Jow Ga kung fu (; also romanized as Jow Ga Kuen) is a form of Chinese martial art. It was founded by Jow Lung, who was born in 1891, on the eleventh day of the third lunar month (April 16, 1891) in Sa Fu Village, Guangdong province, and died in 1919. His father was Jow Fong Hoy and his mother’s maiden name was Li. At the time of its inception, this particular style of kung fu was labeled as having the head of Hung Gar, the tail of Choy Gar and the patterns of the tiger and leopard, or simply Hung Tao Choy Mei. It was so labeled because the essential techniques incorporated the muscular and mighty movements of Hung Gar and the swift footwork and complex kicking of Choy Gar, making it a very effective form of self defense with emphasis on simultaneous attack and defense.
History
Beginnings in southern China The founder of the system was Jow Lung (周龍), who was born in 1891 in Hsin-Hui Sheng Sha Fu village in the Canton province of China. Jow Lung starting learning Hung Gar at an early age from his uncle, Jow Hung Hei (周雄喜), who was a student of Wong Kei Ying and who taught Jow Lung and his brothers Jow Hip, Jow Biu, Jow Hoy and, Jow Tin Nam Siu Lam Hung Gar. Jow Lung's training began with basic stances and steps. Regardless of age, those who practice Hung Gar suffer most during basic stance and step training. Jow Lung never complained about the training and his uncle took a special liking to him. One day Jow Hung told Jow Lung that he didn't think he would live much longer due to an old illness. Jow Hung told Jow Lung that he knew a unique set of bagua staff techniques that he wanted to pass on to Jow Lung before he died. Uncle Hung told Jow Lung that his kung fu technique had come to the point that if he learned the bagua staff techniques, he would be one of the best in the martial arts field. Within one month, Jow Lung learned the bagua staff techniques. Shortly after, his Uncle Jow Hung died. After the death of his uncle, Jow Lung followed Master Choy Gar Gung (蔡九公) / Choy Kau (Chi Ching Tsai Kong) and learned Choy Ga (蔡家) kung fu. It took Jow Lung only a few years to master Choy Ga kung fu because of his basic training in Hung Gar kung fu. Constantly exploring the strong points of each style with his brothers (Hung Ga's Steady Power and Penetrating Strikes and Choy Ga's Fast Changes and Fluid Footwork), they came up with the name Hung Tao Choy Mei (洪頭蔡尾; lit. 'Hung's Head and Choy's Tail').
Jow Lung's travels in Southeast Asia At the age of 18, Jow Lung had a difficult time finding a job in his hometown, so he traveled to Malaysia (Singapore and Malaysia being one country at that time). In 1910, Jow Lung and many others went to find work as miners in Kuala Lumpur. The bosses, who were described as gangsters, would often beat the workers. One day Jow Lung got into a fight with one of his bosses and fatally wounded him. Jow Lung fled to the mountains and found a temple named Gi Leu (Kek Lok Si in some accounts). Because he hadn't eaten for many days and was exhausted, he asked an apprentice at the temple for help. The master of the temple, Chian Yi (or Hong Yi), agreed to provide shelter for Jow Lung in the temple. Chian knew that Jow Lung had natural talent in kung fu from the moment he saw him. Chian Yi taught Jow Lung Northern Shaolin kung fu that he himself had learned in Henan Province, with some elements of Ng Ying kung fu (Chinese: 五形功夫) or Five Animal Kung Fu. The Abbot encouraged Jow Lung to combine all 3 of the kung fu systems he had mastered into a single style. Jow Lung stayed in the monastery for over three years before achieving this goal. After returning home he instructed his brothers in the new style.
One day Master Chian Yi called Jow Lung and told him, "I have passed on to you the Northern Shaolin martial arts and medicine, and now your skills are good enough to hold a special place in the martial arts field." Master Chian Yi then ordered Jow Lung to leave the temple. When Jow Lung went back to Kuala Lumpur, he felt like centuries had gone by, but he never stopped practicing kung fu. From continuous practice, Jow Lung realized the uniqueness of the three styles of kung fu he learned and decided to combine them into one, thereby developing Jow Ga kung fu. Jow Lung felt that he would not be able to spread his family's kung fu in Kuala Lumpur, so he went back to his hometown in China.
Acceptance in Canton and death of Jow Lung In 1915 General Lee Fook Lam of Canton needed a chief trainer for his army. He issued an open invitation for anyone interested to compete in an elimination tournament. Out of 100 applicants only Jow Lung defeated all his opponents and was then appointed to the position. Jow Lung sent for his brothers to assist with the training of the soldiers.
In four years they taught and steadily refined the teaching methods and material into a new system, which they decided to call "Jow Ga Style". Due to the system's effectiveness and the fame of their fighting abilities, the brothers were honored with the title "Five Tigers of Jow Ga" (周龍五虎傳).
In 1919 Jow Lung, due to exhaustion from teaching and promoting the Jow Ga Style, died at the age of only 29 from pneumonia.
New leadership and continued growth After the death of Jow Lung the family met and elected Jow Biu to assume leadership of the system. Jow Biu resigned his position with the army and began promoting the Jow Ga system of kung fu. In 1936 the first school was established in Kowloon, Hong Kong. The Hong Kong school produced several notable masters, among them Chan Man Cheung, Lui Chu Shek, Wong Kun Leung, Lee Ngau. Jow Tin and Jow Hip also came down to Hong Kong to teach; many of their disciples are still teaching in Hong Kong. Within one year Jow Biu had established fourteen Jow Ga schools throughout China and within a few years the number had grown to more than eighty.
General style
Influences Jow Ga (Ga means "family") is a system of traditional kung fu that was developed from four Shaolin systems: namely, Hung Ga, Choy Gar, Northern Shaolin kung fu and Southern Ng Ying Kuen (learned in Malaysia alongside Buksillum thereby leading to its contribution to the syncretic development of Jow Ga—that Ng Ying Kuen Training was comparable to Hung Ga's Ng Ying Kuen Form that itself originally came into Hung Ga from contact with a version of the Ng Ying Style). Jow Ga is known as Hung Tao Choy Mei because the system incorporated Hung Ga kung fu's powerful upper body techniques and Choy Ga kung fu's swift footwork and complex kicking techniques from Northern Shaolin kung fu. Hung Ga kung fu is a southern style that was developed for close-to-medium range defense. This style emphasizes low stances and is especially known for its low horse stance. Kicks are generally low and hand techniques are powerful and direct, using the strong stances to deliver formidable blows, namely, a tremendous thrust punch. This style also includes the five animal techniques of the leopard, dragon, tiger, crane, and snake. This style primarily uses the tiger and crane, hard and soft animal techniques from its Shaolin origins. Hung means to stand tall with integrity. Choy Gar kung fu is also a southern style that emphasizes long reaching hands and wide horse stances.
Forms There are over twenty traditional hand forms, including tiger-crane, tiger-leopard, and the famous five animal form. The "hang fist", "throw punch", "upper cuts", "hammer back fist", "downward whipping punch", and "jab punch" are some typical and effective techniques of the system. This system is an aggressive system that emphasizes long range techniques and blitz attacks. The power is generated from the hips in a rotating fashion. Elusive footwork is also prominent in this system, as are grappling, throwing, and high and low kicks. Intercepting and jamming are favorite techniques. Northern Shaolin kung fu originated from the Shaolin temple that resided in Northern China before its destruction. The present system of Northern Shaolin kung fu specializes in long-range fighting techniques. This system maintains that kicks are more effective than hand movements because the legs are longer than the arms, thereby keeping the opponent further away. Low stances are not emphasized as they reduce mobility. This style requires constant mobility to be effective. Jow Ga utilizes these three systems combined into one. To defend, one would use strong low stances and hold one's ground or may rely upon evasive tactics. To attack, the Jow Ga practitioner can rely on Choy Gar long-reaching arm techniuques combined with Northern Shaolin kung fu kicks and mobility. This system is suitable for all body types and can tailored to each individual. The student can master techniques most suited to him or her. This style requires hard work and discipline and is physically demanding.
Training includes an internal breathing form called Iron Wire Fist, which is used to strengthen muscles, organs, and bones. Additionally, there are over eighteen weapons sets, including batons, the staff, spear, three-sectional staff, wind sword, whip chain, and double-edged straight sword. Straight sword is the most revered and respected because its use demands total knowledge to master.
Lion dance The Jow Ga Style is famous for its lion dance, which can be seen in numerous performances displayed at various important ceremonies by lion dancing teams, primarily Chinese New Year, Moon Festival, weddings, and government functions. The style has also become the traditional drumming style of many Vietnamese lion dance groups, which is mistakenly called trống Phật Sơn (Foshan drumming) in Vietnam, because Jow Ga and Foshan (佛山) are two completely different lion dance styles. In Vietnam Jow Ga is famous among both the Cantonese and Teochew people.
Hand forms
Primary (core Jow Ga forms) Siu Fook Fu Kuen – Small Tiger (小伏虎拳)The oldest and foundational form of Jow-Ga, teaching the primary fundamental techniques that are essential in order to master the system. Almost all the stances and the majority of techniques are contained here. Hung Gar origins are obvious.
Dai Fook Fu Kuen – Big Tiger (大伏虎拳)An advanced form used to practise strong stances. Usually a number of movements are done in one stance before moving. The first part (the longer part of the form) trains some Chi Kung and also the Kiu (Bridge, 橋) representing Hung Gar. The second part of the form is much shorter and consists of rapid movements, representing Choy Gar. This form emphasizes the gist of the style known as Hung Tao, Choy Mei.
Chai Jong Kuen – Wooden Post Fist (柴樁拳)One of the more powerful forms, known for its constant power movements and its utilisation of the "shadowless kick". It favours the use of the leopard technique (or leopard fist; a flatter fist, utilising the knuckles to strike the softer areas of the body), and incorporates some Chi Kung exercises in the opening sequence. Note, this form is often confused with the Siu Hung Kuen (Small Hung Fist) form listed below. Between the two, this form is longer and contains more techniques that are more aggressive offensively.
Man Gee Kuen – 10,000 Fist (萬字拳)A form that literally is "The head of Hung, and tail of Choy". This form starts off at a slower pace with many Hung Gar movements, as the form progresses the pace speeds up because of the use of rapid stance-changing as in Choy Gar. It is quite a long form and trains some Chi Kung and endurance as well. It also has the Biu Gwa Jong (標掛撞) technique, which is 3 movements performed consecutively.