Lee Family arts

[ajs]

Reading through the various topics on the site I see little mention of the Lee Family arts (Tai Chi, Feng Shou, Kai men etc) as practised by the late professor Chee Soo. So are there any practitioners out there?

[chessboxer]

greetings,


When you talk about the Lee family arts, who are you refering to? I have never heard of Kai Men and Feng shou, what type of arts are they.

Humbly yours
Johnny

[northstar]

It seems that the Lee style is practiced mostly in the UK, and most people here are Americans. As for fengshou I've never heard that name before, and the info on their sites is too sketchy to form an opinion from.
Lee (http://www.leefamily.co.uk)

[ajs]

The Lee family arts were brought to the UK by Chan Kam Lee and passed to his student Chee Soo who continued to teach the arts until his death a few years ago. It is a Daoist system incorporating Tai Chi, Feng Shou Kung Fu, Kai Men (Chi gung/Daoist Yoga), Chi Shu...
It orginates from an area just outside of Bejing and due to its central position meant that it took elements from both southern and northern styles, with the emphasis on relaxation and central core movement. It's true to say that it is not as widely practised as others (Yang, Wu etc) which is why I thought I'd ask the question and see if there was anybody practicing it across the pond.

[northstar]

Cool, can you tell us anything more? The southern influence is interesting, considering that "just outside of Beijing" means far up north in China, north of the birthplaces of the famous northern styles... Perhaps there was some travelling involved?

[mliddament]

If it took elements as suggested then it wasn't kept secret and unchanged within one family for three thousand years as claimed? Did it take a spear form, a broadsword form, pushing hands, 13 postures, fast form, cannon fist, silk reeling, and a lineage that documents those external elements you mention? Those things don't seem to be there today when one looks at Lee style TCC.

[ajs]

I think you'll find that its either my knowledge of chinese geography or my recallection of what information I've been given that is at fault. I know that the style originated SOMEWHERE in central china as the south/north influence sparked my curiosity.From its point of origin it then moved to the village of Wei hei wei (in the east I think.) Yes there are spear, sword,silk, stick, fan forms,push hands etc, as to how the secret these arts were kept I cannot say. If whilst watching Lee style TCC you are unable to detect relaxation and central core movement then it is either poorly executed or it is not Lee.
Apologies for any vagueness in my knowledge, I shall endevour to bring some more facts to the fore next time.

[mliddament]

Thanks for the reply. I would be interested to know where one can see Lee style Taijiquan spear?

[ajs]

You don't say where you are ML. If by some chance you are in the UK then all I can suggest is that you make your way to London and approach the head of the Taoist Arts Organisation, as he is currently teaching the spear form to my teacher.
A look at:
www.leefamily.co.uk (http://www.leefamily.co.uk)
may shed a little more light on the system. From here there is a link to the Taoist Arts Organisation homepage which is also worth a look.