Li (Lee) Family
| Also known as | Lei Gar, Li Jia |
|---|---|
| Focus | Striking |
| Country of origin | China |
| Creator |
Li Sou style: Li Yuanshou (Li Sou) & Jueyuan (co-founder) Li Jia style: Li You Shan / Lee Yau San / Li Yi of the Five Elders Li Yi style: possibly Li You Shan |
| Famous practitioners |
Chan Heung (Li Jia style and founder of Choy Li Fut) Li Mung (Li Yi style) Jeung Lai Chuen (student of Li Mung and Bak Mei practitioner) |
| Parenthood |
Li Sou style: Wuxingquan, Luohan quan, Neigong Li Jia style: Southern Shaolin Kung Fu |
| Descendant arts | Choy Li Fut |
| Olympic sport | No |
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.
The Li family is originally from Lanzhou in the Gansu province of China. 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, 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 Quan/Ng Ying Kuen (5 Shape Fist)
Originating from the 18 Luohan hands, Jueyuan in the 13th century expanded its 18 techniques to 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, to Luoyang to introduce Jueyuan to Bai Yufeng, a master of an internal method and Wuzuquan. 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, the Crane, the Leopard, the Snake, and the Dragon.
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 create Li Jia, a short bridge style with long changeable footwork.
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.
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Wikipedia