Hung Ga

Hung Ga(Hồng gia),Hung Kuen(Hồng quyền), orHung Ga Kuen(Hồng gia quyền) ( "fist fighting technique of the Hung school, fist fighting technique of the Hung family" ) is an ancientsouthern Chinese martial art,which roots lie in theNorthern Shaolin kung fu.It is one of the most widely practiced styles ofwushufromsouthern Chinain the world.

Hung Ga Kuen
Hồng gia quyền

Also known as	Hung Ga, Hung Gar, Hung Kuen, Hung Ga Kuen, Hung Gar Kuen
Focus	Striking
Country of origin	China
Creator	Hung Hei-gun
Famous practitioners	(see below)
Parenthood	Shaolin Kung Fu,Nanquan,Five Animal forms,Bak Fu Pai (White Tiger Kung Fu),Fujian White Crane,Mok Gar(additional influence forWong Fei Hunglineage)
Descendant arts	Choy ga,Fut Gar,Hung Fut,Jow-Ga Kung Fu
Olympic sport	No
Chinese name
Chinese	Hồng gia
Literal meaning	Hung family
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Hóng Jiā Wade–Giles Hung2Chia1 Yue: Cantonese Yale Romanization Hùhng Gār
Alternative name
Chinese	Hồng quyền
Literal meaning	immense fist
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Hóng Quán Wade–Giles Hung2Ch'üan2 Yue: Cantonese Yale Romanization Hùhng Kyùhn

It is best known for its low and stable positions, its powerful attacks mainly developed with the upper limbs, many blocks and also the work of internal energy.Its techniques are influenced by Bak Fu Pai (White Tiger Kung Fu) as well asFujian White Crane.In addition, the style takes up postures that imitate the otherfive classic animalsofShaolin quan:the tiger, the crane, the leopard, the snake and the bear, as well as hand forms of the dragon style qi-gong and it's simultaneous double strikes.

Hung Gar Kuen is represented in the world in mainly four family branches; Tang Fung, Lam, Chiu and Lau. What the four have in common is that they have branched out from the most famous Hung Gar master of them all,Wong Fei-hung.Despite differences between these family branches, they strive for the same goal, to preserve one of the richest martial arts from China.

Characteristics and features

Hung Ga's technique employs the simultaneous use of attack and blocking, where the block is occasionally used as an conjunctive attack on the opponent. For instance, if a Hung Ga practitioner receives an strike to his upper body (or head), they can meet the incoming force with their own block, which is delivered with such force that it will overwhelm the opponent's own defensive abilities. The aim is to seriously injure the opponent or inflict such intense pain it will weaken the opponent's retaliation.

The hallmarks of Hung Ga are strong stances, notably thehorse stance,or "si ping ma" (Tứ bình mã), and strong hand techniques, notably thebridge handand the versatiletiger claw.

Traditionally, students spent anywhere from several months to three years in stance training, often sitting only in horse stance from half an hour to several hours at a time, before learning any forms. Each form could then take a year or so to learn, with weapons learned last. In current times, this mode of instruction is generally considered impractical for students, who have other concerns beyond practicing kung fu. However, some instructors still follow traditional guidelines and make stance training the majority of their beginner training.

Hung Ga is sometimes mischaracterized as solely external—that is, reliant on brute physical force rather than the cultivation ofqi—even though the student advances progressively toward an internal focus.

Historical origins

Hung Ga's earliest beginnings have been traced to the 17th century in southern China. More specifically, legend has it that a Shaolin monk,Jee Sin Sim See(” sim see” = zen teacher) was at the heart of Hung Ga's emergence. Jee Sin Sim See was alive during a time of fighting in the Qing dynasty. He practiced the arts during an era when the Shaolin Temple had become a refuge for those that opposed the ruling class (the Manchus), allowing him to practice in semi-secrecy. When the Shaolin temple was burned down, many fled to the Southern affiliated Shaolin temple in the Fukien Province of Southern China along with him. There it is believed Jee Sin Sim See trained several people, including non-Buddhist monks, also called Shaolin Layman Disciples, in the art ofShaolin Kung Fu.

Of course, Jee Sin Sim See was hardly the only person of significance that had fled to the temple and opposed the Manchus. Along with this, tea merchantHung Hei-gunalso took refuge there, where he trained under Jee Sin Sim See. Eventually, Hung Hei-gun became Jee Sin Sim See's most prodigious student.

That said, legend has it that Jee Sin Sim See also taught four others, whom in their entirety became the founding fathers of the five southern Shaolin styles: Hung Ga, Choy Ga, Mok Ga, Li Ga and Lau Ga. Luk Ah-choi was one of these students.

According to the origin legend, Hung Hei-guan combined the Shaolin tiger techniques (Fok Fu Kuen, phục hổ quyền ) and the crane techniques (Bak Hok Kuen, bạch hạc quyền ), which he learned from his wife, and developed Hung Gar Kung Fu from them. Hung Hei-guan's wife, Fong Wing-chun (presumablyFang Qiniang/ Fong Chut-Leung) was an expert in the crane-style. She had acquired her knowledge fromFong Sai-yuk( phương thế ngọc, a training partner of Hung Hei-guan and also a student of Shaolin), with Fong Sai-yuk and Fong Wing-chun being related to each other. Therefore, Hung Gar Kuen is also known asTiger-Crane Boxing(Fu Hok Kuen, hổ hạc quyền ). Due to the characteristic techniques of the tiger and the crane, this style is based on the concept of Yam and Yeung (Yin and Yang), which has also fundamentally influenced Chinese thinking.

Because the character "Hung" (Hồng) was used in thereign nameof theemperorwho overthrew theMongolYuan dynastyto establish theHan ChineseMing dynasty,opponents of theManchuQing dynastymade frequent use of the character in their imagery. (Ironically, Luk Ah-choi lục a thải was the son of a Manchu stationed in Guangdong.) Hung Hei-gunis itself an assumed name intended to honor that first Ming Emperor. Anti-Qing rebels named the most far reaching of the secret societies they formed the "Hung Mun"(Hồng môn).

The Hung Mun claimed to be founded by survivors of the destruction of theShaolin Temple,and the martial arts its members practiced came to be called "Hung Ga" and "Hung Kuen".

Its popularity in modern times is mainly associated with theCantonesefolk heroWong Fei-hung,a Hung Ga master.

The Hung Ga curriculum of Wong Fei-hung

The Hung Ga curriculum thatWong Fei-hunglearned from his father consisted of Single Hard Fist,Double Hard Fist,Taming the Tiger Fist(Phục hổ quyền),Black Tiger Fist(Hắc hổ quyền),Angry Tiger Fist(Cuồng hổ quyền), andArhat Fist(La hán quyền), Fifth BrotherEight TrigramPole(Ngũ lang bát quái côn),Mother & SonButterfly Swords(Tử mẫu song đao), and the Flying Hook(Phi câu).

Wong distilled his father's empty-hand material along with the material he learned from other masters into the "pillars" of Hung Ga, four empty-hand routines that constitute the core of Hung Ga instruction in the Wong Fei-hung lineage:Taming the Tiger Fist,Tiger Crane Paired Form Fist,Five Animal Fist,andIron Wire Fist.Each of those routines is described in the sections below.

"Công" Taming the Tiger Fist công tự phục hổ quyền

pinyin:gōng zì fú hǔ quán;Yale Cantonese:gung ji fuk fu kuen.

The long routine Taming the Tiger trains the student in the basic techniques of Hung Ga while building endurance. It is said to go at least as far back asJee Sin Sim See,who is said to have taught Taming the Tiger—or at least an early version of it—to bothHung Hei-gunand Luk Ah-choi.

The "Công" Character in Taming the Tiger Fist is so called because its footwork traces a path resembling the character "Công".

Tiger Crane Paired Form Fist hổ hạc song hình quyền

pinyin:hǔ hè shuāng xíng quán;Yale Cantonese:fu hok seung ying kuen.

Tiger Crane builds on Taming the Tiger, adding "vocabulary" to the Hung Ga practitioner's repertoire.Wong Fei-hungchoreographed the version of Tiger Crane handed down in the lineages that descend from him. He is said to have added to Tiger Crane the bridge hand techniques and rooting of the master Tit Kiu Saam as well as long arm techniques, attributed variously to the Fat Ga, Lo Hon, and Lama styles. Tiger Crane Paired Form routines from outsideWong Fei-hungHung Ga still exist.

Five Animal Fist ngũ hình quyền / Five Animal Five Element Fist ngũ hình ngũ hành quyền

pinyin:wǔ xíng quán;Yale Cantonese:ng ying keun /pinyin:wǔ xíng wǔ háng quán;Yale Cantonese:ng ying ng haang keun; Ng Ying Kungfu, Five Animal Kung Fu (Chinese:Ngũ hình công phu)

This routine serve as a bridge between the external force of Tiger Crane and the internal focus of Iron Wire. "Five Animals" (literally "Five Forms" ) refers to the characteristicFive Animalsof the Southern Chinese martial arts: Dragon, Snake, Tiger, Leopard, and Crane. "Five Elements" refers to thefive classical Chinese elements:Earth, Water, Fire, Metal, and Wood. The Hung Ga Five Animal Fist was choreographed byWong Fei-hungand expanded byLam Sai-wing(Lâm thế vinh), a senior student and teaching assistant of Wong Fei-hung, into the Five Animal Five Element Fist (also called the "Ten Form Fist" ). In the Lam Sai-wing branch of Hung Ga, the Five Animal Five Element Fist has largely, but not entirely, superseded the Five Animal Fist, which has become associated withDang Fongand others who were not around when the Five Animal Five Element Fist was modified.

Iron Wire Fist thiết tuyến quyền

pinyin:tiě xiàn quán;Yale Cantonese:Tit Sin Keun.

Iron Wire builds internal power and is attributed to the martial arts masterLeung Kwan(Lương khôn;Liáng Kūn;1815–1887), better known as Tit Kiuh-saam (Thiết kiều tam;tiěqiáosān). LikeWong Fei-hng's fatherWong Kei-Ying,Tit Sin-saam was one of theTen Tigers of Canton.As a teenager,Wong Fei Hunglearned Iron Wire from Lam Fuk-sing (Lâm phúc thành;Línfúchéng) a student of Tit Sin-saam. The routine has been enhanced and thus lengthened by his students. The Iron Wire form is essentially a combination of Hei Gung (Khí công;qigong) or meditative breathing withisometric exercise,particularlydynamic tension,although weights were also used in traditional practice in the form ofiron ringsworn on the wrists. If properly practiced, it can increase strength considerably and promote a stable root. However, as with both most forms of qigong and most forms of isometric exercise, it must be practiced regularly or the benefits are quickly lost.

Wong Fei-hungweapon of choice was primarily theFifth BrotherEight TrigramPole(Ngũ lang bát quái côn), which is a very popular routine in southern styles as its origins is linked to a famous patriot hero. TheMother & Son Butterfly Swords(Tử mẫu song đao) is also a primary weapon found in all Southern styles. Other weapons credited to having been taught inWong Fei-hungcurriculum were theSpring & AutumnGuandao(Xuân thu đại đao), and theYu Family Tiger Fork(Dao gia đại bái)broadsword(Đao), the spear (Thương), the fan (Phiến). Experiences of generations of practitioners has seen the curriculum grow extensively in all areas.

Branches of Hung Kuen

The curricula of different branches of Hung Ga differ tremendously with regard to routines and the selection of weapons, even within theWong Fei-hunglineage. Just as those branches that do not descend fromLam Sai-wingdo not practice the

Five Animal Five Element Fist.Those branches that do not descend fromWong Fei-hung,are sometimes called "old Hung Kuen"or" village "Hung Kuen, do not practice the routines he choreographed, nor do the branches that do not descend from Tit Kiu Saam practiceIron Wire. Conversely, the curricula of some branches have grown through the addition of further routines by creation or acquisition.

Nevertheless, the various branches of theWong Fei-hunglineage still share the Hung Ga foundation he systematized. Lacking such a common point of reference, the "village" styles of Hung Kuen show even greater variation.

The curriculum whichJee Sin Sim SeetaughtHung Hei-gunis said to have comprisedTiger style,Luohan style,andTaming the Tiger routine. Exchanging material with other martial artists allowed Hung to develop or acquire Tiger Crane Paired Form routine,a combination animal routine, Southern Flower Fist, and several weapons.

According to Hung Ga tradition, the martial arts thatJee Sin Sim Seeoriginally taughtHung Hei-gunwere short range and the more active footwork, wider stances, and long range techniques commonly associated with Hung Ga were added later. It is said to have featured "a two-foot horse," that is, narrow stances, and routines whose footwork typically took up no more than four tiles' worth of space.

Hasayfu Hung Ga hạ tứ hổ hồng gia TheHa Sei Fu(Hạ tứ hổ) is said to fit this description, though the implied link to the legendaryJee Sin Sim Seeis more speculative than most because of its poorly documented genealogy. The Hasayfu Hung Kuen of Leung Wah-chew is a Five Animal style with a separate routine for each animal. Other Branches of Hasayfu Hung Kuen also contain combined animal sets, like Tiger & Crane, Dragon & Leopard, etc.

Five-Pattern Hung Kuen ngũ hình hồng quyền Similar to Ha Sei Fu Hung Ga, the Ng Ying Hung Kuen (Ngũ hình hồng quyền) fits the description ofJee Sin Sim See's martial arts, but traces its ancestry toNg Muiand Miu Hin (Miêu hiển) who, likeJee Sin Sim See,were both survivors of the destruction of theShaolin Monastery. From Miu Hin, the Five-Pattern Hung Kuen passed to his daughter Miu Tsui-fa (Miêu thúy hoa), and from his daughter to his grandsonFong Sai-yuk(Phương thế ngọc), both Chinese folk heroes likeJee Sin Sim See,Ng Mui, and their forebear Miu Hin. Yuen Yik-kai's books introduced this branch to the Western/European venue. while conventionally translated as "Five-Pattern Hung Fist" rather than "Five Animal Hung Fist", it is a Five-Animal style, one with a single routine for all Five Animals but also has other sets as well.

Tiger Crane Paired Form hổ hạc song hình The Tiger-Crane Combination style has been found in almost every Hung style. While not as long as theWong Fei-hungversion, it is typically seen as containing 108 movements/techniques.

Ang Lian-huat attributes the art toHung Hei-gun's combination of the Tiger style he learned fromJee Sin Sim Seewith the Crane style he learned from his wife, whose name is given inHokkienas Tee Eng-choon. Like other martial arts that trace their origins toFujian(e.g.Fujian White Crane,Five Ancestors), this style usesSan Chianas its foundation.

Wong Kiew-kit trace their version of the Tiger Crane routine, not toHung Hei-gunor Luk Ah-choi, but to their senior classmate Harng Yein.

Northern Hung Kuen hồng quyền There are northern styles that use the name "Hung Kuen" ( hồng quyền;pinyin:hóng quán), though these predate theQing dynasty(1644–1912). Other northern styles use the character for "Red Fist" (Hồng quyền).

The dissemination of Hung Kuen

The dissemination of Hung Kuen in Southern China, and itsGuangdongandFujianProvinces in particular, is due to the concentration of anti-Qing activity there. TheHung Munbegan life in the 1760s as theHeaven and Earth Society,whose founders came from the prefecture ofZhangzhouin Fujian Province, on its border with Guangdong, where one of its founders organized a precursor to the Heaven and Earth Society inHuizhou. Guangdong and Fujian remained a stronghold of sympathizers and recruits for the Hung Mun, even as it spread elsewhere in the decades that followed. Though the members of the Hung Clan almost certainly practiced a variety of martial arts styles, the composition of its membership meant that it was the characteristics of Fujianese and Cantonese martial arts that came to be associated with the names "Hung Kuen" and "Hung Ga". Regardless of their differences, the Hung Kuen lineages ofWong Fei-hung,Yuen Yik-kai, Leung Wah-chew, and Jeung Kei-ji (Trương khắc trị) nonetheless all trace their origins to this area and this time period, are allFive Animalstyles, and all claim Shaolin origins. Northern Hung Kuen (Hồng quyền), by contrast, is not a Five Animal style and dates to the 16th century. Cantonese and Fujianese are also predominant amongOverseas Chinese,accounting for the widespread dissemination of Hung Kuen outside of China.

Wong Fei-Hung lineages

Lam Sai-wingsLineage mainly descends fromWong Fei-hung.

-Chan Hon-chung(Trần hán tông), who was very famous in Hong Kong and represented what was best in his generation of masters. He held incredible knowledge and had the full Hung Kuen system passed down fromLam Sai-wing.In 1938, he established the Chan Hon Chung Gymnasium to teach Hung Gar (Hung Family) kung fu. At the same time he had a chiropractic clinic. In 1970, he formed The Hong Kong Chinese Martial Arts Association with the intention of coordinating and promoting Chinese martial arts in Hong Kong, and held the position of chairman for many years.

-Lau JaamHung Kuen ( lưu trạm gia truyện ) family lineage (Learn FromLam Sai-wing). One of the more famous teachers of Hung Kuen today was the Shaw Brothers movie director/actor,Lau Kar-leung(Lưu gia lương), who has many students in Hong Kong. One of Lau Kar-leung's notable disciples is Mark Ho (Ho Mai, hà mạch ), also known as Mark Houghton, an Englishman who has lived in Hong Kong for 20 years. Mark Ho, with the blessing of Lau Kar-Leung, has opened a unique Hung Kuen school in Fanling. The school itself looks like a scene from a Shaw Brothers movie; it has many training chambers, wooden dummies, and hanging logs. There are now Lau Family Hung Kuen schools in China and England.Lau Kar-yung / Lau Ga-yung ( lưu gia dũng )He is the grandson ofLau Cham ( lưu trạm ) (Lau Jaam).Kar-yung is the son of Lau Cham's ( lưu trạm ) second daughter Lau Shiu-yee and His uncle is Lau Kar-leung (Lưu gia lương) and also he is Lau Kar-wing's nephew. Kar-yung was followed by Lau Shiu-yee (Mother) to learn Lau's Family Hung Ga kung fu and, Chinese herbal medicine at Lau Cham's martial arts school in Hong Kong. Then he became a member of the Lau Kar Ban (Liu Jiaban) / Lau's brothers and made some of the best Kung Fu movies ever seen. After 50 years of training and profession, he is currently the Grandmaster of Lau's family Hung Kuen Branch and he continues spreading his family lineage across the globe. Also, become President of Hung Gar Association Lau Kar Yung Hung Kuen Kung Fu Association. Additional Lau family disciples were added for the 6th generation apprentice, representing Germany: Master Jau-chi Hang, Mexico: Master James Valentino Santi, and United States Lau Martial Club Hung Kuen Lion Dance Association: Master Chun Sun Ho(Chris Ho){son of Kar Yung}, Master Jaelynn Mae Ho {Daughter of Chun Sun} and Master Ken Chow (Chu học lễ).

-Lam Cho(Lâm tổ) (Lam Sai-wing's adopted nephew) was an icon in the Hong Kong martial arts scene. He succeeded in successful innovations and creative additions of various Hand and Weapon Routines.Lam Chohas taught many well known masters that now have students around the world. - Y.C. Wong (Hoàng diệu trinh) (San Francisco), Bucksam Kong (Giang bắc sơn) (Los Angeles and Hawaii), Kwong Tit-fu (Quảng thiết phu) and Tang Kwok-wah (Đặng quốc hoa) (Boston). Lam Cho's children, Anthony Lam Chun-fai (Lâm trấn huy), (Lâm trấn trung) and Lam Chun-sing (Lâm trấn thành), now carry on his Hung Ga teaching in Hong Kong. Anthony Lam Chun-fai, his eldest son, has also done much to spread Hung Kuen in Europe, while Simon Lam Chun-chung, his third son, continues to teach his father's students and new students at Lam Cho's renowned studio in Mong Kok, Hong Kong.

(Among Tang Kwok-wah's students currently teaching in the area are Winchell Ping Chiu-woo (Hồ bỉnh siêu) (Chiu Mo Kwoon, Boston), Yon Lee (Lý kiện viễn) (who is also the master instructor for the Harvard Tai Chi Tiger Crane kung fu Club at Harvard University since 1985), and Sik Y. Hum. Calvin Chin of Newton Highlands, Massachusetts, carries on Kwong's legacy.)

-Chiu Kau(Triệu giáo) began learning Hung Kuen in Singapore then became a student ofLam Sai-wing.He later married Wong Siu-ying (Hoàng thiệu anh), who began learning Hung Ga from her husband. The couple eventually settled down in Hong Kong, where they continued their Hung Ga training at the Lam Sai-wing National Art Association Second Branch. Their sonsChiu Chi-ling(Triệu chí lăng) of Alameda, California, and Chiu Wai (Triệu uy) of Calgary, Alberta, Canada are the inheritors of this lineage. Kwong-wing Lam (Lam Kwong-wing, lâm quang vinh ) of Sunnyvale, California, studied with Chiu Kau, Chiu Wai, and Lam Jo, and learned the Ha Sei Fu style of Hung Ga from Leung Wah-chew. In Hong Kong, the original Chiu Wai Hung Kuen school continues under the teaching of Chiu Wah (Triệu hoa), and in 1996 another branch, Hung Kuen Academy Hong Kong, (Hồng quyền học xã) was established in Hong Kong by Gam Bok-yin (Kim bác hiền), as its Founder, Chairman and Chief Instructor. Some years later Hung Kuen Academy Hong Kong appointed Chi Fai Leung ( lương chí huy ) as Vice-Chairman and Senior Instructor, and Lam Siu Fung ( lâm thiếu phong ) as Instructor. As of 2021, Chi Fai Leung ( lương chí huy ) has founded a new branch in London, known as the Hung Kuen Academy UK, where he continues to teach traditional Hung Gar and lion dance, both of which are significant elements of the Chiu Wai lineage.

Dang Fong(Đặng phương) lineage students consists of such notables as: Ho Lap Tien - Represented in the U.S. by Philadelphia's Master Cheurng Shu Pui.(Trương thụ bồi), Yuen Ling - Represented in the U.S. by Master Frank Yee (Dư chí vĩ;Yee Chi-wai), Lau Kai Ton - Represented in the U.S. by New Mexico's Master Frank Rivera., Luk Gan Wing - Represented in Ontario, Canada by his son., Cheung Tai Hing - Represented in the U.S. by New York's Master Wan Chi Ming., Jao/Chow Wing Duk - Represented in Spain by Master Lam Chuen Ping, Wong Jo, Kwan Kei Tin & Won Lei

See also

• The five major family styles of southern Chinese martial arts
• Jee Sin Sim See
• Wong Kei-ying
• Wong Fei-hung
• Lam Sai-wing
• Tang Fung
• Fu Jow Pai- Tiger Claw System
• Cantonese culture
• Hak Fu Mun- Black Tiger System

References

Sources

• Habersetzer, Gabrielle; Habersetzer, Roland (2004) [2000].Encyclopédie technique, historique, biographique et culturelle des arts martiaux de l'Extrême-Orient[Technical, historical, biographical and cultural encyclopedia of the martial arts of the Far East] (in French). Amphora.ISBN9782851806604.
• Kennedy, Brian; Guo, Elizabeth (2005).Chinese Martial Arts Training Manuals: A Historical Survey.Berkeley, California: North Atlantic Books. pp. 152–153.ISBN1-55643-557-6.[quote] Fujian province was reputed to be home to one of the Shaolin temples that figure so prominently in martial arts folklore. As a result, Fujian province and the adjacent province of Guangdong were the birthplace and home of many southern Shaolin systems, at least according to the oral folklore. A military historian might be of the opinion that the reason those two southern provinces had so many different systems of martial arts had more to do with the fact that, during the Qing Dynasty, rebel armies were constantly being formed and disbanded in those provinces, resulting in a wide variety of people who had some training and interest in martial arts.
• Rene Ritchie, Robert Chu and Hendrik Santo."Wing Chun Kuen and the Secret Societies".Wingchunkuen.com. Archived fromthe originalon March 16, 2006.RetrievedAugust 14,2005.
• Wing Lam (2003).Southern Shaolin Kung Fu Ling Nam Hung Gar.Copyright 2003 Wing Lam Enterprises. p. 241.ISBN1-58657-361-6.
• Hagen Bluck "Hung Gar Kuen - Im Zeichen des Tigers und des Kranichs"; 1998/2006 MV-Verlag, Edition Octopus,ISBN978-3-86582-427-1
• Lam Sai-wing."Iron Thread. Southern Shaolin Hung Gar Kung Fu Classics Series".Second Edition, 2007. Paperback, 188 pages.ISBN978-1-84799-192-8/ Original edition: Hong Kong, 1957; translated from Chinese in 2002 - 2007