Hung Gar Kung Fu masters

Most of the information about the lives of Hung Gar Masters comes from oral transmission from generation to generation, which over time turned into legends. Therefore, it is very difficult to talk about indisputable facts about their lives and activities. Some information is repeated many times in various sources, including oral accounts of the Hung Gar masters themselves. Throughout the years, this knowledge has been carefully collected and passed on to their students along with the entire Hung Gar system, so it can be assumed that these messages are the most reliable.

Hung Hee Gung

Hung Hee Gung (Hung Hei Goon / Hung Hei Guan) (1745-1825) real name was Jyu, he was a descendant of Prince Ming Leung of the Ming Dynasty. The reign of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) was ended by the Manchus who conquered all of China and established the Ching Dynasty. The Manchu people exploited the people China, which was the cause of difficult life and discontent. As a result, numerous organizations were created with the aim of removing the Manchurian dynasty from China.

Due to his origins, Jyu joined the rebellion and when he was in danger, he went to the Southern Shaolin Monastery, where many rebels were hiding from the Manchu authorities. Jyu changed his name to Hung Hai Kwun - in honor of the first Ming emperor, who reigned under the name "Hungmou". At Shaolin Monastery, Hung became a student of the prior of the temple, Chee Shin. From him Hung learned the tiger style and Lohan style and the Fok Fu Kuen form. In those years, the Shaolin Monastery (around 1768) and Hung were destroyed and some of the rebels survived the attack on the temples. After the monastery was destroyed, Hung withdrew from the rebellion and married Lau Ying Cheun, who bore him a son, Hung Manding. During this time, Hung, working as a tea merchant, perfected his style. A few years later his wife died. Hung joined the rebellion again, at this time he met his future wife Fong Wing Chung, a master of the white crane style, from her Hung learned crane techniques, which he later incorporated into his style. Through meetings and mutual learning with other Kung fu masters, Hung learned the techniques of the other animals and the techniques of the five elements. Thanks to this, Hung's style became more perfect, and Hung himself became a better fighter. Thanks to his skills, Hung defeated many enemies, which earned him fame and respect. Continuing his efforts to overthrow the Manchurian dynasty, Hung traveled the barges of a Chinese opera troupe on the Pearl River - known as the "Red Boats". They were a refuge for the rebels and at the same time a place of training.

Luk Ah Choy

Luk Ah Choy he was a student of Prior Gee Sin Sim See at the same time as Hung Hei Goon. He was a descendant of the Manchus and made a great contribution to the spread of the Hung Gar system. Some sources say that Luk Ah Choy started learning Kung Fu as a young boy with master Li Bakfu, who taught him the northern FA Kuen system, and Luk Ah Choy became an expert in this system. Under the Gee Sin master, Luk Ah Choy trained for a long time. According to one story, when Abbot Gee Sin heard about Hung's school, he sent Luk Ah Choy there to develop his skills at Hung Gar and to help Hung run the school. Hunga School was at that time one of the most famous Kung Fu schools in South China. Hung passed on all his knowledge to Luk Ah Choy, including the Fu Hok Seung Ying Kuen form that he created himself. Luk Ach Choy has become an expert in the Hung Gar system. Hung sent him to Canton Province. According to some sources, he opened a school and taught all comers. Luk Ah Choy's best student was Wong Tai, who mastered the whole system under his Si Fu and became a master. Since then, the tradition and science of the system has been passed down in the Wong family for three generations. Luk Ach Choy probably died at the age of 68.

Tit Kiu Sam

Tit Kiu Sam was born during the reign of Emperor Jai Jing (1796-1821), lived during the reign of Emperors Xian Feng and Tong Zhi, died in the twelfth or thirteenth year of Emperor Guang Xu (1887 or 1888). He lived 70 years, was an opium smoker and died from overtraining. "Tit Kiu" - in translation means "iron bridge", and "Sam" - the third son in the family. Tik Kiu Sam - learned several kung fu styles, traveled around China in search of new teachers. In this way, he learned the lion's cry, old Siu Lam Hugn Kuen (based on 10 animals and five Chinese boxing ancestors) and Taoist Chi Kung. Based on his knowledge, he created Tit Sin Chi Kuen (around 1850), in which he combined 12 Kiu Sau and Taoist Chi Kung, it improved health and made forearms hard as iron. In later years, the form was added to the Hung Gar system where it became the most advanced form.

Wong Tai

Wong Tai started kung fu training at an early age. When Luk Ah Choy came to Guangzhou, Wong Tai came to him to study the famous Hung Gar style. Luk Ah Choy accepted him as an apprentice, passed on to him all his knowledge. Some sources say that Wong Tai also studied with Hung Hei Goon. Wong Tai passed on his knowledge to the son of the famous Wong Kei Ying, who also studied with his father, Luk Ah Choy. There are not many documents that describe the life of Master Wong Tai. His name is often overshadowed by his famous grandson, the legendary hero Wong Fei Hung, and is sometimes omitted from the Hung Gar system. The Hung Gar style was passed down in the Wong family for three generations from father to son.

Wong Kei Ying

Wong Kei Ying he was the son of Wong Tai and the father of the famous master and hero Wong Fei Hung. It is said that he was born in Nam Hoi, which is part of the Kwungtung Province. Wong Kei Ying was well known not only for his martial arts skills but also for his medical knowledge. Over time, his name remained in the shadow of his famous son, however, he was widely known and respected as one of the best warriors of his time. He was one of the Ten Kwungtung Tigers. Wong Kei Ying began training at an early age with his father, Wong Tai, and in later years also studied with Luk Ah Choy. After many years of hard, dedicated training, he opened his kung fu school and the Dit Da clinic in Kwungtung. Despite his great skills at Hung Gar, Wong Kei Ying was not satisfied with this and was constantly looking for other Hung Gar practitioners to better understand the style and take his skills to an even higher level. This was made possible by his numerous journeys, which he took as a doctor of traditional Chinese medicine, in search of herbs for his clinic. His son Wong Fei Hung traveled with him. During their travels, they met many martial arts masters, which allowed them to train and exchange skills with the best kung fu masters of the time. During one of such trips, they helped a famous fighter who injured one of the viewers during the show. They dressed his wounds. This warrior was Lam Fook Sing, who was the best student of the famous master Tid Kiu Sam (Leung Gwan). In gratitude for their help, he taught them the famous internal Hung Gar form "Tid Sin Kuen".

Wong Fei Hung

Wong Fei Hung he was the most famous of the Hung Gar masters, and he was held in high esteem. Wong Fei Hung became famous for his masterful performance of the Lion dance and a wonderful personality characterized by honesty and integrity. Wong Fei Hung was born in Sai Chiu Village, Kwantung Province, in 1847. He died in 1924 at the age of 77. His father was Wong Keiyng - who was one of the top ten South China warriors known as the "Ten Kwantung Tigers". Wong learned Kung fu from his father, later he was a student of Lam Fok Shing - the master of the Hung Gar system, whose teacher was Tik Kiu Sam. From him, Wong learned the old form of Ng Ying Kuen and the old Sap Ying Kuen (both were created by Hung Hai Huna) and Tit Sin Kuen (which was created by Tik Kiu Sam). Wong Fei Hung incorporated the Tit Sin Kuen form into the system without any changes, created the Fu Hok Seung Ying Kuen form based on the old Ng Ying Kuen form and the old Sap Ying Kuen form, from which he took 10 crane techniques and 10 tiger techniques. Based on the old form Ng Ying Kuen and the old Sap Ying Kuen and Tit Sin Kuen, he modified the forms Ng Ying Kuen and Sap Ying Kuen. These forms included dragon techniques as part of Tit Sin Kuen and tiger and crane techniques derived from Fu Hok Seung Ying Kuen. He also joined the forms Lau Gar Kuen (Lau family form), Miu Fa Kuen (plum blossom form), Wu Tip Kuen (Butterfly palm form), Sap Tok Sau Kuen, Fu Pao Kuen (tiger and leopard form), which provided preparation for study four major forms. This is how Wong systematized the style - that's why he is called the father of the modern Hung Gar. His disciples were Lam Sai Wing and Tang Fung.

Lam Sai Wing

Lam Sai Wing was born in 1861 and died in 1942. In his youth he learned kung fu from his father, trained very hard, thanks to which he became a master of the family style. Later he studied with such famous masters as Ng Cheun and Wong Fei Hung. He became famous at the age of 20, opening his school in Kwantung, with more than 10,000 students. In the last years of the Ching Dynasty, a tournament was organized in which Lam Sai Wing took first place, and as a result he became more famous than the city of Kwantung itself. Si Fu Lam Sai Wing has made Hung Gar one of the most famous and common styles in Kwantung and Hong Kong. At the beginning of the 20th century, together with one of his students, he published three books describing the forms of Kung Chi Fok Fu Kuen, Fu Hok Seung Ying Kuen, and Tit Sin Kuen - these items are constantly being reprinted. Lam Sai Wing joined the Ching Wu Association, which was established in 1909. He became the head of the Hung Gar line in Hong Kong. Through Ching Wu, many masters exchanged views and knowledge. At that time, the basic learning program independent of the style was also created.

Chiu Kao

Chiu Kao was born in 1895 in Sam Kong in the Kwangtung Province in the south of China. Chiu Kow came from a poor family, he lived in his home village until he was 12. At the age of 12, he left his native village in search of work. At first he went to Malaysia with his uncle, where he worked as a miner. It was a very dangerous job in difficult conditions. Chinese workers were mistreated and often beaten. The life of young Chiu Kow was hard. The next places he visited were Indonesia and Singapore. In Singapore, Chiu Kow saw a fight between Leng Jai Yuk (Wong Yuk), the Hung Gar master, and Ha Shan Fu, the master of another style. Many people watched the fight. The duel did not last long, the master Leng Jai Yuk (Wong Yuk) defeated his opponent with one stroke. Chiu Kow, impressed by the master's great skills, began training Hung Gar Kung Fu under the supervision of master Leng Jai Yuk (Wong Yuk). After many years of work abroad, Chiu Kow returned to his home village in China.

During this period, he met and married Wong. Wong took the new name of Siu Ying. She started learning kung fu from her husband. The couple moved to Hong Kong, where they continued kung fu training at Lam Sai Wing National Art Associattion, and also practiced at Lam Sai Wing National Art Associattion, Kowloon branch. After many years of training, Chiu Kow opened his Hung Gar school in Hong Kong in 1935, where he and his wife taught Hung Gar style to all comers. In 1941, during the Japanese invasion of Hong Kong, they closed their school and moved to Kwantung Province, where they conducted their medical practice. After the end of the Japanese occupation, they returned to Hong Kong and reopened Hung Gar School.

Chiu Kow and his wife, in addition to running the Dit-Da Clinic and the (Kwon) school, took part in many competitions and kung fu shows in Hong Kong. They were very famous and respected people in Hong Kong. Chiu Kow and Siu Ying had five children, each of them studied kung fu. Chiu Kow died on February 20, 1995, leaving a legacy behind his family. His two sons, Chiu Wai and Chiu Chi Ling, share their knowledge and teach Hung Gar Kung Fu to the next generation around the world.

Chiu Wai

Chiu Wai was born in 1931 in Hong Kong, China. At the age of 7, he began learning traditional Hung Gar Kung Fu from his father Chiu Kao. Master Chiu Kao (1885-1995) and his wife Siu Ying (1904-2002) were students of Master Lam Sai Wing (1861-1942). Master Lam was one of the best students of Master Wong Fei Hung (1850-1933).

In his youth, Master Chiu Wai was an assistant to his father in his Hung Kuen school and dit-da clinic. He opened his own school in 1957, and since then several hundred students have studied at his school. Many of the master's students emigrated to Australia, Europe and North America, where they taught Hung Gar. Master Chiu Wai is also a recognized doctor, he has been treating patients in his dit-da clinic all his life in parallel to teaching martial arts. In the seventies, he was asked to teach Hung Gar to Hong Kong movie stars at the Show Film Studio in Sai Kung. Master Chiu Wai has run the Hung Gar School for over 50 years. In 1993 he retired. After retiring, he moved to Canada. He lives in Canada in the province of Alberta. He is a member of the Calgary Chinese Eldery Citizen's Association, is constantly active, constantly trains and teaches Hung Gar at the Calgary Chinatown Senior's Center.

Master Chiu Wai was followed by his two sons: the older Ambrose Kwok Keung Chiu and the younger Dennis Kwok Kei Chiu. Both sons run their own dit-da clinics and are well-known and respected Hung Gar masters.

Master Chiu Wai has competed in many traditional Chinese martial arts tournaments:

1957, 1958, 1959 – 1st place in the Chinese martial arts tournament in Guangdong.
1979 – 1st place in the Southern Chinese Martial Arts Tournament in Nanning, Guangxi.
1980 – 1st place in the Southern Chinese Martial Arts Tournament in Taiyuan, Shanxi.
1985 – 2nd place in the southern Chinese martial arts tournament,
1985 – 1st place in the International Chinese Martial Arts Tournament in Xian, Shaanxi,
1986 – 1st place in the Chinese martial arts tournament,
1986 – 2nd place in the International Chinese Martial Arts Tournament in Tianjin.

On April 4, 2023, Master Chiu Wai passed away, in Calgary - Canada.

Ambrose Kwok Keung Chiu

Ambrose Kwok Keung Chiu was born in Hong Kong in 1957. Hung Gar trainings will start with a child in his father's home Kwon, Master Chiu Wai's. Parallel to learning martial arts, master Ambrose learned the secrets of traditional Chinese medicine, passed down in the family from generation to generation. After graduating from high school in 1976, he went to study in Toronto, Canada. After graduating in 1982, he returned to Hong Kong. After returning to his native Hong Kong, the master worked as an assistant to his father in his dit-da clinic.

In addition, he learned acupressure from one of the best doctors in Shanghai. This knowledge is a good addition to the skills Master Ambrose learned from his father Master Chiu Wai. In 1985 he started his own medical practice in Hong Kong. In 1997, he moved to Calgary, Canada. Where is the Recommended Physician in the "Calgary Chinese Eldery Citizen's Association and Calgary Vietnam Chinese Association."

Following in his father's footsteps, Master Ambrose Chiu trains and teaches Hung Gar Kuen in Calgary, Canada.

Marcin Jóźwiak

Marcin Jóźwiak the founder and person running the school of Chinese martial arts - ACADEMY OF TRADITIONAL HUNG GAR KUNG FU. He has been training the Hung Gar Kuen system since 1990. Participant and organizer of many camps and training seminars. He took part in many traditional and sports tournaments many times, taking high places. He constantly improves his skills and deepens his knowledge under the supervision of masters Chiu Kwok Keung and Chiu Wai. In 2001, he ended his professional career, fully concentrating on teaching the Hung Gar Kung Fu system and transferring the principles and attitudes passed down by generations of masters - promoting the ideas of Hung Gar Kung Fu.

Si Fu Marcin Jóźwiak received the master's degree in the Hung Gar Kung Fu style from the masters: Ambrose Kwok Keung Chiu and Chiu Wai. This is confirmed by a certificate issued and signed by both masters.

Si Fu has knowledge in the field of Traditional Chinese Medicine - it is confirmed by the Institute's certificate Improvement Professional in this regard.

Has press and TV publications on traditional Chinese medicine and Chinese martial arts, including:
– in the monthly martial arts "Samurai",
– hosted a series of training programs Hung Gar Kung Fu on TVN Turbo in the program Rules of Fight,
– publications on websites devoted to martial arts.

Over the years of running the Academy, he raised many masters, adepts and assistants, who currently they represent Hung Gar Kuen's style and lines. By sharing your knowledge with others generations of students.