Fang Qiniang
方七娘
Legendary figureAccording to tradition, the founder of the Fujian White Crane style (Baihequan), said to have been inspired by a crane deflecting the blows of her staff.
Quick Facts
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By tradition, Fang Qiniang founded the White Crane style (Baihequan) of Fujian province. Her historicity is not independently documented; this is a founding legend. By the tradition of the Lee (Flying Crane) lineage, she was born in the mid-17th century.
By the story, after her mother's death she moved to Yongchun county in Fujian, home to many cranes. She is said to have learned martial techniques from her father. Sources disagree on who he was: one names him Fang Zhonggong, a monk of the Southern Shaolin, another Fang Zhong, who used aliases fleeing the Qing authorities.
By tradition, a crane inspired her to create the style: during her chores it dodged the blows of her staff and deflected her strikes. She combined the crane's movements with what she had learned from her father, giving rise to White Crane.
Tradition holds that the techniques of Fujian White Crane reached the Naha-te masters in Okinawa through Wu Xianggui, known there as Go Ken Ki, influencing Goju-ryu and Uechi-ryu.