Cheung LaiâÂÂchuen (Chinese: 張禮æ³Â; Mandarin: ZhÃÂng LÃÂquán; 1882â¯âÂÂâ¯1964) was a Chinese martial artist widely regarded as the modern patriarch of Pak Mei Kung Fu, a southern Chinese martial arts system. He is credited with systematizing the style in the early twentieth century and establishing much of the curriculum used in Pak Mei schools today.
Cheung was born in 1882 at the end of the Qin dynasty in Huizhou, Guangdong province, into a poor Hakka family. Early hardships, including the loss of his father, motivated him to learn martial arts from an early age. At around seven years old, he began his training under a local traditional physician and martial arts teacher named Lam Sek (æÂÂç³), who taught him the Lau Man Gaau (æµÂæ°ÂæÂÂ; âÂÂVagabondâ or âÂÂWandererâÂÂsâÂÂ) style.
He later studied Lei Ga (æÂÂ家; âÂÂLi/Lee Family styleâÂÂ) under Lei Mung, gaining exposure to close-combat techniques, and trained in Southern Dragon Kung Fu from Lam Yun, father of the later famed master Lam YiuâÂÂgwai. These early studies in Hakka-rooted martial arts laid the foundation for his later development of the Bak Mei style.
After moving to Guangzhou around 1908, Cheung reportedly encountered a Buddhist monk named Lin Sang, who defeated him in a martial challenge. According to Cheung's accounts, Lin Sang introduced him to his teacher Juk FaatâÂÂwan (竺æ³Âé²), an elderly monk who transmitted him the core methods of what was then known as Ngo Mei Siu Lam (峨åµÂå°ÂæÂÂ; âÂÂEmei ShaolinâÂÂ). Cheung trained under Juk FaatâÂÂwan for approximatively three years until the revolution of 1911 which saw the monks disappear. However, the accuracy of this account is uncertain, and generally considered as a creation myth by scholarly sources.
Cheung retained elements from his earlier teachers, combining techniques from Lau Man Gaau, Lei Ga, and Southern Dragon Kung Fu, producing a distinct style that became the foundation of modern Pak Mei.
After completing his training, Cheung found employment with the local governmentâÂÂs salt tax enforcement department in Jiangmen. In this role, he confronted smugglers and other threats, using these real-world encounters to refine his martial techniques. His effectiveness helped him gain recognition, which later supported his career as a martial arts teacher.
Cheung also took part in public challenges and demonstrations, defeating other martial artists and establishing his reputation as an expert in armed and unarmed combat. By the 1920s and 1930s, CheungâÂÂs Cheung opened multiple schools in Guangzhou, and attracted a diverse student base, including members of military and lawâÂÂenforcement groups. He aligned himself with the institutions of the Nationalist government, gaining political patronage but also deepening his fate to the fortunes of the Guomindang. His connections helped him secure a position as a martial instructor at institutions such as the Whampoa Military Academy, where he developed bayonet and big sword techniques incorporated into official military curricula.
After the end of the civil war and the establishment of the PeopleâÂÂs Republic of China in 1949, Cheung fled to Hong Kong with several of his sons, where he continued teaching Pak Mei. His sons and senior disciples played a major role in preserving and transmitting the art, particularly within Hong Kong and later overseas.
Cheung LaiâÂÂchuen is widely recognized within the Pak Mei community as the chief figure responsible for defining the modern system. Schools that trace their lineage to him preserve a structured curriculum of forms and principles credited to his synthesis of multiple traditions with Pak Mei fundamentals