Moy Yat (Moy Yit Kai) was born in a Chinese town called Toi Shan in the province of Canton. In 1953 his family moved to Hong Kong. He began his study of Ving Tsun Kung Fu under Grand Master Yip Man in 1957 and was a very close follower of the venerable teacher, being a frequent companion as well as a dedicated student.

At the age of twenty-four, Moy Yat became the youngest Ving Tsun sifu. In 1967 he carved the Kuen Kuit into stone to preserve the knowledge and history of Ving Tsun. Grand Master Moy Yat was responsible for bringing Ving Tsun to the U.S. His kung fu students number in the thousands, and many of the well-known Ving Tsun sifus were once his students.

He was very well known and respected as a Grand Master of Ving Tsun and also as a highly skilled calligrapher, painter, stone seal maker, and master of massage. He was a pioneer in the field of ear acupuncture, discovering and mapping new points on the back of the ear which are now being used by acupuncture doctors throughout the world.

Grand Master Moy Yat passed away on Tuesday, January 23, 2001. His funeral was held at Cheung Sang Funeral Home in New York City on Saturday, February 3, and he was lain to rest the next day at Kensico Cemetery in Valhalla, New York.