LOVING PERSONAL PARENTAL RELATIONSHIP

The following details reveal no ‘Kung Fu Secrets,’ no oblique references to principles or significant allusions to secret fighting techniques.  Nevertheless they are included for personal reasons of loving and affectionate personal remembrance of Master Chee.

It should not be forgotten that there was a deep personal connection between Alan and his Master.  In Master Chee’s own words, he felt ‘there was a spiritual connection with Alan, and that “we were all friends together in a previous life”.’

Concerning this point, Mr Yap Cheng Hai [a World Renowned Great Grandmaster of the ancient geomantic art of Feng Shui], the First and most Senior Inner Chamber Disciple of Grandmaster Chee Kim Thong, researched this matter deeply through consultation of the Akashic Records kept by the monks of a famous Buddhist Temple, confirming most fully the substance of Grandmaster Chee’s words.

If it is recalled that Grandmaster Chee was the very epitome of a traditional Chinese Gong Fu Grandmaster, and that despite this background/context he took under his wing Alan as a youth, it will be appreciated just how special and deep was the bond of affection and responsibility for tutelage he felt for Alan.

As a young man, Alan, when with the Grandmaster, was brought up in the personal, domestic immediacy of Master Chee’s own home. Many are the treasured remembrances Alan enjoys of the domestic life he was privileged to share with his Master.  For instance after training all day he would be included in a small select group who would go at or shortly after midnight to the local hawker stall to have his share of ‘midnight porridge’.

Not infrequently he would accompany his Master soon after 5am to the early morning market to get foodstuffs for provision of the breakfast and main meals for disciples and students to eat after, or during a break in, their training.

Occasionally on a Saturday, after a hard day’s training, Master would declare that he was going to see a film at the Cinema, and tired though Alan was he would accompany his Master and various members of Grandmaster Chee’s immediate family and close, personal friends.

To explain fully the nature and immediacy of the personal connection Master Chee had with Alan and his family on the occasions he visited the UK to teach, a little explanation of Buddhist esoteric spiritual philosophy is required.  This philosophy enunciates the concept that one is born into the world through ones natural parents, and that at a certain point in rare and special circumstances the parents child is then introduced to a spiritual ‘parent,’ a Mentor and Life-Guide.

For Alan, Master Chee was that Guide, and by virtue of this fact there was a close spiritual connection between Grandmaster Chee and Alan’s parents. Naturally enough therefore there was a strong bond not only with Alan, but with his parents also.

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Master Chee would programme his visits to the UK in such a way as to give himself the opportunity to spend time with Alan and his parents in their home, and on these occasions Alan, and, or his parents would take Master Chee sightseeing, sometimes  far afield.

It was during the visit to York that Alan bought Master Chee the hat seen in the photo above (top left)  Those times, characterised by a truly relaxed domestic familiarity, were filled with many shared happy memories.

Master Chee invited Alan on many occasions to follow him on his visits to China, and also gave Alan and his parents an open invitation, offered regularly, to make use of his home in China.

Alan was delighted for his Master on receiving news of his elevation to the rank of DATO (the Malaysian equivalent of Knighthood) by the Sultan of Malaysia, on the occasion His Royal Highness’ 65th birthday on 29th of April, 1995. Shifu Alan Tinnion’s own martial arts organisation in the Uk was included amongst the list of well wishers in the article the Chee Kim Thong Pugilistic and Health Society placed in one of the local newspapers shortly after, to celebrate Grandmaster Chee’s accomplishment.

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Alan was truly shocked and grieved deeply when he received the news of his Master’s passing.  What he grieved for was not regret about the chance to receive and take more knowledge in the arts being removed, but simply a deep personal sorrow for the loss of a dearly beloved friend and mentor, with whom memories of shared quality times were always the most important and loving bond between this legendary Grandmaster and a truly loyal and devoted Inner Chamber Disciple.

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