The history surrounding the fighting arts in and around China is extremely vague. This is mostly due to hiding the arts from the Manchu’s during their rule over the Chinese. I have read a number of accounts and stories about the development of Kung Fu and although there are many similarities there are also are a great number of contradictions. I am not telling you that this is “THE” true account of Kung Fu’s history but rather a gathering of terms and events that bring us out of the darker ages. More historical notes will be included in future lessons.
Lau Gar Kuen (Lau Family Boxing)
Lau Gar Kuen is derived from a form of boxing practiced at Kuei Ling Temple situated in Kong Sai Province in west China. It was learned from a monk on retreat from that temple by the master Lau Sam Ngan or “Three Eyed Lau”, a tiger hunter, whom is honoured as founder of the style. The style subsequently became popular over a large part of South West China.
It is said that Lau Sam Ngan was taught by the Shaolin Abbott Gee Sin Sim See, who was the same man who taught Hung hei Goon, the founder of Hung Gar Kuen.
The similarities between Hung Gar and Lau Gar are many, even today after several hundred years of evolution. So begs the question ‘Were they more or less the same art when originally taught by the Shaolin Abbott’?
As there is no evidence that the Two founders of the separate styles were classmates under the Abbott Gee Sim, the differences in the Two arts might have simply come about due to the ever-evolving stages that all martial arts teachers go through during the course of their careers. As no clear picture will ever be painted of the actual history and events, all is left is to take the facts.
Lau Gar Kuen was openly practiced to quite a large extent in Kwantung province during the Ching dynasty (1644 – 1911). As it was becoming more of a popular Southern system, it shares many characteristics such as short bridges (close range combat) and higher stances than the Northern Kung fu Systems. People have referred to Lau Gar Kuen as a slightly longer range Wing Chun (Wing Chun is famous for it’s short bridges and efficiency in close quarter combat).
The ‘Cat Stance’ is the preferred standing posture for Lau Gar Kuen practitioners, as it develops the ability to root to the ground (channel energy) from the single standing leg. As well as requiring better balance it also encourages short snappy front kicks from the unweighted front leg.
It is believed that Lai Ng Sam introduced Lau Gar Kuen into our line of Hung Gar whilst travelling through Southern China with his teacher Hung Yat Siu who was a herbalist, and it was from him that Lai Ng Sam learned his Kung Fu.
Hung Yat Siu spent many years fighting the Japanese, living in various temples as part of a Guerrilla movement. After his fighting days, Hung became a monk and due to his deteriorating eyesight, he sent his students to near by Kung Fu schools to broaden there knowledge of the arts, and it is here that our lineage adopt the various Lau Gar Kuen forms.