Li Yau-San

Li Yau San’s kung fu teacher was Ji Sin, a legendary monk from the Shaolin Temple. Li was also the founder of the Li style kung fu. His famous techniques are the powerful footwork and southern strong 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). The forms handed down from Li Yau San still taught in the Plum Blossom Federation are: Continuous Dual Kicking Form or Yin Yeung Twei Lin Wan and Iron Arrow Long Fist Hand Form or Tit Jin Cheong Kuen. 

Li Yau San besides teaching kung fu, also practiced medicine. He resided in San Woi (modern day Xin Hui), Guangdong province of China and opened a dit-da herbal shop for helping the district’s citizens to set broken bones and to treat injuries. 

Chan Heung, founder of Choy Li Fut Kung Fu came to Li Yau San’s shop with his first kung fu teacher Chan Yuen Woo to ask him to be his second kung fu teacher. Since Li Yau San and Chan Yuan Woo were good friends, Li accepted Chan Heung as his student. After three years of intensive training, Li Yau San believed Chan Heung had mastered his Li style of kung fu and Chan Heung’s uncle Chan Yuan Woo’s Fut style of kung fu, he thought Chan Heung should continue to learn from Choy Fook , the monk who had returned from the Northern Shaolin. He wrote a letter for Chan Heung to go to Mt. Luo Fu to search for Choy Fook and study the Choy style of kung fu.