known for their leaps and jumping kicks. The Jow Ga system contains more aerial kicks than most other southern styles. Kicks such as the Lin Wan Toi (Double Kick), Shin Fung Toi (Tornado Kick), and the Fei Wang Yaung Toi (Flying Side Kick) are all taught within the system.
In the Jow Ga version of the Ng Ying Kuen (5 Animal Fist) there is a special type of Flying Side Kick that is commonly seen in the modern Wu Shu Nan Chuan (Southern Fist) form called Fei Fu Mei Toi (Flying Tiger Tail Kick). This kick is executed like the standard Flying Side Kick, however, instead of landing back on one’s feet a practitioner lands in body drop position on the left side of the body with the kicking leg still extended.
The form Man Jeet Kuen (10,000 Shape Fist) has the leg technique know as Lin Wan Toi which translates a continued kicking method.
Within the form the practitioner will execute a right leg Side Kick followed quickly by a powerful left Heel Kick.
Shaolin martial arts are limitless as one can practice well into their old age, as mastering one system alone can take a life time.
With powerful hand techniques and strong stances of the south along with the lively footwork and versatile kicks of the north, Jow Ga has the best of both worlds when it comes to Shaolin martial arts.
The Jow Ga system is young by comparison to many other styles of kung fu. Created in 1915, this form of martial art has developed a strong reputation as one of the most effective and powerful styles of kung fu created at the end of the Ching Dynasty. Four individuals are most noted for the development and growth of the Jow Ga system from China, Hong Kong, and the U.S.
History of Jow Ga
Jow Lung (1891-1919)
The Jow Ga system, often referred to as a southern style, is a combination of both southern and northern Shaolin Kung Fu. The system begins with Jow Lung who is considered the system’s main founder and his four brothers Jow Hip, Jow Bui, Jow Hoy, and Jow Tin. His brothers originally learned the art of Hung Ga kung fu from their uncle Jow Hong Hei who was a student of the famous Hung Ga master Wong Key Ying, the father of Wong Fei Hung, who is considered the father of modern day Hung Ga kung fu.
Jow Lung
While in his late teens, Jow Lung lent his assistance to an elderly gentleman by giving him shelter from a rainstorm. The old man noticed that Lung was a martial artist and asked him to demonstrate his skill. The old man commented that Jow Lung’s movements were powerful but somewhat slow. The old man suggested that he combine speed with his powerful movements. The old man later introduced himself as Choy Gau Gung a practitioner of his family art of Choy Ga and a direct descendent of Choy Gau Lee, the creator of the style. Jow Lung had great respect for his new teacher and dedicated himself to leaning all that he could from him.
In his early twenties, Jow Lung moved to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to find work. Sadly, the town in which he looked for work was run by a group of gangsters. One day while working Lung noticed the gangsters were bullying the other workers. Jow Lung decided to step in to confront the men and in doing so one of the gangsters was killed by Lung in a fight. Jow Lung fled the town to avoid trouble with the local police and the gangsters. Thereafter he traveled to Kek Lok Si temple where he spent the next five years.
While he was living at the temple the Abbott took an interest in Jow Lung and decided to take him on as a student. The Abbott began to teach Lung Northern Shaolin boxing to help round out his knowledge of combat. Jow Lung proved to be a quick study and after five years of monistic life he decided to return to his beloved Sa Fu village located in the Guangdong province of China. Before returning home, the Abbott told him that if he combined all he had learned into one he would create a system that would be stronger and more effective than any of the three systems could be alone.
Upon his return home, Jow Lung was pleased to discover that his brothers had not been lax in their training as each had improved their skill greatly. Lung took his teachers advice and began creating a new system that would stand out among all others. His opportunity to demonstrate this new creation came when Warlord General Lee Fook Lam held a tournament to find a skillful teacher to train his troops. Nearly 100 masters of various styles took part in the tournament with hopes of attaining the position as Chief Instructor of the Army. After many days of competition, Jow Lung stood victorious and was awarded the position of Chief Instructor.
With his new post secured Jow Lung sent for his brothers to help him train the General’s troops and refine this new system of combat. Sometime later Jow Lung came down with a cold which quickly turned into pneumonia. Soon after, in 1919, Jow Lung passed away at the age of 29. The system which he had just created needed someone to lead it or it would be lost to the world for all time. So, it was decided that Jow Biu would be the one to lead and spearhead the growth of the style that would soon bear the family name.
Jow Biu (1899-1961)
After his brother’s death, Jow Biu wasted no time in spreading and promoting what would be known as Jow Ga kung fu. (The true name of the style was called Hung Tao Choy Mei which means the Head of Hung and the Tail of Choy.) Because of his tireless work, Jow Biu along with his brothers had managed to open nearly 14 schools throughout China before the outbreak of World War II, all teaching the art of the Jow Ga 5 Tigers. (There are now over 80 schools world wide promoting the Jow Ga system.)
Jow Biu’s fame and reputation as a martial artist grew quickly not only because of his excellent skill as a teacher and fighter but also because of his skills as a mediator. In one such case he was asked to mediate a dispute between the famous Hung Ga master Wong Fei Hung and a local strong man named Ching Hua. Because of his success in handling the matter fairly, Wong Fei Hung’s wife Mok Gwai Lan, wanted to adopt Jow Biu into the Wong family.
Jow Biu’s skill and dedication knew no bounds as he began to expand the system he and his brothers had created. This can be seen in the forms Fa Kuen and Lohan Kuen.
The Fa Kuen set (Flower Fist) was created by Jow Biu when he gave an impromptu performance at a banquet in Hong Kong. In essence Jow Biu created the form on the spot out of thin air using various techniques that were already taught within Jow Ga.
In the case of the set Lohan Kuen (Arhat’s Fist), Jow Biu created it shortly after coming to Hong Kong. The set is unlike many of the other sets taught within the style as it uses a special type of Pow Choi (Uppercut Punch): here the arm remains straight as the strike is delivered to the opponents jaw area. This type of punch is commonly seen in such systems as Hop Ga (Knights Clan), Bok Hok Pai (White Crane).
Jow Biu standing center
Until his passing in 1961, Jow Biu taught many promising students the art of Jow Ga kung fu, many of whom became great teachers in their own right. One of these students was influential in bringing the Jow Ga system to the shores of North America; his name is Chan Man Cheung.
Chan Man Cheung (b. 1929)
Grand Master Chan Man Cheung began his training in Jow Ga first under his own father who was himself a student of Jow Biu. When Chan Man Cheung turned eleven years of age his father took him to study directly under Jow Biu. The training under Jow Biu stressed heavy stance work and mastering the basics of the style. Chan Man Cheung would practice three hours a day every day under the watchful eye of his Master until at the age of twelve his hard work paid off as he was accepted as an Indoor Disciple of Jow Biu.
Chan Man Cheung continued his training under his teacher until the start of World War II when many
