JOW GA FIVE TIGERS

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Jow Ga Kung Fu (aka Zhou Jia) is a form of Kung Fu. It was founded by Jow Lung who was born in 1891, on the eleventh day of the third lunar month (April 1891) in Sa Fu Village of the Canton Province, and died in 1919. His father was Jow Fong Hoy and his mother's maiden name was Li. At the time of is inception, this particular style of Kung Fu was labeled as having the head of Hung Ga, the tail of Choy Ga 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 Ga, making it a very effective form of self-defense with emphasis on simultaneous attack and defense

Jow Lung's Beginning in South China

Jow Lung began his martial arts training with the local town Master Zou Geng. Jow Lung also had an uncle named Jow Hung Hei, who was a top fighter in Sun Wui County and a student of Wong Fei Hung's father Wong Kay Ying. He taught Jow Lung and his brothers Jow HIp, Jow Biu, Jow Hoy and Jow Tin "Nam Siu Hung Ga. Jow Hung Hei recognized Jow Lung as his best student due to his hard work. And begin teaching him the Pa Kua staff fighting techniques. Jow Hung Hei grew sick and was able to complete the task of teaching Jow Lung the entire form, and died a month later. The death of his uncle did not stop Jow Lung from continuing his studies learning Kung Fu. He traveled to Siu Hing County to become the student of Choy Gau Gung, who taught the Choy Ga Kung Fu style. Constantly exploring the strong points of each style with his brothers (Hung's Ga's steady Power and Penetrating Strikes and the Choy Ga's Fast Changes and Fluent Footwork), they came up with the name "HUNG TAO CHOY MEI.

Jow Lung's Travels in South East Asia

Due to family hardships, Jow Lung at the age of 19 left home to find work in Singapore then on to Malaysia. While there, he was involved in a fight that fatally wounded a gangster. On the verge of collapse from exhaustion and starvation he sought refuge at a Monastery. Abbot Chian Hong Yi being most sympathetic to his plight allowed his to stay. After several months of keen observation, the Abbot had no doubt as to Jow Lung's character and began teaching him Bak Siu Lam (Northern Shaolin) Kung Fu that he learned in Honan Province. The Abbot encouraged Jow Lung to combine all (3) of the Kung Fu systems he had mastered into a single style. He stayed in the monastery of over (3) years before achieving this goal. After returning home Jow Lung instructed his brothers on the new style

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 and elimination tournament. Out of 100 applicants only Jow Lung had 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 (4) 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'. Sadly, in 1919 Jow Lung died due to exhaustion from teaching and promoting the Jow Ga Style. At the young age of 29 he died of 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.

Within (1) year he had established (14) Jow Ga schools throughout China and within a few years the number had grown to more than (80). In 1936 the first school was established in Kowloon, Hong Kong. The Hong Kong school produced seral notable Masters. Among them my Si Gung, Chan Man Cheung. Others Lui Chu Shek, Wong Kun Leung, Lee Au and many others. Jow tin and Jow Hip also came to Hong Kong to teach, many of their disciples are still teaching in Hong Kong. Now Jow Ga Kung Fu is popular around the world.