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Everybody loves kung fu dancing

By: Shella Gardezi
Date: 07/19/2003
Web posted at: 12:00 p.m. EDT

Students and teachers of the ancient Chinese Art of Kung Fu amazed spectators at the Belleville Waterfront and Ethnic Festival on Saturday afternoon.

The Chung Wah Kung Fu International System is a school based in Mississauga. Its founder is Master Lee Chi Wai who has spent his life studying and teaching Kung Fu and promoting ancient Chinese traditions including acupuncture and herbal medicine.

Lee says it takes one's whole life to become a master at Kung Fu. He continues to study and research subjects such as the science of the human body.

Spectators at Saturday's event were frequently advised not to attempt the demonstrations at home. These demonstrations included breaking wooden boards with feet and hands and routines involving swords and spears.

In one demonstration, the points of sharp spears supported Lee's neck while a concrete brick was broken over his head.

The centre established its first school in Regina in 1984. Lee moved to Toronto years later to found two suburban schools in Mississauga and Scarborough with 150 students each. The Mississauga school just celebrated its tenth anniversary. Students involved in the demonstration are chosen for their skill, sense of responsibility, attitude, and their ability to perform the moves being shown in the demonstration. Lee emphasizes that students must have the right attitude because attitude is the "whole idea" of Kung Fu. Students range in age from five years to 75 years.

Lee says the difference between Kung Fu and other martial arts is that Kung Fu is a complete system whereas the others focus on one thing. For example, he says Tae Kwon Do focuses on kicking, boxing focuses on punching and karate focuses on arm movements. Kung Fu employs all these things as well as ancient medicine. The medical side is very important in Kung Fu. Students learn to train their internal energy and eventually learn to do things that seem impossible to most of us.

The centre's goal is to promote health, fitness, self-respect and good interpersonal relationships. As well, Lee says that Kung Fu is an excellent method of self-defense. The centre does a lot of touring in order to promote awareness of Chinese martial arts and its benefits in Canada.

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