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Lai Tung Pai (sometimes spelled Lai Tong Pai, also known as Poon Kuen or encircle fist) is a martial art of Chinese origin, coming from the Sil Lum (Mandarin Shaolin) tradition in the Guangdong providence of China. The art was developed at the Kwangtung Temple and then was moved to the Hoi Tung Temple when the former was burned down during the Ching Dynasty. The dates are not known, as the only living person, Kong Hoi (surname given first as in Chinese tradition), studied at the Hoi Tung Temple in the early 20th century. Grandmaster Kong is a member of the Hong Kong Chinese Martial Art Association.[1]
Lai Tung Pai was said to have been developed by a monk named Chi Sen. Chi Sen in turn trained four monks: Yuen Cheuk, Yuen Kok, Yuen Sing, and Yuen Mau. Orphans were admitted into the temple every three years and given the same surname.[2] Yuen Mau is the only monk we have any history of; the rest were lost during the time the temple was burned down.
Yuen Mau traveled south to where the Guangdong providence is now. Yuen Mau sought shelter in the monastery of a small town named Lai Tung (literally translated “dig a hole”). Yuen Mau continued his studies and being from the main temple, was made abbot of the small monastery. Yuen Mau chose Lai Tung because of its small size, thinking there would be no military significance of attacking the village, as the people were poor and uneducated. Yuen Mau was wrong.[3]
When a small regiment of troops came to Lai Tung and started to cause trouble, Yuen Mau had had enough. Having trained the monks in the art of Poon Kuen, the monks defeated the soldiers and brought peace back to the village (It is likely that the troops were either deserters or a group of bandits, as the army would have surely not taken an attack like this lightly; the other scenario is that the monks killed the troops and, being a small force, the army never went looking for them. As with all legends, there is always an element of truth to them). Yuen Mau then called the art Lai Tung Pai or “family of Lai Tung Village” after the town he helped defend.[3]
The next monk to have any history written about him was Fa Hoi. Fa Hoi was a monk at the temple in Lai Tung when he was chosen to go to the Hoi Tung temple on the Pearl River. The Hoi Tung temple (more commonly known as the Foshan temple, after the city of Foshan) was a haven for several martial arts in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.[4] Many famous martial artists have come from the city of Foshan and had connections to the temple including Wong Kei Ying, Wong Fei Hong, and Yip Man.[5][6] Fa Hoi had come to the temple in the late 19th century.[3]
The temple was a place to worship and many people traveled there on a weekly basis. One such person was Kong Ki, a merchant in the surrounding area. Kong Ki saw the monks practicing kung fu. Kong Ki was skilled in Hung Gar and wanted to increase his knowledge by practicing with the monks. He noticed one monk doing a form (kata in Japanese arts) that he did not recognize. Inquiring about the form, Fa Hoi explained it was not Hung Gar, but Lai Tung Pai. In a friendly match, Kong Ki lost to Fa Hoi. Kong Ki then became the sole student of Fa Hoi and the first person outside the temple to learn Lai Tung Pai.[7]
After some time, Kong Ki had gotten married and had a son, Kong Hoi (named after his teacher). On Kong Hoi’s 10th birthday, Kong Ki started teaching him the art of Lai Tung Pai. When Kong Hoi was 13, the Japanese had invaded China. Kong Hoi joined a guerrilla resistance troop and attacked a Japanese camp. Kong Hoi was injured in the fight but made it back home. Kong Ki, not wanting his son to see war again, sent Kong Hoi to the Foshan Temple and to his old teacher, Fa Hoi. Fa Hoi took the young man in.[3]
Kong Hoi recalled his experiences in the temple. He had to gather water everyday, he had to cook for all the monks, clean up and take care of the temple altars. After all of this was done, then he would practice kung fu. Kong Hoi stated that he had several teachers besides Fa Hoi. Training was difficult and long. Each form was mastered before a new one was learned. Kong Hoi stayed in the temple until Fa Hoi had died.[3]
Post World War II was a time for revolution in China. The Cultural Revolution preached out with the old customs, and martial arts were part of that “cleansing.” Kong Ki and his family moved to Hong Kong where it was safe.[8]
Kong Hoi became a Chinese Physician certified by the Hong Kong Government. He has also served as a judge in several Hong Kong tournaments.[9]
At one time Kong Hoi had three schools in Hong Kong. During the mid 60’s, Kong Hoi began training a student named Li Chi Keung.
Li later moved in with his Sifu and lived there for three years. Kong Hoi had shut his schools down by this time and retired from teaching. Li worked at the docks by day and studied Lai Tung Pai at night. Li had a chance to move to America and left Hong Kong in 1978.[7]
Li joined several schools and took students sporadically. In the mid 80’s, Li moved to Charlotte, North Carolina. While working in a Chinese restaurant as a cook, he noticed the truck driver wearing a shirt for a local kung fu school. Li chatted with the young man and found he had studied at the local community college in the art of Li Ki. The young truck driver, Daryl McFarly, requested to be trained by Li. A friendship was formed and Li started teaching a few students, including Mykle Marriette, Bevo Barksdale, Anthony Stephenson, Michael Garcia, Drew Taylor, and Christopher Facente.[7]
In 1990, Li went back to Hong Kong for a visit and was promoted to Sifu by Kong Hoi. A celebration was held, giving Sifu Li permission to carry on Lai Tung Pai. Several schools were opened and closed throughout the early 90’s. In 1993, Li began teaching Lai Tung Pai at his own school in Mint Hill, North Carolina. This school is still open as of this writing.
In 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2008, Li has permitted some of his students to go to Hong Kong and train with Grandmaster Kong Hoi. In 2004, Grandmaster Kong Hoi retired from teaching but accepted these students, Chris Facente and Anthony Stephenson, and promoted them to Sifu in order to preserve the art of Lai Tung Pai. They along with the others that traveled to Hong Kong are dedicated to preserving and passing on the style to future generations.
Lai Tung Pai is a Sil Lum (Shaolin) style of martial art. Both external and internal in nature, Lai Tong Pai has several forms that are to be done with external and/or internal power control (see Chinese Martial Arts). Lai Tung Pai forms are generally short (24 to 36 moves), with the exception of the Keun Jong form, that consists of over 400 moves. Many bridging forms exist and a very mobile form named Lao Ying. Story goes that this form was created by a monk that had a dream of a dragon waking up from a nap and being startled by the wind blowing the willow tree limbs. That then resulting with the dragon fighting the willow tree. Lai Tung Pai also has its own tai chi form called 5 element tai chi. The style also performs the traditional Sil Lum weapons (staff, 8' Long Pole, broadsword, butterfly knives, with the most famous being the two section spear), and uses several Muk Yan Jong.[8] Lai Tung Pai also teaches and performs the traditional Lion Dance and the Dragon Dance.