KUALA LUMPUR, April 14 -- Datuk Meor Abdul Rahman, founder of Silat Seni Gayong, remains one of the most influential figures in the country's martial arts history.

His legacy has recently returned to the spotlight with the release of the Gayong films, which dramatise key moments from his life and have introduced his story to a new generation.

But who was he, and why does his name continue to hold weight among silat practitioners? Malay Mail takes a closer look at the life and journey of the late Meor himself.

Born on August 21, 1915, in Kampung Lake Garden, Taiping, Meor began training in silat at a young age.

At 12, he studied under his grandfather, Syed Zainal Al-Attas, also known as Tok Jenai.

By his mid-teens, he had developed a ...