The Sun-Toi (Ancestral Altar)

The Sun-Toi is the ancestral altar in the Mo-Kwoon (Kung Fu School). Kung fu martial artists bow to the Sun-Toi when we enter and leave the training space using the traditional ‘sun and moon fist.’ We light incense and place it in censers on the Sun-Toi. On special occasions we pour wine in the cups and put vegetables and/or meat on the Sun-Toi. It can be a small table or it could be the whole side of a wall. They can be ornately carved wooden masterpieces or a simple shelf-style structure.

Why do we bother? What is the point? Is it religious or specific to Chinese culture or just some bizarre, esoteric kung fu ritual? In this article we’ll answer these questions and address the necessity and value of the Sun-Toi in modern Chinese martial arts schools.

The Sun-Toi serves as a place that we can connect with the previous masters of the Hung Ga lineage. It is somewhere that we can show respect to our ancestors and keep their memory alive. We are thankful for the opportunity to practice an art form which they laid the foundation to. As practitioners, students, teachers and masters, we all hope that we will do our forefathers proud as we steer the art through modern times. We all share the common aim of making Hung Ga Kuen as relevant today, and in the future, as it was in the time of the people who passed it on to us.

The Sun-Toi is placed in a prominent position within the Mo-Kwoon, so it is visible as soon as one enters the training space. They are uniquely personal to each individual school. Even in branches of the same school, such as Yee’s, you may find many differences from school to school. Despite there being so many differences, almost every Sun-Toi has a few common items that you may find upon it, regardless of kung fu style. General Gwan (Gwan Di, Gwan Yu) is a frequent figure which you will not only see in traditional Mo-Kwoons but also in police stations, restaurants, casinos, shops and even some family homes. His figure symbolises loyalty, trust, honesty and respect. He was known for his martial arts excellence and loyalty to his sworn brother. His figure is usually placed at the top of the Sun-Toi, to show the greatest respect. The Gwan Dao (The Spring Autumn Great Knife) is a traditional weapon named after General Gwan. Whilst performing with the weapon, there are many gestures which represent General Gwan. For example you may see the practitioner galloping as if he is riding his horse or perhaps composing his long beard in preparation for battle. It is also common to see miniature weapons, such as the Gwan Dao, on a traditional Sun-Toi. You may also see other figurines such as ‘Shishi’ or ‘foo-dogs,’ which guard the physical structure of the kwoon as well as the people who are part of it.

Almost every Sun-Toi will also have at least one incense holder. You may see censers for every level of the Sun-Toi or in front of pictures of the ancestors. Normally the biggest censer is placed in front of the central General Gwan figure. Many of the Hung Ga ancestors are excellent roll models, especially in today’s fast paced lifestyle of excess. They lead heroic, righteous, noble lives. Wong Fei Hung is almost certainly one of the most familiar. Their example has set a very high standard for modern martial artists to follow. Smoke from the incense is meant to cleanse the air of toxins that cannot be seen. It symbolises the connection between the ancestral spirits and our lives in the modern day. By lighting the incense we invite the essence of their positive character to motivate us in the proceedings of the present day. The smoke carries the thoughts, prayers and aspirations of the practitioner to the ancestors, or whomever they may be thinking of. As such, lighting incense can be an art form in itself. Martial artists treat the incense very respectfully and carefully, as if it were the ancestors themselves. The number of incense sticks can vary depending upon the proceedings but a common number is three, or a multiple of three, such as nine. The incense is carefully lit and fanned gently with the hand, rather than blowing or waving the sticks in the air. Two hands are always used to handle the incense and to place it in the censer. It is held above the height of the head as the practitioner bows, as if to elevate it above oneself. All these things are perceived as demonstrating awareness of the present moment, respect for tradition and appreciation of the ancestors endeavours.

Fruit, such as oranges, are often placed on the Sun-Toi along with cups filled with water and also chopsticks. These are seen as symbolic gestures or offerings to pay reverence to the ancestors. The fruit represents the results of the hard work of the school. When you work hard, you gain the fruit of your labour. This is the basic principle of kung fu, to train hard and become good at what you practice, through the practice itself. Symbolically, water represents the cleansing of any wrongs. Many cultures apply the same meaning to water, to wash away sin. Water also benefits the whole world, we could not survive without it. The heart should be like the water, clear and clean. The traditional martial artist aims to be the same in their thoughts and actions. Similar to water, you may also see candles or oil lights. The light drives away the darkness and any pesky evil spirits. It represents the good in everyone. The righteous path that all traditional martial artists attempt to traverse.

During special occasions, such as Chinese New Year; flowers, vegetables, dishes of rice, fish, chicken etc can also be placed on the Sun-Toi as a way to mark the occasion and celebrate the achievements of the Mo-Kwoon. Similar to fruit, flowers on the altar represent the hard work that accomplishes a goal or task. When you work hard your flowers will bloom. They symbolise the hard work itself, rather than the results, which the fruit represents. Wine can also replace water in the cups to signify the happy, cheerful mood of the proceedings. You may also see two chairs on either side of a traditional Sun-Toi. The right hand chair is reserved for the Si-Gung or visiting Sifus of the school. The left hand chair is for the Sifu, or Dai Si-Hing/Jai should the Sifu be away.

The Sun-Toi is not meant to be for religious purposes. As mentioned, they vary quite considerably from school to school. You may find that some schools have religious figures on their Sun-Toi if they have religious roots. For example a Shaolin school may have a figure of the Buddha because Shaolin kung fu originated in a Buddhist temple. There are many components to the Sun-Toi which can still be seen as worthwhile, without being seen as worshipping another faith. The fundamental purpose of the Sun-Toi is to pay respect to the origins and founders of the complete martial art system that we enjoy practicing daily in modern times.

If you enjoyed this post, please give it a like and share on your social media. If you wish to be notified of future articles, like our forthcoming Autumn qigong article, as well as other notices, discounts and events, pop your email address in the box below and we’ll give you a shout when new posts are added. You can also follow our journey on social media. Like and share on Instagram, twitter & Facebook