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Great Grandmaster
Yeh Yu-Ting

The late Great Grandmaster of Mi Zong Lo Han, Yeh Yu-Ting, learned the Lo Han system from his father and uncle, just as it was passed down from generation to generation in the family for seven generations. Because of his quick mastery of this demanding martial arts system, he was drafted into the family security service business in goods transportation at an early age. Bandits and robbers were fearful of his kung fu prowess as they were routinely defeated in battle, in their attempt to steal the goods. Due to his reputation, he was invited as a military instructor where he taught in several military regiments for more than 10 years. He was later invited to teach at the Chin Woo Association in Shanghai, China, for approximately six years as a senior instructor. It was here that he polished up on the mi-zong system of the famed Huo Yuan-Zia. He was dispatched by the Association, brought the Lo Han system from his native Hebei province to Hong Kong in the 1920's. He taught at the Hong Kong South China Athletic Association and met up with 2 other northern kung-fu stylist, who later became known as the "3 Tigers from Hebei". He taught hundreds of students and disciples over the years.


Grandmaster Yep died in Hong Kong on December 15, 1962 at the age of 70 with his loyal students at his bedside. However, his famed legacy and the Mi-Zong Lo Han system continue to be taught by his senior disciples. Among the few surviving senior disciple is Master Raymond Wong, who later learned the northern Tai Chi Praying Mantis system from the famed late Grandmaster Chiu Chok-Kai, and the Dao Ga system (the Taoist family style). (An expanded version of the Mi Zong Lo Han organization, history, etc. and its website by Master Raymond Wong is under construction and can be currently accessed under
www.MJLH.org).

 

Master Raymond Wong
Master Raymond Wong is the first of several senior Mi Zong Lo Han disciples to immigrate to North America. He left Hong Kong in 1968 with a brief stay in Vancouver, B.C., Canada, before he moved to San Francisco and later to Los Angeles in 1971. He impressed the West Coast exhibition spectators with his speed, smooth agility and light-footedness in his exhibition tours in the early and mid-1970s. He was featured on the cover of the 1973 Black Belt Magazine yearbook along with a lengthy main article. A number of other articles were written about him by major martial arts magazines, including Inside Kung Fu. Soon thereafter, Johnny Lee immigrated to the U.S. (former chief instructor and founder of the White Leopard Kung fu school in Florida and Louisiana), currently in Dallas, Texas. Another disciple, Hilton Tam, also moved to the United States. He teaches Mi Zong Lo Han and resides in Cleveland, Ohio. And Chi-Hung Marr, the most senior disciple in North America, is currently coordinating several martial arts classes on the East Coast.


Included in the mass migration of the late Grandmaster Yeh's disciples are Wing-Kin Chao in Toronto, Canada, Tung-Yam Lau's student Alex Kwok in Calgary, Alberta, Canada and several others in Australia. However, Mi Zong Lo Han is alive and well in Hong Kong where Chi-Hung Marr's students conduct classes at the Kowloon Chin Woo Association. Classes are also held at the South China Athletic Association under the direction of Tung-Yam Lau's son. Tung-Yam Lau was the eldest disciple of Grandmaster Yeh.

Master Raymond Wong taught several hundred students over the last 30 years at numerous locations in Southern California. Currently, he conducts a class at a park in San Gabriel, CA. His students are charged with continuing the legacy in the western region of the United States under his leadership through classes conducted by his first generation of student/instructors (in order of seniority) Ron Quan, Los Angeles Chinatown, Kee C. Ling, Camarillo, Ca, and Mar Elepano, University of Southern California campus.

Other students/instructors consists of Fred Ho, USC, originally a student of Mar Elepano; Douglas Williams in Seattle, WA. and Corey Wong in Oahu, HI. Brian Tuan, UC Irvine, originally a student of Dominic Cheung (first generation, 5th in line after Mar Elepano). Voltaire LeBron and Justin Ling, Camarillo Kung fu Club, Amy Ling, UC Berkeley, CA - students of Kee Ling; Brian Nosaka, Yong Li and Wayland Tam, East Wind Foundation for Youth, L.A. Chinatown, CA. - students of Ron Quan.

 
Sifu Kee Ling
Kee Ling began his martial arts studies in his early teens in tai chi, then moved on to karate and taekwondo before he settled in with Mi Zong Lo Han in the early 1970’s in Vancouver, B.C., Canada, under the instruction of Sifu Alex Kwok. After he moved to LA in 1975, he continued his studies under Master Raymond Wong. He has been with Mi Zong Lo Han for about 30 years. To foster his interest in lion dancing, Kee Ling joined the original few members and classmate, Sifu Ron Quan of the East Wind Lion Dance foundation, LA Chinatown, at the Lung Kong Benevolent Association in 1976. Soon thereafter, they moved out of the facility to several other locations over the next few years. While performing kung fu on behalf of the group and assisted in the instruction of kung fu to its home boys, he learned southern China lion dancing from the group. At the same time, he continued his studies of Mi Zong Lo Han with Master Raymond Wong. The unique liason continued until he moved out of the area in 1981.


In January 1982, Kee Ling established the Camarillo Kung Fu Club, located in Camarillo, CA (a small city between LA and Santa Barbara in Southern Ca.). It teaches its members the Northern Shaolin kung-Fu system called Mi Zong Lo Han (or My Jong Law Horn in the Cantonese dialect), the Way of the Lost Monk or the lost track buddha. Its origin is from the Shaolin Temple in Northern China.

Kung fu training includes hand, feet, weapons and self-defense techniques. It enhances a person's self-confidence, fitness, and teaches discipline, humility and respect for all. Traditional forms, philosophy, and ideas are passed on to the students as it was taught many generations ago. However, the Club is very progressive in its ideals and practice. Its open-minded and open door policy have attracted and welcomed many martial arts practitioner from all walks of life. It requires a sense of dedication and devotion to learn this intricate system of kung fu.

The students of the Camarillo Kung Fu Club are major medal winners in the numerous tournaments they have competed in over the years. At the 1996 USA Wushu Kung Fu Federation National and International Tournament in San Francisco, it's 9 member team won 16 gold, 5 silver and 4 bronze medals including the gold medal in the advanced team weapons competition. Its members also compete locally and in major southern California karate tournaments, and have consistently been a major medal winners in various categories including numerous 1st place winners over the last several years at the Ed Parker International Karate tournament and Ventura County Open Karate Championships. Most recently, a number of students competed in the Southern California Karate Classics on October 15, 2000 at East L.A. College. Our Junior Assistant Instructor, Justin Ling, won the grand championship in the black belt division for 17 years old and under. He also took first place in showmanship. Other members also came away with 1st, 2nd and 3rd places in forms and sparring in various divisions.

Southern lion dancing is also taught at the Club, in conjunction with the Ventura County Chinese-American Association, its original sponsor in 1982. The Chinese Association was formed more than 30 years ago and was incorporated as a non-profit organization in 1976. Donations received from lion dancing goes towards replacement of the expensive equipment and scholarships for college bound students, as all its members are volunteers.

The paper mache "lion" is a few thousand years old Chinese tradition representing the belief that the lion will drive away evil spirits and bad omens, and bring with it good fortune, wealth, health, blessings and prosperity. These performances were carried out during the Chinese New Year and other happy occasions including weddings, anniversaries, parades and other official/formal events. The lion dancers have participated in many parades and won in many tournaments they have entered annually throughout Southern California. Business organizations including Santa Barbara Museum of Art, World Affairs Council, Civic groups, colleges/universities and Chinese restaurants from Santa Barbara and Ventura County to Riverside County invites them to perform for various occasions, every year.

The organization pride itself as the largest lion dance group in the tri-counties of Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo in Southern California who can perform the “pedestal” routine in accordance with the International lion dancing standards, besides its brother group in L.A. Chinatown, East Wind Lion Dance Youth Foundation.