibetan monk Adato, formed the white crane system.

The white crane was one of the original fighting arts to enter the shaolin temple, along with tiger, leopard, snake and dragon.

Jow Gar Kuen

The Jow family fist was formed by five brothers (Jow Lung, Jow Hip, Jow Hoi, Jow Biu and Jow Tin) from Kwun Tong county; They were known as the five tigers of Jow Gar and were a dominant force for nearly half a century in the Southern Province of China.

Jow Lung, the eldest of the brothers had already studied kung fu from his uncle, an expert in Hung Far and Choy Gar kung fu and was unofficially claimed champion of Kwun Tong county during the 1800's. Due to a lack of work in the county, Jow Lung decided to seek work in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. While he was there, he got into a fight, seriously injuring himself. He feared for his life, so he escaped into the jungle, where he came across a temple. Jow Lung explained himself to the abbot, who took pity on him and told him he could stay until he was well enough to leave.

Jow Lung displayed talent, so the monks decided to teach him some of the northern shaolin forms. after three long years of intense training at the temple, he returned home to Canton where Jow Lung and his four brothers opened their first Jow Gar kung fu gymnasium. It spread around the world with it's keen practitioners.

Shaolin Gymnasium

Some of the other systems that make up the shaolin gymnasium are "Hou Kuen" (Monkey Boxing) and "Joy Kuen" (Drunken Boxing). These forms are known as sung kung and spiritual boxing and are only taught to students of high moral and a true understanding of the arts.