Pak Hok Pai: White Crane Kung-Fu

Wong Lam-Hoi accepted many disciples during his years in Guangdong including Nhg Siu-Chan, Nhg Shi-Kai, Nhg Keng-Wen, Lei Shing-Kon, Dong Di-Wen, Nhg Gam-Tin, Cheng Tit-Wu, Leung Chi-Hoi, Lo Chiu-Kit, Chung Chan-Yung and Dang Ho. However, his most famous disciple was his senior student Nhg Siu-Chung. Nhg Siu-Chung was an extremely skilled fighter and is often remembered for defeating Wong Siu-Jou, the foremost member of the northern five tigers group. Nhg Siu-Chung is the founder of the White Crane style (Baahk Hok Pai).

For many years, both Wong Yan-Lam and Wong Lam-Hoi used the Lama Pai name and taught essentially the same system. However, the rapid increase in the size of the system inevitably led to divisions. The system also suffered because it was a foreign method. The Republic period was a time of extreme nationalism and few instructors wanted to claim to be teaching a foreign system, especially one the Qing royal guard had practiced.

For this reason, Wong Yan-Lam's number one disciple, Wong Hon-Wing, adopted the name Haap Ga (Knight Family Style) based upon his teacher's nickname and the recommendation of Dr. Sun Yat-Sen. However, most of Wong Lam-Hoi's students did not accept this new name. They simply refused to give more credit to their Si-Baahk (elder uncle) than to their own teacher. In response, Nhg Siu-Chung established the White Crane style (Baahk Hok Pai).

Nhg Siu-Chung sought to make the system more accessible to the general public. The White Crane style attempted to standardize the practice of basics and both modified and created hand sets to make them logical and systematic. Nhg Siu-Chung's efforts were quickly rewarded. He taught many students and made the White Crane style the most famous of all of the Tibetan martial arts. In 1954 the White Crane style gained even greater popularity when a public fight between Chan Hak-Fu, one of Nhg Siu-Chung's disciples, and Nhg Gung-Yee, a master of Wu Style Taiji, was arranged. Other famous disciples of Nhg Siu-Chung are Kwong Boon-Fu, Luk Chi Fu, and Ngai Yoh Tong.

However, soon after Nhg Siu-Chung's death the style split into several branches and no longer remains unified. The Hong Kong White Crane Athletic Association attempted to standardize the teaching of White Crane but each disciple had already begun developing their own methods. Some disciples were content to remain within the Hong Kong White Crane Athletic Association while others, most notably Chan Hak-Fu, were not. Chan Hak- Fu decided to establish his own organization, the International White Crane Federation, in Australia in 1972. Chan Hak-Fu's White Crane is considered significantly different from the White Crane of his classmates. Things were further complicated in 1977 when Ngai Yoh Tong and several members of the Hong Kong White Crane Athletic Association decided to change the hand sets, making them "more economical" and removing repeated movements.

Today, there remains only a few hand sets that all the different factions still have in common. Among these are Luk Lik Kyuhn (achieving power), Chut Yip Bouh (exit and enter step), Tit Lin Kyuhn (chain set), Siu Nhg Yihng Kyuhn (lesser five animals), Tin Gong Kyuhn (heaven set), Lo Han Kyuhn (Boddhisattva), and Min Loi Jam Kyuhn (needle in cotton). Unfortunately, these hand sets are often quite different in composition and performed differently, especially where footwork is concerned.

There are also a number of hand sets that are particular to only certain branches of the style. Among these are Siu Gam Gong Kyuhn (lesser diamond), Dai Gam Gong Kyuhn (greater diamond), Dai Nhg Yihng Kyuhn (greater five animal), Kahn Na Sau Kyuhn (seizing hand), Jui Baat Sin Kyuhn (eight drunken immortals), Jui Lo Han Kyuhn (drunken Bodhisattva), Lo Han Chut Dong Kyuhn (Bodhisattva exits the cave), Guaai Jih Kyuhn (bandit form), Lo Han Yi Sahp Sae Jaang Kyuhn (Bodhisattva twenty four elbows) and Jui Gam Gong Kyuhn (drunken diamond).

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