A Brief Introduction to the Choy Li Fut

The school of Choy Li Fut Chia Chuan sprang up in the middle of the 19th century, i.e. during Daoguang Years (1821-1850) of the Qing Dynasty, and has had a history of more than 100 years. It has spread to a very large extent with its disciples found everywhere both in Chins and abroad. It is one of the famous boxing schools in the southern China.

Style of southern Shaolin Kung fu first developed in the 1836 by Chan Heung. Utilises a strong stance - the "horse riding stance", so called because the leg position looks like a horse is being stradled. Its movements are hard and firm, using muscular energy. The system originally contained only three kicks but has recently adopted some of the kicking techniques from northern shaolin.

The name comes from two Chinese Chuan Fa masters, Choi and Li. Fut means Buddha, referring to its Shaolin origins.

Choy Li Fut is one of the Chinese Famous boxing schools and has a joint name of Nan Chuan (southern Boxing) together with Mo Chia Chuan and Hung Chia Chuan in Guangdong Province. Mr. Chan Heung, a native of Xinhui County in Guangdong, created the boxing school. The school is divided into a number of branch schools such a Hung Sheng, Bei Sheng and Xiong Sheng, etc. because there have been a lot of learners of this school everywhere and its great masters have been from different places. However, the skills of there branch schools are, in fact, very much the same because they have originated from the same orthodox school although there may be tens of thousands of them.

The school of Choy Li Fut Chia Chuan has scores of series that are divided into junior, middle and senior levels. They feature swiftness, flexibility and combination of firmness and gentleness. In their handwork, both hands are alternately shot long out for swift attacks, striking the opponent while dispelling movements of this boxing school are relatively unfolding with the fists rushed out firmly and forcefully by exerting long and short forces in a mixed way. This school is composed of more legwork and good at jumps and leaps within a rather large scope of movements. The series are very suitable for both the training of body and mind and self-defense.