*Choi Lei Fut

65.*Choi Lei Fut

Nominating Unit: Xinhui District, City of Jiangmen

Choi Lei Fut is a Chinese martial arts system founded by Chan Heung in King Mui, a small village in the town of Ya Men in San Woi (Xin Hui) District, Guangdong Province. Chan Heung’s uncle Chan Yuen-Wu (according to genealogical records, he is senior to Chen by four generations) began teaching him the Fut Gar style of Wushu when he was 12 years old. When Chan Heung reached the age of 19, he acknowledged Li Yau-shan as his teacher and spent the next four years learning the Li Gar style under Li’s instruction. After that, he learned Choy Gar from an eminent monk called Choy Fook who lived as a recluse on Lau Fu Mountain. When Chan Heung was 34, he left Choy Fook and returned to King Mui village. As requested by his teacher Choy Fook, Chan Heung then set up Hongshen School in San Woi to teach Choi Lei Fut martial arts. During this time, Chan Heung trained militia, for Lin Tse-hsu, to fi ght against invading British troops, took part in rebellions launched by Tian Di Hui( an anti-Manchu government organization), and assisted the Tai Pin Tian Guo Kingdom in training rebel forces. In 1836, by incorporating the strong techniques of punches, kicks, and boxing from Choy Fook, Li Yau-San, and Chan Yuen-Wu, established an offensive and defensive Wushu system that combines soft and hard techniques.Choi Lei Fut, was named to honor the Buddhist monk Choy Fook who taught Chan Heung Choy Gar, Li Yau-San who taught him Li Gar, and his uncle Chan Yuen-Wu who taught him Fut Gar, and to honor Buddha from which the art was named.

Choi Lei Fut is a complex martial art system. Choi Lei Fut consists of 193 forms which includes 39 boxing forms, 54 two-man hand forms, 64 apparatus forms (including 14 stick forms), 18 stepping forms(known as 18 wooden-man stakes), 9 lion dance forms (lion dance is a form of martial art in the Southern Chinese kung-fu system), and 9 Neigong practice forms. Choi Lei Fut has various techniques including 30 hand techniques, 28 palm techniques, 29 arm bridge techniques, 35 punch techniques, 14 body techniques, and 16 leg techniques. Whoever belongs to the Choi Lei Fut system would identify himself/herself by crying out “yak” when striking with the palm, “wak” when thrusting with a tiger claw hand, “ha” when striking with the fist, “hok” when using a crane beak strike, and “dik” when kicking. These sounds are unique to the Choi Lei Fut system.(https://www.daowen.com)

The Choi Lei Fut is distinguished by its practitioner’s stable yet free torso, extended circular movements and agile rapid footwork. The leg technique in Choi Lei Fut is characterized by its swiftness and power. This allows the practitioner to have the front bent leg repeatedly angled in and then kick out when striking with the palm. The hand technique combines long-range, mid-range, and short-range arm bridge, emphasizes the coordination of offense and defense, to allow the full use of both arms. “Jiang Zi Zhui” is a hand form unique to the Choi Lei Fut system. Choi Lei Fut puts premium on relaxed internal power rather than stiff muscular force.The hands strike out in immediate explosive power in circular forms like a running wheel with a precise point of force application. The practitioner inhales to accumulate strength for a take-off and exhales to help generate power; coordinating sound and movement that adds strength and full boxing potential. Powerful yet peculiar to itself, Choi Lei Fut thus earned itself the title of“Northernized Southern Boxing”.

Chan Heung, the founder of Choi Lei Fut, established not only a full-fl edged technique system, but also a relatively complete theoretical system by writing Choi Lei Fut Kung Fu Forms and Scripts, Choi Lei Fut Combat Technique, and Choi Lei Fut Kung Fu Secrets. Choi Lei Fut keeps in reserve the source of Choi Lei Fut system which is aimed at developing moral standards through training and practicing. Committed to the belief that Wushu can make the nation stronger, Wushu advocates strengthening the body in a narrow sense and resisting foreign aggression in a broad sense. Choi Lei Fut, based on the training system of personal demonstration of the trainers to trainees, carries down and forwards the essence and basic values of Chinese Wushu culture. With the passage of over 170 years, Choi Lei Fut is now studied and practiced by over 3 million people from more than 50 countries and regions across the world. Choi Lei Fut has become a major event at international martial arts competitions, and it has acquired a status that is recognized as being equal with Taichi. As a precious Wushu cultural heritage in south China, Choi Lei Fut was selected into the list of the second state-level intangible cultural heritage in 2008.

Under various influences, such as the impact of market economy, the ecological environment of Choi Lei Fut is now being undermined spiritually and culturally. It is gradually being downsized. A lot of traditional forms and techniques are getting lost without being retrieved. It is high time that the Choi Lei Fut system was explored, preserved, and protected.