Introductory elements of the Hung Gar Kung Fu ¬

The HUNG GAR (or HUNG GA or HUNG KUEN) belongs to one of the Kung Fu branches, the one under the name NAAM KUEN (or NAN QUAN).   The root of this style were born in the Shaolin temple (Honan first and Gwangdong after the destruction of the first one). Traditionally we think that the first Master in this style is Hung Hei Gwoon student of Abbot Ji Sin. After Hung Hei Gwoon many great master follow his teachings: Luk Ah Choi, Wong Tai, Wong Kay Ying and Tit Kiu Sam. But the most famous master that we can remember, thanks also to the ig number of film dedicated to him, is without dubt Wong Fei Hung (see the picture on the left). With him, the modern history of Hung Gar has began.  You can read more about the famous masters of the Hung Gar inside our page dedicated to the historical master of the Hung Gar Kuen. Nowadays the Hung Ga is considered the "Keeper" of the Siu Lam Temple's ancient boxing, because it has kept the original training, both for the fighting space and for the healty exercises, made to better the QI's control. In the Hung Ga is preferred the use of the arms; the techniques are very powerful, with stable positions. Usually kicks are not higher than the groin.   Also the so called bridge's techniques are very important. With this name are mentioned all the locking techniques which contemporary turn out as attack ones (see the side picture where Master Lam Cheung Ping is demostrating bridge's techniques at the wooden dummy).   There are different kind of training made to improve the bodily strengh. The best well-know are the exercise of the three stars and the exercise with the "wood dummy" (on the left GM Chiu Chi Ling and Sifu Sergio Martone perform a tipical hard Hung Gar excercise) . Also lot of forms, both with weapons or nacked hands, are handed on during the practice of the Hung Ga style. These forms, then, could be carried out by one or two people. The training's plan changes among the different schools. (below Grand Master Mok Kwei Lan, last wife of Wong Fei Hung, performing for Hong Kong Television - Real Kung Fu, Nr. 12, Vol. 1, 1976)