Professor Randy Choy

     Professor Randy Choy was born in Honolulu, Hawaii. He first studied Chinese Southern Boxing under his father’s youngest brother, Master Dai Bun Choy in 1960. While attending McKinley High School, his godfather, Master Chang Paak Chong suggested that he train in a softer, internal form of Chinese pugilism called, “Taijiquan,” under the late Master Tung Fu Ling.
     In 1970, while attending the University of Portland, Professor Choy had the opportunity to study under a martial arts instructor from Hong Kong, Master Chi Wu Chang of the White Eyebrow Gung Fu system (Bak Mei Pai) He was not only a good fighter, but he was also famous for his southern style Chinese lion dancing.
     In 1972, Professor Choy studied under Master Gregory Fong who taught various chinese boxing styles as Taijiquan, Praying Mantis, Yiquan, and Northern Shaolin. Master Fong has been the west coast champion of Chen Taijiquan for the past twenty years, and has appointed Professor Choy as his Hawaii’s Martial Arts Representative.
     In 1974, he began learning from Master Lew De Yee of Chen style Taijiquan and Wu Mei Pai Gung fu. Master Lew was a disciple of the late Grandmaster Peng Hsieh, a bodyguard of Republic of China’s President Chang Kai Shek. Grandmaster Hsieh was an undefeated boxing champion in South China, and a personal disciple of Monk Ho Sim Sim See (Iron Nose Monk) of the White Crane Monastery in Kwongsai, Province, China. Professor Choy is Master Lew’s most senior disciple in Plum Flower Wu Mei Pai boxing in Hawaii today.
     Professor Choy had the opportunity to learn Choy Li Fut gung-fu under Master Cheuk Tse Tong, a disciple of Grandmaster Ho Ngau, and an official representative of both White Crane and Hop Ga gung-fu.
     Professor Choy also took private lessons in Haaka family boxing from the late Master Kam Chow Chang and Master Stanley Liu, instructors from Grandmaster Wong Koo Fat’s gung-fu school in Kalihi, Hawaii.
     In 1980, Professor Choy went abroad to Taiwan to train in Chen Taijiquan directly under Grandmaster Pan Tso Ming and Southern Chinese Boxing and Shaolin Qigong under Master Cheng Bin Wen of the Southern Kuo Shu Association.
     In 1985, Professor Choy started taking private lessons in a Northern Chinese Boxing style called, “Hsing Yi Boxing,” under Master Tai Yu Shu, a former martial arts champion in Shanghai, a famous guerilla fighter and the nephew of the late Shanghai Wu style Taijiquan Grandmaster Ma Yu Liang.
     Professor Choy’s mentor, Grandmaster Ming Lum had him go to Kowloon, Hong Kong, to train under his martial arts friend, Master Kwong Kwun Wai who taught Chuk Kai Taiji Praying Mantis Boxing.
     In 1986, he furthered his knowledge in Taijiquan, Taiji Praying Mantis and White Eyebrow Boxing under the late Master David Cheng, who immigrated to Hawaii from Vietnam. In 1987, Master Cheng sent Mr. Choy to Hong Kong to train under Grandmaster Chiu Chuk Kai, at the Hong Kong Taiji Praying Mantis Headquarters. Later, Mr. Choy was appointed by Master Cheng as the Chuk Kai Tai Chi Praying Mantis Organization – Hawaii’s martial arts advisor.
     In 1991, Professor Choy learned Shaolin Qigong under Monk Ting Poh Kwong of the Omei Mountain Monastery in Szechuan Province. In 1992, Professor Choy founded the Chinese Athletic Arts Academy (CAAA) along with co-founder, Master Bertram B.N. Chock, and senior advisors, Grandmaster Dai Bun Choy and Grandmaster Stanley K.B. Liu.
     Since 1998, Professor Choy has served as one of the Senior Advisors for the Hawaii Kenpo Jujitsu Society and was the 1999 recipient of the Legend Award. Also in 1999, Professor Choy received a Commendation from Hawaii’s Governor Benjamin J. Cayetano, a Certificate of Appreciation from Honolulu’s Major Jeremy Harris, and a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition from the late Congresswoman Patsy T. Mink.

- In 2000, Professor Choy received The Grandmaster Ming Lum Award and in 2003, The Grandmaster Ming Lum’s Aloha Spirit Award.
- In 2001, Professor Choy was the recipient of the 2001 WHFSC’s International Martial Arts Hall of Fame Gung fu Grandmaster Instructor Award and in 2002, the WHFSC’s Outstanding Leadership for the Year in Hawaii and the WHFSC’s International Hall of Fame Achievement Award.
- In 2002, Professor Choy was inducted into the Hawaii Martial Arts Society’s Hall of Fame, the World Karate Union Hall of Fame, the United States Martial Arts Hall of Fame, and the United States Martial Artist Association’s Hall of Fame. Also in 2002, he received a certificate of appreciation from the International Kajukempo Association’s Southern California Branch.
- In 2003, Professor Choy was inducted into Action Martial Arts Magazine’s Hall of Fame, as the recipient of their 2003 Spirit Award.