Master Shen is the Crane Hermit (鶴仙人 Tsurusen'nin), master of the Crane School and Mercenary Tao's older brother. Whilst they both trained at the Mutaito Training Academy, a rivalry quickly grew between Shen and Master Roshi. Master Shen and Mercenary Tao, likewise, began to fight over the smallest things. Eventually, a simple spilled bowl of rice was enough to break the brothers apart. In his youth, as well as several points in the original Japanese version, he was simply called Crane (鶴 Tsuru).