Author: Martin Liu
Date: 11-17-02 20:15
http://www.tibetankungfu.com/mantis_history.htm
Lee-Yin-Sing Pai is a branch division of the Hakka peoples boxing art known as ‘Southern Praying Mantis Kung-Fu’. Hakka Kung-Fu is a generic classification for many martial art systems that have proliferated throughout the world; wherever the Hakka peoples have historically settled. Traditionally these arts have been kept within the blood Hakka line and are referred to as being ‘secret’ or ‘forbidden’ arts.
Hakka boxing has only been allowed out from the Hakka blood line in the last half century or so. Even non-Hakka Chinese were not routinely taught. Rarer still has been the exposure of western peoples to this teaching.
Lee-Yin-Sing was born in 1900 in the family home at Har-Hang-Chin Village in the Hong Kong New Territories. He was exposed to traditional Hakka martial arts from childhood, being taught in accordance with ancient practice, by the family Elders. In his teens he studied Southern Shaolin Hung-Gar Kung-Fu, and the Chu-Gar (Chu-Family) branch of the Tong-Long (Praying-Mantis) Hakka system. Lee-Yin-Sing loved martial arts and was always seeking out further and higher knowledge. He became a student of Master Cheung-Yul-Cheung, disciple of Bamboo Forrest Temple Monk Lee-Siem-See.
Master Cheung had named his Mantis teachings ‘Kwangsai Jook-Lum-Ji Tong-Long’ (Kwangsi Province Bamboo Forest Temple Mantis) in honor of his teacher Monk Lee-Siem-See. Up until that time, the Temple Mantis art had been a branch of the archetypal Hakka Boxing arts and referred to simply as ‘Lam-Pai Tong-Long’ (Southern Style Mantis), or even ‘Tong-Long-Kuen’ (Mantis Boxing).
Lee-Yin-Sing opened his own Jook-Lum school in Hong-Kong, and was there visited by a Monk called ‘Lee-Tik’. Lee-Yin-Sing was suspicious that Lee-Tik might be a ’Fighting’ Monk, but Lee-Tik just said that he was a humble traveler and religious pilgrim, who liked to watch Kung-Fu. Lee-Yin-Sing gave the Monk food and shelter and let him watch his classes .
After some weeks, Lee-Yin-Sing had become very fond of the quiet old Monk, and was surprised to hear one morning that he was leaving Hong-Kong to return to his native Kwangsi province. Having said his goodbyes and thanking Lee-Yin-Sing for his hospitality, Lee-Tik made a final comment as he left; ‘Master Lee, you are a kind man but your Kung-Fu is not too good!’ Lee-Yin-Sing was very proud and took offence at the off-handed remark by the Monk. He immediately challenged Monk Lee-Tik, who defeated him effortlessly.
Lee-Yin-Sing asked what technique and system Lee-Tik had used to defeat him, the answer? ‘The REAL Jook-Lum Temple Art!’. Lee-Yin-Sing recognized the highest levels of Kung-Fu skill in Monk Lee-Tik and begged him to accept him as his disciple. The Monk refused saying that he was leaving immediately for the Kwangsi Jook-Lum Temple and the only way would be for Lee-Yin-Sing to come away with him immediately. Lee-Yin-Sing left with the Monk, without even telling his family.
Six years later he returned to Har-Hang-Chin and announced that he had studied under Monk Lee-Tik at the Jook-Lum Temple, and there received a ‘different teaching’ to that passed down to Cheung-Yul-Cheung by Monk Lee-Siem. Lee-Yin-Sing went on to demonstrate his art in Hong-Kong taking on new disciples and traveling around South-East Asia spreading his teaching. In Singapore Lee-Yin-Sing’s art is remembered as Lee-Gar Tong-Long (Lee-Family Mantis) and in Vietnam as ’13 Roads Mantis’ – after Lee-Yin-Sing’s famous long form (see below). Whilst abroad in Singapore, Lee-Yin-Sing, together with his senior fighting disciple William ‘Mad Police Dog’ Tsang, both appeared in and advised upon martial arts movies about Tong-Long. Kung-Fu.martial arts movies about Tong-Long. Kung-Fu.
It was a different Master Lee-Yin-Sing from the one who had met the old Monk Lee-Tik six years before. Lee-Yin-Sing’s teachings were now almost completely different and resolved down under Lee-Tik’s guidance into a single Long-Form known as:
“Tong-Long Sup-Sam Sau-Faht Kuen” The Thirteen Roads (or Hand-Laws) of Mantis Boxing.
Master Lee-Yin-Sing taught a strict curriculum: all students were taught Roads (sections) one thru four of the 13 Roads Form. This was the foundation and ‘out-of-the-door’ (public) sequence to his art. Therefore, Roads 5 and above were taught ‘on merit only’.
However, this applied to the sequence of the Roads, but not to their content…
The techniques, skills and principles of the higher Roads were taught ‘under pressure’ to the limits of the students physical and mental abilities as well as their character. San-Sau was emphasised over ritualised two-man training such as doi-chongs.
It was possible for a student to receive the whole art as a living fighting system, but, to have in terms of set form, only the sequence of Roads 1 –4. This approach is seen as unusual today, but, in many ways it mirrors ancient Hakka tradition, wherein a Pai would have a single long form, and it would be taught in a similar manner to the 13 Roads set of Lee-Yin-Sing.
Lee-Yin-Sing’s art was ‘application driven’ ….. A fighting art passed on both ‘thru the hands’ and ‘thru the mind’.
Lee-Yin-Sing’s students, William Tsang, and Ho-Sing, represented both Lee-Yin-Sing and Hong-Kong in a series of Kong-Sau full contact tournaments in the 1950’s. Ho-Sing achieved a heavyweight semi final place and William Tsang won his division.
Lee-Yin-Sing and his disciples were strong challenge match fighters, and stories of Lee-Yin-Sing’s victories are still told amongst Hakka communities around the world.
One of Lee-Yin-Sing’s disciples was forced to flee Hong-Kong to the UK, changing his name in the process after killing a Fillipino Silat fighter in a challenge match and dumping his body in Hong-Kong harbor.
Lee-Yin-Sing’s disciples were all encouraged to make their own personal mark on their practice and teaching. This has meant that there is a quite extraordinary variation in the system as taught between Masters. Some are very similar to other branches and sub-branches of the Jook-Lum Temple art, others are very different in terms of their stance, energy-production and tactics.
This extends also to the 13 Roads form. The variations exist even within the first four Roads (sections) and thereafter even the order and number of sections has its variations.
The main thing in this Pai is the common root and lineage, as all the Masters know one-another, and understand the reasons for the variations. As the system is application driven – a practical fighters hand, this is to be expected.
Lee-Yin-Sing established his own branch of Tong-Long Kung-Fu and therefore became the Grandmaster of the new lineage as passed thru his Master, the Jook-Lum Temple Monk Lee-Tik.
It is said that as the art passed to Great-Grandmaster Lee-Yin-Sing was received from the Kwangsi Bamboo Forest Temple, then, it is properly called a branch of Jook-Lum Temple Mantis Boxing.
However, it’s roots go back earlier than the Temple, back into the origins of Hakka Kung-Fu itself. Indeed all of Great-Grandmaster Lee-Yin-Sing’s learning from his Hakka elders as a child, from his Chu-Gar Mantis, and from Monk Lee-Tik went into the final formulation of his art.
Given the Temple background, Lee-Yin-Sing is considered a 4th Generation Grandmaster as counted from the Temple arts origins. A number of other branches have flourished from the Kwangsi Temple, each of which had its own 4th Generation Grandmaster and subsequent lineage.
If Monk Lee-Tik is considered as the Founder of 13 Roads (Lee-Gar)/(Lee-Yin-Sing Pai) Jook-Lum Mantis, then Lee-Yin-Sing is properly regarded as first generation.
It is common amongst Lee-Yin-Sing’s disciples to refer to this art as “Hakka Tong-Long”, or simply “Lam-Pai Tong-Long” (Southern Style Mantis) – but – as said above, a branch division of Jook-Lum thru Monk Lee-Tik. Lee-Yin-Sing passed in 1970 in his family village of Har-Hang-Chin where he had spent the last ten years of his life.
The art was transmitted directly from Lee-Yin-Sing to the current 5th Generation Grandmaster:
’Jimmy’ Lee-Sun-Wah (Lee-Lien), Son of Great-Grandmaster Lee-Yin-Sing.
Grandmaster Lee-Lien has three sons who will succeed him:
Glendon Lee-Fu-Ming
James Lee-Fu-Kong
Darren Lee-Fu-Ping
and, two further disciples who will also jointly inherit Lee-Yin-Sing's Pai as equal Kung-Fu brothers:
Andy Liu-Kin-Ming
Steve Richards
In the USA, Master Manuel Rodriguez, Si-Fu John F Springer and Si-Fu Chris Arnold represent Grandmaster Lee-Lien, and also Ho-Sing's Pai Hakka Tong-Long Kuen.
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