Li


	*Li Gar (Lee Ga, Lay Ka)* *Founded by: Li Yao San*

Li Gar was created by Li Ba San and founded by Li Yao San (Li, Lee; Yao, Yau; San, Shan) (also one of Choy-Li-Fut's originators). Li Ba San was one of Priest Pak Mei’s two outstanding disciples the other was Kou Chun Choong (Dragon Style lineage), the military governor of Guangdong and Guang Xi. Pak Mei was a Taoist priest although he trained in the Buddhist Shaolin Monastery. He escaped the burning of the Shaolin Temple with the other four Elders, to O-mei Mountain in Sichuan where he developed Pak Mei Gung Fu. Later Pak Mei supported the Qing government and led the attack on the Fukien Temple built by Gi Sin Sim Si. Pak Mei was expert in many arts, including Golden Bell and Tongzigong, or Child's Art. He is also credited with the creation of Dragon Style Gung Fu which has secondary emphasis in Li Gar. After completing his studies with Pak Mei, Li Ba San gained acceptance to the Fukien Sil Lum Temple. Different stories tell different accounts and different monks who taught Li Yau Shan the system. The most commonly accepted story is that Li Yau San was a monk from the Southern Shaolin Temple of Putian, Fujian province, who withdrew from the Buddhist Monk hood to once again become a layman. Li's lineage stems from Li Ba San and Gi Sin Sim Si at Putian Shaolin. After Li Yau San left Putian, Fujian province, he traveled to San Woi, Guangdong province and opened a dit-da herbal shop for helping citizens to set broken bones and to treat injuries. It was here that he met and taught Chan Hueng who later incorporated the style into his Choy Li Fut System. *The Essence of Li Gar* Being one of the most obscure family styles, there exists very little information regarding it. Being of both Buddhist as well as Taoist origin, it would likely, be safe to assume, that its foundations and philosophies are an admixture of both. Possibly, something similar to the Pak Mei Creed: “Respect your Kung Fu ancestors, before you can claim to respect your Kung Fu. Learn to be righteous and temper your conduct, before you may learn Kung Fu. If you know Kung Fu, you may not commit any illegal offences. The best Kung fu practitioners never hit people, even for the slightest offences.” Li Gar is one of the five famous family styles found in Southern China around Guangdong and Hong Kong areas yet, is a seldom- taught style. It features a strong medium-range system, characterized by slapping and poking motions; and utilizing a lot of hand and fist techniques. There is little emphasis on kicking and weapons use. Li Gar is the brother style of Hung Hei Koon’s Hung Gar. The emphasis being on power, speed, accuracy and aggression; also, going beyond your bodies normal boundaries, and calling upon this skill when required. Li Gar’s 5-Animals emphasis is derived primarily from the Leopard. *Training In Li Gar* A firm balance is the foundation for all Li Gar techniques, to be done correctly, an old Chinese proverb states, ' Firmness starts at the roots'. The combination of the hips and legs working in unison is very important. Li Yau San’s famous techniques are the powerful southern fist like the: jong chui, kup chui, dot chui, jit-fu chui, dau-fu chui, chin-ji, pek chui, biu-jong and the fu-jau (tiger claw). Some of the forms handed down from Li Yau San are: Tit Jin Cheong Kuen (Iron Arrow Long Fist Hand Form) and Law Hon Fook Fu Kuen (Lohan Tames the Tiger Hand Form).

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