Lai Tung Pai
Encyclopedia
Lai Tung Pai is a martial art of Chinese origin, coming from the Sil Lum (Mandarin Shaolin
) tradition in the Guangdong
providence of China
. The art was developed at the Kwangtung Temple and then was moved to the Hoi Tung Temple when the former was burned down during the Ching Dynasty. The dates are not known, as the only living person, Kong Hoi (surname given first as in Chinese tradition), studied at the Hoi Tung Temple in the early 20th century. Grandmaster Kong is a member of the Hong Kong Chinese Martial Art Association.
Yuen Mau traveled south to where the Guangdong
providence is now. Yuen Mau sought shelter in the monastery of a small town named Lai Tung (literally translated “dig a hole”). Yuen Mau continued his studies and being from the main temple, was made abbot of the small monastery. Yuen Mau chose Lai Tung because of its small size, thinking there would be no military significance of attacking the village, as the people were poor and uneducated. Yuen Mau was wrong.
When a small regiment of troops came to Lai Tung and started to cause trouble, Yuen Mau had had enough. Having trained the monks in the art of Poon Kuen, the monks defeated the soldiers and brought peace back to the village (It is likely that the troops were either deserters or a group of bandits, as the army would have surely not taken an attack like this lightly; the other scenario is that the monks killed the troops and, being a small force, the army never went looking for them. As with all legends, there is always an element of truth to them). Yuen Mau then called the art Lai Tung Pai or “family of Lai Tung Village” after the town he helped defend.
The next monk to have any history written about him was Fa Hoi. Fa Hoi was a monk at the temple in Lai Tung when he was chosen to go to the Hoi Tung temple on the Pearl River. The Hoi Tung temple (more commonly known as the Foshan temple, after the city of Foshan
) was a haven for several martial arts in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Many famous martial artists have come from the city of Foshan and had connections to the temple including Wong Kei Ying
, Wong Fei Hong, and Yip Man
. Fa Hoi had come to the temple in the late 19th century.
The temple was a place to worship and many people traveled there on a weekly basis. One such person was Kong Ki, a merchant in the surrounding area. Kong Ki saw the monks practicing kung fu. Kong Ki was skilled in Hung Gar
and wanted to increase his knowledge by practicing with the monks. He noticed one monk doing a form (kata
in Japanese arts) that he did not recognize. Inquiring about the form, Fa Hoi explained it was not Hung Gar, but Lai Tung Pai. In a friendly match, Kong Ki lost to Fa Hoi. Kong Ki then became the sole student of Fa Hoi and the first person outside the temple to learn Lai Tung Pai.
After some time, Kong Ki had gotten married and had a son, Kong Hoi (named after his teacher). On Kong Hoi’s 10th birthday, Kong Ki started teaching him the art of Lai Tung Pai. When Kong Hoi was 13, the Japanese had invaded China. Kong Hoi joined a guerrilla resistance troop and attacked a Japanese camp. Kong Hoi was injured in the fight but made it back home. Kong Ki, not wanting his son to see war again, sent Kong Hoi to the Foshan Temple and to his old teacher, Fa Hoi. Fa Hoi took the young man in.
Kong Hoi recalled his experiences in the temple. He had to gather water everyday, he had to cook for all the monks, clean up and take care of the temple altars. After all of this was done, then he would practice kung fu. Kong Hoi stated that he had several teachers besides Fa Hoi. Training was difficult and long. Each form was mastered before a new one was learned. Kong Hoi stayed in the temple until Fa Hoi had died.
Post World War II was a time for revolution in China. The Cultural Revolution
preached out with the old customs, and martial arts were part of that “cleansing.” Kong Ki and his family moved to Hong Kong
where it was safe.
Kong Hoi became a Chinese Physician certified by the Hong Kong Government. He has also served as a judge in several Hong Kong tournaments.
At one time Kong Hoi had three schools in Hong Kong. During the mid 60’s, Kong Hoi began training a student named Li Chi Keung.
Li later moved in with his Sifu and lived there for three years. Kong Hoi had shut his schools down by this time and retired from teaching. Li worked at the docks by day and studied Lai Tung Pai at night. Li had a chance to move to America and left Hong Kong in 1978.
Li joined several schools and took students sporadically. In the mid 80’s, Li moved to Charlotte, North Carolina. While working in a Chinese restaurant as a cook, he noticed the truck driver wearing a shirt for a local kung fu school. Li chatted with the young man and found he had studied at the local community college in the art of Li Ki. The young truck driver, Daryl McFarly, requested to be trained by Li. A friendship was formed and Li started teaching a few students, including Mykle Marriette, Bevo Barksdale, Anthony Stephenson, Michael Garcia, Drew Taylor, and Christopher Facente.
In 1990, Li went back to Hong Kong for a visit and was promoted to Sifu by Kong Hoi. A celebration was held, giving Sifu Li permission to carry on Lai Tung Pai. Several schools were opened and closed throughout the early 90’s. In 1993, Li began teaching Lai Tung Pai at his own school in Mint Hill, North Carolina. This school is still open as of this writing.
In 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2008, Li has permitted some of his students to go to Hong Kong and train with Grandmaster Kong Hoi. In 2004, Grandmaster Kong Hoi retired from teaching but accepted these students, Chris Facente and Anthony Stephenson, and promoted them to Sifu in order to preserve the art of Lai Tung Pai. They along with the others that traveled to Hong Kong are dedicated to preserving and passing on the style to future generations.
). Lai Tung Pai forms are generally short (24 to 36 moves), with the exception of the Keun Jong form, that consists of over 400 moves. Many bridging forms exist and a very mobile form named Lao Ying. Story goes that this form was created by a monk that had a dream of a dragon waking up from a nap and being startled by the wind blowing the willow tree limbs. That then resulting with the dragon fighting the willow tree. Lai Tung Pai also has its own tai chi form called 5 element tai chi. The style also performs the traditional Sil Lum weapons (staff, 8' Long Pole, broadsword, butterfly knives, with the most famous being the two section spear), and uses several Muk Yan Jong
. Lai Tung Pai also teaches and performs the traditional Lion Dance and the Dragon Dance.
Shaolin kung fu
Shaolin Kung Fu refers to a collection of Chinese martial arts that claim affiliation with the Shaolin Monastery.Of the multitude styles of kung fu and wushu, only some are actually related to Shaolin...
) tradition in the Guangdong
Guangdong
Guangdong is a province on the South China Sea coast of the People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province...
providence of China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. The art was developed at the Kwangtung Temple and then was moved to the Hoi Tung Temple when the former was burned down during the Ching Dynasty. The dates are not known, as the only living person, Kong Hoi (surname given first as in Chinese tradition), studied at the Hoi Tung Temple in the early 20th century. Grandmaster Kong is a member of the Hong Kong Chinese Martial Art Association.
History
Lai Tung Pai was said to have been developed by a monk named Chi Sen. Chi Sen in turn trained four monks: Yuen Cheuk, Yuen Kok, Yuen Sing, and Yuen Mau. Orphans were admitted into the temple every three years and given the same surname. Yuen Mau is the only monk we have any history of; the rest were lost during the time the temple was burned down.Yuen Mau traveled south to where the Guangdong
Guangdong
Guangdong is a province on the South China Sea coast of the People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province...
providence is now. Yuen Mau sought shelter in the monastery of a small town named Lai Tung (literally translated “dig a hole”). Yuen Mau continued his studies and being from the main temple, was made abbot of the small monastery. Yuen Mau chose Lai Tung because of its small size, thinking there would be no military significance of attacking the village, as the people were poor and uneducated. Yuen Mau was wrong.
When a small regiment of troops came to Lai Tung and started to cause trouble, Yuen Mau had had enough. Having trained the monks in the art of Poon Kuen, the monks defeated the soldiers and brought peace back to the village (It is likely that the troops were either deserters or a group of bandits, as the army would have surely not taken an attack like this lightly; the other scenario is that the monks killed the troops and, being a small force, the army never went looking for them. As with all legends, there is always an element of truth to them). Yuen Mau then called the art Lai Tung Pai or “family of Lai Tung Village” after the town he helped defend.
The next monk to have any history written about him was Fa Hoi. Fa Hoi was a monk at the temple in Lai Tung when he was chosen to go to the Hoi Tung temple on the Pearl River. The Hoi Tung temple (more commonly known as the Foshan temple, after the city of Foshan
Foshan
Foshan is a city in central Guangdong province in southern China. The prefectural area under the city's jurisdiction over an area of about 3,840 km² and a population of 5.4 million of which 1.1 million reside in the city proper ....
) was a haven for several martial arts in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Many famous martial artists have come from the city of Foshan and had connections to the temple including Wong Kei Ying
Wong Kei Ying
Wong Kei-ying , also known as Wong Leung-ying, was a Chinese martial artist and physician who lived during the late Qing Dynasty....
, Wong Fei Hong, and Yip Man
Yip Man
Yip Man , also spelled as Ip Man, and also known as Yip Kai-Man, was a Chinese martial artist. He had several students who later became martial arts teachers in their own right, including Bruce Lee.-Early life:...
. Fa Hoi had come to the temple in the late 19th century.
The temple was a place to worship and many people traveled there on a weekly basis. One such person was Kong Ki, a merchant in the surrounding area. Kong Ki saw the monks practicing kung fu. Kong Ki was skilled in Hung Gar
Hung Gar
Hung Ga 洪家, Hung Kuen 洪拳, or Hung Ga Kuen 洪家拳 is a southern Chinese martial art associated with the Chinese folk hero Wong Fei Hung, who was a master of Hung Ga....
and wanted to increase his knowledge by practicing with the monks. He noticed one monk doing a form (kata
Kata
is a Japanese word describing detailed choreographed patterns of movements practised either solo or in pairs. The term form is used for the corresponding concept in non-Japanese martial arts in general....
in Japanese arts) that he did not recognize. Inquiring about the form, Fa Hoi explained it was not Hung Gar, but Lai Tung Pai. In a friendly match, Kong Ki lost to Fa Hoi. Kong Ki then became the sole student of Fa Hoi and the first person outside the temple to learn Lai Tung Pai.
After some time, Kong Ki had gotten married and had a son, Kong Hoi (named after his teacher). On Kong Hoi’s 10th birthday, Kong Ki started teaching him the art of Lai Tung Pai. When Kong Hoi was 13, the Japanese had invaded China. Kong Hoi joined a guerrilla resistance troop and attacked a Japanese camp. Kong Hoi was injured in the fight but made it back home. Kong Ki, not wanting his son to see war again, sent Kong Hoi to the Foshan Temple and to his old teacher, Fa Hoi. Fa Hoi took the young man in.
Kong Hoi recalled his experiences in the temple. He had to gather water everyday, he had to cook for all the monks, clean up and take care of the temple altars. After all of this was done, then he would practice kung fu. Kong Hoi stated that he had several teachers besides Fa Hoi. Training was difficult and long. Each form was mastered before a new one was learned. Kong Hoi stayed in the temple until Fa Hoi had died.
Post World War II was a time for revolution in China. The Cultural Revolution
Cultural Revolution
The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, commonly known as the Cultural Revolution , was a socio-political movement that took place in the People's Republic of China from 1966 through 1976...
preached out with the old customs, and martial arts were part of that “cleansing.” Kong Ki and his family moved to Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
where it was safe.
Kong Hoi became a Chinese Physician certified by the Hong Kong Government. He has also served as a judge in several Hong Kong tournaments.
At one time Kong Hoi had three schools in Hong Kong. During the mid 60’s, Kong Hoi began training a student named Li Chi Keung.
Li later moved in with his Sifu and lived there for three years. Kong Hoi had shut his schools down by this time and retired from teaching. Li worked at the docks by day and studied Lai Tung Pai at night. Li had a chance to move to America and left Hong Kong in 1978.
Li joined several schools and took students sporadically. In the mid 80’s, Li moved to Charlotte, North Carolina. While working in a Chinese restaurant as a cook, he noticed the truck driver wearing a shirt for a local kung fu school. Li chatted with the young man and found he had studied at the local community college in the art of Li Ki. The young truck driver, Daryl McFarly, requested to be trained by Li. A friendship was formed and Li started teaching a few students, including Mykle Marriette, Bevo Barksdale, Anthony Stephenson, Michael Garcia, Drew Taylor, and Christopher Facente.
In 1990, Li went back to Hong Kong for a visit and was promoted to Sifu by Kong Hoi. A celebration was held, giving Sifu Li permission to carry on Lai Tung Pai. Several schools were opened and closed throughout the early 90’s. In 1993, Li began teaching Lai Tung Pai at his own school in Mint Hill, North Carolina. This school is still open as of this writing.
In 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2008, Li has permitted some of his students to go to Hong Kong and train with Grandmaster Kong Hoi. In 2004, Grandmaster Kong Hoi retired from teaching but accepted these students, Chris Facente and Anthony Stephenson, and promoted them to Sifu in order to preserve the art of Lai Tung Pai. They along with the others that traveled to Hong Kong are dedicated to preserving and passing on the style to future generations.
Style specifics
Lai Tung Pai is a Sil Lum (Shaolin) style of martial art. Both external and internal in nature, Lai Tong Pai has several forms that are to be done with external and/or internal power control (see Chinese Martial ArtsChinese martial arts
Chinese martial arts, also referred to by the Mandarin Chinese term wushu and popularly as kung fu , are a number of fighting styles that have developed over the centuries in China. These fighting styles are often classified according to common traits, identified as "families" , "sects" or...
). Lai Tung Pai forms are generally short (24 to 36 moves), with the exception of the Keun Jong form, that consists of over 400 moves. Many bridging forms exist and a very mobile form named Lao Ying. Story goes that this form was created by a monk that had a dream of a dragon waking up from a nap and being startled by the wind blowing the willow tree limbs. That then resulting with the dragon fighting the willow tree. Lai Tung Pai also has its own tai chi form called 5 element tai chi. The style also performs the traditional Sil Lum weapons (staff, 8' Long Pole, broadsword, butterfly knives, with the most famous being the two section spear), and uses several Muk Yan Jong
Muk Yan Jong
Mu ren zhuang is a wooden dummy used in Chinese martial arts training. It is associated with the martial art of Wing Chun and other kung fu styles of Southern China...
. Lai Tung Pai also teaches and performs the traditional Lion Dance and the Dragon Dance.