In the TV show “Kung Fu,” what were the names of the monks?

Dear Cecil: Here’s a killer for you: on the late, fondly remember TV show Kung Fu, what were the names of those aphorism-crazed monks who instructed David Carradine in the mysteries of the Oriental martial arts? This question is much harder than the names of the Seven Dwarfs, although superficially similar. Esther F., Towson, Maryland

Cecil replies:

That may be a stumper in the suburbs, Esther, but this is the big time. The head of the Shaolin monastery where Kwai Chang Caine (Carradine) studied was Chen Ming Kan. The subsidiary monks were the Masters Shun, Teh, Yuen, Wong, Sun, and Po. It was Master Po, you’ll recall, who was Caine’s best friend (Caine affectionately called him “Old Man”; his nickname for Caine was, touchingly, “Grasshopper”). When Po was murdered by the Emperor’s nephew, Caine saw no choice but to snuff said nephew with a spear, thus necessitating Grasshopper’s sudden emigration to the U.S.A.

Cecil Adams

Send questions to Cecil via cecil@straightdope.com.