Foundations in the feet and strong stances;
mastery of balance; forces developed from the ground upwards through the
legs; merged with the internal energies, spirit and breath; directed by the
waist and body position; and focused, expressed and delivered through
powerful blocks, punches, kicks, and other weapons.
Gam Bok Yin |
Hung Gar was developed, and has been
practiced, in the Shaolin temple in China for hundreds of years, emanating
from the Shaolin Monk Gee Sin Sim See who escaped from the Shaolin temple
after its destruction by the Manchu's.
The founder of "Hung Gar Kuen" (literal translation = the Hung family
fighting system) is generally acknowledged as Hung Hei Goon (1745-1825), a
student of the Shaolin Monk Gee Sin Sim See. With its traceable history of
around 300 years, the Hung Gar style has remained one of the most popular
Kung Fu styles of Southern China.
The teaching of the Hung Gar system stresses honesty, integrity, balance in
life, perseverance, health, and the respect of others.
The Hung Gar syllabus aims at developing proficiency in empty-hands,
weapons, and sparring. It emphasizes the harmony of body, mind and spirit,
focusing on health, strength, endurance, concentration, achievement,
confidence and humility.
Hung Gar includes both internal and external methods, and although the
execution of its movements seem to be hard, the style also incorporates both
hard and soft techniques.
The techniques emphasize strong stances, powerful defense, iron-hard punches
and blocks, deceptive hand techniques, power and suppleness. |
In a society conditioned
to scientific analytical thinking, the acquisition of instant knowledge,
expectations of effortless understanding, idolization of economic values,
and immediate gratification, there are still those who can appreciate the
rewards from the journey of learning a traditional art.
Gam Bok
Yin |
| |
Hung Gar has many 'forms', or pre-arranged
fighting patterns that we teach, learn and practice. These incorporate open hands
and weapons, and are an important means of preserving and transmitting
useful fighting tactics as well as conditioning and developing stamina,
fitness, balance, agility, breathing, focus, power, perseverance and
understanding.
However the objective is not to become bound by these 'forms', but to
transcend beyond them and pass beyond the limits of sheer movement and
composition as we inevitably gain insights into ourselves and those that
created the 'forms'.
All great arts, including Hung Gar, transcend the mere rules of their format
and composition.
Gam Bok Yin |
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