History of Kung Fu

History of Kung Fu
As It Relates To Hung Gar

Hung Gar originated hundreds of years ago from the Southern Shaolin Temple in Fukien Province China. The southern temple was a branch off of the original Northern Shaolin Temple in Henan Province. The Henan Temple was founded approximately 300 B.C. Around 520 A.D. a Buddhist Monk arrived at the Henon Temple from India named Tamo (Damo), or Bodhidharma. After seeing the monks in very poor shape and unable to do their devotions due to their lack of health, Tamo went into a cave in the mountains above the temple and meditated for 9 years.

When Tamo returned nine years later he had created Yi Jin Jing (Muscle Tendon Changing Classic) and Xi Sui Jing (Brain Marrow Washing Classic). The monks trained these forms diligently, making their bodies very healthy and strong. These two Internal/External Breathing (Chi Gung) forms became the seeds of Shaolin Kung Fu. One of the exercises Tamo introduced was the Eighteen Hands Lo-Han.

*** NOTE … In the Tiger & Crane form you will find Lum Sai Wing “Eight Aggressive Punches” from the original Lo-Han style including “Monk Sums The Corps” “Eight Drunken Celestials” “Water Casting Punch” etc…

Some historians believe that there was some kind of martial arts being practiced in the Shaolin Temple before Tamo’s arrival. However, one point most historians generally agree on is that a major development occurred during the 16th century when a young man named Kwok Yuen entered the temple and expanded Tamo’s 18 exercises to 72 movements. Still not satisfied with his technique, Kwok Yuen set out on a journey throughout China to find greater fighting knowledge. Coming across a master named Pak Yook Fong and another old master named Li, they combined their knowledge into 170 moves and classified them into five categories. The five styles were Tiger, Leopard, Crane, Snake, and Dragon.

In 1570 the Northern Siu Lum (Shaolin) Temple was burned to the ground. Many of the monks traveled to the Southern Shaolin Temple to stay and bring their advanced Kung Fu experience. One of those monks was Abbot Gee Sin Sim See. He was an expert in the Tiger and Lo-Han styles. When the Ching Dynasty seized power in 17th century, the policies of the government became very cruel. The temple began taking in Ming government officials giving them refuge in the temple. Monks began training some of these laymen in the martial arts.

A tea merchant by the name of Hung Hei Kwun became a layman at the temple after having a dispute with the Chings. Abbot Gee Sin saw his dedication to his training and devotion to his country and decided to train him himself. He taught him the Tiger and Lo-Han styles. Hung Hei Kwun talent was extraordinary.

The Ching government being suspicious of the activities going on inside the Shaolin Temple decided to destroy it and kill all the monks. Bringing cannons and guns they attacked the temple destroying it and killed all but a few monks who escaped. Among the few who escaped were Hung Hei Kwun and his teacher Gee Sin. Legend has it that Hung Hei Kwun fled south to Kwantung Province and eventually added the techniques of the Crane style to compliment his Tiger style. He called his style Hung Gar Kuen (Hung Clan Fist). This became the most famous fighting style in southern China. Later, Gee Sin was said to have sent Luk Ah Choy to study with Hung Hei Kwun, who soon became an expert in the art of Hung Gar. Luk Ah Choy went to Canton to spread the art of Hung Gar Kung Fu.

Luk Ah Choy had a son named Wong Tai. He was a very talented Hung Gar expert and trained hard under his father, as did Master Wong Kei Ying. Wong Kei Ying was one of the greatest Hung Gar masters that ever lived. His skill was so great that he was regarded as one of the “Ten Tigers of Kwantung”, the ten best marital artists in Kwantung province.

Wong Fei Hung was Wong Kei Ying’s son. His talent equaled if not exceeded his father’s skill. Wong Fei Hung became so popular in southern China that he now has movies, television programs and many books written about his life’s adventures. Wong Fei Hung created many of our forms that we practice today. He expanded and made Tiger and Crane set what it is today. Adding the Q-Sau breathing and many hand techniques to create a much longer more advanced set than originally created. Sup Yin Kuen (10 Forms) was created to bridge the gap between Tiger and Crane set and Iron Wire.

Lum Sai Wing - Wong Fei Hung had a number of talented students. One of them, Lum Sai Wing was born in 1860 in Ping Chow a small village in Namhoi district of Kwantung province. Lum trained with Master Wong Fei Hung right up until his death learning all he could learn. He devoted his life to the study of Hung Gar Gung Fu and helping others. Master Lum learned the art of bone setting from Sifu Wong and was widely recognized for his charity. Lum Sai Wing published the first three books on Hung Gar. Gung Gee Fook Fu Kuen (Cross Tiger Fist). Fu Hok Sheong Yin Kuen (Tiger and Crane Double Form). Tiet Sin Keun (Iron Wire)

Grandmaster Lum Cho – Lum Sai Wing’s student Lum Cho was also born in Ping Chow, Namhoi district of Kwantung province China. Lum Sai Wing raised Lum Cho as his own child because his parents passed away when he was very young. He taught him the art of Hung Gar Gung Fu and bone setting. Sigung Lum Cho has been a doctor for the people, helping many in his life, devoting everything to the practice of Hung Gar Gung Fu and healing the sick, as did his teacher Lum Sai Wing. Please go to: www.hungkuen.net too get more info on Lum Cho as well as his two sons Lum Chun Sing: www.hunggakuen.org & Lum Chun Fai: www.hungkuen.com. We all want too thank the Lum family for all they have done for Hung Gar Gung Fu. Without their hard work to further the Hung Gar teachings, we might not ever have come to know the Hung Gar Kung Fu style of today.

Master Y.C. Wong was born in Hoi Ping, Kwantung province. He began his training at the age of six years old under his father Wong Ming Kwong. Sifu Wong and his family moved to Hong Kong in 1950 and he began training with Lum Cho’s school. Y.C Wong had already learned Sup Yin Kuen (10 Forms Fist) from his father and was very talented in the Hung Gar style. He trained hard under Grand Master Lum Cho and learned the Hung Gar system as well as the bone setting techniques. Besides the Hung Gar style, Master Wong is also skilled in the Northern Pek Kwa, which he studied under the famed Tai-Sing Pek Kwa Grandmaster Kun Duk Hoi. In addition, Master Wong is skilled in the three internal styles of Kuan Ping Yang Style Tai Chi Chuan, Pa Kua and I-Chuan standing meditation. Sifu Wong opened a school in Hong Kong before immigrating to the United States, which his students still operate. Now living and teaching in San Francisco, Y.C. Wong has been passing on the Hung Gar traditions and skills since 1966 to the American public. Master Y.C. Wong is one of the foremost and most highly respected Hung Gar instructors in the world today.

Master Bucksam Kong grew up in Hong Kong and also was trained under Master Lum Cho. Sifu Kong opened one of the first Hung Gar schools in the US located in Hawaii in 1963. After 13 years of very successful teaching in Hawaii, Bucksam Kong moved to the Los Angeles area and opened up Bucksam Kong’s Siu Lum Pai in 1977. Sifu Kong studied not only Hung Gar under Grandmaster Lum Cho but also Choy Lay Fu under the late Lee Goon Hung. His dedication to the promotion of Chinese Gung Fu has been fantastic. Master Bucksam Kong is a member of the Inside Kung-Fu Hall Of Fame and is one of the most highly respected Hung Gar Masters of the day. www.bucksamkongkungfu.com

Of course there are many other great masters of the Hung Gar style. I have only listed the ones in the Lum family lineage that my school is related too. Each one of these Masters I have listed has many students with good schools that have dedicated their lives to the teaching and the preservation of Chinese Martial Arts and the Hung Gar system. Just to list a few which I would like to show my appreciation too, Raymond Wong, Donald Humby, Eddie Lane and Frank Marez.

Please forgive me if I have left anyone out. There are many more to add in. We at Chinese Martial Arts Academy just want to show our respect to all the masters for their dedication and hard work that has helped us all to grow together in the Hung Gar family.

Characteristics of Hung Gar

Hung Gar is a style of Kung Fu from Southern China’s Shaolin Temple in Fukien Province. Hung Gar is famous for its low powerful stances, bone shattering attacks and Internal/External Chi Kung breathing techniques, which create awesome internal power. The Hung Gar style is comprised of the Five Animals, Five Elements, Five Emotions and Twelve Bridges.  Its creator, Hung Tsi Kuan (Pronounced: Hung See Kwan) was trained at the Southern Shaolin Temple by Abbot Chee Sin in Tiger Style Kung Fu. Tiger Style Kung Fu is a style only to be used when all other options have failed.  Its power and strength with its fierce ripping and clawing techniques, low kicks, and joint locking bone breaks are specialized for aggressive frontal attacks and devastating counter strikes.

Hung Tsi Kuan having such an incredibly powerful and direct Kung Fu style found that he needed an indirect and evasive way to balance this power.  Hung learned the Crane style from Fang Yang-Chun who later became his wife.  The Crane emphasizes long-range strikes, single legged stances, and fast leg attacks with very evasive footwork.  This makes the Crane Style very unpredictable and a great addition to the more direct Tiger techniques.

Over time techniques from the Leopard, Snake and Dragon styles of Shaolin were incorporated into the Hung Gar system.  Tit Kiu Sam’s Iron Wire internal breathing techniques were also added.  The Hung Gar Style takes both the internal and the external and combines them to make one of the most complete Kung Fu fighting systems ever created.

Hung Gar trains the arms to be like steel. Using three star blocking drills to practice blocking against opponents’ arms you harden your arms with continual conditioning. We also use the Q-Sao breathing techniques handed down from Tit Kiu Sam’s Iron Wire style. These special breathing techniques condition the body and forearms to be very hard. This not only protects yourself against injury from oncoming strikes but also inflicts pain upon the person attacking you.