LI STYLE TAI CHI 李氏太極拳
The Li or "Lee" style of taijiquan is practised mainly in the UK and continental Europe. The style is taught as part of the Lee Style Taoist Cultural Arts which include Kaimen (Open Door) - a form of Daoist qigong, Daoyin (breathing exercise), and the standard empty-hand and weapon forms; including Feng shou quanshu.
Li Taijiquan was created by Li Rui Dong (1851-1917), an accomplished martial artist who learned Chuo Jiao, Fanziquan, Tantui.
Li coached at the compound of Prince Rui in Beijing and was a guard at the Forbidden City. He developed Li Taijiquan and established the Guang Wu Institute in Tian Jing. He is also credited with writing several books on martial arts, including: Thirteen Forms of taiji, taiji Thirteen Dan, Taiji Four Cannons, Taiji Old Three Pushes, Taiji White Tiger, Thirteen Forms of Saber, Taiji Qing Feng Spear, Five Tiger Special Spear, Taiji Black Dragon Thirteen Forms of Spear, Taiji Thirteen Forms of Sword, Taiji Thirteen Forms of Interlinked Spear from Chang Shan School, Saber vs. Saber, Saber vs. Staff, Saber vs. Long Spear, Staff vs. Staff Spear vs. Spear
Li style has a number of routines and is based on principles of classical Chinese philosophy including San Cai (Three Powers of Heaven, Humanity and Earth), and include clearly defined Wu (Martial), Wen (scholarly) and Wen Wu (combined) approaches.
22 Posture Routine
Five Dragons Cannon Punch (based on five major techniques of Yang style Taijiquan and containing elements of baguazhang and xingyiquan.)
Thirteen Li Tai Chi Sword Routines
Li Taiji liuhe Feng Mo Palm
Li Tai Chi Thirteen Dan
Important structural concepts and energies include: San Cai (Three Powers), Five Element Hammering, Lao San Tui (Old Three Pushes), Si Men Pao (Four Door Cannons), Ba Da Jia (Big Eight Frames), Xiao Ba Jia (Small Eight Frames), Shi San dan (Thirteen Dan), Shi San Gan Ji (Thirteen Firm Frames), and more. Among their more esoteric theories is "Sheng Tai Pei Yu Hun Yuan Gong" The exercises of the Holy Foetus Returning to the Origin. Many Chi Kung as well as physical exercises are contained in the art.
The Lee family's Taoist Arts were exclusive to the Lee style until the 1930s when it was first taught to outsiders in England by Professor Dr. Chan Kam Lee, and subsequently promoted by Lee's student, Chee Soo, who established "The International Daoist Society".