To all: It is with great sorrow, but abiding great love, honor, and respect, and after over 42 years as his student, Texas Mike, that Birds of Prey Kung Fu and Tai Chi announce the passing of our beloved Sifu, Sigung, and Father Grandmaster Yee Shum Leung (1937-2025). This great man passed on July 4, 2025, after over 51 years teaching thousands of students in NYC.  Our Sifu was kind, compassionate, tough, wise, and one of the greatest Chinese martial arts teachers of the last 100 years.  At this time, we at Birds of Prey, with a deep bow of respect, wish to also offer our condolences to our Simo, his loyal and wonderful wife, to his son, to his son’s wife, and to his two granddaughters. May Sifu’s legacy, memory, and greatness continue in all of us, his children and grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, for eternity! 

The Bruce Lee and Brandon Lee gravesites in Seattle WA, visited by Sibak Nick Botary last weekend Aug.4-7, 2024

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SUN TZU

CONCEPTS, RULES AND POINTS OF THE ART OF WAR BY SUN TZU:

What does the Art of War teach us?

“The art of war teaches us to rely not on the likelihood of the enemy’s not coming, but on our own readiness to receive that enemy; not on the chance of the enemy not attacking, but rather on the fact that we have made our position unassailable.”

What is the First Rule of Art of War?

The first rule of war is to survive. Therefore a victorious army first wins and then seeks battle; a defeated army first battles and then seeks victory. CAO CAO – This is the difference between those with strategy and those without forethought.

What is the greatest precept of the Art of War?

The greatest victory is that which requires no battle. If your enemy is secure at all points, be prepared for him.

The Concept of the Book:

The Art of War is a book of conflict knowledge and tactics revolving around several key concepts, including: Knowing when to fight and when not to fight. Knowing how to mislead the enemy. Knowing oneself and one’s enemy.

Ten Major Points of the Art of War::

• Know your enemy and know yourself.
• Avoid direct confrontation if possible.
• Take advantage of opportunities as they arise.
• Use deception to mislead your enemy.
• Know when to strike and when to wait.
• Use terrain and other environmental factors to your advantage.
• Cultivate strong leadership and communication skills. Sun Tzu emphasizes the importance of strong leadership and effective communication in order to achieve success in warfare.
• Be prepared and anticipate potential challenges. The book encourages readers to be well-prepared and anticipate potential challenges in order to avoid being caught off guard.
• Be decisive and take action. Sun Tzu emphasizes the importance of being decisive and taking action in order to achieve success in warfare.
• Aim for a swift and decisive victory. The book encourages readers to aim for a swift and decisive victory in order to minimize casualties and preserve resources.

THE DOKKODO OR WAY OF WALKING ALONE-MIYAMOTO MUSHASHI

Written by the greatest swordsman in Japanese history, it is a short work written a week before he died in 1645 and has 21 precepts. This is very valuable today: (highlights are my own)

The 21 principles of Dokkodo:

1. Accept everything just the way it is.
2. Do not seek pleasure for its own sake.
3. Do not, under any circumstances, depend on a partial feeling.
4. Think lightly of yourself and deeply of the world.
5. Be detached from desire your whole life long.
6. Do not regret what you have done.
7. Never be jealous.
8. Never let yourself be saddened by a separation.
9. Resentment and complaint are appropriate neither for oneself nor others.
10. Do not let yourself be guided by the feeling of lust or love.
11. In all things, have no preferences.
12. Be indifferent to where you live.
13. Do not pursue the taste of good food.
14. Do not hold on to possessions you no longer need.
15. Do not act following customary beliefs.
16. Do not collect weapons or practice with weapons beyond what is useful.
17. Do not fear death.
18. Do not seek to possess either goods or fiefs for your old age.
19. Respect Buddha and the gods without counting on their help.
20. You may abandon your own body, but you must preserve your honor.
21. Never stray from the Way.

Ensuring Health the Old-Fashioned Way:

• Plenty of Sleep
• Plenty of fluids including water, juices, the right kinds of tea
• Eat Right and Eat the Correct Portions
• A calm attitude (very hard in this day and age, always spar/do forms/practice, with a calm expression, intent, correct breathing, and focus)
• Respect for all
• Honor Always, to everyone
• Make sure to work out regularly and train (training is repetition, practice is understanding)

• Give yourself 1-2 hours a day, for you. This is not selfish, it is invigorating, for if you do not help yourself, you cannot help others

• Practice your movements, keep moving, do the 5 ways of breathing, the 8 brocades, the 18 Lohan methods, and the Qigong meditation and movements

The Five Methods and 1-2-3 Fighting Concept of Eagle Claw Kung Fu and Good Fighting:

The Five Methods:

• The Eyes-the eyes should be sharp and piercing
• The Mind- the mind should be calm and alert
• The Hands-the hands should be supple and fast changing
• The Footwork-the footwork should be agile and quick
• The Bodywork-the bodywork should be flexible and coordinated

The 1-2-3 Fighting Concept: (This combative strategy sounds simple but requires expertise, practice, and boldness/courage to execute)

• Take the opponent’s skill-study what the opponent is doing, and use it against him
• Set up the opponent-use false doors, feints, angles, deception, footwork, to deceive the opponent into thinking they understand what is happening
• Quickly win the fight-three techniques or ten seconds, longer or more complex, will lose the fight, especially if it is multiple opponents