In Memoriam: Grandmaster Wong Kiew Kit (1944-2026)

[Damian Kissey]

IMG-20260302-WA0129.jpg

In the morning of March 1st, 2026, our beloved Sifu, Wong Kiew Kit, passed away peacefully.

Today, we mourn not only a teacher but a shining example of wisdom, compassion, discipline, and joy.

Sifu leaves behind an extraordinary legacy - one that spans continents, generations of students, and countless lives transformed through the arts and philosophy he so generously shared.

His teachings were not merely techniques; they were invitations to live with clarity, courage, and kindness. He showed us what it means to practice Shaolin arts with heart, integrity, and commitment.

Though he has left us, his spirit remains in our practice, in our conduct, and in the way we uplift others. The greatest tribute we can offer is to continue walking the path he showed us.

We warmly invite students, friends, and family to share memories, stories, and experiences of Sifu on this Facebook page or within our forum sections. Let us celebrate the life of a remarkable master by remembering the joy and wisdom he brought into the world.

With deep gratitude and respect.

[Damian Kissey]

Our Sifu/Sigung/Taisigung, Shaolin Wahnam Grandmaster Wong Kiew Kit, an exemplary being whose knowledge and wisdom wholesomely transformed the lives of many others.

His worldwide teachings of The Shaolin Arts live on in disciples on all continents.

Thank You Sifu and All Past Masters.

Best wishes to all Shaolin Wahnam members and friends. IMG-20251214-WA0057.jpg

[Andy]

In 2005, I was fortunate enough to be experiencing a once-in-a-lifetime journey around the world. I had reached Beijing—somewhere, up to the point in my life, I’d never believed I’d actually be able to visit for real, in the flesh—and was awed by the experience of walking out of my hostel, located in the ancient alleyways of the hutongs, to look up at the towering Qianmen, the city wall South Gate that had stood, looking down on travelers from near and far, since the Ming dynasty.

That day, I decided to dispense with the usual tourist itinerary and let the muse guide me. An hour or so later I found myself in a foreign language bookstore in the commercial part of the city centre, and two books seemed to leap out from amongst all the rest on the shelves: “Art of Shaolin Kung Fu,” and “Chi Kung from Health and Vitality,” both by Chinese author Wong Kiew Kit.

I began reading and found myself totally engrossed. Hours passed and all thoughts of the tourist trail left me. The message of the author, a Grandmaster of the Shaolin Arts, was that chronic disease could be cured, that human beings possessed an energetic aspect which could be trained to enhance the martial arts, and that the spirit was not something nebulous and irrelevant to daily life, but something tangible that could be cultivated to achieve peak experiences.

I was impressed, and the next day I went back to the same bookshop and bought both books. The message of the books seemed too good to be true, but I was determined to learn more and to find out for myself. Those two books became travelling companions on my route around China, and whenever I read them, I felt as if I was touching the very heart of China, just as much as I did when walking through the Pagoda Forest at Shao Lin Si, looking out on the crystal aquamarine waters of Jiu Zhai Gou, or watching the sun rise above a sea of clouds atop Mount Emei.

The author of the books, whilst ethnically Chinese, was a Malaysian national. In another fortuitous coming together of circumstances, as I continued my round-the-world journey, I realised that I would be visiting northern Malaysia at the same time that an Intensive Chi Kung Course would be hosted by the master himself, Wong Kiew Kit. This was my chance, and I was determined to take it; pushing the metaphorical boat out to attend the course.

I had practiced a little from the books as I traveled and had gotten results, but some of the content still seemed outlandish. It was time to put the teacher to the test—was his message too good to be true?

I can still remember Sifu walking into the room for the first time on that first day of the course. The atmosphere instantly changed, like the sun’s first appearance from over the horizon at dawn. With a wide smile, an even wider open-armed greeting, and a booming voice, Sifu’s joyous positivity was infectious. He taught us a new way of smiling, one that came from the heart, and it was exactly the skill I needed at that point in my life. And as I was learning from the Grandmaster of the Shaolin Arts himself, I could now call him, “Sifu,” which directly translates as: teacher/father.

Needless to say, Sifu delivered on his message; in that course, and in every other one that I subsequently attended. The impression I had gotten from his writing—that this was a man of intellect, erudition, morality, and integrity—was confirmed, but meeting the man was something else again. In his Qigong courses he was joyous and uplifting, providing the energy and confidence that the sick so badly needed; in his Kungfu courses demanding yet inspiring, pushing us beyond our limits, and in so doing creating new standards of performance.

Sifu was not only comprehensive and methodological in his teaching, he knew exactly where and when to inject humour—to make the learning entertaining, and to break the tension of a difficult session. Behind the distinguished title of Grandmaster of the Shaolin Arts, over time I came to know that he was practical and down-to-earth, without airs-and-graces, living humbly in a quiet neighborhood, and with the distinctive charming English diction of the Straits Chinese (na!). His business was called “Wong Happy Family” and that was the measure of the man behind the books and the teaching and the title. He was a father, later a grandfather, whose primary focus in life was supporting and uplifting his family. Not only his flesh and blood family, but also the family of practitioners that grew up within his school.

In everything he did, he was supremely capable, like a polished and well-honed diamond. Bodhidharma, the 28th Patriarch of Buddhism, said that when the mind is mastered, “Everything you do is Zen.”

Everything Sifu, a true modern-day Bodhidharma, did was Zen.

So was it really all too good to be true?

• Chronic disease. Before I met Sifu, I used a bronchodilator and steroid inhaler every day, within one year of practicing his Arts I no longer needed them.

• Energetic training. Practices such as Zhan Zhuang allowed me to strengthen my body to the degree that I could compete successfully on the sports field with people in their early 20s whilst I was in my late 30s. As someone who was unathletic and often sickly as a child and adolescent, this was quite the turn around.

• Peak experiences. The words “peak experience” do not do justice to what can be achieved through Zen, or meditation; the highest and deepest of all Arts.

Sifu proved himself to be a true disciple of the Buddha; a man of truth, dedicated to helping and uplifting others.

He helped and uplifted me, and for this I am eternally grateful.

Sifu has now gone before us, and the world is no longer the same.

It is a time of transition, a time of mourning, and a time of gratitude.

My time will come too, and when it does, I will reflect once again on a meeting which was as significant for me as reaching the University of Nalanda was for Xuanzang; as serendipitous as his being given a skinny, red horse with an iron saddle. Every child on earth grows up with cultural myths and legends, some with roots stretching back millennia. What Sifu taught me was that some myths and legends, some mystery and magic in this world, is real—it exists out there, waiting for those who would seek, and find, and most importantly of all, would put into practice.

We honour our teachers by practicing and passing on what they have taught us.

With thanks to Sifu for his lifetime of tireless efforts to guide, teach, and uplift others, and with heartfelt condolences to Simu and family.

[LeeWeiJoo]

Thank you, Sifu, for everything that you have taught and passed down to us. For being a beacon of shining light and guiding us all to be our better selves.

May the Shaolin arts be passed down to posterity for the benefit of all.

Namo Amitabha Buddha
Namo Amitabha Buddha
Namo Amitabha Buddha

[John Ó Laoidh]

It is heartwarming to read the words of Damian Siheng, and Andy & Wei Joo sihengs above. I can't imagine what life would have been like had I not been fortunate enough to meet Sifu and I am constantly staggered by how much he loved his students unconditionally as if they were his own children. What truly amazing arts he shared with us - as Andy said above - it really was like stepping into a mythological world of tigers & dragons to learn Kung Fu from Sifu. Every room he entered quite simply became the hall of a palace. The DEPTH of knowledge he shared on Kung Fu, martial arts generally, Asian philosophy, healing & medicine, military history, Tang Dynasty poetry, strategy... and he shared it traveling the globe tirelessly... I'm still in awe of it. While deeply saddened by Sifu's departure, there is immense gratitude for his teaching. Thank you always Sifu, words are useless to express my abiding gratitude to you for your teaching.
Many lifetimes could not repay your kindness.

With a Shaolin Salute to all.

[veenie]

In Loving Memory


"You must let go of my hand and learn to walk yourself. Our loved ones who appear gone are always with us" (Sifu 2022)

May Sifu's words always guide us.

I once asked Sifu this question "How can I/we be in this world, full of love, compassion, ready to be of service yet still remain detached and not get swept up by the drama of duality? More specifically how can we walk the Bodhisattva path?

Sifu's direct yet profound reply was:

"Be wise and compassionate" (2022)

Sifu walked the Bodhisattva path sharing his Great Compassion and Wisdom and to honour this there is the Heart sutra and Sifu's figurative translation of the Heart Sutra which expands on the nature of emptiness (please feel free to download).

The Journey from the Heart began in
summer of 2007. It was my first summer camp UK and Sifu was radiating with a golden light and he said in his loud booming voice "Enlightenment!" and my unfolding journey began.

It was when Sifu first started teaching the Zen courses that all the wisdom teachings began to crystallise. He always found a way to guide us to the transcendental heavenly realm and materialize it into the phenomenal. It was how the painting of Sifu flowed through; born from a lotus flower in Sukhavati. I woke up at 4am and before I knew it the painting appeared, what felt like days was actually a few hours and when I stepped back I saw Buddha! I'm truly grateful for all the Zen gems that Sifu transmitted.

One of my fondest memory is celebrating Sifu's birthday in Malaysia. We all marveled at how Sifu used the sword to cut the cake "Aha!"and Singing "I want to break free" whilst performing the OFSZ/ Kung Fu show collectively. It was such a joyous occasion and I'll never forget Sifu's beaming smile and how the air was filled with laughter..may his smile radiate in our hearts forever.

Sifu often mentioned we must have the heart of a parent to be a great healer and teacher and he led by example. Sifu held my hand throughout all the ups and downs of life, nurtured my spirit and taught me how to stand on my own two feet. When I fell and broke my leg/ankle he transmitted courage through the arts of Shaolin Kung Fu. When Joel and I got lost in the Borneo jungle his teachings guided us out. (Sifu's favourite story which he always got us to share over a cup of tea and delicious food!). Sifu has been a loving father and held my hand throughout the ups and downs of life and now I've learned to let go of his hand but he will be forever missed.

"Heart thinks event's materialise"-I will never forget the time I stayed with Sifu and 'just be' in his presence. It was a dream come true to cook for Sifu and to give with an open heart and hear him say "not Tortoise method!" during the Abridged Wudang course...it's the skill I mastered the most...hehee

I have loved meeting every one of my brothers and sisters and being part of this incredible journey. Thank you for the joy, laughter, tears and adventure!

"Kuan Yin Bodhisattva is wonderful. She often comes to bless us" Sifu 2021

May Kuan Yin Bodhisattva guide Sifu in divine light and may he attain Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi- Supreme Perfect Enlightenment.

May the transmission of Compassion and Wisdom flower in our hearts as we come together to send our farewells to Sifu.

Eternally Grateful, with love to all
Parveen
OM MANI PADME HUM
Namo Kuan Shin Yin Bodhisattva
Gate Gate Paragate Parasamgate Bodhi Svaha

[Omar]

As I am sure many have felt after his passing, Sifu has wordlessly said goodbye. Beyond words or handshakes, overflowing with kindness. Everything is okay.

[ryanberg]

Thank you Sifu for generously preserving and passing on the Shaolin arts to us.

Thank you for your kindness, patience, and joyful heart.

Thank you for seeing what we are truly capable of, and believing in it for us.

Thank you for lighting our way.

Through your books, seminars, website, videos, and most importantly - through the network of students and instructors you gathered together all around the world - you built a new Shaolin temple for the modern era. One not restricted to elite Generals and Emperors or limited by geographic boundaries, but open to all with a sincere desire to learn.

You told us that kung fu is alive.

May the Shaolin arts continue to live in all of us, and continue to grow across our world like the branches of a great tree.



On the day of Sifu's passing (before I heard the news), my wife and I spontaneously decided to visit a temple in a small town nearby Chiang Mai.

In my humble opinion, it's the most beautiful temple in northern Thailand. The grounds are expansive and well cared for, and the energy is pristine. It's one of my favorite temples, but we don't visit often because it's far from where we live.

As we walked the temple grounds, bells gently chimed in the breeze and I remarked to my wife that it made me think of Sukhavati and how the leaves of the trees there chime in the breeze to remind you of the path toward enlightenment.

We had a deep discussion about Sukhavati and Bodhisattvas later that evening, and as we were headed to bed I mentioned what a perfect day it had been.



The next day when I found out about Sifu's passing we decided to return to the same temple.

We bought a small bell as a blessing to Sifu.

When we went to hang it, the breeze was quite still and none of the other bells were chiming. As soon as we hung Sifu's bell, a strong gust of wind started blowing all the bells.

It was a nice moment.

You can see a video of the chiming bells we recorded here.



Thank you to all my Shaolin Wahnam brothers and sisters for sharing your stories about Sifu. I look forward to when we meet in person and can share more stories together.