The Hung Gar Kung Fu system was founded by a Fukien tea merchant named Hung Hei Kung in 1734 AD, during the Ching Dynasty (Manchu's). He was the disciple of Shaolin abbot Gee Sin, expert in the tiger style, and husband to Fong Wing Chun, expert in the crane style. He combined the fierce strong techniques of the tiger, with the swift, evasive techniques of the crane, creating this unique system known by many as "hard as iron, soft as a thread".
During the Ching Dynasty, the Shaolin Temple was burned down by Imperial troops, and anyone related to Shaolin was executed. So for this reason Hung Hei Kung named his system Hung Gar Kuen, which means fist of the Hung family, keeping its true Shaolin origin a secret.
Hung Gar is a long and short range fighting system allowing a wide variety of hand techniques like punching, clawing, slapping, pushing, pulling, thrusting, etc. There are many joint breaking and locking techniques (chin na) and it also has a strong foundation with powerful effective kicks that are delivered to the mid and lower section, all at close range, and without exposing oneself. This gives the practitioner a better sence of control as techniques are used to defend and attack at the same time. In Hung Gar there are no flowery techniques, every technique is simple but effective. It is a traditional system with self defence techniques that are very up to date and effective on the street.
In Hung Gar there are a wide variety of traditional short, long and articulate weapons such as daggers, swords, sticks, spears, chains, etc. Practice develops strength and co-ordination and the beginning and intermediate levels of training, provide the student with excellent physical conditioning. With much practice, the individual will continue into the advanced levels, which is an internal method known as Chi Kung. Without a doubt Hung Gar is one of the most complete martial arts. Hung Gar is known as the tiger and crane system. The truth is, there are three other animals: the leopard, snake, and the dragon. Each animal provides different characteristics and spirit to the system.
Tiger (fu) is known for its strong and powerful movements. It produces strong bones and develops power. It uses hard external power and is very aggressive with lots of breaking, striking, locking, ripping, and tearing movements. The tiger is most practiced animal in Hung Gar. Crane (hok) is known for its calmness, patience and stability. It has swift evasive movements sometimes followed by kicking techniques. Leopard (pao) combines strength, speed with agile footwork to be able to strike with very fast techniques. Snake (sare) whose movements are very fast and sleek, and develops ones internal power. The snake attacks are mostly to the soft and sensitive area of the body. Dragon (lung) has the unique power of that consists by combining both external (hard) and internal (soft) strengths. It represents internal training and cultivation of the spirit.
Along with the 5 animals, are 5 elements. In Hung Gar these elements are used in combat and internal energy. These elements are fire (faw), earth (tow), gold (gum), wood (mok), and water (soy). Each of these elements has a designated internal organ for internal energy practice; this is the highest level training in Hung Gar Kung Fu.
Last century, in the southern Chinese province of Canton there were ten kung fu masters that helped the weak and needy as well as fighting oppression with their Kung Fu skills. They had great fame and were known as the Ten Tigers from Canton. Five of these ten masters were Hung Gar masters: Wong Fei Hung, Tit Kiu San, Sou Rak Fu, Sou Rak Ji, and Wong Lin. The most famous of all Hung Gar masters was Wong Fei Hung. His popularity has been kept alive by more than 100 movies about this hero of legendary stature. Like the Once Upon A Time in China I, II, III with Jet Li and the Drunken Master I, II with Jackie Chan. Grand Master Wong was born in 1874 in Canton, and began learning Hung Gar at an early age under his father Wong Kai Ying, he redeveloped the Hung Gar system creating a few forms and incorporating the (tit sin kuen) iron thread form the highest Hung Gar Internal energy form.
The fighting techniques that made him a legend and an undefeated fighter, were what he thought was the most effective street fighting techniques in Hung Gar; he named them the 9 venoms from shaolin, which are all in the Tiger and Crane form that he created. He was also famous for his very fast and powerful shadow less kick (mo ying gerk) Wong also was the combat instructor for the Canton army and leader of the civilian militia. The day his son Wong Hon Sum was ambushed and killed, Wong Fei Hung stopped teaching to protect his other sons. Wong Fei Hung passed away in 1924. So the legacy of the Hung Gar system continued with his best student Grand Master Lam Sai Wing, who learned and mastered everything his sifu/master taught him, Lam Sai Wing's fame grew when he entered a competition in Canton, and using his Hung Gar skills defeated all his opponents and won first prize. Lam Sai Wing was head Instructor of the new Republics Chinese army in Canton.
Years after the fall of the Ching Dynasty, Lam Sai Wing was invited to live and teach in Hong Kong, He eventually moved to Hong Kong taking his nephew and adopted son Lam Jo. Soon he set up the Southern Martial Culture Association where he continued teaching Hung Gar until his death in 1943, Lam Sai Wing further helped to spread the art of Hung Gar by publishing three books: Kung Gee Fook Fu Kuen (taming the tiger), Fu Hok Seung Ying Kuen(Tiger and Crane form) and Tit Sin Kuen (iron thread from). Lam Sai Wing's top student was his adopted son Lam Jo, who at the age of sixteen began to teach Hung Gar and was admired by all and called SiFu even at that age, he was destined to be a great master he learned and mastered the entire Hung Gar system.
Grand Master Lam Jo is a living treasure in Hung Gar a true geniues who has dedicated his entire life to the art of Hung Gar and has been teaching for more than 75 years. Lam Jo has many students one of his best students is Master Dr. Li Hon Ki his official representative in South America Master Li is established in Brazil were he has continued spreading the art of Hung Gar following the same principles that his SiFu taught him for almost 40 years. KFS
