Jimmy's Great-Great-Great Grandfather, Chin Moon Don, was an orphan raised at the Kwan-Yin monastery. In his early 30's, he decided to leave the monastery and take with him two of the Buddhist training texts which probably date back to the late 1500's. These two books have been in the Chin family for five generations, and are the source of all forms and techniques taught too and by Jimmy H. Woo.

In the 1930's, Jimmy left mainland China under the pass port of Jimmy H. Woo and lived in Chinatown, Los Angeles during his earlier years. Among many odd jobs, he acted as protection, and enforcer for residents and business owners of the area. He then started teaching privately to close relatives and friends, and later became the instructor at a local social/ recreational organization called the Cousin Club.