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The Lee Style of T'ai Chi Ch'uan

 

 

East - West Taoist Association

 

15 Guards Court, Scarborough, North Yorkshire. YO12 6QR, England

 

email: howard@ewta.co.uk  -  Telephone: (+44) 01723 354072

 

 

Letter from Chee Soo to Howard - June 1984

 

 

 Howard Gibbon

The Lee style, sometimes also called Li style, which flourished in England under Grand Master Chee Soo is taught within the East - West Taoist Association. The Lee Style includes a T'ai Chi form, Tai Chi sometimes pronounced ti chi or ti che is often described as meditation with movement. Included in the Lee style are Chinese Yoga, the breathing techniques of Dao Yin, Chi Kung and Li kung exercises.  Also include in the Lee Family Arts are I Fu Shou (sticky hands), Lun Shou (whirling hands), Lun Pei (whirling arms),

Mo Kun (advanced energy development).  T'ai Chi Ch'uan which means 'The Supreme Ultimate' is a long sequence

of beautiful flowing movements promote good health and inner peace.

All these activities are designed to increase self-awareness and develop one's faculties to the full.

Physically Lee style T'ai Chi tones and conditions the muscles. A training session should have a calming and revitalizing effect on the whole body. For those who are interested the Taoist diet 'Ch'ang Ming' meaning long life, this is also available to everyone.

Mentally by gaining physical control and stability over the body the Lee style T'ai Chi practitioners mental capabilities are increased and self-discipline is strengthened. Students of the Lee style learn to take responsibility for their actions, strengthening their ability to make rational decisions in the process. This allows the mind to becomes more responsive to prevailing conditions.

Emotionally the concentration required from the practise of Lee style T'ai Chi, along with the beneficial effect of both Chinese Yoga and the breathing exercises of Dao Yin, calms and clears the mind of everyday worries. That is why Lee style T'ai Chi is often described as a moving form of meditation. The Lee Family Arts also promote correct deep breathing which calms and soothes the nerves nourishing the body with oxygen.

Spiritually this fourth section does not refer to the religious side of our lives, rather it is the spiritual growth within ourselves. Continuous practise of Lee style T'ai Chi, K'ai Men (Chinese Yoga) and the breathing techniques of Dao Yin will make it easier for you to follow these golden rules:-

Think good - think no evil.
Do good - do nothing wrong.
Learn to give, and give, and give, in whatever way you can.
Cleanse yourself of your emotions, jealousy, hate, lust, greed etc.

The common sense of these rules is easy to understand, however, putting them into practise in our daily life is somewhat harder.

Try to move with the flow of life and not fight it. By learning to go with the flow, we can make our existence here on earth smoother, more tranquil. We can enjoy such happiness, seeing for ourselves that miracles do not happen only in the bible, but prevail everywhere, everyday of our lives.

• T'ai Chi Stick - A form of 270 movements

• T'ai Chi Sword - A form of 216 movements.

• T'ai Chi Dance - A form of 185 movements.

• I Fu Shou - Sticky Hands.

• Lun Shou- Whirling Hands.

• Lun Pei - Whirling Arms.

• Mo Kun - The Taoist Wand.

 

Chee Soo

 

About the LEE FAMILY ARTS

The Lee family arts were originally created by Ho-Hsieh Lee around 1000 BC, so this Lee style is nearly three thousand years old. The original form consisted of only eight movements, and whilst these same movements still exist within the form, it now comprises 140 movements structured into 42 sets.

Ho-Hsieh Lee lived with his family just outside Beijing (Peking). Later in his middle fifties he moved the family to Wei Hei Wei, a fishing village about 200 miles east of Beijing, and the family remained in that district until 1934. The family practised together with parents teaching their children. The last three children, one daughter and two sons, had the responsibility of continuing the Lee family arts. In fact the eldest of the three, Chan Kam Lee was the only one to do so.

Chan Lee, an unmarried businessman dealing in precious and semiprecious stones, finally opened a small office in the Holborn district of London, which in those days was the world centre of this trade. In 1933 he started a small class in Red Lion Square to keep himself fit and taught a few close friends. A chance meeting in Hyde Park brought a fourteen-year- old boy, himself Chinese, into contact with Chan Lee. The two became friends and Chan Lee invited this boy to join his little group in Holborn. That boy was Chee Soo.

These were based on foundations laid down by Chan Kam Lee. Chan Lee died in a severe storm off the coast of China near Canton in the winter of 1953/54. Chee Soo, Chan Lee's student since 1934 was asked to take over the leadership of the Lee Family Arts. In memory of Chan Lee, Chee Soo turned down any title within the Associations at that time. 

In 1958, with so many groups and clubs being formed, Chee Soo decided to accept the post of President of the Association. Since then the Association has grown from strength to strength in the British Isles and abroad. Chee Soo devoted his life to the practice and teaching of the Lee Family Arts, and anyone who has ever been to one of his classes will have seen for themselves the enthusiasm and love he had for these Chinese arts. 

Letter from Chee Soo to Howard

Testimonial from Sir Steve Russell

This course is accredited by Prof. Sir STEVEN L RUSSELL MD(MA) K St J, DSc(HC), FFHom(MA), DrAr, Dhom, Dphyt, DHM, DAA, FAHP(I), MMA, RMHIS, VP.

Founder and Dean of the INTEGRATIVE COLLEGE OF HOLISTIC MEDICINES:

“Now, at the start of the 21st century, we are living in an age of greater personal awareness and spirituality. The Training Course, taught by MASTER HOWARD GIBBON provides the most concise guide to Holistic Health available, and also addresses the very issues that are central to the movement.

The Training Course lays great emphasis on the fact that although the majority of people are still hoping for the ‘quick fix’ to health that the last century promised, increasingly more people are aware that they are responsible for their own health and not others. The Training Course shows in very simple terms how to achieve optimum health with least effort.

The T’ai Chi Training Course illustrates the benefits from a holistic point of view on the following practices:

T’ai Chi Ch’uan

K’ai Men (Chi Gung)

Dao Yin (Respiratory Therapy)

During my many years in practice in Holistic Medicine covering the whole spectrum of therapies I have had the honour to meet a few practitioners of unquestionable ability and dedication to their art. MASTER HOWARD GIBBON ranks highly with any of them. This becomes immediately obvious when one watches this modest man in action. He has a unique empathetic way of teaching where even in a class of a number of students one feels they are the only ones being taught. MASTER HOWARD GIBBON’S many filled classes throughout the North - East of England are a true testimony to this man who has dedicated his life to the cause.

Howard is a holder of the highest grade issued by Grandmaster Chee Soo and is the

Chief Instructor for The East – West Taoist Association.

 

Howard also has a Diploma in:Advanced Tai Chi, Chi Kung and Taoist Practices from the

‘Integrative College of Holistic Medicines’ 

The ‘Integrative College of Holistic Medicines’ is affiliated to and accredited by:

Association of Holistic Practitioners (International)

The Open International University of Complementary Medicines

The East – West Taoist Association is registered as an International School with:

The Association of Holistic Practitioners International to teach: T’ai Chi, Chi Kung, Dao Yin, K’ai Men and other Practices.

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