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Biography (page
1)
Tai Foo (Philip) Lai was born in
Hong Kong in 1954—the year of the horse according to Chinese
astrology. His first name in Chinese means giant tiger.
Despite
having a difficult life, his parents were incredibly hard working and
always managed to provide the necessities for their children. As a
refugee from China, Philip’s father was homeless when he arrived
in Hong Kong. Yet, when he retired he was a sergeant marine police
officer. His ability to overcome difficulties and his accomplishments
were a source of inspiration to all his children. On several occasions
throughout his life, Philip has used his father’s example and
inspiration to turn adversity into opportunity and success.
It was in 1960 that Philip began Kung Fu martial arts training under
his father who was a Kung Fu Master. It was through this training that
he first started 
learning about and becoming interested in traditional
Chinese medicine. His father, who was very knowledgeable in Chinese
medicine, would painstakingly instruct him on how to heal the injuries
caused by martial art combat. Philip has many fond memories of going
to the mountains with him and being shown which plants to collect in
order to create the appropriate remedy. When he was a teenager, he
assisted his father in teaching classes in Kung Fu and traditional
Chinese medicine.
Around the time he was 18 years old, Philip joined a survival training camp and leadership camp given by the professional army. It was a true turning point in his life—it gave him a chance to explore and understand his true physical and spiritual potential. His training enabled him to work with youths in the community and he quickly realized that helping others and sharing his knowledge would be a major part of his life.
In January 1977, Philip’s parents had saved enough money to buy him a one-way ticket to Canada. It was important for them to educate their children to ensure their prosperous future. Upon his arrival in Canada, Philip had virtually no money, spoke very little English and knew nothing of the culture. The uncertainty of life in a new country and the longing for his family and homeland made him feel unhappy and dismal at times, but never disheartened. Upon arriving, he lived with his older brother (who had arrived the previous year) and an uncle who helped them both in the beginning. Philip and his brother were both determined to make it on their own as quickly as they could.
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