Although known as a Southern system, choy lee fut Kung Fu has it origins in both Northern and Southern China. Choy lee fut was founded by Chan Heung in 1836. It combines the long arm techniques of the South with the quick agile footwork that characterizes Northern China's Kung Fu.

Chan Heung was born in 1806, in King Mui, a village in the San Wui district of Kwangtung province. He started training in Kung Fu at age seven, when he went to live with his uncle, Yuen Woo a famous martial artist from the Shaolin temple. By age fifteen Chan became so proficient in Shaolin Kung Fu that he could defeat any challenges from nearby villages.

At age seventeen Chan Heung was ready to learn more so his uncle took him to Lee Yau-San, his senior classmate from the Shaolin temple. After only four years of training with Lee Yau-San, Chan Heung was again ready to move on to higher levels of training.

Lee Yau-San taught of a Shaolin monk named Choy Fok who lived as a recluse on Lau Fu mountain as the best teacher for Chan Heung. The only problem was that the monk no longer wished to teach martial arts. He wanted only to be left alone to cultivate Buddhism.

Chan Heung sought out anyone on Lau Fu mountain who could help him find Choy Fok. Finally, he located the monk, and handed him a letter of recommendation from Lee Yau-San. Chan was stunned when Choy Fok turned him down as a disciple. After much begging from Chan Heung, Choy Fok agreed to take him as a student, but only to study Buddhism. So Chan studied Buddhism during the day with the monk and practiced his martial arts by himself during the night. Chan did this for many years till one day he begged Choy Fok to take him as a martial arts disciple. This time the monk agreed, and for eight years Choy Fok taught Chan Heung both the way of Buddhism and Kung Fu.

Chan Heung now twenty-nine 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 Fok. Chan Heung had now developed a new system of Kung Fu. In 1836 he formally established the choy lee fut system, naming it in honor of two of his teachers, Choy Fok and Lee Yan-San, and used the word fut, which means "Budda" in Chinese, to paye homage to his uncle, Yuen Woo, and to the new system's Shaolin roots. Chan Heung set up a Kung Fu school in his village. As his reputation spread hundreds of people from nearby villages came to learn choy lee fut.

Before learning any forms, students of Choy Lee Fut practice stance training. They practice both high and low stances. Beginning students always start with wide and low stances which strengthens the legs and provides a good foundation. Then the student advances to the high stances which are good for the quick movements required in combat. This makes the students forms or movements more lively and flowing.

Forms training in Choy Lee Fut is designed to promote health and longevity and to provide self-defense. Forms training develops the student's muscle and bones, conditioning the body evenly. All movements are natural, no movements in the forms are tense or stiff. The forms begin with long wide open circular movements. One advantage to long-arm, open, circular techniques is that the power flows without disturbing the practitioner's continuity and balance. The student must relax all physical aspects of his body, his breathing should become deeper and his energy sinks down to the tan tien. Practitioners of Choy Lee Fut also cry out "Sik" when striking with the fist, "wah" when thrusting with a tiger claw hand, and "dik" when kicking (these sounds where also a special signal for Choy Lee Fut followers so they could distinguish themselves on the battlefield). These sounds forces the student to produce the appropriate power by changing his breathing patterns.

By conditioning and relaxing his body with long circular movements, by paying attention to his breathing techniques when practicing his forms and by producing sounds that help deliver power to the practitioners movements. The Choy Lay Fut artist trains in both external and internal aspects at the same time, bringing them together as one.

Since the Choy Lay Fut system has its roots from both Northern and Southern China. The system contains almost all of Kung Fu's weaponry. Weapons training still hold a place in the serious student's training schedule. Weapons techniques differ greatly from one another. It also gives the student more understanding of China's culture and history, an important part of Kung Fu training.

Two man sets, which include both empty hands and weapons forms are an important part of the advance student's training. This helps the student develop his timing, focus, distance, and teach him correct application of the movements seen in forms. Because there is contact involved, the practitioner conditions and strengthens his forearms. Two-man sets lead into free-style sparring, a necessary and important part of Kung Fu. Two-man forms provide a good transition from individual forms practice, to the actual contact needed for sparring.

Written By Sifu Rino Côté