Hung Gar Techniques.

[essence]

Good day Eric.

Ah another 2 schools for me to explore. I will pay these schools a visit if they are still around, seems like many places do teach Hung Kuen in Singapore, but many like to keep hushed about it due to the nature of the style. Many players also tell me that the local government tried to remove Hung Gar from Singapore due to its association with the triads, a big reason why Hung Kuen players do not like to declare themselves openly.

Ah Taiwan, another place where the elders did say Hung Gar players settled. As the elders in Kong Chow was discussing the different strands of Hung Gar, they did mention Taiwan. They said that the Hung Gar there has evolved and is very much different from Hong Kong and mainstream Hung Gar today, but is still, nonetheless, Hung Gar.

Thank you for telling me where to look for the caligraphers too. I will be heading there nearer to the Chinese New Year. Will you be around these parts during that time?

Warmest regards,
Tze Hou

[Eric Ling]

Hey Tze Hou,

Check this out :-

mail.cssh.tpc.edu.tw/~t479/AAA.WMV

Hung Gar from Taiwan.

I think you will find them refreshingly different.

Thanks.

[essence]

Good day Eric.

Wow, I must say that indeed the video was an eye-opener. Not like what I do, but definitely Hung in flavour. The Dragon they use as their opening salute is also slightly different from the one that I do. Watching the Monkey Pole Sparring Set, again, notable differences. Even the takedown drills are done differently from my branch. Very unique and very interesting, one style yet so many different flavours within it.

One thing which I noticed is they do their Crane with an open and upturned palm, have I noticed wrongly or is that what they do? The Sifu's Sei Ping Ma is also excellent, I was watching it and he just seems so grounded, rooted yet lively, definitely one of the greats of the art.

Thank you for sharing the video, I have been introduced to another strain of Hung Gar today.

Warmest regards,
Tze Hou

[Eric Ling]

Hey Tze Hou,

Glad you like the Taiwan clip.

Interestingly, the Sifu’s opening elaborate salutation is almost like Chou Jia’s, according to my wife. My wife did Chou Jia for a number of years.

Chou Jia is also sometimes referred to as “Hung head and Choy tail” Kung Fu – a reference to the composition I guess.

The Hung Gar incorporated is also somewhat different again.

I got another clip of a Taiwanese Hung Gar someplace. This version looks VERY Shaolin but yet unmistakably Hung Gar.

I’ll send this clip to your email address.

Thanks.

[Eric Ling]

Hi folks,

Anybody know why these are named "10 Killing Hands"?

[Nataraya]

Hello Eric,

You visit my friend and colleagues his homepage. I recognize his work blindly. Cayce Justus is the person who did the "lay out" work for my Gung Ji Fook Fu Kuen study guide. Together with the quality of the paper, it became a nice object to see and feel. You can find that book on the same page in the 'store' map.

The 10 skills were the favorite 'deadly' skills of Wong Fei Hung. In the last 15 years I collected several versions, and as usual, patterns differs per school/ branch. Some perform this set in a form (Yee family, I will send you the clip) others practice it as standard applications.

Note: Some speak of the nine posion hands, others about ten. In both cases we speak about the same skill.

For the readers, I would advise to visit the beautioful homepage of Cayce Justus:

www.hunggar.net/

Warm regrads,

Evert.

[essence]

Good day everybody.

Eric: Yes please send the clip to me, always hungry to see more. On the topic of Chou Jia, I was told recently that the opening salute, after pushing out the fist and palm and returning it, that Hung Gar does it in a circular fashion, i.e., from the chest with the elbows extended horizontally, retract the elbows down and strike down with the fists into the chambering position.

I was told Chou Jia follows the same route, but stops half way. This was taught to me at a recent Hung Gar class. Also, it seems that the 2 Hung Gar schools that I visited seem to have some sort of Chou Jia within their curriculum, and I was told that Chou Jia is sort of a modification of Hung Gar, and as you said, Hung head and Choy tail, I think it should be accurate.

With regards to the Gau Dok Sau (9 Poisonous Hands), Sup Juet Sau (10 Killing Hands), what Evert said was very accurate as what I have been taught. Different schools call it different names, and I have been taught some of the techniques which I have elaborated early on in this thread.

Leading Horse to Stable is one which I feel is hard to apply as it is a choke hold and you have to maneuvore yourself behind the opponent. Of course, the technique and stance transition helps to teach you to move into such a position.

Black Tiger Claw (Hak Fu Jow Faat) is one of my favourites, a technique which I will do repeatedly at home when doing nothing, along with Fierce Tiger Descends Mountain and the first Crane technique in the picture (do not know the technique's name).

Many people said these were GM WFH's 10 favourite techniques used to end fights, as you can imagine, the ability to time and use any one of the techniques properly can be quite devastating to the opponent.

Many elders also tell me, and again, I hear about this when I visited the Hung Gar schools. It is not about how much you know, it is about how well you know what you know. With this in mind, I have adopted GM WFH's example of having just a few techniques, but making them into instinctive reactions, which hopefully, is not a flawed practice.

Warmest regards,
Tze Hou

[Eric Ling]

A nice historical picture:-

Lam Jo's student Ng Shui Hong

[Suhana LIM]

essence said:

Good day everybody.

Many people said these were GM WFH's 10 favourite techniques used to end fights, as you can imagine, the ability to time and use any one of the techniques properly can be quite devastating to the opponent.

Many elders also tell me, and again, I hear about this when I visited the Hung Gar schools. It is not about how much you know, it is about how well you know what you know. With this in mind, I have adopted GM WFH's example of having just a few techniques, but making them into instinctive reactions, which hopefully, is not a flawed practice.

Warmest regards,
Tze Hou

Da jia ni men hao

In Ngo Cho Kun, our Sijo CHUA GIOK BENG was famous for his" Eight Methods." With this EIGHT TECHNIQUES ONLY he defeated all his opponents.

Cheers.

[Nataraya]

I must convince that I liked the 'Taiwan' clip too, solid work at first glance. Good decent Hung Boxing, looking to the overall picture. I have no problems with skills done in a slight different way. As long as the principles can be seen, its okay with me.

Some observations and personal interpretations. The Fifth General Yang partner-stick, is such a nice example of the many variations. In practice this Stick form covers 14 keywords. This school did integrate only a (first) part of this partner-form, in which some of the keywords can be seen clearly. If you realize that it is all about the keywords and principles, then the chorography is not so important anymore. In my collection (also thanks to Russ) I was able to view some versions of this partner form. All of the sets have slightly different choreography's but all succeed in the presentationof the 14 Keywords.

Tze Hou is making optimal use ( of his holiday) in observing other Hung Kuen branches and see different details. Worth every second I would say! This might be hard for him in the beginning to absorb differences. But I am sure that in a later stage, he can look through that. He is clear about his red line, that’s the Chan branch of Hung Kuen. I am more then sure that Tze Hou realizes that an 'ultimate' path not exist.

I observed the clip a second and a third time, able to watch more details. Then I noticed that there was a kind of Northern influence in the performances. A lot of long limb/ hand skills, but also sets I am not familiar with. Not pure Hung Kuen I would conclude, but surely a very nice and solid performance worth to observe many times.

Kindest regards,

Evert.

[Hungfist]

essence said:

Good day everybody.

...and the first Crane technique in the picture (do not know the technique's name).

Warmest regards,
Tze Hou

Thats Won Won Bao Hok.

The crane's beak is targeting the eye. Utilizing the whipping motion of the "beak" it pierces the eye socket.

You must turn at the waist simultaneously to increase the power of the strike.

[Eric Ling]

Hey Tze Hou,

Remember we were talking about Sifu Victor Chong? Think he is coaching in NTU.

You might want to contact NTU regarding this.

[Eric Ling]

Hey Tze Hou,

Sorry, I know this is not a Lama Pak Hok thread.........

The Pak Hok school you mentioned, along Ang Siang Hill Chinatown; The Singapore BaiHe Association.

It belongs to Sifu Mok Weng Chui.

They are now operating in Geyland. Check their website:-

www.pakhockpai.org

A young Sifu Mok:-

[essence]

Good day Eric.

Thank you for that information. I might pay Sifu Victor Chong a visit sometime soon, but I have reasons to believe he leans more towards a more Wushu oriented Hung Gar than a traditional one. Still would be interesting to have a look at his style.

I have come across the Singapore Pak Hok Pai's website in the past. One of their photos, the one on the rooftop looks very much like Tai Chi to me. Another Crane school I recently found is in the street next to Kong Chow, called He Qiao in Mandarin or Crane Bridge, have you heard of this school?

Warmest regards,
Tze Hou

[Eric Ling]

essence said:

Good day Eric.

Thank you for that information. I might pay Sifu Victor Chong a visit sometime soon, but I have reasons to believe he leans more towards a more Wushu oriented Hung Gar than a traditional one. Still would be interesting to have a look at his style.

I have come across the Singapore Pak Hok Pai's website in the past. One of their photos, the one on the rooftop looks very much like Tai Chi to me. Another Crane school I recently found is in the street next to Kong Chow, called He Qiao in Mandarin or Crane Bridge, have you heard of this school?

Warmest regards,
Tze Hou

Hi Tze Hou,

The roof top pictures; not Tai Chi but probably “Min Loi Chan” or “needle hidden in cotton”. If you get a chance to learn this, GRAB IT!

Sifu Mok is a nice person. Don’t know him that well personally but nevertheless a tireless old horse.

In Lama Pai Hock, they do a weapon form called “Bai Fu Dao” or “White Tiger Broadsword”. Sifu Mok is lefthanded and he got famous doing his “Left hand Bai Fu Dao”.

Hok Kiew is not doing White Crane, if I am not wrong. I know there are a few clubs around that part of Chinatown.

Hok San is Chou Jia. Hok San was one time also known as “Sim San Luk Hup”. Hok Kiew is more famous doing lion-dancing. They were doing some Canton style kung fu – not sure which one.

If you go to the building directly facing Outram MRT station, same side with Kong Chow, you’ll probably still find a SiaoLim school: Siow Ting San.

Chou Jia is in front of the hawker center. Can’t miss it – on the roof top with flags.

Try and spend some time in Geylang (not going after the kok kok kuay!!). There are a number of clubs there.

I think Hung Sing Kwoon is still around. This was a very famous Choy Li Fut school in Singapore during my time. The Sifu Woon Tai Sing was the national SanShou coach. Sifu Woon was a pugilistic champion himself. This guy was super quick!! Saw him in action a few times and was very impressed by his hands/kicks combinations.

“Eng Choon” is still operating. The Sifu, Tan Soh Tin, is the guy who taught or at least guided Dennis Ngo. Dennis is now a big-time White Crane promoter in UK. Why White Crane – I don’t get it. Their style is more rightly “Tiger-Crane” - a spin off from Ngo Chor.

Their late Sifu, Ang Lian Huat ,was a famous Ngo Chor master who ran a club called “Nanyang Kok Shu” back in my times.

And for a bit of history, try paying Shuang Lim Si a visit. Along PIE just outside Toa Payoh. This is where Ven. Sek lived and taught his Siao Lim for many years. Not sure but I think you can still find his tomb in there.

Go to their library and maybe you’ll still find some old SiaoLim mags.

Shuang Lim Si is the place I started my Kung Fu journey – long before you were born.