There are not many true martial arts Grand Masters in the United States, and few are as well know here and abroad as Grand Master James Shyun. Honoree of two Taiwanese national awards; and the subject of his own Taiwanese television series, he has been featured on the cover of Inside Kung Fu as well as other prestigious martial arts magazines. James Shyun is the acting President of the American Chinese Martial Arts Federation and the man behind the growth and development of KUNG FU U.S.A. Master Shyun is also a Doctor of Chinese Medicine and Professor at a Chinese Medical School.

Master Shyun has been featured in many well-known Martial Arts Magazines.

Born in Taiwan, Mr. Shyun is the fourth generation Grand Master of Ba Bu Tang Lang Chuan, otherwise known as the Eight-Step Preying Mantis System of Kung Fu.  Grand Master Shyun was a World Champion in Full Contact Martial Arts for five years running when only in his twenties and has acted as a combat instructor in his native Taiwan, to the Taiwanese Marine Corp. He has traveled abroad to instruct other law enforcement officers in Singapore, Japan, Germany, Australia, France and the US in hand to hand combat. In this capacity, Grand Master Shyun arrived in California in 1983. By 1984 Grand Master Shyun developed such of an affection for the people of San Francisco and Americans as a whole, that he decided to make America the motherland of his ancient arts. He now has authorized schools in California, South Dakota, Alabama, Florida, New York, New Jersey, Iowa and New Hampshire. The Eight Step Preying Mantis system is now available across the United States due in no small part to Grandmaster Shyun’s decision to break with tradition and open the teaching of this rare system to anyone dedicated to learning it.


Grandmaster Shyun in an early 90's photoshoot demonstrating Mantis techniques.