The Tallahassee Family Martial Arts Club traces its roots through generations of dedicated martial artists — each preserving and evolving the Pan Gai Noon (PGN) system while honoring its Chinese and Okinawan heritage.

Our Roots in China

Pangai-Noon, the system from which Uechi-Ryu Karate evolved, is the product of centuries of refinement and cultural exchange. It draws from several Southern Kung Fu systems of Hakka origin, including Chu Gar, Southern Shaolin Boxing, Southern Mantis, and elements of White Crane.

While much of its early history blends fact and legend, these stories preserve the spirit, ethics, and philosophy of our art. Whether mythic or historical, they remain an essential part of its cultural identity—reminding us that martial practice is not only about combat, but also about balance, virtue, and the continual cultivation of self.

  • Written records suggest that some form of martial art was practiced in China nearly 5,000 years ago, and likely existed even earlier alongside the development of traditional medicine. Ancient texts attributed to the mythic Yellow Emperor (Huangdi) describe early martial practices, philosophy, and medical theory, blending combat and healing as two parts of one discipline.

    Throughout Chinese history, martial training was essential for self-defense, hunting, and warfare. By the Xia Dynasty (c. 2100–1600 BCE), hand-to-hand combat and weapon practice had become central to military preparation. Over time, these arts absorbed philosophical ideas from Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism, evolving beyond mere combat into systems of health, discipline, and spiritual cultivation.

    By the time of Confucius (6th century BCE), the “literary and martial arts” were viewed as complementary skills of the cultivated person. Early forms of combat such as Jiao Li (grappling) and Shou Bo (striking) were recorded in classical texts, and the concepts of “hard” and “soft” techniques appear in stories like that of the Maiden of Yue.

    From the Tang through the Ming and Qing Dynasties, martial arts continued to develop, appearing in poetry, philosophy, and later, literature and theater. By this time, the idea of martial arts as moral and spiritual training was firmly rooted in Chinese culture.

  • The Shaolin Temple, established around 540 CE, became legendary as a center of both Buddhist study and martial practice. According to tradition, Bodhidharma (Tamo), an Indian monk, introduced physical exercises to strengthen the monks for meditation. These movements, inspired by animals and yoga, evolved into the foundations of Shaolin Kung Fu.

    Over centuries, Shaolin monks refined their martial discipline to defend their temples from bandits and soldiers. Their philosophy emphasized that kung fu was defensive, not aggressive—violence was only to be reflected back upon the attacker.

    Two temples were most influential in Southern Chinese martial development:

    • Hunan (Northern Shaolin) — the principal temple in Henan Province, often seen in films and legends.

    • Fukien (Southern Shaolin) — located in Fujian Province, associated with the origins of Southern Mantis, Wing Chun, White Crane, and other styles.

    Though debate continues over whether the Fukien Temple ever historically existed, its presence in countless oral traditions gives it lasting symbolic power. Whether fact or myth, its stories continue to shape the soul of Southern martial arts.

  • When Chu Yuan-Chang, a Buddhist monk, overthrew the Mongols and founded the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644), martial arts such as Chu Gar (Chu Family Style) became the official fighting art of the royal court. During this era, China experienced economic recovery, agricultural expansion, and strong military organization.

    After the Ming fell to the Manchurian Qing Dynasty (1644–1911), surviving members of the Ming royal family and loyalist monks fled to Shaolin temples in the South. The Qing destroyed these temples, and many monks and families went into hiding—these refugees became known as the Hakka, or “Northern Guests.”

    To protect their art, the Chu family renamed their system “Praying Mantis”, disguising its royal connection. This secrecy preserved the art through centuries of persecution, later influencing styles such as Chow Gar Southern Mantis.

  • According to legend, Chow Ah Naam, a Cantonese man cured of illness by monks at the Fukien Temple, stayed on as a kitchen servant and martial student. After witnessing a praying mantis defeat a bird, he mimicked the insect’s movements to create his own fighting method.

    Historically, this story likely served to conceal Chow’s connection to the Chu Gar family style. More plausibly, Chow studied the secret Ming-era art from a Hakka practitioner under temple protection. With guidance from Master Sim Yan, Chow’s techniques were blended with Shaolin Boxing, forming the Chow Gar Southern Mantis system—a bridge between Northern and Southern Shaolin traditions.

  • After the Qing conquest, underground resistance movements arose, seeking to “Restore the Ming and Overthrow the Qing.” The Hung Mun or Heaven and Earth Society became the most famous, uniting monks, soldiers, and civilians under moral and patriotic ideals. Over time, many of these groups drifted from politics into organized crime, becoming the Triads known today.

    By the late 1800s, resentment of foreign control and imperial weakness erupted in the Boxer Rebellion (1900–1901), led by practitioners of martial and spiritual disciplines known in the West as “Boxers.” Although the movement failed militarily, it reflected the enduring link between martial practice, national identity, and resistance to oppression.

    It was within this turbulent era—amid rebellion, secret societies, and foreign intrusion—that Kanbun Uechi and Shu Shi Wa trained together in Fukien Province. Some suggest that these two young masters were involved in training or recruitment efforts connected to the Boxer Rebellion, placing the roots of Pangai-Noon within one of China’s most transformative historical moments.

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Five people sitting cross-legged in a yoga or meditation class by a large window, with a painting on the wall and a wooden floor.
People engaged in a playful wrestling match on a wooden floor in a living room, with one man lying on his side and another woman on top of him, while two other women stand nearby.
Five people practicing yoga in a living room, with wooden floors, a window, and artwork on the walls.
People playing a game of fight or sparring indoors with wooden flooring and wall decorations.
Woman practicing martial arts indoors with a wooden staff, standing in a ready stance, wearing a white martial arts uniform with a logo.
Two adults in white martial arts uniforms practicing a self-defense move with several children in the background. They are indoors in a room with wooden floors and large windows.

Our Lineage

  • Two martial artists performing a kata or routine in a living room with wood paneling, a couch, and decorated with framed pictures and a painting.

    HanShi Allen Bentley

    Shifu Michael Revell began his training in 1988 at age 14 with his godfather, Sensei Allen Bentley, who at the time was a 3rd Degree Black Belt under ShiHan Allan Horton.

    Today, HanShi Bentley is the Head of our branch of Pan Gai Noon, holding the rank of 8th Degree (HanShi – Head of Style).

    HanShi Bentley’s martial arts journey began in Tae Kwon Do, where he earned his first Black Belt in 1975 and another in Freestyle Fighting in 1978. He was introduced to Pan Gai Noon in 1982 and began his lifelong study of the system under ShiHan Allan Horton.

    During the mid-1980s, HanShi Bentley taught alongside ShiHan Horton and ShiHan David Heaton at the Gospel Center in Oneco, Florida. Over the years, his school relocated several times — from Palmetto to Bradenton, East Bradenton, and now to his home in Myakka City, Florida.

    He received his 1st through 3rd Dan ranks under ShiHan Horton, earning YonDan (4th Dan) in 1993, GoDan (5th Dan) in 1998, and later his HanShi (8th Dan) title — officially recognized as the Head of Bentley Style PGN and the Nell–Cypress Pillar and Wan PGN lineages.

    In 2015, ShiHans Michael Revell and Brian Nell, along with several of their 1st–2nd Dan instructors, asked HanShi Bentley to serve as leader of their affiliated schools. He accepted and was formally named Soke (Head Master) of their Pan Gai Noon organization.

    In 2017, HanShi Bentley was featured in Modern Masters of the Martial Arts by David Numeroff.


  • Five men in martial arts uniforms and traditional clothing in a dojo or martial arts training space.

    HanShi Al Horton

    After earning his 2nd Degree Black Belt and teaching for five years under Sensei Bentley, Michael was introduced to Bentley’s teacher — The Reverend ShiHan Allan Horton. He trained under ShiHan Horton and his assistant Sensei Dave Heaton for the next four years, deepening his understanding of the art.

    ShiHan Allan Horton began his martial arts training while serving in the U.S. Marine Corps on Okinawa in 1958. He studied Kung Fu (Karate) under Masters Ryuko Tomoyose and Kanei Uechi. In 1959, he traveled to Japan, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, visiting various schools and deepening his martial knowledge.

    Upon returning to the U.S. in 1961, he began teaching in Kalamazoo, Michigan, eventually founding a school there in 1963 with Bill Keith. Over time, he became the Midwest Director for the Okinawan Uechi-Ryu Karate Federation and earned promotions through ShoDan (1st Dan) and NiDan (2nd Dan) under George Mattson, whom he had trained with on Okinawa.

    In 1970, ShiHan Horton moved to Three Rivers, Michigan, where he helped form the American Karate Association (A.K.A.) with Ernest Lieb. He later trained under Tadashi Yamashita (7th Dan) and was promoted to GoDan (5th Dan).

    Throughout his career, ShiHan Horton earned numerous distinctions:

    1st place in Kata and 2nd in Weapons at the 1973 All-Style Open National Karate Tournament

    GoDan in Uechi-Ryu in 1996 (promoted by ShiHan Homer Ordez)

    7th Dan in 2005 (promoted by Ernest Lieb)

    A lifelong teacher and ordained Pentecostal minister, ShiHan Horton founded and led the Christian Pan Gai Noon Federation, serving as Grand Master and Senior Master in the Wan Style lineage.

    Promoted to 10th Dan by the international Uechi-Ryu Karate Federation in March 2025

  • Three martial artists standing in a line with hands at their sides, wearing traditional uniforms, in front of a curtain and abstract artwork.

    Okinawa Roots

    Masters Kanei Uechi & Ryuko Tomoyose

    ShiHan Horton’s lineage traces directly back to Okinawa, where Kanei Uechi and Ryuko Tomoyose carried forward the teachings of Kanei’s father, Master Kanbun Uechi — the man who brought the Kung Fu style of Pan Gai Noon from China’s Fukien Province to Okinawa and Japan after 13 years of study.

    Kanei Uechi joined his father in 1926 at age 16, later receiving certification in Pan Gai Noon in 1937 and establishing his own dojo. After World War II, he returned to Okinawa and began formally teaching, opening the Uechi-Ryu Karate Dojo in Futenma in 1957. Over the years, he became one of Okinawa’s most respected masters, eventually earning Judan (10th Degree) and serving as President of the All Okinawa Karate Federation. He is remembered as one of the first Okinawan masters to openly share his art with the world.

    Ryuko Tomoyose, born in 1929, is the son of Ryuyu Tomoyose and a lifelong student and teacher of Uechi-Ryu. He played a key role in introducing U.S. servicemen — including ShiHan Allan Horton — to Okinawan martial arts in the 1950s, helping spread Pan Gai Noon internationally.

  • Black and white photo of a man with short dark hair, wearing a collared shirt.

    Kanbun Uechi (1877–1948)

    Kanbun Uechi, founder of what would later become Uechi-Ryu Karate, was born on May 5, 1877, in Izumi — a small mountain village on the Motobu Peninsula of northern Okinawa. Born into a family of samurai descent, Kanbun grew up surrounded by the local fighting traditions of his ancestors.

    At age 19, Kanbun left Okinawa for Fukien Province, China, both to avoid military conscription and to deepen his study of martial arts. He first trained briefly at Kugusku Dojo under another Okinawan named MaKabei. In 1897, he met the Taoist monk ShuShiWa (Zhou Zi He), whose teachings would define his life’s path.

    Kanbun trained daily under ShuShiWa for seven years and, in 1904, received certification in the Shu family system known as Nan Pa Toro Ken (Southern Group Mantis Fist). During the turbulent years of the Boxer Rebellion (1901), the two traveled together across China as wandering monks, practicing martial arts and traditional healing.

    After years of study, Kanbun was permitted to open his own school in Nanching around 1907, but closed it in 1909 following an incident involving one of his students. He returned to Okinawa, later marrying Toyama Gozei and raising four children, including his eldest son Kanei Uechi.

    In 1924, Kanbun moved to Wakayama, Japan, where he was persuaded to teach again ensuring that his art would live on. Master Kanbun Uechi passed away in 1948, but his legacy continues through his descendants and the many systems that stem from his teachings.

  • Black and white portrait of Asian man with mustache and traditional clothing.

    ShuShiWa (Zhou Zi He)

    The earliest known instructor of what we now call Pan Gai Noon was the Taoist monk ShuShiWa (Zhou Zi He), who lived in China’s Fukien Province during the late 1800s and early 1900s.

    Although much of his life remains shrouded in mystery, ShuShiWa is believed to have been a master of Southern Mantis Fist (Chow Gar), Iron Palm, and the Five Animal Forms of Shaolin Temple Boxing — Tiger, Leopard, Snake, Dragon, and Crane. His primary teacher is thought to have been Li Zhou Bei, from whom he learned Nan Pa Toro Ken, the system that would later evolve into Pan Gai Noon.

    ShuShiWa is also associated with the Fukien Temple and the HeXiDi lineage of Tiger Fist. Oral history from a surviving Tiger Fist school in Fukien lists both Zhou Zi He and Kanbun Uechi as disciples under HeXiDi — a connection that helps confirm the shared roots between these arts.

    It was from ShuShiWa that the three central forms of Pan Gai Noon originated — forms that remain the core of the system today. In addition to his martial skills, Master Zhou was a respected calligrapher and healer, known for his mastery of herbal medicine and his integration of physical, mental, and spiritual training.

  • A woman in martial arts attire with Japanese characters, standing indoors with wooden shelves and posters in the background.

    Tadashi Yamashita (b. 1942)

    Tadashi Yamashita, a close associate of Allen Horton and co-founder of the American Karate Association (A.K.A.), represents one of the modern links in the Pan Gai Noon lineage.

    Born in Japan to Okinawan parents, Yamashita moved to Okinawa at age 8 and began martial arts training at 11. By 16, he had earned his black belt and went on to win the All-Okinawan Shorin-Ryu Free Sparring Grand Championship in 1960.

    In 1968, he tested before Grand Masters Shugoro Nakazato and Chosin Chibana, becoming the youngest 7th-Degree Black Belt in Japan at the time. A master of both Karate and Kobudo (traditional weapon arts), Yamashita became known worldwide for his dynamic demonstrations — including a 1973 performance in Los Angeles that earned a standing ovation from 7,000 spectators.

    In 1972, he was appointed Head of the American Karate Association, where he worked with Allen Horton and Ernest Lieb to promote martial arts across the United States. It was under Yamashita’s guidance that ShiHan Horton developed the two weapons forms now practiced in our Pan Gai Noon system.

    Over a career spanning more than six decades, Yamashita has become a 10th Dan in both Karate and Kobudo, and serves as:

    President & Director of the U.S. Shorin-Ryu Karate Association

    U.S. President of the Zen Okinawan Kobudo Association

    Chief Instructor of Shorin-Ryu in the United States

    He is also widely credited with introducing Bruce Lee to the use of nunchaku, bridging traditional Okinawan arts with modern martial culture.