Hung Gar Kung Fu
A brief history
Hung Gar style kung fu was first developed by Hung Hei-gun, or Hung Hsi-kuan (1745—1825), a student of Shaolin Temple abbot Jee-sin. The roots of Shaolin kung fu can be traced back thousands of years. The art evolved over time to suit different needs, from meditation and physical fitness with the Shaolin monks, to defense against invaders. Hung Gar was developed from the Shaolin tradition to priovide self-defense training for the crowded streets and narrow alleys in the cities of southern China. It is a practical and time tested style of martial arts, as relevant for modern city streets as it was hundreds of years ago.
Hung Hei-gun was not a monk, but a "lay" student of Abbot Jee-sin; a student of Southern Shaolin martial arts who is not ordained as a monk. Abbot Jee-sin taught the founders of the five major family styles of Southern Chinese martial arts: Hung Gar, Lau Gar, Choi Gar, Lei Gar and Mok Gar. "Gar" means family.
Abbot Jee-sin and Hung Hei-gun lived during a time of unrest and rebellion. The Qing conquest of southern China lasted for generations and created hardship and oppression among the Ming people. The Shaolin monasteries had become a refuge for many who fought against the Qing, and Shaolin monks began teaching non-monks their arts so that they could defend themselves from invading forces. This made Shaolin an enemy of the ruling government, and because of political conflict their temples were burned and the monks had to flee. Anyone associated with Shaolin was hunted down and often killed. Many survived and continued to teach the arts of Shaolin, including Hung Hei-Gun.
For many years Hung Gar (and other styles of kung fu) had to be practiced secretly, but despite invasions, wars and political revolutions it has endured for centuries until this day. Hung Gar is currently taught all over the world. Its balance of both soft internal and hard external training develops well rounded and versatile skills, and has stood the test of centuries.
Hung Gar can be seen in many contemporary action films, and was made famous by the legendary actor, director, fight choreographer and martial artist, Lau Kar Leung (1934 - 2013). Some famous films that include Hung Gar style fight choreography include the 36th Chamber of Shaolin, Martial Club, Challenge of the Masters and many other films by the Shaw Brothers.
To learn more about the history of Hung Gar Kung Fu, its origins and legends, or the history of Shaolin Kung Fu, please visit any of these sites:
