Choy-Li-Fut - History:

Chan Heung:
Choy-li-fut, also known as Siu-lam Fut-gar Kune (Shaolin Buddha fist), is a southern, external kung fu style that was founded by Chan Heung, in the district of Sun-wui in Guangdong province, southern China.

Famed for its powerful hand techniques based on the Shaolin five animal system, Choy-li-fut can trace its heritage back to the southern Shaolin Temple in Fujian province, south-east China. Choy-li-fut was named after Chan Heung’s teachers; Choy after the monk Choy Fuk, Li after Li Yau-san, and Fut to represent its Shaolin Buddhist roots (Fut is Cantonese for Buddha).

Chan Heung: 1806 - 1875

Cheung Hung-sing:
Choy-li-fut was refined by one of Chan Heung’s students, Cheung Yim (also known as Cheung Hung-sing), who developed the style further after Chan Heung introduced him to the famous southern Shaolin Temple monk, Ching Cho, for additional training.

Cheung eventually opened his own school known as the Hung-sing Gwoon in Fatsan, Guandong province, where its reputation became famed throughout southern China. Over the years the Choy-li-fut system taught at Cheung’s Hung-sing Gwoon gained the name Hung-sing Choy-li-fut, to differentiate it from Chan Heung’s original style taught in Sun-wui.

 

Sifu Wan and students outside the Hung Sing Gwoon, Fatsan, Guangdong province, 2006
(Cheung Hung-sing: 1814 – 1893)

 

Tam Sam: 1873 – 1942

Tam Sam:
Under Cheung’s teaching, the Hung-sing Gwoon became very successful and had a vast number of students. One of Cheung’s top students, Liu Chan, was not only a master of martial arts, but also well versed in Chinese literature and philosophy. Liu, in turn, had an extremely gifted student by the name of Tam Sam. Tam was to take the Choy-li-fut system in yet another direction.

Tam Sam was already experienced in the Hung Gar style of kung fu before he met Liu Chan. He was known and respected as a talented fighter, but after being beaten in a challenge match by Liu Chan, he knew he had to switch to the Choy-li-fut system. He soon became extremely proficient in the art and was well known for his devastating Continuous Leopard Fist punch (Lien-wan Chap-choi), as well as having a reputation as a great fighter.

 

Like his Sifu, Tam Sam was also a cultured scholar, studying calligraphy and working as a law clerk in Guangzhou. However, his approach to Choy-li-fut was a little different from previous masters. With his extensive fighting experience gained in open challenge matches, Tam Sam had always focused on the combat aspect of the art. His teaching reflected his fighting background and emphasised less forms, more power training and practical applications.

 

Bak-sing Choy-li-fut:
Tam Sam eventually opened his own Choy-li-fut school in the Siu-bak (northern) district of Guangzhou.

Due to its location the school became known as the Bak-sing Gwoon and as the years progressed, students following Tam Sam’s lineage referred to their style as Bak-sing Choy-li-fut.