Shifu Lorne Bernard is an internationally renowned traditional kung fu master and Canadian Black Belt Hall of Fame inductee, who has dedicated his life to the mastery, preservation and propagation of authentic traditional Chinese martial arts most especially the Flying Crane branch of Fujian White Crane Kung Fu. He is a closed door disciple of 4th generation Grand-master Lee Joo-Chian and is also the official heir of the Flying Crane branch tradition. As such, he is the representative of the Flying Crane style in the western world and is in charge of the style’s propagation.

Shifu is an “old school” teacher who is very adept in self-defence and versed in the use of more than 18 types of traditional weaponry, Chinese medicine, internal work, etc. He presently teaches at the White Crane Kung Fu Academy in the city of Laval, Quebec, Canada. This school is the official international headquarters of the Flying Crane style.

 Over the years, several of his students have excelled in martial arts and have opened their own clubs in the Montreal area and in the United States. Besides teaching in his own school, Shifu Bernard regularly holds seminars in various martial arts schools and events. He is also the owner of a well-known Canadian martial arts supply store called “Kontact Sports”.

Lorne Bernard’s Martial History

Lorne Bernard was born in Montreal, Canada in 1964. Although he had been exposed to western boxing and some Judo at a young age, he did not commence serious martial arts training until 1983. In that year, he met Mr. Augustine Wu and commenced his training in the rare Fukien White Crane system -Flying Crane branch. In time, Lorne Bernard eventually became the first Caucasian instructor in the history of the Flying Crane style.

In 1988-89, he went to visit White Crane Grand-Master Lee Kiang-Ke (1905-1992) and his son Lee Joo-Chian (1958-2020) in Malaysia. During his five month stay, he was fortunate enough to study with many high level practitioners and to further his understanding of the system's history, theory, fighting applications, and weapons techniques.

Upon his return, Mr. Bernard took charge of his first teacher’s original school in downtown Montreal. The following year, he arranged for Grandmaster Lee Joo-Chian to come and teach in Canada for a period of three months. Shifu Bernard continued his closed door lessons with the Grandmaster and went on to honor the latter by winning two first places medals in the advanced forms divisions at the Canadian Chinese Kuo Shu federation’s new tournament which at the time was the largest Chinese martial arts tournament in Canada.

It was also in 1989 that Shifu was elected vice-president of the Eastern Canada Chinese Martial Arts Federation. Between 1994 and 2014 he was the federations' president. In these capacities, he played a prominent role in promoting traditional Chinese martial arts in Eastern Canada and had the opportunity to meet and befriend many great martial artists from different styles and backgrounds.

In 1993, Shifu Bernard wrote the first English language book on Fukien White Crane Kung Fu. Ten years later, he wrote a second work entitled “Shaolin White Crane Kung Fu: A rare art revealed”. Shifu Bernard also produced a series of DVD’s featuring Grandmaster Lee Joo-Chian and in 2020 co-authored a book with the latter entitled “Authentic White Crane Kung Fu”.

Master Bernard returned to Malaysia on numerous occasions thereby forging very close bonds with the late Grandmaster.  He also arranged for the latter to travel to Canada and teach for extended periods in 1990, 2000, 2007, 2010 and finally in 2017. These and other efforts helped him develop a reputation as one of top western experts on the rare Fukien (Fujian) White crane system and the leading western expert on the Lee family Flying Crane branch.

In 2007, Grandmaster Lee appointed Master Bernard’s Laval school as the North-American headquarters of the Flying Crane style. Ten years later, Master Bernard became the only official closed door disciple of Grandmaster Lee Joo-Chian. This great honor and privilege meant that Master Bernard was named official heir of the system. As such, it became his duty to best preserve and share the incredible knowledge and traditions of the Flying Crane branch of White Crane Kung Fu.

In 2019, Master Bernard was inducted into the Canadian Black Belt Hall of Fame. An honor acknowledging his lifelong efforts to expand and preserve traditional Chinese martial arts in Canada.

Since Master Bernard’s career was teaching martial arts, he was able to have the time to also learn Cha Chuan (a northern kung fu style) with Master Xu Gong-Wei between 1994-1999 and Wing Chun kung fu (1988-2002). In 2000, he decided to study under the guidance of famed Buk Sing Choy Lay Fut Master Chiu Kwok-Chung. Eventually, he came to realize that it might be best to focus upon fewer styles so as to excel in them. Consequently, as of late he practices exclusively White Crane and Choy Lay Fut.

Shifu Bernard and his students have distinguished themselves by winning several first place medals in Canadian and international Kung Fu tournaments. They have won medals in forms, weapons, light-contact and full contact fighting. Although he does possess a Master's degree in political science, he has decided to consecrate most of his time to the study and dissemination of authentic traditional Chinese martial arts.

Regrettably, Grandmaster Lee joo-Chian passed away in his home in Malaysia in 2020. Master Bernard was bound by duty to assume leadership and preserve and promote White Crane kung fu. Today, the White Crane Kung Fu Academies –Flying Crane fist™ are making every effort to preserve the traditions and quality that made this rare kung fu style so effective and well respected. 

Shifu Bernard sums up his martial career as such: “I am very happy as I wanted to learn and preserve authentic Chinese martial arts (Chuantong wushu) before they had completely disappeared. I feel that I have had some measure of success as was lucky enough to have studied with several great masters. I can only thank them for their kindness and generosity. I feel confident that I can pass along a good percentage of precious knowledge that was handed down. So I am living my life’s dream!My only regret is that I could not spend even more time with my own Shifu who was my mentor, master and friend.”