User:SifuTongLiu

A brief history
Born in 1966 into a Kung fu family where his father is a master of Iron Palm and Iron Ox, Great Grandfather a renown Kung Fu master awarded the title ‘king of pole’. Of three uncles, two practice Wing Chun one practices Hop Gar.

Tong started Kung fu at the age of 5 years old, being taught by his highly skilled father Master Liu Ying Yan. Master Liu Ying Yan ran a Kung fu association in the seventies which invited the top Kung fu masters to train along side him.

Some of the most notable people in Kung fu came to train with the amazing Master Liu Ying Yan including grandmaster Joseph Cheng of Wing Chun who he considers to be the most outstanding and talented Wing Chun exponent, then there is master Jimmy Chan who is the father of Hung Gar Kung fu in the north of England.

Initially Tong trained in Shaolin forms and was even taught spear and sword by his father. By the time he was 9 years old his ability to learn exelerated considerably and his transformation into the Sifu we know today truly began.

It was at this age that masters Jimmy Chan and Joseph Cheng were constantly around. There was other masters too including master Lee Lin and master Ho Sing both of which were two of the original masters of Mantis in the north west. Being taught by these formidable Masters, at the age of 9 Tong Liu’s awesomeness was already set.

Growing up in as he did in Toxteth, Liverpool when times were harder and racism was the norm there was not a shortage of opportunity for Tong to test himself with the bullys on the street.

To be fair it wasn’t like today’s crimes, it didn’t need to be outside a nightclub with drunken fools, it was anywhere and everywhere, school, college, library, sports field, bus stops, train station, parties, at the ice rink and even in a front garden. But did Tong give in to the bullies, did he hide away? No he did not, he used his skills to defend and amaze his opponents!

Between the ages of 9 and 16 Tong participated in Lion dancing and quite regulary performed Kung Fu demonstrations. Hung Gar was the main art practiced at this time but for Tong styles practiced were many. Although he concentrated on Hung Gar and Wing Chun Kung Fu also added to his repetoir were Thai Boxing and Jeet Kune Do then later on JuJitsu, Aikido and all the Filipino arts throuout.

Tong can also boast training from Ip Chun and Ip Ching both sons of Ip Man, the master who taught the legendery Bruce Lee.

Winner in the british open championships in several catagories over several years. In 2000 Tong decided to share his extensive knowledge and founded the http://www.chinesekungfuorganisation.com

The Liu family history
The following account is as told by the elders of Wah San village and can be verified by Master Liu Ying Yan (father of Sifu Tong Liu) Tong’s Great grandfather was a renown Kung Fu expert. Liu Yan Fai specialised in the pole. His pole was is called, ‘Ng Ma Wai Sing’ which translates as ‘The Five Knight that Besiege the City’. He was known as ‘Gwun Wong’ meaning the ‘King of Pole.’

Liu Yan Fai was the youngest of 3 brothers.

The middle brother was Liu Hung Fai who practiced a very dangerous art called, ‘Mau San Shu’ – this is Spiritual Kung Fu (also know in Mandarin phonetic as, ‘Sheng Gong’). He literally summoned spirits into his body before going into battle. In doing so his body was able to withstand the attacks of many weapons.

The eldest was Liu Yeung Fai who was an expert with his bare hands.

During their time the Liu brothers were guardians of their village. In a neighbouring village the powerful Lo family ruled and they bullied everyone around them. Their mistake was to bully the Liu’s.

After one incident when the Lo’s came to the Liu’s village to terrorise the villagers (mostly to beat them into surrendering more land) the Liu brothers decided to attack back. It is said that the next day the 3 brothers with their weapons travelled to the village to beat up and kill if necessary all the men of their enemies.

Heavily outnumbered the Liu’s attack was simple. They faced the enemy ready to attack. Yan Fai threw a giant Trident (the Hak Gar people called it Sam Char or Dai Par) at the enemy then all three brothers charged in following the Trident.

The Liu brothers beat up the whole village. Their intent was not to kill but to beat them up, but if someone died then so be it. This was after all war between two villages. There were no reports of how many were injured or killed, except that after that no one dared again to bully the Liu’s village.

Fantastic stories of how Yan Fai would take on many opponents and beat them all were passed around. The name, ‘King of Pole’ became famous.

The Liu brothers became famous and often took challenges and in their lifetime and never lost.