The Li or Lee family Kung Fu 李家功夫 is commonly known as one of the five famous family styles of Southern Chinese martial arts

Martial arts

Martial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....

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Li Sou

The Li family is originally from Lanzhou

Lanzhou

Lanzhou is the capital and largest city of Gansu Province in Northwest China. A prefecture-level city, it is a key regional transportation hub, allowing areas further west to maintain railroad connections to the eastern half of the country....

 in the Gansu province 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...

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Legend has it that prior to Li Sou's development of Wu Xing Chuan (5 shape fist), he had learned various palm techniques that had been passed on to him by another member of the Li family. These techniques were called the Divine Immortal Palms, and consisted of Iron Bone Shattering Palm, Vibrating Palm, Cotton Palm, Burning Palm, Spiralling Palm, and Internal Iron Palm

Iron Palm

Iron Palm or Iron Hand is a body of training techniques in various Chinese martial arts. These conditioning techniques are typically meant to condition the hands to allow a practitioner to deliver very powerful blows without injury to his or her hands.-Overview:Iron Palm is a broad term covering...

, which were taught to the Li family by a Taoist immortal and other traveling hermits from the Wudang and O Mei Mountains.

Shaolin Wu Xing Chun/Ng Ying Kuen (5 Shape Fist)

Originating from the 18 Luohan hands, Jueyuan in the 13th century expanded its 18 techniques into 72. Still, he felt the need to seek knowledge from outside the confines of the temple. In Gansu Province in the west of China, in the city of Lanzhou, he met Li Sou, a master of "Red Fist" Hóngquán (紅拳). Li Sou accompanied Jueyuan back to Henan

Henan

Henan , is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "豫" , named after Yuzhou , a Han Dynasty state that included parts of Henan...

, to Luoyang to introduce Jueyuan to Bai Yufeng, a master of an internal method. Li Sou's real name was Li Yuanshou (Li Sou means simply "old man").

They returned to Shaolin and expanded the 72 techniques to approximately 170. Additionally, using their combined knowledge, they inserted internal aspects to Shaolin boxing. They organized these techniques into Five Animals: the Tiger

Tiger

The tiger is the largest cat species, reaching a total body length of up to and weighing up to . Their most recognizable feature is a pattern of dark vertical stripes on reddish-orange fur with lighter underparts...

, the Crane

Crane (bird)

Cranes are a family, Gruidae, of large, long-legged and long-necked birds in the order Gruiformes. There are fifteen species of crane in four genera. Unlike the similar-looking but unrelated herons, cranes fly with necks outstretched, not pulled back...

, the Leopard

Leopard

The leopard , Panthera pardus, is a member of the Felidae family and the smallest of the four "big cats" in the genus Panthera, the other three being the tiger, lion, and jaguar. The leopard was once distributed across eastern and southern Asia and Africa, from Siberia to South Africa, but its...

, the Snake

Snake

Snakes are elongate, legless, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes that can be distinguished from legless lizards by their lack of eyelids and external ears. Like all squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales...

, and the Dragon

Dragon

A dragon is a legendary creature, typically with serpentine or reptilian traits, that feature in the myths of many cultures. There are two distinct cultural traditions of dragons: the European dragon, derived from European folk traditions and ultimately related to Greek and Middle Eastern...

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Li You Shan/Lee Yau San李友山

From Guandong Xin Hui, Li Youshan entered the Shaolin Temple and became a student of the Monk Jee Shim Sin See and Monk Li Sik Hoi/Li Xi Kai. His training focused around the 5 shape fist method along with other arts to creat Li Jia a short bridge style with long changeable footwork.

Li Yi李义(Lee the Righteous)（1744—1828年）

From Guandong Angle Fire Village is recorded as a founder of the Li Jia style. It is possible that the 2 individuals are the same.
Not just known as the founder of the Li Jia/Lee Ga Style he was also the instructor to Chan Heung - the founder of the Choy Lee Fut Style.

Theory & Principles

Li Jia is a blending of the Hard Stable Southern Fist and the Quick Agility of the Northern School. The style is most famous for its Long Staff and Leg Skills.

(Stepping Skill Lively 步法灵活)，(Good Explosive Leg Skills 擅用腿法)，(Many Low Jumps 稍多跳跃)

(has Long Bridge Big Horse 是以长桥大马), (Leaning Body Leaning Step 偏身偏步), (Plain Solid Vigorous 朴实刚劲为主).

(Body Skill On Primary elbow attacking/striking 身法上则是以肘攻击为主), (Wanting Asking Sinking solid steady heavy 要求沉实稳重)，(Exiting hand Firmly Accurate 出手准确)，(As a result of by elbow attack primarily 由于是以肘攻击为主)，( 所以也要求着点准确)，以避免一击不中，被别人有机可乘。

Hand Forms

Wu Lien Shou (Ng Lin Sou)-5 connecting hands

Zhong Liu Lien (Chong Lok Lin)

Chi Lien Shou (Chat Lin Sou)- 7 connecting hands

Duan Kou (Dun Ko)- short

Shao Da (Siu Da)- small strike

and of course 36 elbows

Lin Fa Gua Sao – Lotus Hanging Hands

Jin Kau Duan Da – Arrow __ Short Strike

Bat tui Siu Da - 8 Pushes Small Strike

(Say Sing Kuen - Four star fist),

(sam Kuen - three fists)

( - Shi Zun),

(Siu Sup Kuen - Small Cross Fist)

(Dai Sup Kuen - big Cross Fist)

the enfilade select the shadowboxing,

(Bat Gua Kuen - 8 Diagram Fist),

(Hung Kuen - Red Fist )to practice boxing red,

the alone foot series fist,

(ng Ying Kuen - 5 Shape Fist) five shape martial art combining various techniques fist

weapons

Mainly has the single end stick, the odd and even fetters, to block the stick, the long line stick, south the double knife, the single tool, the double crowbar, arrowhead, Lu Zhen, Sha Dao, the Spring and Autumn Period broadsword, ying the gun, the double dagger, the martial art combining various techniques fan, three whips, the long and narrow bench and so on.

partner sets

to practices: Mainly has the crowbar to Lu Zhen, arrowhead to the single tool cane shield, Sha Dao to the single tool cane shield, ying the gun to the crowbar whip, Lu in view of the crowbar cane shield; The fist to practices, the stick to practice, empty-handed to seize the double knife, the long and narrow bench to the double headed stick and so on.