Choy Li Fut style Forms/History/Ranking

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Choy Li Fut Kung Fu is a traditional Shaolin Martial Art System.

It combines the agile footwork of Northern Chinese Martial Arts with the intricate Southern Hand Techniques.
Choy Li Fut is one of the most complete and effective styles for health and self-defense.

Our style emphasizes relaxed, internal power rather than stiff, muscular force. This is not only more effective, giving the smaller person an advantage, but is also better for the practitioner's health.

Choy Li Fut's forms are circular, powerful, and as beautiful to watch as they are effective in combat. They often contain over 150 individual movements, each one having a practical application in self-defense. Done at full speed, forms provide an excellent cardiovascular workout.

Unlike many other martial arts, Choy Li Fut contains a wide variety of techniques, including long and short range punches, devastating kicks, deadly sweeps and takedowns, lethal pressure point attacks, joint locks, and grappling.

Choy Li Fut also has forms teaching the use of a large arsenal of traditional kung fu weapons, 52 to be exact, divided into long, short, twin, and flexible categories and the Nine Dragon Trident is the symbol of the Choy Li Fut system. Finally, it includes internal training such as meditation and breathing exercises.  

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Traditional Choy Li Fut Kung Fu Forms


The reason that the Choy Li Fut system has so many kung fu forms is because Chan Heung, the founder of the system, learned from three highly skilled Shaolin masters. Each one of his teachers had many traditional forms and Chan Heung himself developed many training and fighting forms from his own experience and years of training. He also developed forms for various students who had different physical shapes and abilities. His kung fu forms have been recorded into scripts which have been handed down to his closed-door students.

Grandmaster Doc-Fai Wong's second Choy Li Fut teacher was Dr. Hu Yuen Chou. Dr. Hu spent 20 years studying Choy Li Fut under the founder's grandson, Chan Yiu Chi. Hu Yuen Chou's hard work and diligent training insured that he received from Chan Yiu Chi the mind and spirit of the system. He received the traditional King Mui form scripts that had been handed down from the founder. In the Kong Chow lineage, Grandmaster Doc-Fai Wong's third Choy Li Fut teacher Wong Gong inherited his traditional form scripts from Chan Yen who had received his scripts from the founder's oldest son Chan On-Pak

Grandmaster Wong is one of the few leaders of Choy Li Fut who has the complete training system of traditional forms nowadays. In 1978, he began to translate the Choy Li Fut form scripts into English. From his English translations, these scripts have been translated by his European disciples into Spanish, French, Italian, Polish, Dutch and many other languages. Having translated the King Mui and Kong Chow form scripts into English, Grandmaster Doc-Fai Wong also went on to restore and translate the Fut San branch form scripts that he learned from Lau Bun and his other Si-Suks (Uncles) in Hong Kong.




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The list below is not the teaching curriculum of the Choy Li Fut system. Each school has its own teaching forms and one is not required to learn all the forms in the system to complete one's training in Choy Li Fut kung fu. In the Plum Blossom International Federation, all these forms are available for students who want to learn more. To master the system of Choy Li Fut, you need only learn 20% of the forms below to reach Sifu level.

Hand Forms 拳套:

Five Wheel Stance and Fist Form (Ng Lun Ma Ng Lun Chui) 五輪馬, 五輪搥
Lively Horse, Four Door Bridge Form (Jau San Ma, Sei Moon Kiu) 走生馬四門橋
Small Cross Pattern Hand Form (Siu Sup ji Kuen) 小十字拳
Small Plum Blossom Hand Form (Siu Mui Fa Kuen) 小梅花拳
Hung Sing Cross Pattern Hand Form (Hung Sing Sup Ji Kuen) 鴻勝十字拳
Kong Chow Small Tiger-Blocking Hand Form (Kong Chow Siu Jit Fu Kuen) 岡州小截虎拳
Hung Sing Long Fist Form (Hung Sing Cheong Kuen) 鴻勝長拳
Cross Pattern of Tiger-Blocking Hand Form (Sup Ji Jit Fu Kuen) 十字截虎拳
Great Cross Pattern Hand Form (Dai Sup Ji Kuen) 大十字拳
Cross Pattern of Continuing Fighting Hand Form (Sup Ji Kau Da Kuen) 十字扣打拳
Level Hand Form (Ping Kuen) 平拳
Level Elbow Hand Form (Ping Jang Kuen) 平踭拳
Small Strong Fist Form (Siu Hung Kuen) 小雄拳
Great Strong Fist Form (Dai Hung Kuen) 大雄拳
Small Pa-Kwa Hand Form (Siu Bot-Gwa Kuen) 小八卦拳
Heart of Pa-Kwa Hand Form (Bot-Gwa Sum Kuen) 八卦心拳
Great Pa-Kwa Hand Form (Dai Bot-Gwa Kuen) 大八卦拳
Hung's People Pa-Kwa Hand Form (Hung Yen Bot-Gwa Kuen) 雄人八卦拳
Duelling Tiger Pa-Kwa Hand Form (Dau Fu Bot-Gwa Kuen) 鬥虎八卦拳
Righteous and Strong Pa-Kwa Hand Form (Yee Jong Bot-Gwa Kuen) 義壯八卦拳
Plum Blossom Pa-Kwa Hand Form (Mui Fa Bot-Gwa Kuen) 梅花八卦拳
Daht-Ting's Pa-Kwa Hand Form (Dhat-Ting Bot-Gwa Kuen) 達停八卦拳
Small Buddha Palm Hand Form (Siu Fut Jeong Kuen) 小佛掌拳
Large Buddha Palm Hand Form (Dai Fut Jeong Kuen) 大佛掌拳
Small Arrow Fist Form (Siu Jin Kuen) 小箭拳
Iron Arrow Long Fist Form (Tit Jin Cheong Kuen) 鐡箭長拳
Gung Ji Taming Tiger Hand Form (Gung Ji Fook Fu Kuen) 工字伏虎拳
Buddha Taming Tiger Hand Form (Law Hon Fook Fu Kuen) 羅漢伏虎拳
Single Leg Hand Form (Dahn Geuk Kuen) 单脚拳
White Hair Hand Form (Bak Mo Kuen) 白毛拳
Eighteen Lohan Chi Kung Form (Sup Bot Law Hon Yik Gun Kuen) 十八羅漢易筋拳
Kwan-Yin Sitting In Lotus Palm Form (Goon Yum Dzo Lin Jeong) 觀音坐蓮掌
Drunken Lohan Hand Form (Jwoi Law Hon Kuen) 醉羅漢拳
Eight Drunken Immortals Hand Form (Jwoi Bot Sin Kuen) 醉八仙拳
Continuous Dual Kicking Form (Yin Yeung Twei Lin Wan) 鴛鴦蹆連環
Diamond Lohan Palm Form (Gum Gong Luo Hon Jeong) 金刚羅漢掌
Dragon Ba Gua Palm Form (Lung Ying Bot Gwa Jeong) 龍形八卦掌
Supreme Ultimate Hand Form (Tai Gik Kuen) 太極拳
Ultimate Less Hand Form (Mo Gik Kuen) 無極拳
Tiger Hand Form (Fu Ying Kuen) 虎形拳
Crane Form (Hok Ying Kuen) 鶴形拳
Snake Form (Seh Ying Kuen) 蛇形拳
Leopard Form (Pau Ying Kuen) 豹形拳
Dragon Hand Form (Lung Ying Kuen) 龍形拳
Monkey Hand Form (Hao Ying Kuen) 猴形拳
Elephant Hand Form (Jeung Ying Kuen) 象形拳
Dragon and Tiger Hand Forms (Lung Fu Kuen) 龍虎拳
Small Five Animals Hand Form (Siu Ng Ying Kuen) 小五形拳
Five Animals Hand Form (Ng Ying Kuen) 五形拳
Ten Animals Hand Form (Sup Ying Kuen) 十形拳

Two-Man Hand Forms 拳對拆:

Nine Star Blocking Hands (Gau Sing Jong-Sau) 九星樁手
Cross Pattern vs. Plum Blossom Form (Sup Ji Duei - Chuck Mui Fa Kuen) 十字對拆梅花拳
Golden Leopard vs. Tiger Form (Gam Pau Duei - Chuck Fu Ying Kuen) 金豹對拆虎形拳
Snake vs. Crane Form (Seh Ying Duei - Chuck Hok Ying Kuen) 蛇形對拆鶴形拳
Dragon vs. Tiger Form (Lung Ying Duei - Chuck Fu Ying Kuen) 龍形對拆虎形拳

Staff Forms 棍類:

Junior Plum Blossom Staff (Siu Mui Fa Gwun) 小梅花棍
Junior Bin-Gwai Staff (Siu Bin-Gwai Seung Tau Gwun) 小扁拐双頭棍
Double and Single-Ended Staff (Seung Gup Dahn Gwun) 双夾单棍
Flat Crutch Double-Ended Staff (Bin-Gwai Seung Tau Gwun) 扁拐双頭棍
Monkey King Staff (Hang Jeh Pang) 行者棒
Driving Dragon Double-Ended Staff (Chim Lung Seung Tau Gwun) 潛龍双頭棍
Coiling Dragon Double-Ended Staff (Poon Lung Seung Tau Gwun) 蟠龍双頭棍
Twin Dragon Holding In Air Double-Ended Staff (Seung Lung Gup Hei Gwun) 双龍夾氣棍
Chau-Sot Single-Ended Staff (Chau-Sot Dahn Tau Gwun) 抽摋单頭棍
Chau-Sot Ba Gua Staff (Chau-Sot Bot Gwa Gwun) 抽摋八卦棍
Great Banner Single-Ended Staff (Dai Hung Kei Dahn Tau Gwun) 大雄旗单頭棍
Plum Blossom Spear/Staff (Mui Fa Cheung Gwun) 梅花槍棍
Driving Dragon Single-Ended Staff (Chim Lung Dahn Tau Gwun) 潛龍单頭棍
Coiling Dragon Single-Ended Staff (Poon Lung Dahn Tau Gwun) 蟠龍单頭棍
Plum Blossom Pa-Kua Staff (Ng Dim Mui Fa Bot Gwa Gwun) 五點梅花八卦棍

Spear Forms 槍類:

Throat Locking Spear (Saw Hau Cheung) 鎖喉槍
Plum Blossom Spear (Mui Fa Cheung) 梅花槍
Left-Right Kau Sot Ba Gua Spear (Jor Yau Kau Sot Bot Gwa Cheung) 左右扣刹八卦槍
Left-Right Thirteen Lunges Spear (Jor Yau Sup Sam Cheung) 左右十三槍
Hook Spear (Ngau Lim Cheung) 鈎亷槍
Snake Spear (Seh Mau Cheung) 蛇茅槍
Two-Ended Spear (Leong Tau Cheung) 两頭槍

Broadsword Forms 刀類:

Plum Blossom Broadsword (Mui Fa Dahn Do) 梅花单刀
Taming Tiger Broadsword (Fook Fu Dahn Do) 伏虎单刀
Left and Right Pa-Kwa Broadsword (Jor Yau Bot-Gwa Dahn Do) 左右八卦单刀
Horse-chopper Broadsword (Chahn Ma Do) 鏟馬刀
Small Plum Blossom Double Broadsword (Siu Mui Fa Seung Do) 小梅花双刀
Plum Blossom Double Broadsword (Mui Fa Seung Do) 梅花双刀
Cross Pattern Plum Blossom Double Broadsword (Sup Ji Mui Fa Seung Do) 十字梅花双刀
Seven Stars Plum Blossom Double Broadsword (Chut Sing Mui Fa Seung Do) 七星梅花双刀
Continuous Plum Blossom Double Broadsword (Lin Wan Mui Fa Seung Do) 連環梅花双刀
Pa-Kwa Twin Knives (Bot-Gwa Seung Do) 八卦双刀
Hung Sing Twin Knives (Hung Sing Seung Do) 鴻勝双刀

Two-Edged Sword Forms 劍類:

Green Dragon Plum Blossom Straight Sword (Ching Lung Mui Fah Dahn Gim) 青龍梅花单劍
Green Dragon Straight Sword (Ching Lung Dahn Gim) 青龍单劍
Golden Dragon Straight Sword (Gum Lung Dahn Gim) 金龍单劍
Bodhidharma Straight Sword (Da Mo Dahn Gim) 達摩单劍
Yuen Chou Straight Sword (Van Cheuk Dahn Gim) 雲綽单劍
Male and Female Double Straight Swords (Chi Hung Seung Gim) 雌雄双劍
Flying Dragon Plum Blossom Double Straight Swords (Fei Lung Mui Fah Seung Gim) 飛龍梅花双劍
Double Daggers (Seung Pei Sau) 双匕首

Long-Handled Weapon Forms 長兵器:

Farmer's Hoe (Nung Fu Chor Tau) 農夫鋤頭
Lan Moon Jai Broadsword (Lan Moon Jaai Dai Do) 攔門寨大刀
Spring and Autumn Dynasty Kwan-Do (Chun Chau Dai Kwan-Do) 春秋大関刀
Nine-Ring Long-Handled Broadsword (Gau Wan Dai Do) 九環大刀
Day-Night Seven Star Long-Handled Knive (Ji Ng Chat Sing Tiu) 子午七星銚
Long-Handled Axes (Dai Ban Fu) 大板斧
Taming Tiger Cross Pattern Trident (Fook Fu Sup Ji Dai Pah) 伏虎十字大耙
Small Diamond Trident (Siu Gum Gong Pah) 小金剛耙
Diamond Trident (Gum Gong Dai Pah) 金剛大耙
Long-Handled Halberd (Fong Tien Wak Gik) 方天劃戟
Golden Coin Long-Handled Halberd (Gum Chin Gik) 金錢戟
Golden Bell Style Shovel (Gum Jung Chahn) 金鐘鏟
Crescent Moon Style Shovel (Yuet Ngah Chahn) 月牙鏟
Golden Coin Style Shovel (Gum Chin Chahn) 金錢鏟
Nine Dragon Trident (Gau Lung Dai Chah) 九龍大叉 - Read the Article

Fan Forms 扇套:

Small Hand Breaking Fan (Siu Suei Sau Sin) 小碎手扇
Hand Breaking Fan (Suei Sau Sin) 碎手扇
Flying Dragon Fan (Fei Lung Sin) 飛龍扇
Golden Dragon Fan (Gum Lung Sin) 金龍扇
Flying Phoenix Fan (Fei Fung Sin) 飛鳯扇

Two-Part Weapons 双手兵器:

Plum blossom Double Hookswords (Mui Fa Wu Sau Seung Ngau) 梅花護手双鈎
Hurricane Double Axes (Seun Fung Seung Fu) 旋風双斧
Plum blossom Double Chain Whips (Mui Fa Seung Bin) 梅花双鞭
Double Melon Hammers (Seung Tung Chui) 双銅錘
Double Copper Cudgels (Seung Tung Gan) 双銅鐧
Broadsword and Chain-Whip (Dahn Do Bin) 单刀鞭
Double Tiger's Head Shields (Seung Fu Tau Pah) 双虎頭牌
Double Rattan Shields (Seung Tang Pah Dip) 双籐牌碟
Broadsword and Rattan Shield (Dahn Do Tang Pah Dip) 单刀籐牌碟

Miscellaneous Single Weapons 其他兵器:

Bodhidharma Cane Form (Dat Mo Quai Jeung) 達摩拐杖
Four Door Horse Bench Form (Sei Moon Cheung Kiu Dang) 四門長橋櫈
Rope Dart Form (Fei Tuo) 飛鉈
Plum Blossom Three-Sectional Chain Whip (Mui Fa Sam Jit Bin) 梅花三節鞭
Golden Dragon Chain Whip (Gum Lung Yuan Bin) 金龍軟鞭
Plum Blossom Three-Section Staff Form (Mui Fa Sam Jit Gwun) 梅花三節棍
Coiling Dragon Three-Section Staff Form (Poon Lung Sam Jit Gwun) 蟠龍三節棍
Pa-Kwa Hard Metal Whip Form (Bot-Gwa Gum Bin) 八卦金鞭
Five Dragon Metal Cudgel (Ng Lung Gum Gan) 五龍金鐧

Two Persons Combat Weapon Forms 兵器對拆:

Empty Hands vs. Double Daggers (Hung Sau Yup Seung Pei Sau) 空手入双匕首
Single & Double-Ended Staff Two Man Form (Seung Gup Dahn Gwun Dwei Chuck) 双夾单棍對拆
Eighteen Yin and Yang Staff Two Man Form (Sup Bot Yum Yeung Gwun Dwei Chuck) 十八陰陽棍對拆
Double-Ended Staff Two Man Form (Seung Tau Gwun Dwei Chuck) 双頭棍對拆
Single-Ended Staff Two Man Form (Dahn Tau Gwun Dwei Chuck) 单頭棍對拆
Umbrella vs. Double-Ended Staff (Yu San Dwei Chuck Seung Tau Gwun) 雨傘對拆双頭棍
Double-Ended Staff vs. Horse Bench (Seung Tau Gwun Dwei Chuck Kiu Dahng) 双頭棍對拆橋櫈
Broadsword vs. Red Tassel Spear ( Dahn Do Dwei Chuck Hung Ying Cheong) 单刀對拆红纓槍
Double Broadswords vs. Red Tassel Spear (Seung Do Dwei Chuck Hung Ying Cheong) 双刀對拆红纓槍
Red Tassel Spear vs. Red Tassel Spear (Hung Ying Cheong Dwei Chuck) 红纓槍對拆
Three-Section Staff vs. Red Tassel Spear (Sam Jit Gwun Dwei Chuck Hung Ying Cheung) 三節棍對拆红纓槍
Red Tassel Spear vs. Kwan-Do (Hung Ying Cheung Dwei Chuck Kwan-Do) 红纓槍對拆関刀
Double Broadswords vs. Horse Bench (Seung Do Dwei Chuck Kiu Dahng) 双刀對拆橋櫈
Double Broadswords vs. Nine-Ringed Long-Handled Broadsword (Seung Do Dwei Chuck Gau Wan Do) 双刀對拆九環大刀
Rattan Shield and Broadsword vs. Trident (Dahn Do Tahn Pai Dip Dwei Chuck Dai Pah) 单刀籐牌碟對拆大耙
Tiger's Head Shield and Broadsword vs. Kwan-Do (Dahn Do Fu Tau Pai Dwei Chuck Kwan-Do) 单刀虎頭牌對拆関刀
Long-Handled Two-Section Staff vs. Rattan Shield and Tonfa (Dai So Ji Gwun Dwei Chuck Tahng Pai Gwai) 大梢子棍對拆籐牌枴
Farmer's Hoe vs. Horse Bench (Chor Tau Dwei Chuck Cheung Kiu Dahng) 鋤頭對拆橋櫈
Rattan Shield and Broadsword vs. Double-Ended Staff (Dahn Do Dip Dwei Chuck Seung Tau Gwun) 单刀碟對拆双頭棍
Double Broadswords vs. Double Spear (Seung Do Dwei Chuck Seung Ying Cheung) 双刀對拆双英槍
Green Dragon Sword vs. Golden Dragon Sword (Ching Lung Gim Dwei Chuck Gum Lung Gim) 青龍剣對拆金龍剣  

[Vicious_Truth]

History and Lineage of Choy Li Fut



Although known as a Southern system, Choy Li Fut 蔡李佛 kung fu has its origins in both Northern and Southern China. The system's founder, Chan Heung 陳享, had three teachers, two from the South and one from the North. Choy Li Fut is one of the few kung fu styles that is strongly influenced by both Northern and Southern Chinese kung-fu, combining the long arm techniques of the South with the quick agile footwork that characterizes Northern China's martial arts.


Choy Li Fut 蔡李佛 was founded in 1836 by Chan Heung 陳享, a well-known and highly-skilled martial artist of that period. Also known as Din Ying 典英 and Daht Ting 逹庭, Chan Heung was born on August 23, 1806 (7 moon 10th day of 1806 of the lunar calendar), in King Mui 京梅 (Jing Mei), a village in the San Woi 新會 (Xin Hui) district of Guangdong 廣東 province. His martial arts career began at age seven, when he went to live with his uncle, Chan Yuen-Woo 陳遠護. Yuen-Woo was a famous boxer from the legendary Shaolin temple in Fujian 褔建, China. From Chan Yuen-Woo, Chan Heung learned the art of Southern Shaolin kung-fu, and became so proficient at it that by age fifteen he could defeat any challenger from nearby villages. By the time he reached his seventeenth year, Chan Heung was ready to assimilate more martial skills. So Chan Yuen-Woo took him to Li Yau-San 李友山, Yuen Woo's senior classmate from the Southern Shaolin temple. Chan Heung spent the next four years perfecting his kung-fu under Li Yau-San's careful eye.


It was apparent to Li Yau-San 李友山 that after only four years of training, Chan Heung was again ready to move on to higher levels. In ten years, he had already reached a level in kung-fu that had taken Chan Yuen-Woo and Li Yau-San twenty years to attain. Li Yau-San suggested a Shaolin monk who lived as a recluse on Lau Fu 羅浮山 mountain as the best teacher for Chan Heung. The only problem was that the monk, Choy Fook 蔡褔, no longer wished to teach martial arts. He wanted only to be left alone to cultivate Buddhism. Realizing that reaching his highest potential in kung fu meant finding the monk and becoming his disciple, Chan Heung set out on the long trek to Lau Fu mountain.


Choy Fook's Buddhist monk name was Ching Chou 青草 (Green Grass). His head had been seriously burned when he took his Buddhist vows and had healed with ugly scars. This gave him the nickname "Monk with the Wounded Head 爛頭和尙 ." Armed with that knowledge, Chan Heung sought out anyone on Lau Fu mountain who could help him find Choy Fook 蔡褔. Finally, he located the monk, and handed him a letter of recommendation from Li Yau-San 李友山. After waiting patiently to be accepted as Choy Fook's disciple, he was stunned when Choy Fook turned him down. After much begging from Chan Heung, Choy Fook agreed to take the young man as a student—but only to study Buddhism. So, Chan Heung studied Buddhism for many hours a day with the monk of the scarred head, and practiced his martial arts by himself, far into the night.


Early one morning, Chan Heung 陳享 was practicing his kung fu, sweeping both legs across heavy bamboo bush and kicking up stones, then smashing them to pieces before they hit the ground. Suddenly, the monk appeared and asked him if that were the best he could do. Chan Heung was shocked when Choy Fook 蔡褔 pointed to a large rock weighing more than thirty kilograms and told him to kick it twelve feet. Bracing himself, Chan Heung exerted all of his strength as his foot crashed against the rock, sending it barely twelve feet away. Instead of giving the expected compliment, Choy Fook placed his own foot under the heavy rock and effortlessly propelled it through the air. Chan Heung was awestruck by this demonstration of "superpower." Again he begged Choy Fook to take him as a martial arts disciple. This time the monk agreed, and for eight years Choy Fook taught Chan Heung both the way of Buddhism and the way of martial arts.


When he was twenty-nine, Chan Heung 陳享 left the monk and went back to King Mui village, where he spent the next two years revising and refining all that he had learned from Choy Fook. Chan Heung had now developed a new system of kung fu. In 1836 he formally established the Choy Li Fut system, naming it in honor of two of his teachers, Choy Fook 蔡褔 and Li Yau-San 李友山, and used the word Fut 佛, which means "Buddha" in Chinese, to pay homage to his uncle, Chan Yuen Woo 陳遠護, and to the Shaolin roots of the new system. Chan Heung set up a martial arts school in the local family temple of his village to teach the new system. As his reputation spread, hundreds of people from nearby villages came to learn Choy Li Fut. Shortly after Chang Heung established his new school, the Opium Wars broke out in China. Like many other loyal Chinese, Chan Heung joined the army in Canton to fight against the British invaders. Following China's defeat in 1842, he returned home to his family.


Political corruption from within the Manchurian-controlled Ching dynasty 清朝 had contributed to China's defeat. Between 1847 and 1850 many Chinese leaders formed secret societies to combat the evil forces of the Ching. Under the leadership of Hong Xiu-Quan 洪秀全, the Triad Rebellion broke out against the Imperial forces in Guangxi 廣西. Hong's rebels defeated the government troops in 1850 and for the next two decades the Tai Ping Tian Guo 太平天國 kingdom ruled China. During the rebellion, Chan Heung's followers urged him to join in the revolt. However, he was a devout Buddhist and shunned the path of violence. Nevertheless, he continued to train his followers in case the need arose to do battle against the corrupt Ching rulers.


When the Imperial army sought to recruit men from his area to fight against the rebel forces, Chan Heung 陳享 left his home in King Mui with his wife and two children. Finally forced by the needless fighting and destruction to participate actively, he set up many Choy Li Fut 蔡李佛 schools in Southern China to spread revolutionary ideas against the Manchurians. He gave his followers a special signal for future battlefield reunions: Whoever belonged to the Choy Li Fut system would cry out "yak'' when striking with his fist or palm, "wak" when thrusting with a tiger claw hand, and "dik" when kicking.


When the Tai Ping Tian Guo 太平天國 succumbed in 1864, Chan Heung 陳享 left China. At age fifty-nine he became the martial arts teacher for the Chan Family Association overseas. He stayed abroad four years, and then returned home to King Mui, where he was able to see his own kung fu system gain tremendous popularity throughout Southern China. On the lunar calendar 8th moon 20, 1875, at the age of sixty-nine, Chan Heung died. He was buried in his beloved village of King Mui. But his memory lives on, perpetuated in the kung-fu system that he established.


After Chan Heung's death, his Choy Li Fut 蔡李佛 legacy passed on to his two sons, Chan On-Pak 陳安伯 and Chan Koon-Pak 陳官伯. Chan On-Pak, born in 1839 and the older of the two brothers, looked like and had the gentle nature of a scholar. His specialty was the spear. Chan On-Pak's control of the spear was so advanced that he gained the nickname yet "Cheung Ng Mui Fa" 一槍五梅花 or "Five Blossoms with One Lance." In 1894, two of Chan On-Pak's students, Cheng Si-Leung 鄭士良 and Chan Siu-Bak 陳少白, helped the revolutionary forces of Dr. Sun Yat-Sin 孫逸仙 fight against the Ching dynasty and lay the foundation of the Republic of China.


The younger son, Chan Koon Pak, left King Mui to become a merchant in Kong Moon 江門市(Jiangmen) City, where his fame as a martial artist spread quickly. He soon had no time to spend as a merchant and devoted all of his efforts teaching Choy Li Fut. Chan Koon Pak later established a large Choy Li Fut training center in Guangzhou 廣州.


Chan Heung had eighteen original Choy Li Fut 蔡李佛 disciples, known as the eighteen Lohan 十八羅漢. In 1848, the original eighteen started branching out to teach Choy Li Fut throughout Southern China. The first disciple to teach Choy Li Fut outside of King Mui was Lung Ji-Choi 龍子才, who opened a kung fu school in the town of Xunzhou 潯州 in Guangxi 廣西 province. Soon after, Chan Din-Yao 陳典尤 and Chan Din-Foon 陳典桓 initiated the first Hung Sing Choy Li Fut school in Fut San 佛山 (Foshan). Other of the original eighteen disciples who promoted the new kung fu system were: Chan Dai-Yup 陳大 揖 in Guangzhou 廣州; Chan Din-Sing 陳典承 in Zhongshan 中山; Chan Mau-Jong 陳謀莊 in Panyu 番禺; Chan Din-Bong 陳典邦 in Dong Guan 東莞; Chan Din-Wai 陳典惠 in Kaiping 開平; Chan Din-Jen 陳典珍 in Taishan 台山; Chan Sun-Dong 陳孫棟 in Enping 恩平; Chan Din-Dak 陳典德 at Heshan 鶴山; Chan Dai-Wai 陳大威 in Zhaoqing 肇慶; Chan Sing-Hin 陳承顯 in Xinhuicheng 新會城; Chan Yin-Yu 陳燕瑜at Jiangmen 江門. And admirable tasks were performed by Chan Dai-Sing 陳大成, Chan Din-Seng 陳典勝, Chan Mau-Wing 陳謀榮 , and Chan Din-Gung 陳典拱, who taught Choy Li Fut in twenty-six villages in the King Mui 京梅 area.


In 1867, Chan Heung 陳享 sent one of his last batch of student, Jeong Yim 張炎 to Fut San 佛山 (Foshan) to reopen the school originally established by Chan Din-Yao 陳典尤 and Chan Din-Foon 陳典桓 in 1848. Eventually, Jeong Yim became known as the "father of the Hung Sing School of Choy Li Fut" in Fut San.


It is generally thought that there are two schools of Choy Li Fut: hung sing 洪勝 and bak sing 北勝, and that there are two representatives of the hung sing school. During the revolution of the mid-1800s, the Hung Moon 洪門 Party represented all revolutionary factions, including Choy Li Fut representatives. Choy Li Fut schools had a secret slogan during these times: "Hung 洪 Ying 英 Ji 至 Sing 聖 ; Ying英 Hung 雄 Wing 永 Sing 勝. " This translates as: "Heroes of the Hung Party are superior; Heroes always win." Chan Heung's followers adopted two words of the motto as their secret passwords “Hung Sing 洪勝” which meant "Hung Party wins." But, because that was too close to the outlawed Hung Moon Party name, they changed it to another slogan which sounds the same as Hung Sing 鴻勝, but means "goose winning."


Meanwhile, the Fut San Choy Li Fut School of Jeong Yim 張炎 bore the name "Hung Sing Kwoon 鴻勝舘" (using the "Hung" that means goose). Some of his students began referring to him as Jeong Hung Sing 張鴻勝. By the time his school had developed a third generation of students, the true meaning of "Hung Sing" had been lost, and his third generation students believed him to be the founder of a type of Choy Li Fut known as Hung Sing Choy Li Fut. To clarify the issue, Chan Heung's son, Koon-Pak 官伯, changed the name Hung 鴻 Sing to a different Hung 雄 meaning "strong." From that time on, Choy Li Fut schools in Koon Pak's King Mui area designated themselves with the slogan Hung Sing 雄勝, meaning "Strong Winning," while the Fut San schools kept their "goose winning" Hung Sing 鴻勝 motto. Hence, the belief that there are two Hung Sing Choy Li Fut schools.


The Bak Sing 北勝 branch of Choy Li Fut 蔡李佛 can be traced back to Jeong Yim 張炎 in Fut San. Jeong Yim had three principal students. One of them was Lui Chaun 雷粲, who had a student named Tam Sam 譚三. Tam Sam had a Choy Li Fut school in Guangzhou, in a district called Siu Bak 小北 (which translates as "little north"). His school bore the name Siu Bak Hung Sing Choy Li Fut Club. That name was too long to be spoken comfortably, so it was changed to Bak Sing Choy Li Fut to pay respects to their teacher, Tam Sam’s students referred to themselves as the Bak Sing branch of Choy Li Fut.


The most famous student and also the successor of Jeong Yim 張炎 was Chan Ngau-Sing 陳牛盛. Grandmaster Doc-Fai Wong 黄德輝’s second teacher, Dr. Hu Yuen-Chou 胡雲綽 studied from him from the age of nine in Fut San Hung Sing School’s headquarters. Lau Bun 劉彬 was Grandmaster Wong’s first Choy Li Fut teacher; he learned his kung fu from Yuen Hai 阮系, one of the three principal students of Jeong Yim 張炎. The heritage of these two famous teachers of our Grandmaster who handed down the powerful fighting art to us is called the Fut San 佛山 lineage because it is from the Hung Sing School of Fut San city, Guangdong 廣東 province.


Dr. Hu Yuen-Chou’s second Choy Li Fut 蔡李佛 teacher was Chan Yiu-Chi 陳耀墀, the grandson of the founder. Dr. Hu spent 20 years of his training time with Chan Yiu-Chi and became one of the four major pillar instructors of the school who had gained the name the “Four Great Heavenly Kings 四大天王” of Choy Li Fut in Guangzhou. Grandmaster Doc-Fai Wong 黄德輝 is the successor of Dr. Hu Yuen Chou 胡雲綽. From this lineage we got the name King Mui 京梅, because the founder’s family came from the King Mui village.


Grandmaster Doc-Fai Wong’s third teacher in Choy Li Fut 蔡李佛 was Wong Gong 黄江. Wong Gong’s two teachers were Chan Cheong-Mo 陳長毛 and Chan Yen 陳恩; they were the students of Choy Li Fut founder’s elderly son, Chan On-Pak 陳安伯. From this lineage, we received most of the internal forms and animal forms that were handed down from Chan On-Pak. Great-grandmaster Wong Gong named his lineage Kong Chow 岡州 (Gangzhou) because in the old days, the district of Choy Li Fut’s hometown was called Kong Chow before the Republic of China  

[Vicious_Truth]

Choy Li Fut Ranking System


BEGINNER I (Red Sash/ No Fringe)
1. Basic Stances
2. Basic Punches & Kicks
3. Basic Blocks INTERMEDIATE III (Blue Fringe)
1. Fut San Sup Ji Kuen
2. 2 Person Staff
3. Mui Fa Don Do Form
*Sparring/Takedowns/JointLocks*
BEGINNER II (White Fringe)
1. Jau Sang Ma
2. Small Arrow Fist Form
3. Small Leopard Hand Form ADVANCED I (Purple Fringe)
1. Yee Jong Bot Gwa Kuen
2. Butterfly Knives Form
3. Sup Ji Jit Fu Kuen
*Push Hands/Pressure Points*
BEGINNER III (Yellow Fringe)
1. 5 Wheel Horse
2. 5 Wheel Fist
3. 9 Star Blocking ADVANCED II (Red Fringe)
1. Single-Double end Staff
2. Small Five Animal Form
3. Empty Hands vs. Double Daggers Form
INTERMEDIATE I (Orange Fringe)
1. Wall Bag Set
2. Small Cross Pattern Form
3. Chau Sot Single-Ended Staff
ADVANCED III (Brown Fringe)
Sup Ji Kau Da Kuen
*1st Stripe: 2 Person II; Spear Form
*2nd Stripe: Horse Bench; Ping Keun
*3rd Stripe: Don Do vs Spear; Seung Do
*4th Stripe: Seung Do vs Spear; Bok Mo Kuen
*5th Stripe: Fan; 5 Animals; 2 Person Weapon
INTERMEDIATE II (Green Fringe)
1. Small Plum Blossom Hand Form
2. Hung Sing Long Fist Form
3. Tiger vs. Leopard Two Person Form SENIOR (Black Fringe)
Bot Gwa Hand Forms; Internal Hand Forms;
Lohan Forms; Horse Chopper Knife Form;
Fan Forms; 3 Sectioned Staff Form;
Hookswords Form; 13 L-R Lance Spear Form;
Trident Forms; Wooden Dummy;
Double Chain Whips; Kwan Do Forms;
Individual Animal Forms;
Advance 2 Person Hand & Weapon Forms
* More Advanced Forms With Grandmaster Doc-Fai Wong