Feng Shui Study

It was Tee Ley who brought the Tiger-Crane style to high renown throughout China. He was a master of the iron palm technique (see end note) although he only trained his right hand. It was said that whatever he gripped in this hand he could turn to dust.

In years gone by, it was the custom of China for Kung Fu masters to challenge each other to fight. Such fights were held on raised platforms called Lei Tais. There were no rules - it was an all out fight. Tee Ley was famous for fighting many Lei Tais, usually killing his opponent. Wherever a Lei Tai was being held, he would travel there. Eventually he had defeated all challengers - no one remained who dared to confront him. He was acknowledged as the champion of Southern China. Since he was getting older, he retired from fighting and became a shoe maker.

Some time after Tee Ley had retired, the champion fighter of Northern China challenged him to find which was best: the Northern style of fighting, which uses many high kicks and long range hand techniques, or the Southern style, which uses a strong stance, close range hand techniques and emphasizes blocking. Tee Ley refused the challenge as he had retired from fighting and stopped training. The northern champion would not give up, however, and kept threatening Tee Ley. Eventually, Tee Ley decided that he must act, so he travelled north to take up the challenge. He made careful preparations for a quick escape, since he knew that if he beat their champion, the northern Chinese would want to take revenge: he had a boat waiting, ready to take him back to the south.

Tee Ley sought out his opponent and took up the challenge. The two champions fought on a Lei Tai. Tee Ley fought using his Tiger-Crane style and his deadly iron palm. The northern champion was no match for him and soon lay dead at his feet. Tee Ley had to escape quickly through the commotion, but was lucky enough to make it back to his boat. He sailed back to Southern China to a hero's welcome.

News of what had happened soon spread throughout China. Tee Ley became very famous and so did the style of Kung Fu with which he fought - the Tiger-Crane combination.

This is the story of how the Tiger-Crane combination became famous.

Note on the Training of The Iron Palm Technique:
Iron palm training is intended to harden the hand, thus enabling the practitioner to deliver more devastating blows. Masters of the iron palm technique are often famous for their breaking demonstrations. There are different variations on the iron palm training, some concentrating purely on external strength, while others are more internal. Many martial artists toughen their hands to some extent, but few go to the extremes of training. Those that do often train only one hand. In its extreme form, training of the iron palm may involve ramming the straight fingers into a wok full of iron filings, which are heated strongly over a burner. This training results in incredibly strong hands, but can cause long term damage such as arthritis. This is why few people now train this way.

Current UK lineage Master for the Tiger-Crane Kung Fu style in the Nam Yang Association, Master Iain Armstrong, demonstrates how to break a brick using only his fingertips

Master Ang Lian Huat, the founder of Nam Yang Association trained in the iron palm. Club members no longer perform the more extreme levels of this training, but do toughen their hands, arms and legs with such items as sand bags, bundles of bamboo and iron/brass poles. This type of training should never be performed without the guidance of a good instructor or without the proper medicine.

Use of the correct medicine is vital in all forms of Chinese body conditioning. The formulae for medicines are often jealously guarded secrets of the masters, passed on only when they are nearing their end. The medicine used by Nam Yang is known only by Master Tan Soh Tin. It contains twenty-two different ingredients obtained from a Chinese herbalist and two special ingredients. Bottles of medicine can be supplied by instructors.