Mr. Moy

Master Moy, Lin-Shin

Master Moy, Lin-Shin (1931-1998)

Master Moy was a Taoist monk who studied Tai Chi, Qigong, Lokhupbafa, Xing-I and Bagua in Hong Kong. After emigrating to Canada, he began teaching internal martial arts in a small studio in Toronto.

When he found that his students needed to regain their health more than they needed to learn how to fight, he changed his teaching to better serve that need. He modified the Yang Style Tai Chi 108-move set to emphasize turning, stretching, rising and falling, expanding and contracting, borrowing principles from Lokhupbafa, Bagua, Xing-I and QiGong. In addition, he taught supplemental exercises not generally associated with tai chi.

Master Moy was always attentive to the needs of each student. He would change his methods to suit the students' needs, paying close attention to students with health problems. The instructors at the Academy aim to follow his example, helping each student follow his or her best path to the common goal of health improvement.

Master Moy passed away in Toronto, June, 1998.

Mr. Moy Lin-shin

The Lineage and Form of Moy Lin Shin

Reinforcing Basic Principles of our Tai Chi

To understand the internal arts taught by Moy Lin Shin, it is helpful to look at his teachers and the influences he worked with, those he studied and practised with, as well as those who came before him in this "style".

While Mr. Moy was alive, there was little or no reference to the legacy and tradition of his style. And why would there be? He was a living legacy of the tradition. While some say he simply "tweaked" the Yang style to make it his own, or his style of tai chi is not "real tai chi", his lineage and references noted here reveal something completely different. 1

There is a rich heritage of form, from Wu Yihui, down through Leung Tse Pang to Moy Lin Shin and others. Each one appears to have "tweaked" the form subtly, perhaps to enhance the style, reflecting their previous expertise and personal learning gained through years of practice. These names share pre-eminent reputations as leaders in their discipline, validated through historical record, word of mouth, demonstrations and push hands competitions, a "marker" for quality in past times.

Mr. Moy Lin-shin

Kwangtung Village, China, 27 febrero 1931

- Toronto, Canadá, 06 de junio de 1998

Mr. Moy was not solely interested in internal arts we typically associate (tai chi, lokhup, tsingyi, pa kua). Mr. Moy was a Taoist monk and co-founder of a temple in Hong Kong that studied the three religions of Taoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism. Meditation was a vital element of his practice. In fact, he indicated one's progress in tai chi would always be limited without the inclusion of meditation in daily practice. The stillness of meditation gained might then transfer to develop a balanced state in movement and in stillness.

To further understand the principles Mr. Moy incorporated in his teaching we should also be aware of the predominant element in his personal practice, an active (as opposed to stationary) form of chi kung.

Mr. Moy said he had six teachers in his life. Only the last two were really influential. This would include Leung Tse Pang, his tai chi and Lok Hup teacher (for which he dedicated the Gei Pang Lok Hup Academy in 1989) and his lesser known chi kung teacher, Mr. Yeung. This chi kung is a free-form active movement, directed, when initiated, from internal movement that spontaneously drives external movements, all designed to open and work with energy in the body.

With Mr. Moy's death in 1998, we are presented with a challenge which previously we need not consider, how to sustain and develop his teaching while staying true to the principles that he taught? One way is to review and understand the influences from his past.

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1 The references noted here are only one branch of the lineage. For further details and to see other similar examples begin from a web search engine and the lineage tree is quite wide and diverse in style.

The Foundation: Wu Yihui (Ng Yik-Fai)2 1887-1958

Wu Yihui was actually the first person to teach Lok Hup to the general public, outside the traditional closed-door schools in China who restricted access to the teaching. According to the History of Chinese Martial Arts, many of Wu's students were already experienced martial artists who took what they learned and merged it with their own knowledge.

While Wu Yihui actually taught the form of Lok Hup Ba Fa to Leung Tse Pang, what was also shared were principles of movement and structure, valid for strength and balance in whatever 'form", be it tai chi, lok hup, tsingyi, pa kua, etc.

Wu Yihui

In Figure 1 (sorry for grainy picture), note the remarkable symmetry between Wu's postures and those that we see in pictures and video of Moy Lin Shin.

In Figure 2, a side view, again note the attention to the basic principles we study as the foundation for Moy's tai chi. Keep in mind Wu was one of the top soft-style martial artists in China at the time.

These examples illustrate the foundation for the form Mr. Moy brought to Canada in 1970, a foundation from one of the premier internal martial artists in China.

______________________

2 I include both Mandarin and Cantonese names, as I found it confusing in my research until I realized it was the same person whose name sounds different in a different dialect.

3 Figures 1 & 2 from book "Liuhebafa Chuan Illustrated " by Chen Yi Ren.

Figure 1

Note the linear angles,

alignment, the 45 degree step

and squared hip.

Figure 2

Straight line heel

-head, knee over toe,

arms stretched.

Further Development: Leung Tse Pang 1900-1974

Leung Tze Pang taught tai chi and lok hup in Hong Kong and was widely respected for his abilities. At some point in the 50's or 60's both Moy Lin Shin and Sun Dit became his students. Anecdotally it was said Leung only learned the first half of Lok Hup from Wu and the second half through other sources. For our purposes, however, we are more interested in the form and structure of his movements. Our current insight is through a Lok Hup video you can find on YouTube.

Referring to this video, we see again the form Mr. Moy shared, the position of the front knee, the straight line fromthe heel to the head, the squaring of the hips, the arm positions. When watched closely there is something more.

Slow the video down and more advanced concepts reveal themselves. Moves flow without stopping, from one to the other, rising/falling, expanding/contracting. Observe the turning of the hands, wrists and arms, a hint to the turning inside.

Leung Tse Pang

Spiritual and Religious Connections: Mui Ming-To (dates not available)

Moy Lin Shin reportedly trained in his youth as a Taoist monk in the Earlier Heaven Wu-chi sect of the Hua Shan School of Taoism. In 1981, the scope and depth of Mr. Moy's teaching was expanded with the opening of the Fung Loy Kok temple in Toronto.

With Mui Ming-To's visit to Toronto in 1981, students were introduced to the practices of sitting meditation and chanting. Moy Lin Shin had worked intermittently with some students, teaching them the basics of standing meditation previously. With the introduction of sitting meditation, students were introduced to new elements that would parallel the range of practice techniques in a temple setting.

Sectarian controversy aside, the value of daily meditation was emphasized by Mr. Moy and Mui Ming-To, if for no other reason than to help open joints, reduce tension in the body. It provided a glimpse of the perceptual framework and feeling one should target while doing the set. "Mo naam" - "no thought", was a common correction Mr. Moy would provide as students moved through the set.

Mr. Moy

& Mui Ming-To

around Fung Loy Kok opening.

Mui Ming-To demonstrates first

position in meditation

to students at a Toronto

workshop in 1981.

Yuen Yuen Institute, Hong Kong

Quan Yin, Goddess of Compassion

Cooperation and Consultation: Sun Di (1917-1999)

Sun Di and Moy Lin Shin both learned Lok Hup and Tai Chi from Leung Tze Pang. After the death of Leung in 1974, Moy and Sun continued to work together whenever Mr. Moy visited Hong Kong. Sun Di was known in Hong Kong as an accomplished master of Tsing Yi and was well known for his Push Hands prowess.

Through both videos and pictures from Hong Kong visits, we see a form that parallels Moy Lin Shin. Sun's video from 1978 introduces an additional element, driving movements forward by dropping the hip and pushing the front knee past 90 degrees. This is a hint of an advanced technique requiring increased flexibility and strength in the joints. It should not be confused with a common beginner-intermediate error of letting the front knee go beyond 90 degrees without dropping the hip.

The Lok Hup video of Sun Di on YouTube also shows the continuous motion of the second half, reminiscent of Leung Tze Pang's continuous motion. While Moy Lin Shin wanted to teach Lok Hup in this style, he regretted most students' skill level was inadequate for the task and told us to work harder.

Sun Di's straight lines,

45 degree angles,hip square.

Sun Di and Moy Lin Shin

in Hong Kong 1978.

External and Internal Come Together: Yeung Lok (dates not available)

Part of the "tweaking" of our tai chi was his years of experience practising with Mr.Yeung, his chi kung teacher. It was said Mr. Yeung told Mr. Moy he could teach what he had learned, but not until Mr. Yeung had died. When Mr. Yeung was asked, "What is chi kung?" he responded, "Man has been trying to answer that for 3000 years." He did add however, that internal martial arts work from the outside of the body in, whereas chi kung works from the inside of the body out.

Mr. Yeung

Author's Footnote

I have written this short piece to help others understand the foundation of the health value and heritage of a gift passed down from Mr. Moy's teaching and those before him. Mr. Moy knew exactly what he was teaching. His teaching was flexible, in that it varied according to the level of his audience and his purpose at the time. Some saw his martial skill(paralyzing you with a few fingers on your arm). Others saw him mainly as an organizer with little connection to his art. I believe we unknowingly witnessed and were party to a rare experience of valuable Chinese history & culture derived from some of the most respected martial artists in China and Hong Kong.

I appreciate your comments and questions about this content.

Doug Overholt doverholt@canadiantaichiacademy.org

The Tai Chi Form

of Master Moy Lin-Shin

This Tai Chi Form is based on the Traditional Yang style 108-move set, modified by our late Sifu, Master Moy Lin-Shin. Master Moy adapted the set by adding more turning and stretching to open up the student's joints and massage the internal organs. Master Moy also borrowed from the internal arts: Lokhupbafa, XingYi and BaGua and added elements of Taoist and Buddhist QiGong practices to modify the Tai Chi set.

The Staged Approach

We at the Canadian Tai Chi Academy teach a system that is very effective for understanding the fundamentals of Tai Chi. Beginners will quickly benefit from the form in a short period of time.

After easily learning to move the body with balance and utilizing proper structure, the form is taught again from the beginning, but in more detail, refining the patterns and methods common to all the moves. At this stage, the instruction is meant to help the student relax more deeply into the body's internal structure, as well as open the joints and ligaments to allow circulation and energy to flow more freely. As the students progress, the instruction becomes more personal and individual, with each student given the instruction that he or she needs at the time.

Lok Hup Ba Fa

(Six Combinations, Eight Methods)

Our lok hup ba fa (liu he ba fa) form comes to us from Wu, Yi-Hui to Leung, Tze-Pang to Moy, Lin-Shin. It is one of the last "closed door" internal arts systems. It is said that lok hup has the elements of tai chi, bagua and xing-yi along with its own special characteristics. While some believe that it was in fact created by Wu, Yi-Hui from his understanding of the traditional three internal martial arts, tradition claims its lineage extends back to the fifth patriarch of Hua Shan.

Since traditionally, the student would only be taught lok hup after having learned tai chi, bagua and xing-yi, it was said that the "flavour" of your lok hup would reflect the internal art specialization of your teacher.

From Master Moy's arrival in Canada in 1970 until October 1983, he only taught lok hup to students who had already achieved a fairly high level of skill and then only the first half of the form.

Beginning in October 1983, he began teaching the first half of the form to anyone who could walk through the tai chi form. As he said: "Previously, I taught students at the level of lok hup. Now I teach lok hup at the level of the student." To achieve this he lessened the lateral and "re-coiling" quality of some of the movements.

Some people incorrectly believe that he made our lok hup more like our tai chi. Our tai chi already had a strong influence from lok hup. Ironically, even though Master Moy obviously held tai chi and xing-yi in higher regard than bagua, a strong bagua influence can be seen in our lok hup.

Master Moy started teaching the second half of the lok hup form widely in 1987 and started promoting formal, regular lok hup classes in which the entire form was taught. We continue in this tradition. Again, as always, if your lok hup practice doesn't lead to enhanced understanding and ability in your tai chi bare hand form, Master Moy would not consider that the lok hup had done its job.

Tai Chi Sabre

Our tai chi sabre form is said to have a strong bagua* influence. Even though it's the shortest of the forms Master Moy taught, it has perhaps the greatest variety of interpretations as the physical skills and level of health of the students he most focused on were so varied.

Generally, the extra weight of the sabre and the shape of the movements permit the student to shorten the radius of turning around the spine - increasing the internal movement.

While some of the modifications of the form were specific to students with health challenges ranging from arthritis to high blood pressure, the standard form provides an intense practice to improve the comparable movements in the student's bare hand form.

* Bagua - one of the three traditional internal martial arts characterized by its footwork and coiling of the spine.

Tai Chi Sword

Our tai chi sword form is usually taught to interested students after they achieve some level of proficiency in the bare hand form. The addition of the weapon facilitates extending the energy and intention out further from the body, accentuates the strengthening of the arms and has been reported to help restore the range of motion in the hands.

After learning the basics of the form, this form is normally performed in a more lively fashion than the bare hand form. As with all supplemental forms Master Moy taught, he often would use its initial instruction to put the student back into the role of a beginner. Here the training was less on the physical form and more on the mental and emotional states. He would encourage the student to bring that new freshness to the next correction he gave them. He would not consider your sword practice a success unless it reflected in your bare hand form.

Push Hands

Traditionally, push hands practice is the beginning of the interactive martial arts training in tai chi and is usually introduced after the student learns the bare hand form. It begins with fixed step, single hand practice and progresses through two hands, fixed step and two hands "walking" practice.

While there is certainly a potential for competitive practice, our focus is in using the various push hands practices as a tool to measure and improve your tai chi practice. Your partner can help you strengthen your muscles and loosen your joints more quickly than you can generally achieve alone doing the single person forms.

The basic elements of push hands are easily recognized in the tai chi move "Grasp Bird's Tail", but at a more advanced level almost any movement from the form may be involved and the student being pushed or pulled may need to be able to do front or back rolls on the floor to avoid injury.

Master Moy encouraged us to push hands regularly and with partners of varying abilities. Some of the techniques he taught are expressly forbidden in formal push hands competitions and he discouraged us from participating in those events.

Videos

External Links to Moy Lin Shin Internal Arts

Moy corrects Tor Yu

1975 Mr. Moy demonstrates his tai chi

Note how this differs from the 1988 version where Mr. Moy is acting to demonstrate how we should be doing the set.

Leung Tse Peng (Mr. Moy's teacher) demonstrates form of Dan Yu and Tor Yu

Leung Tse Peng demonstrates tai chi set

Leung Tse Peng demonstrates Lok Hup set

Leung Tse Peng (later years ) demonstrates full Lok Hup set

Wu Yi Hui (teacher of Leung Tse Peng) Pics of Lok Hup Set

Sun Dit (student of Leung and peer of Mr. Moy) demonstrates Lok Hup

Fong Pak Shing (also student of Leung Tse Peng) Lok Hup

Fong Pak Shing tai chi (check out the flow of movement)

Free form chi kung sample (similar to what Mr. Yeung taught Moy Lin Shin & others

This is generated from going with sensation inside the body.

Here's another one with further examples