the little dojo

A Small History of Fook Yueng

Fook Yueng Chuan or Quan or Fook Yueng’s Boxing is a rich method of Martial Arts that is effective for overall health/fitness development and is exceptionally functional for self-defense.

It is synthesized from over 160 martial art styles and Tien Shan Mountain Chi Kung by Fook Yueng who was an actor in the Red Junk Opera and Kung Fu brother with the late Bruce Lee’s father. The bringing together of the styles was more a matter of that it fit together and after 70 years they become “all same”. Fook Yueng has closed his hands for Kung Fu teaching but has several people are teaching his methods. David Harris (Steve Smith’s Primary teacher of Yueng Quan) his number 1 adopted son, Andy Dale www.wuji.com his number 2 adopted son, and Steve Smith his successor/inheritor.

Fook Yueng was like an Uncle to Bruce Lee and was the man who picked him up in Oakland off the ship and took him to Seattle where as a favor to Bruce Lee’s father helped him get his start. (The first thing Bruce Lee did after getting off the ship was to extend his hand to Fook and say, “Chi Sao” an invitation to play/stick hands when he could not get through he asked Fook teach him, Bruce Lee trained with Fook from 1959 through about 1967 or so. Fook showed him the systems and Bruce was an adept student and worked them to a very effective level. One of Bruce’s favorite forms to practice was the Tong Loong (sp) or Preying Mantis forms. (Much more of this story is up coming in Jesse Glover’s new book) Jesse Glover and I took Fook to the Bruce Lee convention held in Seattle we sat together and I held his hand while he grieved the passing of Bruce Lee and Bruce’s son Brandon Lee, he said, “too soon they died too soon”. He also told me that Bruce Lee had done more for Kung Fu in his few years on earth than had been done in the last 500 years.

Fook Yueng still teaches an occasional Chi Kung workshop for Andy Dale www.wuji.com and for those who attend it is a real learning experience. Fook Yueng is a happy joyous person; those who have met him come away saying they have met someone who is full of love and joy.