The name is often used to refer to Shaolin Lo Han Kung Fu, first developed from ‘Shaolin Eighteen Lo Han Hands’. Centuries later, it further developed in the south of China by many non-monk masters. There are many theories of its development...
· Curriculum of old style (Northern Shaolin) brought to the Southern Shaolin Temple, by Gee Sim
· Gee Sim’s student, Hung Hei Gung taught a Shaolin monk named Loy Yuen who was a possible founder of this style
· It was an ancient style practised by the most religious monks, who for ethical reasons studied a system that was not just for fighting and killing ability
· Possibly, it is a much older style than the Hung Gar system
· Developed during the 17th century Ming Dynasty, five monks from the Southern Shaolin Temple, who mastered the five family styles then created Fut Gar. The best techniques from each of these styles were taken to create a new hybrid, which would become the new standard curriculum for the temple. Thus, Fut Gar is sometimes called by another name, Ng Dai Gar, which means 'Five Great Families'
It was this fail boy, Hue Lung Gong, who is responsible for spreading this system throughout Southern China. His master’s nephew, Leong Tien Chiu, who was already an accomplished martial artist, of over 25 years, discovered that his uncle was teaching in Wong-Nam, and set out to find him. When he arrived, he found that his uncle (now over 80 years of age) had recently died. Hue Lung Gong decided to teach his masters relative to show his appreciation. Tien Chiu completed his training at age 40 and returned home to his native province of Guang Xi, and later created two of his own styles, which his disciples later passed on called Fut Gar Kuen (Buddhist Fist Boxing), and another system called Sae Ying Diu Sao (Snake Form Mongoose Hands). Shortly thereafter, after having placed first in the free-sparring competition at the national tournament for ranking kung fu masters throughout China in 1928, he went from province to province teaching his art of Fut Gar.
The further development and proliferation of the system is credited to Ching Cho Wo Seung (a.k.a. Choy Fook, and Ng Wo Seung) who was a disciple of an abbot of the Shaolin Temple. He was now living on Bak Pai Shan, Gong Xi province. Chan Heung (founder of Choy-Li Fut) sent his student, Cheung Yim, to learn Fut Gar. Cheung Yim left to train under Ching Cho Wor Seung and spent the next decade training in both the martial arts and medicine. At the end of his training, Ching Cho Wor Seung gave Cheung Yim another name, and from then on, he was to be known as Cheung Hung Sing.
There are not many schools of this style remaining today, with known centres in Hawaii and New Zealand as an exception. The art of Fut Gar was taught only within China for nearly 300 years after its creation. In 1933, one modern master Lum Dai Yong (a.k.a. Lum Tai-Yong) of Northern China accepted an invitation to teach students at the first Chinese martial arts school ever located outside the country. The school, Jimg Moo Chinese Physical Culture Association, had been established in Honolulu, Hawaii, earlier that year. It was here that this style of Fut Gar was first introduced outside of its native land.
Born in 1895, Lum Dai Yong was a Daoist priest raised and educated in the Shaolin monastery where his father taught and resided. Although only small, he became an expert martial artist, skilled enough to be a personal bodyguard for the Chinese revolutionary Sun Yat Sen. He was also well versed in growing and use of Chinese herbs. In 1941, Lum opened his own martial arts school, naming the Gee Yung [Go forth: be courageous] at the Chinese Physical Culture Association, which taught the Fut Gar style exclusively.
One of Lum's students joined Jing Moo in 1937. Although a severe asthmatic, lacking in self-esteem, seven-year-old Arthur Yau Sung Lee would become Lum's prize pupil. Upon Lum death in 1957, the Gee Yung Chinese Physical Culture Association was passed on to Lee.
The current grandmaster of the style is Grandmaster Chen, acknowledged the only person that knows the entire Fut Gar System.
Fut Gar's fundamental principle is based on the idea that the velocity of the blow and the practitioner's foundation generates one's ultimate striking power. With a solid foundation through the horse stance, produces the highest degree of force behind every block or strike. One major distinction between Fut Gar and other kung fu styles is the Huang Ma, or walking horse training. Most kung fu styles stress a level horse stance used to develop leg strength and power. Fut Gar also teaches this but puts more emphasis on moving and shifting through the stance. Learning to shift quickly and smoothly results in faster execution and movement.
In addition, the efficient techniques are designed to stress speed. Faster execution leads into a second tenet of Fut Gar, the theory of 'touch-go'. Combinations of blocks and counter-strikes are not done in individual movements, but in one spontaneous routine. The block and strike are executed simultaneously, as are following combinations of blows and kicks. Fut Gar also teaches to strike in threes--too not be satisfied with one hit, but to follow up with at least two more strikes.
The very soft eagle movements found throughout the Hung Fut system: using both arms as wings used for slapping and confusing, plus the circular avoidance movements where one avoids an attack by moving to the side, are inherited from the Buddhist Palm style. The style utilises many palm heal strikes and was thought to originally not include weapons. The Fut Gar style traditionally had three empty handsets and later nine weapons. The original empty handsets were:
· Hu Dip Jeong (The Butterfly Palm)
· Sup Ji Kuen (Cross Fist)
· Dai Ga Lu (Great Family Set)
There are now ten empty-hand forms starting with a hard, almost karate-like form, all the way to an internal form similar to taiji quan. The forms are:
· Seah Ying Diu Sau (Snake Form)
· Tai Ji Kuen (Prince's Form)
· Bak Mok (White Hair)
· Lohan Kuen (Monk's Fist)
· Dai Lin Wan (Large Connection)
· Dai Gum Gong (Big Solid Body)
· Chut Yup Bo (Out In Step)
· Maang Fu Ha San (Fierce Tiger Descending the Mountain)
· Tien Jaang (Complete Elbow)
The nine original weapons were staff, spear, straight sword, broadsword, butterfly swords, kwan do, tiger fork, three-sectional staff, and the monk's spade. Some of Fut Gar weapons’ forms include:
· Hak Loong Dao (Black Dragon Broadsword)
· Fook Fu Gwun (Tiger Taming Staff)
· Ng Ma Quite Show (Five Horses Returning to the Feeding Post Staff)
· Loong Chien Gim (Dragon Well Sword)
Today this style is most famous for its effect on other styles such as influencing Hung Fut and Choy Lee Fut. Both styles pay homage with the word 'Fut' in their names. It is probably a predecessor to a Tibetan style called 'Hop Gar'.
