Dojo Tribute#4: Hung Gar Kung Fu
Hong Kong martial arts movies have rich histories and cultural backgrounds to draw from. Chinese opera, acrobatics, and of course martial arts are used in the classic Hong Kong kung fu movies to dazzling effect. Over the years, many, many kung fu styles have been portrayed, adapted, and created for cinematic kung fu. The most enduring of the authentic Chinese kung fu styles has arguably been Hung Gar. This wonderful style has been featured in countless movies (and TV shows) since Kwan Tak Hing’s Wong Fei Hong serials and reached its apex of movie use throughout the 1970’s and early 1980’s kung fu boom. Hung Gar Kuen’s wide stances, long arm boxing, short bridge arm boxing, weapons sets, and it’s trademark animal forms; Hung Gar Kuen has dazzled and amazed!
In the hands of Hung Gar Kuen Master and kung fu choreography king the late Lau Kar Leung we have been treated to both its beauty and deadly fury. Hung Gar Kuen has pranced across millions of theater and TV screens throughout the years. One of the most impressive performances of Hung Gar Kuen comes at the beginning of “Butcher Wing” and features Sifu Lam Jun Fai. Lam Sifu demonstrates the power and precision of Hung Gar and it’s no wonder why it is one of the most popular Southern Chinese martial arts. As a kid, I can remember trying to imitate the movements of Tiger-Crane and the Iron Wire form presented by Gordon Liu in the opening of the 36th Chamber of Shaolin!
To all Hung Gar Kuen practicioners, especially, those Sifu, actors, stuntmen, and martial arts directors who have used Hung Gar Kuen as the basis for their movies the dojo says: “Thank You!”
Special Thanks to the following Hung Gar Masters:
Great Grandmaster Wong Fei Hung
Great Grandmaster Lam Sai Wing
Grandmaster Lau Kar Leung
Grandmaster Chiu Chi Ling
Master Frank Yee
Master Bucksam Kong
Master Lam Jun Fai
(just to name a few)
Selected Hung Gar Filmography ( not an exhaustive list)
Budo Wing
Challenge Of the Masters
Martial Club
Executioners from Shaolin
Heroes Two
Magnificent Butcher
Iron Fisted Monk
Way of the Warrior (BBC documentary series) episode 3
for more information on the practical, historical, and martial aspects of Hung Gar Kuen please visit the following websites:
http://hung-gar-kung-fu.netfirms.com/
http://practicalhungkyun.com/#_
http://www.quandoman.com/
http://hungkuenbooks.com/
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUn0cpqRGig&w=420&h=315]
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxaPEm0xShQ&w=560&h=315]