the other families

[golden arhat]

who knows about the other families
lau gar
mok gar
choi gar
li gar

hung gar is often talked about and is very popular but i never here about the others

[Su Lin]

There is quite a lot of info on Lau Gar as taught in the uk on threads on this forum. Its a complicated one Lau Gar, and quite contentious too! Master Yau brought it over here and it is a very popular style. BKFA is the main association but there are clubs who arent in it that practice Lau Gar too.
Parts of the original Lau style were incorporated into Hun Gar .
Here's a tiny bit of info:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lau_Gar

[taaigihk]

Some time ago I've found an article (chinese) about Xiao Yongding, a master of Liujiaquan (Lau Gar) from Zhongshan area.
It looks like it's dying out..

http://www.nanfangdaily.com.cn/southnews/tszk/nfdsb/zszz/200411250987.asp

[Su Lin]

I would really like to read that article but cant read it , is there any kind of translation available?

[Laukarbo]

Parts of the original Lau style were incorporated into Hun Gar .
Here's a tiny bit of info:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lau_Gar


thats actually not correct..som Hung lineages have Lau Gar Kuen and Lau Gar Gwan in their currilicum but these forms are not really hung gar..hung gar has four(or 5) sets..everything else is added..ok the old hung gar has more sets than those four but still no Lau Gar..
Hung Gar is also older than Lau Gar.Not everything on wikipedia is true.:D
peace

[Su Lin]

Sorry about that ! :o The whole Lau Gar thing is really quite odd , with it being brought over to the UK etc, there are various theories surrounding its origin. There is also the whole political thing, which doesn't interest me at all , and has been discussed ,sorry ,argued about many times!
The Hung Gar Lau set is also confusing. When was that added ?

[Su Lin]

This is the official Lau Gar line:
Since Ordinary people could enter and leave the temple at will, and monks having completed their training would move to other temples, what was known as the Shao-lin Fist arts was widely spread over China. Differences in style depending on physical limitations, mental attitudes and strategy or tactics were wide spread.
Lau Gar Kuen is derived from a form of boxing practiced at Kuei Ling Temple situated in Kong Sai Province in west China. It was learned from a monk on retreat from that temple by the master "Three Eyed Lau", a tiger hunter, whom we honour as founder of our style. The style subsequently became popular over a large part of South West China.

Towards the end of the 1800's Master Yau's Grandfather (Yau Luk Sau) pictured here

conceived the desire to learn Kung Fu. At the age of 13 he left Kowloon and travelled to Kong Sai Province where he trained under the MasterTang Hoi Ching.

Nine years passed before he was given the right to teach independent of Master Tang. Master Yau's Grandfather subsequently met the Master Wan Goon Wing with whom he continued his studies for a further Six years, and whom he served as son until the latter's death.

On his return to Kowloon Master Yau Luk Sau taught only his family and close friends before opening his club to the public. During this time Master Yau commenced his training at the age of Six. His training continued 4 hours a night 360 nights a year for 15 years. Master Yau brought the style to Britian in 1961.

[Laukarbo]

Im not too familar with the Lau Gar style..
Chinese names doesnt make it any easier for example..I practise Hung Gar..My Sigung is Lau Kar Leung he learned his Hung Gar from his father Lau Jaam.So I actually practise the hung gar (hung family) of the Lau Family..the Lau Family of course doesnt have any relation to the Lau Gar form or the Lau Gar style...

another example I know at least 3 diferrent forms with the same name..Sap Gee Kuen (sup ji kuen)..threes a old hung form,thers a choy li fut form and I think in Lama or bak mee is also a form with this name...

it can be confusing...:D

[Su Lin]

Yep, it certainly can! The problem is also that stories are a few hundred years old and have been passed down and inevitably altered along the way. I think it is possible to get too tied up in the lineage etc , but at the same time it is pretty fascinating. :rolleyes:
It would be interesting to see how Lau Gar is practised elsewhere outside the UK , but it seems pretty rare.

[golden arhat]

i heard that here in the uk they took karate kickboxing and some kung fu and mixed it together with black uniforms to cash in on the bruce lee fad

am i wrong ?

[Su Lin]

Erm..... I wouldnt say that to any BKFA guys round here!:p It was certainly one of the ,if not the first kung fu style to be brought over to the UK by Master Yau , and it was around the time when Bruce Lee was big. Some may say it was fortuitous timing.
I don't know about the karate kickboxing bit. There was a big thing, I think in the 80's whereby there was some kind of split, now dont quote me as I dont know the details. Some guys wanted to focus more on the sparring and kickboxing side, and others wanted to retain the "traditional" elements of the system . This led to some clubs leaving the association .
As I said, I'm not too aware of the whole politics thing, but in my experience of other forums, it is incredibly political. Just wondering if any styles out there have trademarked the name of the style, as Lau Gar has been?

[Ben Gash]

The Lau Gar forms in Hung Gar are not the Lau Gar of 3 eyed Lau. According to most LSW line Hung Gar guys they were developed by the Lau family (I'm assuming Liu Chia Liang's father or grandfather) and introduced in the 1920s-30s.
As for UK Lau Gar, it may have it's origins in Sil Lum Lau Gar Kuen, but the Hakka influnce on it is o heavy that it's essentially a different style.

[golden arhat]

so what about mok ,choi and li who knows about those ?

[Ben Gash]

Mok Gar is known for it's sophisticated footwork and kicking. Hand techniques vary in it, with the classical Cantonese longarm stuff being combined with some intricate close work. There's a heavy emphasis on linking hands and feet.
All I know about Choy Gar is that it is supposed to have lively footwork and soft, fluid hands.
Noone seems to know much about Li Gar, I think Shaolin Master knows it though.

[David Jamieson]

What can anybody tell me about this Kong Sai province of western China?
I've never heard of it and it's not on any maps. Is there another name for it?

[CFT]

What can anybody tell me about this Kong Sai province of western China?
I've never heard of it and it's not on any maps. Is there another name for it?In Mandarin pinyin it is known as Guangxi. In Cantonese it is Gwong Sai.

[David Jamieson]

In Mandarin pinyin it is known as Guangxi. In Cantonese it is Gwong Sai.


Ah ok, this is an autonomous region in China.

[taaigihk]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlBvFi1TyQY

I don't know if that's representative of Mok Gar. If I'm not mistaken, the same guy released vcd's on Eagle Claws, and 7* Mantis, so that makes me a bit suspicious. :)

[jonpcm]

http://www.sojournpast.com/styles/mogar.html

some info here about mok ga taught in the US.

I also remember someone mentioned on a forum the Mok Ga is still taught on the mainland (Macau area? - though I could have made that bit up :confused: )

Some say that Choy Li Fut is the same Choi and Li, others don't.

[Ben Gash]

Everyone says it's the same Li, most say it's a different Choy ;)

[South Paw]

The Five Family Styles in South China.

1. Hung Chia Quan (Hung Gar Kuen or Shadow-boxing of the Hung Family). It is popularly called Hung Quan (Hung Kuen). It is the most widely popular of all in every part of Guangdong, Guangxi and Fujian Provinces, South East Asia, and major ports in Europe and America. Its features are: it is simple and vigorous in movements and firm and steady in footwork; the movements of the upper limbs in it are more, but those of the lower ones are fewer. In training, it is required to throw the chest out, sink the waist, draw the abdomen in and pull the hip in; sink the shoulders, hang the elbows, sink the bridges (Kiu Sau / bridges here mean the sides of the ulnae and radii of the forearms) and squat down. In this school of shadow-boxing, forces are implicitly exerted, first withdrawn and then released. It is full of bridge utilization (use the forearms to go many ways of attack and defence) and good at hand parades (stretch palms forward with the wrists straightened as attacking means). When rushing a fist out forcefully, kick against the ground and twist the waist to throw the fist out forcefully and rapidly with the exertions of the legs and waist, or give shouts according to circumstances so as to help the exertions.

2. Liu Chia Quan (Lau Gar Kuen or Shadow-boxing of the Liu Family). In Guangdong, Guangxi and Fujian Provinces. It is popular in the region of Zhanjiang, Guandong Province. Its features of motion are: the squatting in it is high and the footwork is lively; after rushing a fist out, elbow is slightly bent with the chest drawn in and the breath retained; this school is good at exerting forces briefly and well-known for its terseness and forcefulness.

3. Chai Chia Quan (Choi Gar Kuen or Shadow-boxing of the Chai Family). In Guangdong and Guangxi Provinces. It is prevalent in such places as Taishan and Xinhui in Guangdong Province. Its features of motion are: stretch the bridges long out (after rushing a fist out, stretch the elbow joint to the full) and set the feet widely apart (squat low down); this school is good at exerting forces long; the scope of its motion is large and its footwork is steady.

4. Li Chia Quan (Lee Gar Kuen or Shadow-boxing of the Li Family). In Guangdong, Guangxi and Jiangxi Provinces. It is popular in regions as Zhongshan and Zhuhai in Guangdong Province. Its features of motion are: its footwork is quick and dexterous; this school has many jumps and is good at leg-moving techniques; stretch the bridges both long and short out in a quick and varied way in its movements of the upper limbs.

5. Mo Chia Quan (Mok Gar Kuen or Shadow-boxing of the Mo Family). It is prevalent in such regions as Dongwan and Bao’an in Guangdong Province. Its features of motion are: draw the chest in and retain the breath; this school is good at exerting forces briefly; elbow-moving techniques are mostly used in the movements of the upper limbs without stretching the elbow after rushing a fist out; kicking techniques are largely used in the movements of the legs; jumps are usually used in the footwork with more movements such as springing into the air, throwing oneself onto the ground and making rolls.

Just found this translation. Hope it helps.

[Laukarbo]

Nice one South Paw,

just wanna make sure again that everyone understands my Sigung Lau Kar leung (liu Chia Liang) or any of the Lau Family has nothing to do with the style Lau Gar Kuen or the form Lau Gar Kuen...we dont even have the form in our lineage.


Lau (Liu) is a very common name in China/Hongkong.

[Ben Gash]

Musta been another family of Laus at LSW's school then. These confusions happen easily.

[golden arhat]

great reply south paw very informative
surely someone on here must practice mok gar or li gar
ANYONE OUT THERE !!!!!

[Su Lin]

Southpaw, out of interest where was that info?
Thanks

[South Paw]

Southpaw, out of interest where was that info?
Thanks

It was on my harddisc when I send it. ;^)

[South Paw]

great reply south paw very informative
surely someone on here must practice mok gar or li gar
ANYONE OUT THERE !!!!!

My main style is Hung Ga, but I also learned Lau Ga as part of Hung Ga, Lee Ga as part of Pack Mei, and some Mok Gar and Choy Gar. That's why I keep this info on my harddisc.

[wgraggio]

check this out


www.choygar.com
www.senley.org

Peru has the largest chinese community in south america, most of them runaway from Mao Tse Tung , including masters of the red guard .