As a child, Liu was weak and thin, but he nevertheless took up "mi tsung Chuan" at the age of five, under the instruction of Chang Yiao-tin, a tenant in his home.
他小時候身體很弱，瘦得只剩一身皮包骨，肚子卻腫得像皮球。當時他們家有個佃農，名叫張耀庭，武功很高。於是家裡把病得氣息奄奄的他交給張耀庭。張耀庭每天運氣在他肚子上推拿，說也奇怪，不到兩年，肚子不腫了，身體也結實起來了。