Complete History Of Hung Gar!!

[blade]

We all know that Hung gar has a long colourfull history, full of legends and folk heros. Its one of the most famous and widely practicsed chinese style in and out of asia.
It has been subject to many movies, books, magazines etc.. However there are many missconceptions and very little facts about its long history. I have heard many different stories about the history of hung gar and its legendary masters, some very similar to each other some different.

I like to find out what u think or know about its history, including its masters and their stories, any facts etc - starting from the burning of siu lum (shaolin) temple to present day. I know this is not an easy task but any info will be greatly appreciated and we may all learn something new or different.

Thank you

[Paul Skrypichayko]

Yes, very colorful history indeed...

Shaw Bros movies have done a lot to popularize the old masters and kung fu history, but many times they have totally distorted the truth. Good example is "Wong Fei Hung and Luk Ah Choy" (also released as Challenge of the Masters).

One thing that really shocked me is that after the temple was burned and the fighters were being hunted down, some of their training changed. The horse stance was shortened to only 14 inches wide, almost like a wing chun or yee jee ma stance. It wasn't until years later when they were on the red boats that they went back to the full stance.

[blade]

Thats kung fu movies for you. They are made to entertaine, so historical facts and stories are changed to please the audience.

I also heard about the shortened horse stance, but dont know for sure if this is a fact or just another story. Its a shame for a such well known style that there isnt much written evidence about its history or many facts. Most of Hung Gar history was passed down master to student verbaly or word of mouth by public. This being the case there are not many historical evidences about the history of hung gar. I have done alot of research(still going on) and heard many different stories.

I just like to hear your(anyone on this forum) info and maybe shed some light on the topic. Any info or comment would be great.

Thanks

[Paul Skrypichayko]

The thing about the horse stance is from an article on the history of hung gar, Hong Kong Chinese Martial Arts Association (HKCMAA) Yearbook, 1974 edition (I think it was that year). I think the author of the article was a historian from Guangzhou.

Keep in mind the aims of training were a little different at that time. They didn't use the horse stance for meditational and qigong purposes like some people do. The article mentioned that it came back into favor because of Leung Kwan, and because of their time on the Red Boats.

There is evidence on the history of hung gar, it's just not as clear or as accurate as we would like it.

The name hung gar was only used while they were being hunted down. Years later when it all settled down, the style went back to being called southern shaolin (nam kuen, lin nam kuen sut, etc.). These are the names that LSW calls his style, but he does make one or two allusions to "hung kuen" and "hung ga" in his books. When was that, around 1912?

Only recently did they start to call it hung gar again. My guess is that this came about because of the advent of performance wushu. Maybe the kung fu community didnt want southern shaolin (hung gar) confused with the wushu form, nam kuen (nanquan).

[blade]

Nice info Paul, Thanks

I havent seen that artical in the HKCMAA year book. I would be intrested to hear what else it said about hung gar.

Like u say there are evidence on the history of hung gar, but not very clear. I think some has changed certain facts and tell stories slightly different to promote their lineage of Hung Gar and for other reasons . However i am not concrened with the politics side of the art. i just want to gather as much info as i can about hung gar, its history, masters, theory etc...I dont care how different the stories are,Right now i just want to know what they are.

Thanks

[Constipated Wombat]

An interesting note about Wong Fei Hung and his portrayal by Jet Li in the Once Upon A Time In China films. They always show him as having a hard time with women in the films, when in fact the real Wong Fei Hung had four wives, if memory serves.


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grrrrrrrrrr. grrrrrrrr..
arrrrgggggggggghhhhhhh... grrrrrrrr <PLOP>
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh

[blade]

Hi

Yes you are right about real life Wong Fei Hung had 4 wives.

About films, they are there to entertain the audience. Like i said befor They are made to entertaine, so historical facts and stories are changed to please the audience.
For example in one of the Once Up on a time in china series, can’t remember which one, you see Wong Fei Hungs character played by Jet Li gets into a fight in a theater. The fight in the theater actually took place in real life; if I remember right it was Lok Sin Theater in Canton. At the time the fight broke out Wong Fei Hung was nowhere near it. It was Lam Sai Wing, top student of Wong fei Hung, who was trapped in the theater and had to fight his way out.

I am sure you all know this anyway.


[This message has been edited by blade (edited 07-04-2000).]

[Je Lei Sifu]

Blade;

Just a little fyi. Lam Sai Wing was not Wong Fei Hung's top student, but he is probably the most recognised.

Wong Fei Hung's top student was Leung Foon.

Unfortunately, Leung Foon Died at a young age and I not sure if he had any students at all.

Leung Foon use to visit the local ***** houses and supposed to have died from and STD.

Je Lei Sifu

[Paul Skrypichayko]

Yes, Hung style has had it's share of good guys, and good guys who did bad things. I asked my sifu about Leung Foon, he recalled that he died young, but didnt remember the exact cause. There are a few other hung gar masters who got into trouble like that.

Another amazingly good master was Wong Fei Hung's son. Apparently, he was one of his best. After he was killed by gangsters, Wong Fei Hung refused to train any of his children in martial arts. WFH does have a grandson who teaches in HK, I think his name is Wong So, and I think he may have learned from his grandmother, Mok Gwai Lan.

With that famous theatre incident, there were also Tang Fung, and his younger brother as well (can't remember his name right now).

[Je Lei Sifu]

Paul,

Tang Fung younger brother name was Tang Yee (cantonese) Tang Er (mandarin)


Je Lei Sifu

Peace to you.

[WongFeHung]

Man, this is really a sore spot with me. I am just sooo sick of people saying that Hung Ga uses low stances to maintain balance because of the red boats. If this were so, then how come wing chun doesn't use low stances? Why does Chen Style Taiji use low stances?Eagle Claw? Wah Lum? Bot Gwa? More boats? Not to mention that Hung-red, and Hung meaning great (Surname of the first emperor of the ming dynasty)There are many other styles that utilze low stances none of which came from boats.Oh, and btw, has anyone ever seen an opera boat? They are huge! Do you think that they never docked and these guys were practicing gung-fu while the boat is pitching and rolling in the high seas? (I am picturing Charlie Chaplin in a cheong salm)And How come all the opera doesn't use low stances, HUH? WELLL? Low stances develop POWER, lots of it, it trains the entire body to generate power, it is needed to perform some of Hung ga's takedowns,which when infighting, the practitioner suddenly drops down to perform the takedown.The sinking and floating movements utilize the dropping of the entire body. (whew! thanx, guys I just had to vent. I feel much better now (sigh) [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_cool.gif[/img]

[Tekarius]

Actually I heard that Leung Foon used to fight alot in the streets and got killed that way. But Im not sure tho.

[Je Lei Sifu]

The story I was told of Leung Foon's death, was that he enjoyed visiting the brothels and died of and STD.

How true it is, I don't know.

Peace

Je Lei Sifu [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_cool.gif[/img]

The Southern Fist Subdues The Fierce Mountain Tiger

[doug maverick]

to wombat jet li sucked as wong fei hung for the simple fact is that he showed know hung gar techniques and that ****ed me i think donnie yen would have played a better wong fei hung if you seen iron monkey then yoiu know what i'm talking about. of as for the history of hung gar
try my site:
http://www.geocities.com/tokyo/shrine/1334/hunggar.html

oh and to paul. your knowlegde of kung fu amazes me at times

[Je Lei Sifu]

My personal opion to who would be the best to play WFH in the Once Apon A Time in China series, would have be Hu Jianqiang. He play in the Siu Lum Tze, Children from Siu Lum and Buht Nam Siu Lum movies along with Lei Lin Gi (Jet Li). Is Nan Quan is Awesome.

Peace

Je Lei Sifu [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_cool.gif[/img]

The Southern Fist Subdues The Fierce Mountain Tiger