Sifu Lee Hoa Yen

Sifu Lee Hoa Yen was born in Fujien province in China.When he was 14 he immigrated south to Saigon with a large portion of the Chinese population from his state. It is in Saigon( Ho Chi Min City) that he met Sigong Chiu Chuk Kai and began his studies of Chuk Kai’s Tai Chi Praying Mantis System. After many years of intense daily training with the Chiu Chuk Kai, Sifu Lee inherited the complete Tai Chi Praying Mantis System. The complete system includes internal and external training, hand routines, and the 18 classical weapons of Kung Fu. In addition Sifu Lee is known for his expertise in Tai Chi Praying Mantis and Tai Chi Jeung Techniques, Iron Shirt , Iron Palm, and Exotic Weapons. Sifu Lee was selected as one of the 12 disciples of Grandmaster Chiu. These disciples became known as “The 12 Guardians” in Vietnam’s Martial Arts History. Sifu Lee was the first president of the Chuk Kai Tai Chi Praying Mantis Federation and moved to Grand Rapids in 1980. He still actively teaches at his own school in Grand Rapids . We are blessed and fortunate to have him visit the classes here on a monthly basis.