Pearls of Wisdom

Training for Life Jan 2002

by Grandmaster Doc Fai Wong

Choy Li Fut is one of the most popular kung-fu systems in the world. A martial artist named Chan Heung, from Xin Hui, Guang-dong province, created the style in 1836. He took northern footwork from Choy Fook, who came from the Northern Shaolin Temple. Choy Li Fut’s Strong fighting fist techniques came from Li Yau San of the Southern Shaolin Temple. Chan Heung’s Buddhist open-hand fighting techniques were handed down from his uncle, Chan Yuan Woo. He named the system Choy Li Fut to honor his teachers.

Choy Li Fut staff and spear forms have both northern and southern China’s unique fighting techniques. When both hands grip the bottom end of the long staff, the techniques are single-ended staff techniques. The kung-fu fighter can concentrate on using the front end of the staff to fight his opponent. If both hands hold the staff in the center, with both thumbs facing each other, it is a double-ended staff technique. One advantage of the double-ended technique is that it is much faster, since Choy Li Fut stylists can use both ends of the staff as a weapon. However, the length of the staff is shorter than the single-ended staff.

In Choy Li Fut there are ten sets of staff forms and four sets of the spear forms. The staff forms are in three categories: single-ended, double-ended and single and double-ended forms. Within single-ended forms, there are five forms or sets: The great banner staff form (dai hung kei guan) is based on the footwork moving in a large triangle pattern like a Chinese lion dancing banner’s shape.

The lifting and smashing staff form (chau sot guen) emphasizes two powerful striking techniques: chau (lifting) and the sot (smashing). The plum blossom lancing staff form (mui fa cheung guen) uses either a single-ended staff or a spear for practice. Diving dragon staff form (chim lung guen) is an advanced staff technique form that has many unique, yet practical movements.

The five point plum blossom paqua staff form (ng dim mui fa bot gua guen) is the basic Choy Li Fut staff form. This form contains the most complete staff fighting techniques of all Choy Li Fut staff forms. For that reason, it is referred to as the staff seeds of Choy Li Fut.

In the double-ended staff category, there are four sets. The flat crutch staff form (bin gwai guen) contains the most practical staff fighting techniques. There is a saying in Chinese martial arts, “If you don’t know the bin guai guen form, you don’t know the Choy Li Fut system.”

Coiling dragon staff form (poon lung guen) is a basic double-ended staff form. It is easy for beginners to learn and good general training in the Choy Li Fut system. The monkey king staff form (hang jieh guen) is also an interesting double-ended staff form. It has acrobatic movements similar to the famous Monkey King of Chinese opera. Another double-ended staff form, twin dragons inhaling air (seung lung kup hei guen) is an advanced double-ended staff form of Choy Li Fut. Most Choy Li Fut schools don’t even have this form in the teaching curriculum. Twin dragons inhaling air has many pressure-point striking techniques.

The only set in the single-ended and double-ended staff form category is the single-and double-ended staff form (seung gup darn guen). This form is the most popular staff form in Choy Li Fut. In fact, plenty of schools only teach this set. This set is important because it contains techniques of the single and double ended staff.

To learn more about Choy Li Fut Kung Fu in San Diego: Visit White Dragon Martial Arts

by Grandmaster Doc Fai Wong

Throughout man’s long history of unarmed combat, you would think there would be one standardized fighting style. With the fighting experience and background that fills each country’s history books, man should have found the best method of dealing with assailants and made is popular throughout the rest of the world.

Unfortunately, this is not the case. Not all fighting systems use the same self-defense techniques, with some radically different from others—employing techniques that imitate fighting animals or believing that the best defense is to directly withstand the blow, rather than block it. There are those who prefer long, circular hand movements, while others claim that only straight, direct, short hand techniques are truly effective.

Chinese martial arts are a perfect example of differences in successful fighting styles. Southern Chinese kung fu systems typically use many short hand movements, with straight punches predominating. At the other extreme, Northern styles prefer long hand actions along with relaxed flowing circular power.

One of the best-known theories about the difference between southern and northern Chinese martial arts describes Southern Chinese as mostly farmers who worked with their hands and squatted in the fields in low stances. Supposedly, they were more muscular than Northerners, unable to kick high and using short explosive power when they punched.

Northerners, on the other hand, were considered more scholarly, with primarily military men engaged in martial arts, riding horseback and developing strong, flexible legs for high kicks. Since they did not perform manual labor with their hands, Northern Chinese fighters had less muscle mass, using long distance arm techniques with active footwork. Of course, remembering that this is a general theory and not a definite fact, there are exceptions.

One of the exceptions is the Southern Chinese martial art Choy Li Fut, a long range, circular hand fighting style with quick, active footwork—the opposite of what Southern Chinese kung fu is supposed to look like. Choy li fut is one of the most popular kung fu styles in the Orient, having a great number of practitioners and tournament fighting competitors. It is equally popular in the United States’ West Coast, with almost every major city containing at least one Choy Li Fut school.

Choy li fut’s founder, Chan Heung, had three different teachers, two were Southerners who had studied at China’s southern Shaolin temple in Fukien, and the other, a northern Shaolin monk.

The fighting techniques employed by monks of the northern Shaolin temple showed strong influences from one of China’s oldest kung fu systems, Chang Chuan (long fist). Chang chuan is characterized by smooth flowing, long circular hand techniques. As Chan Heung combined the teachings of his three instructors, he developed a unique fighting style utilizing long range circular blitz-like strokes that drew their power from strong active stances and footwork.

Choy Li Fut is unique because it does not really resemble either Southern or Northern kung fu systems, combining both types into one fighting style. Although Choy Li Fut and most northern Chinese martial art systems use long-distance hand tactics, Choy Li Fut’s power comes from explosive waist, shoulder, and hip movements. Northern styles, such as northern shaolin, utilize quick snapping power produced from quick footwork.

Much of Choy Li Fut’s footwork resembles that or northern Chinese kung fu rather than the almost stationary stances of popular southern styles such as Wing Chun or Hung Gar. While Wing Chun and Hung Gar often stay in one position, only advancing one foot at a time, Choy L Ft uses the running horse stances of northern kung fu, giving Choy Li Fut quick active footwork.

Southern Chinese martial arts like Wing Chun and Hung Gar are famous for their short, straight punches. Wing Chun uses a rapid-fire attack to the opponent’s centerline, disabling him, while hung gar proponents like to overwhelm their opposition with sheer strength of muscles developed through isometric exercises called won kiu.

Choy Li Fut has its own characteristic long-range circular hand techniques. They are the basics for most types of circular hand techniques and are not broken down into offensive and defensive, since at the advanced level offensive hands are simultaneously defensive and offensive.

Do not get the idea that Choy Li Fut is restricted only to empty hand techniques. This fast moving southern Chinese martial art also contains a vast array of kung fu weapon forms. The two standard weapons in Choy Li fut are the staff and broadsword, reflecting long and short weapon techniques. Long weapons like the Kwan-Do (General Kwan’s knife), spear, and gold coin spade also make appearances in Choy Li Fut. Of course, short weapons are not limited to the broadsword. The straight double-edged sword is another Choy Li Fut short weapon.

Other weapons may fall into the double weapon category, such as butterfly knives, double axes, and hook swords, or flexible weapons, represented by the chain whip, three section staff and two section staff. There’s even a special category for typically southern implement weapons, such as the tiger fork (trident), horse bench and fan. These are only a few of Choy Li Fut’s many weapons.

Not only is Choy Li Fut one of the most popular fighting styles in the Orient, it also contains one of the widest varieties. Aside from hand and weapon forms, there are also a number of wooden dummies to train on. Choy Li Fut is truly a martial art with something for everyone.

To learn more about Choy Li Fut Kung Fu log onto:  whitedragonmartialarts.com

Training For Life

Inside Kung Fu January 2001

by Grandmaster Doc Fai Wong

So you’ve reached black belt level and wonder, “Where do I go from here?” Is it the end or beginning of my formal training?

In most martial arts, black belt or advanced-level students are now ready for the serious training that makes them true martial artists. Advanced students in any martial art have responsibilities far exceeding those of students who have not yet reached the advanced level. And, while they have reached black belt level or its equivalent, they have much more to learn themselves.

Advanced or black belt students have completed basic training for the foundation of their art and are now ready to learn the depth of their martial art. However, they are not yet masters of their arts. Rather, advanced students are the serious students of martial arts.

You can think of beginning and intermediate levels in martial arts as the equivalent of prep school. Advanced training is where you go to college and if you stay long enough, receive your Ph.D. in the martial arts.

Advanced martial art training is going back to the basics and learning how to make those basic techniques effective by understanding every facet. That understanding includes having good power and control. It means each form practiced is done with flowing accuracy and precision. The advanced or black belt student learns how to efficiently and effectively use the art of self-defense.

Advanced students are the ones who should set examples for beginning students in both techniques and how to respect the teacher and the art. They have a positive attitude, gained from study and accomplishment. They demonstrate sportsmanship in competition and respect for other martial arts, teachers and students.

Advanced students learn to teach their martial art correctly and are willing to master the art so they can hand it down to the next generation of students. They easily show their own confidence in their art by doing public exhibitions.

Every time you teach someone else you solidify that knowledge in you own mind. As you explain principles and techniques to lower-belt students you understand those techniques better yourself.

Of course, besides the responsibilities, there are the benefits of reaching black belt or advanced level in your martial art. Advanced students gain more knowledge by learning higher-level hand and weapon forms. There are often special advanced or black belt classes that cater to those who have put the hard work and training necessary to reach advanced levels. Advanced-level students are encouraged to use their minds creatively when understanding self-defense techniques.

Part of the excitement of reaching black belt is the knowledge that now the real training begins. It’s far more than merely being a senior student to the many beginners in your school. It is the time in your training where the principles and philosophies of martial arts become an important part of your everyday life.

Doc-Fai Wong writes a bi-monthly column for Inside Kung-Fu.

To learn more about martial arts training in San Diego log onto:  whitedragonmartialarts.com