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Hung Gar Five AnimalStyle
Shaolin Traditional Martial Arts is famous for using as it's template the Spirit and combative principles of Five main animals namely the Tiger Snake Crane Leopard (Panther) and the Mythical Dragon.
The primary styles of Kung Fu which have popularized and are most well known for its Five Animal Forms are Hung Gar Hung Kuen Choy Lee Fut and the Old Hung Fist Five Animal sets which in some circles is also called Ha Say Fu Hong Pai (Four Lower Tigers Red Clan).
The Toisan System of Five Animals has the essence of each of the animals of the Old Hung system of the five animals integrated into one set.
The Five Animal System of Kung Fu most well known in the West is from what one person has coined as the Canton version of Hung Gar. Although containing the same Five Animals the Canton and the Old Style Five Animal sets differ in performance. In Canton Hung Gar the Five Animals set or Kuen is one set encompassing all Five Animals and is performed like a long river - flowing and continuous to its end. Whereas in the Old Style Five Animal Sets each animal is a set unto itself and is not as flowing and continuous as in Canton Hung Gar but rather has stops and starts within each set. As well Canton Five Animals and Old Style Hung Five Animals have different hand strikes for the Snake and Crane and the Dragon in Canton Five Animals is more of a breathing and dynamic tension set such as found in Hung Gars Tit Sin Kuen. Whereas in the Old Five Animals set the Dragon is performed more like the creature of Chinese mythology. The Dragon is actually a composite of several real animals: the head of a horse (some sources say a Sea Horse) the horns of a stag the body of a snake the scales of a fish the claws of an eagle and the palms of a tiger. In Toisan Five animals and old Hung Five animals the Dragon is performed with joint locking maneuvers (eagle) and palm strikes (tiger). In addtion dragons are envisioned to move in a zig zag (snake) fashion along with a swirling up and down motion (eagle) both of which are found in the Toisan Five Animals system and the Old Hung system.
It is believed by many that the Old Style Five Animal Sets are the closest to the Five Animals Kung Fu practiced in the Southern Sil-lum Temple.
Although each of the Five Animal Forms or Kuen each has its own particular physical traits and characteristics such as hand formations and stances it is the Spirit that the Form (Kuen) is performed with that is of major importance.
Without the proper Spirit and attitude the Form will be devoid of substance. In the Toisan Five Animal System each animal from the 'Old' system is combined into one set with overly repeated moves reduced. Thus the sequence of the set starts with the Tiger which develops the Lik or Ging which supports the strength of the bones tendons and muscles. The next animal in the set is the Snake which develops the Chi which supports the Jing and transports the jing and blood throughout the body. Then comes the Crane which develops the tensile strength of the sinews and balance. Following this is the Leopard which cultivates speed and fast reflexes of the muscles. The next and last animal of the set is the Dragon which combines the attributes of the animals along with Kum Na. The Dragon is said to train the Spirit and direction of the internal strength to produce more powerful strikes.
In more advanced stages all of the animals are performed with Internal Energy and striking power that the practitioner has cultivated and increased through years of practice including special supplementary Chi (Hay) Kung (Gong) exercises and Meditation.
Tiger Set - 'Fu' The Spirit of the Tiger is one of power
ferocity and relentless pursuit of the enemy. When a Tiger fights it is with one single focused goal - to bring its enemy or prey down. However
this does not mean the Tiger fights in a foolish manner
throwing caution and wisdom to the wind. On the contrary
the Tiger will assess its enemy or prey carefully to ascertain it's most vulnerable and weak areas. Once found and an opening presents it self
the Tiger will attack with a relentless determination. This is the same spirit the performer doing the Tiger Set
exhibits with one exception - the Tiger stylist being a practitioner of the Tiger style from a Buddhist Temple will only kill as an absolute last resort. The main physical characteristics of the Tiger Set are its use of the Fow Jow (Tiger Claw) and the Tiger Fist and its main purpose is to develop the muscles
tendons and bones. The Tiger Set places emphasis on the development of strength through dynamic tension
with the focus being on the legs
forearms and tiger claw. Movements are executed with physical force and power. Spiritually
the Tiger Set imbues the practitioner with an indomitable spirit and calmness within ferocity.
Snake Set - 'She' The Spirit of the Snake can best be described as one of temperance
alertness
concentration
patience and endurance. It quietly awaits its enemy and when least expected will launch a single deadly strike to a vital point. The Snake Set teaches us patience
sensitivity and pin point accuracy in striking. As well
the Snake Set works at developing the breath or Chi and bringing it to the finger tips. The physical characteristics of the Snake Set is physical suppleness and strikes using the finger tips to vital areas such as the throat and eyes. The snake will calmly await an attack and then
unlike the Crane which uses a hop to evade the attack
the snake will simply rotate and lean the body out of the way of the attack while at the same time executing a counter attack with the finger tips to a vital point of the enemy. Spiritually
the Snake Set teaches patience and rhythmic endurance.
The Crane Set - 'Hok' The Spirit of the Crane can best be represented by standing ones ground in balance and poise in the face of great danger. Like the Snake
the Crane will attack vulnerable areas of the enemy. The Crane's weapons are its beak
claw and wings. In the Sil-lum Hay Say Fu Hong Pai this is achieved by forming the index and middle fingers and thumb into a three claw hand formation (Hung Gar forms these into a beak like hand formation) which are used to strike at the eyes
throat and other vulnerable areas of the adversary. The arms which can be likened to the wings of the Crane
are used to block and strike the attacking limbs of the enemy and to strike at his neck and face. Physically
the Crane Set develops poise and the tensile strength of the sinews. A major portion of the set is performed while balancing on one leg. Physically
the Crane does not crash through its opponent with power as the Tiger does
but rather uses evasion by hopping out of the way and then counter attacking with forearm (wing) or finger strikes to vulnerable areas. Spiritually
the Crane Set teaches bravery
poise and tactical defense.
Leopard Set - 'Pow' The Leopard Set has as its Spirit the characteristic of lightening fast speed without hesitation. Suddenly
the Leopard will be all over the adversary with a volley of multiple
lightening fast
short
snappy strikes and then just as suddenly it will withdraw after having inflicted serious damage to the enemy. The main physical trait the Leopard Set develops is a free flow of the nerve impulses from the brain to the muscles and vice versa which allows lightening fast muscular responses. Physically the Leopard Set develops speed and strength along with crafty footwork. Stances are narrow for quick shifting and attacks use the fist and claw The Leopard is a crafty fighter using sudden springing maneuvers and surprise attacks which suddenly overwhelm the opponent and then
before a response can be mounted against the Leopard
he has retreated out of range of the counter attack. Spiritually
the Leopard Set develops in the practitioner the qualities of an iron will power
craftiness
lightening like speed and determination.
Dragon Set - 'Lung' The Dragon Set picks up on the Chi developed in the Snake Set and further develops it into internal power.The Spirit of the Dragon is one of elusiveness. The Dragon will disappear and reappear in defense and counter attack. What this means is that when confronted with an adversary
the Dragon will calmly wait for the attack and once launched
will move out of the way with confusing footwork patterns and counter attacks. One second the Dragon is there
the next he is gone as he 'rides the wind'. In contrast to the Tiger and Leopard
the Dragon prefers not to use hard blocking
but rather avoids and redirects the attack of the enemy. The Dragon Set is an internal set that develops and uses internal strength
as opposed to the primarily external physical strength of the Tiger and Leopard Sets. The Dragon Set is performed at a slower speed than the Tiger
Leopard and Crane Sets
without much emphasis on physical strength
but rather on focusing and emitting internal power directed by the mind and spirit (intent). However
since one cannot have internal strength without outer physical development and chi development
one has the preceding four sets. Internally
the Dragon Set takes the chi and jing developed from the other animal sets and adds a coiling and spiraling movement to it
to imitate how a Dragon is imagined to move. The effect of this spiraling
is to reach a high level of internal power which supercharges the outward expression of jing - Fa Jing (exploding/penetrating power). The Dragon Set uses as its main arsenal
the Dragon Claw to trap
grab
twist and dislocate the limbs of the enemy and the Dragon Palm to deliver devastating internal power strikes to the adversary's vital points. The Dragon practitioner also uses his finger tips for pin point accuracy strikes to vital areas such as the eyes
throat and acupuncture points. The Dragon Set develops coiling and twisting energy of an internal nature which flows to the external where it manifests as a powerful Fa Jing energy. Spiritually
the Dragon Set is a composite of the spiritual qualities of the preceding four animals resulting in a synergism where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. This quality is very hard to describe
but can be compared to the enlightenment sought by the traditional Chan Buddhist Monks of the Shaolin Temple.
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