K'ungfu was the central figure in a tale that Jedi Master Yoda had once been told by his own Master. As the story goes, K'ungfu was a Jedi Master of wisdom and strength, though not as great as the esteemed Chuang. On learning of the death of Chuang's apprentice, K'ungfu dispatched an envoy to offer his sympathies. Upon the messenger's return, K'ungfu discovered that the Great Master was rejoicing instead of grieving for his pupil, as death simply signified a transformation into another aspect of the Force. K'ungfu considered Chuang's response to be a profound spiritual teaching.
Centuries after initially hearing the story, Yoda shared it with Luke Skywalker, admitting that he was uncertain if K'ungfu and Chuang were real figures from the past or merely characters in a story.
The character of Master K'ungfu initially appeared in The Empire Strikes Back: So You Want to Be a Jedi?, a 2015 novel for young readers by Adam Gidwitz that re-tells the events of Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back. His creation was, in part, influenced by the Chinese martial art and concept of kung fu.