Control your heart, obey the principles of life
Southern Shaolin Dragon Fist Kung Fu System
Experience the benefits of martial arts training. Build strength, endurance, and flexibility. Improve mind-body connection. Sign up for our classes today!
sifu linton alfred dragon fist kung fu
HISTORY
EXPERIENCE
HISTORY
The Southern Dragon Fist Kung Fu System is a short-fist fighting system from the Wha So Toy temple located on Lau Fu Mountains in Southern China. The Great Grand Master Lam Yew Kwai trained at the temple under the Shaolin Monk Tai Yu San See and was later credited for introducing the system to villages outside the temple.
LINEAGE
EXPERIENCE
HISTORY
The Dragon Fist System was introduced to NYC, China Town, by Master Yip Wing Hong (left). Great Grand Masters Hong Lau (middle) and Ho Lai (right), who were students of Great Grand Master Lam Yew Kwai, also taught other students and me at Master Yip's school.
EXPERIENCE
EXPERIENCE
After being certified to teach the Dragon System by Master Yip, I ran my school for several years until unforeseen events forced me to close. I continued teaching small groups and individuals privately in their homes, in local parks, and in community centers. Today I hope to continue spreading the Dragon Fist System to people of all ages and cultural backgrounds.
COMBAT PRINCIPLES
PASSING ON KNOWLEDGE
The Dragon Fist Kung Fu is a short-fist fighting system with zig-zag stepping and rapid explosive hand movements. With its low kicking and sunken posture, students of the system learn to combine internal and external with hard and soft. The techniques and movements are said to be like the flowing movements of the fabled Chinese Dragon.
TRAINING EXPERIENCE
PASSING ON KNOWLEDGE
PASSING ON KNOWLEDGE
I began my training with Master Yip in 1984, and several years later, after I was certified to teach, I started training with Grand Masters Hong Lau and Ho Lai. 1999 I was invited to learn privately with Grand Master Ho Lei and was officially accepted as a disciple in 2004. I continued my training under Grand Master Ho Lei until his passing in 2015.
PASSING ON KNOWLEDGE
PASSING ON KNOWLEDGE
PASSING ON KNOWLEDGE
I was fortunate to learn as much as I could from the masters and grand masters of the Dragon System, some of who were direct descendent of the Great Grand Master Lam Yew Kwai. Although I spent many years training and developing the physical abilities of the system, under the teachings of Great Grand Master Ho Lei, I learned the importance of the system's mental, social, philosophical, and spiritual significance so I can approach my training as a way of life.
About DRAGON KUNG FU SYSTEM
Our Philosophy
“Controling one’s self, and letting others do what they will. Does not mean I am weak. Controling your heart, and obeying the principles of life. This does not mean that others are stronger.
克己讓人非我弱。存心守道任他強。”
-Southern Dragon Style Kung Fu motto-
our ancestors
Monk Tai Yu San Si
Monk Tai Yu San Si was the abbot at the Wha so Toi Shaolin Temple, which was located on Lau Fu Mountain in Southern China. He could be considered the founder of the Southern Dragon Fist Kung Fu System.
Great Grand Master Lam Yew Kwai (Si Jo)
Before meeting and learning Dragon Fist Kung Fu from Shaolin Monk Tai Yu San Si, Great Grand Master Lam Yew Kwai (1874 - 1965) learned Hakka martial arts from his uncle. He later trained at the Wha So Toi Temple and eventually introduced the Dragon System to the ordinary people outside the temple. Great Grand Master Lam had meant students and taught many organizations such as shoemakers, dressmakers, police, and military, to name a few. He later moved to Hong Kong, where he continued teaching and spreading the Dragon Kung Fu System before passing in 1965.
Grand Master Cho Sam (Si Gung)
Grand Master Cho Sam was a student of Great Grand Master Lam Yew Kwai for many years before becoming an assistant teacher. He eventually moved on to having his school and teaching many students, including Master Yip Wing Hong.
Grand Master Hong Lau (Si Gung)
Grand Master Hong Lau began training with Great Grand Master Lam Yew Kwai when he was about 21 years old during WWII. He continued training during the Japanese Invasion Era along with other students who trained secretly to avoid trouble. He eventually came to the United States around 1988 and helped teach advanced students at Yip's Dragon Kung Fu School in New York City Chinatown.
Grand Master Ho Lei (Si Gung)
Grand Master Ho Lei (1929 - 2015) began his training under Grand Master Hong Lau before he was introduced to and began training with Great Grand Master Lam Yew Kwai. He trained hard for several years and eventually began teaching his students along with police and military organizations. Besides learning Dragon Fist Kung Fu, Grand Master He Lei also learned Lion Style Kung Fu from Grand Master Fan Hay around 1956 during the Mao Sa Tong era, and in 1959, he learned Wu Tai Chi from Master Yum Tong. He came to the United States in 1989 and helped teach advanced students at Yip's Dragon Kung Fu School in New York City Chinatown.
Master Yip Wing Hong
After moving to the United States in the 1970s and seeing the need for traditional martial art, Master Yip Wing Hong, who is a student of Grand Master Cho Sam began teaching Dragon Kung Fu in 1974. He began Yip's Dragon Style Kung Fu in New York City's Manhattan Chinatown. MNaster Yip is the first instructor to publicly teach traditional Dragon Style Kung Fu in the United States. Today Master still teaches traditional kung fu and lion dance. Since the opening of his school, Master Yip has trained many students who are now spread throughout the United States and other parts of the world.
TA CHI - Qi GoNG
Tai Chi
Tai Chi is an internal form of martial arts and a practice that involves a series of slow, gentle movements and physical postures. Considered a form of moving meditation, it requires a meditative state of mind and controlled breathing.
Qi Gong is a system of coordinated body posture and movement, breathing, and meditation used for health and spirituality and to enhance martial arts training
tai chi Practice
Tai Chi and Qi Gong
Tai Chi is an internal form of Chinese martial arts practiced for self-defense training, health benefits, and meditation. Chen, Yang, Wu, Sun and Hao Styles. Tai Chi's path is developing naturalness by relaxing, attending inward, and slowing mind, body, and breath. This allows us to become less tense, drop our conditioned habits, let go of thoughts, allow qi to flow smoothly, and be more in tune with ourselves. It is a form of moving meditation that will enable us to let go of the negative self and experience peaceful calm and spontaneity. There are five major family styles.
Qigong, pronounced "chi gong," was developed in China thousands of years ago as part of traditional Chinese medicine. It involves using exercises to optimize energy within the body, mind, and spirit to improve and maintain health and well-being. Qigong has psychological and physical components that regulate the mind, breath, and body's movement and posture.
Training For Balance
I began my Tai Chi training with Master Yip to enhance the practice of Dragon Fist Kung Fu. After learning the 24 forms, I later learned and was certified to teach Wu Style. Under the patient guidance of Master Yip and Grand Master Ho Lai, I have grown to understand the importance of the external-internal and hard-soft aspects of the Dragon system.
Teaching The Way
Over the years, my Tai Chi practice has expanded to include several other empty hand forms, straight sword forms, fan forms, and broadsword forms. Although I do not like public displays of my martial arts, I have competed in several events. I enjoy teaching Tai Chi because separating the comparative qualities and focusing on the health benefits is easy.
Positive ways to learn and improve
Be Humble
Humility and respect are great ways to approach new experiences in your life. Martial art students should be open-minded and respectful of themselves and others. Do not let your ego control your emotions; respect yourself, your classmates, your teacher, and the way.
Be Brave
Know the difference between being brave and being arrogant. If you are timid, you will not improve. Learn to ask questions and not challenge, be ok with saying you don't understand, and could use more guidance.
Be Non Prejudice
Even if you have had training experience, you are not the best; everyone has their way of doing things. Each club has its philosophies; we believe that we respect the way of others or that we are better. We are always humble.
Confront Your Own Weaknesses
As in your personal life, training in martial arts can bring many challenges. Learn to recognize difficult moments and try to make necessary changes for improvement.
Practice Till You Get Bored Then Practice Some More
Every technique has its own form, which needs to be broken down and taken apart so you can understand better and reason. Your improvement will be prolonged if you fail to practice or dismiss the little things within your training.
The Teacher Can Only Point The Way
Some teachers have trained for many years to get to a certain level of understanding. Even when the teacher is doing or saying something that looks easy or sounds meaningless, they only point the way. As a student, it is totally up to you how great you want to be and how far you would like to go on that road.
A Martial Art Journy
STRONG FOUNDADTION
STRONG FOUNDADTION
STRONG FOUNDADTION
Practice and think about what you're going to do and why. Do not judge others, everyone has their own way.
EVENT TRAINING
STRONG FOUNDADTION
STRONG FOUNDADTION
All forms demand your focus, learn to be natural. Breath and follow the movement to understand your power.
MASTER CLASS
STRONG FOUNDADTION
Training that depends solely on physical ability has nothing to do with the discipline and development of the mind.
Training Experience
Specialty events and announcements
All training past and present has its benefits in helping you build a solid approach to your future goals.
Specialty events and announcements
Specialty events and announcements
Specialty events and announcements
Sharing your knowledge with like-minded individuals who are readily willing to give support and encouragement is vital when doubt begins to affect your goals.
Master level guidance
Specialty events and announcements
Specialty events and announcements
Finding a teacher who knows the importance of training both the body and the mind is essential for proper guidance through your training from novice to advanced levels.
