Noelle in yinshenshu 隱身術 (invisibility) training. 2020
Yin Fa 隱法, the Chinese art of stealth, is an ancient martial discipline and way of life..1 It was developed around the principles of penetrating buildings and fortifications through a combination of physical stealth, ingenious tools, and seemingly unorthodox strategies. The term Yin Fa 隱法 directly translates to “hide-law” or “law of concealment”:
- 隱 yin – hide, hidden, concealed
- 法 fa – law, principle, method
Perhaps the most accurate translation and explanation for the name Yin Fa 隱法 might be the ‘art of hiding and concealment’. The name, along with the actual practice, requires the exponent to hide in every way: hide one’s identity, hide one’s home, hide in plain sight, conceal weapons, and so on. Everything in one’s life must be hidden to live the way of Yin Fa 隱法. While the philosophy is to hide and conceal, the ultimate purpose of the art of stealth was for ‘stealing-in’. It is all about the physical and mental skills needed to enter, exit, and survive when penetrating a fortified target structure. Once inside their target area, the operative would execute their mission of assassination, espionage, sabotage, psychological warfare, or thievery.
Training elements in the art of stealth include combat arts, acrobatic skills, stealth techniques, and Chinese medicine practice. The student of Yin Fa 隱法 trains to become skilled enough to destroy their opponent with anything at hand—whether a blade, a spear, or even a hair clip. Where survival is threatened, the art includes skills of escape, evasion, hiding, and concealment. The overriding principle of Yin Fa 隱法 is to remain undetected and unknown to others, both on missions and in every aspect of daily life.2
- Known as yan fat 隱法 in Cantonese.
- Leslie Conn and Noelle Conn, The Chinese Art of Stealth, (2021), p 11-12
