Lian Padukan finds its roots in a Malay art of self-defence known as Buah Pukul Mersing which was founded in the late 19th century in the State of Johor in Malaysia. Prior to that Syed Abdul Rahman Al-Yunani, a Chinese Moslem of Arab descent had taught his form of martial art to Awang Daik, a magistrate in Mersing. It was Awang Daik who created the term Buah Pukul meaning "striking techniques" to refer to his introduction of this new art into his own silat knowledge.

This resulted in an aggressive and lethal combat style martial art that was unique and distinct from other forms of silat extant at that time. Due to this uniqueness, Buah Pukul Mersing gained a reputation as an undefeatable art and silat exponents from as far away as Indonesia came to learn. Indeed this art was so effective and lethal that Sultan Ibrahim the ruler of Johor decreed that the art should only be taught to those who lived in the Sultan's Palace and the Royal bodyguards. The words Lian Padukan come from the word Paduka meaning King or Sultan

The art, however, found its way to the general population in the guise of different names such as Silat Gayang Lima and Silat Senjata Lapan.