Li Gar Kao

Li Gar Kao (Chinese: 李家教) belongs to the family of the Hakka Kuen (Chinese: 客家拳) and formed an important style within Southern Chinese Martial Arts (Chinese: 南派武术；pinyin: Nan Pai Wu Shu). It is popular within Meizhou County (Chinese: 梅州市) and Chaozhou County (Chinese: 潮州) of Guangdong province (Chinese: 广东省) in China.

Li Gar Kao (Chinese: 李家教) was one of the famous Five Kuen Thirteen Gar (Chinese: 五拳十三家) of the Guangdong Southern Martial Art (Chinese: 广东南拳) of China. During the late Qing Dynasty (Chinese: 晚清), there are eignteen schools of martial arts in Guangdong province (Chinese: 广东省) recognized as the most famous and influence during the period. So the industry's professions name and group these schools of teaching as Five Kuen Thirteen Gar.

The content of Five Kuen Thirteen Gar are as below:

Five Kuen (Chinese: 五拳) are (1)Hung Gar Kuen (Chinese: 洪家拳) (2) Lau Gar Kuen (Chinese: 刘家拳) (3) Choy Gar Kuen (Chinese: 蔡家拳) (4) Li Gar Kuen (Chinese: 李家拳) and (5) Mok Gar Kuen (Chinese: 莫家拳).

Thirteen Gar (Chinese: 十三家) are (1) Long Yeng Kuen (Chinese: 龙形拳; pinyin: Long Xing Quan; literally "Dragon Style"), (2)Hup Gar Kuen (Chinese: 侠家拳; pinyin: Xia Jia Quan), (3)Bak Mei (Chinese: 白眉; pinyin: Bái Méi; literally "White Eyebrows"), (4)Nam Kee Kuen (Chinese: 南枝拳; pinyin: nan zhi quan), (5)Loo Gar Kuen (Chinese: 儒家拳; pinyin: Ru Jia Quan), (6)Tiu Gar Kao (Chinese: 刁家教; pinyin: Diao Jia Jiao), (7)Chu Gar Kao (Chinese: 朱家教; pinyin: Zhu Jia Jiao), (8)Ngok Gar Kao (Chinese: 岳家教; pinyin: Yue Jia Jiao), (9)Li Gar Kao (Chinese: 李家教; pinyin: Li Jia Jiao)， (10)Lau Gar Kao (Chinese: 刘家教; pinyin: Liu Jia Jiao), (11)Koon Loon Kuen (Chinese: 昆仑拳; pinyin: Kun Lun Quan), (12)Lin Sao Kuen (Chinese: 练手拳; pinyin: Lian Shou Quan) and (13)Lin Bo Kuen (Chinese: 练步拳; pinyin: Lian Bu Quan).

Hakka Kuen (Chinese: 客家拳) occupied nine of the eighteen schools of teaching, Hakka Kuen was one of the most influence martial art teaching during that period. Hakka Kuen (Chinese: 客家拳) Li Gar Kao (Chinese: 李家教) was first introduced by Great Master Li Tieniu (Chinese: 李铁牛), Tieniu in Chinese means iron Ox, because he was fit and strong, so peoples named him as 'Iron Ox', his real name was Li Shufeng (Chinese: 李书凤). He was from Meizhou County (Chinese: 梅州市), Wuhua County (Chinese: 五华县), Shuizhai Village (Chinese: 水寨村). He has been to Zhejiang Province (Chinese: 浙江省) to do business and studied martial art from a Shaolin Monk. The name of the Shaolin monk was known as Great Master Mian Chang (Chinese: 缅常长老).

History
The Li family migrated to Chaozhou County (Chinese: 潮州), Shantou City (Chinese: 汕头市) and started to spread the art during the late Qing Dynasty. So the Kung Fu was named after the family name as Li Gar Kao (Chinese: 李家教). One of the renowned masters of Li Gar Kao (Chinese: 李家教) was Grand Master Li Guangren (Chinese: 李光壬), who was the grandson of the Founder Great Master Li Shufeng (Chinese: 李书凤). Master Li Guangren (Chinese: 李光壬) has followed his grandfather around Chaozhou County (Chinese: 潮州), which included Shantou City (Chinese: 汕头市), Jieyang City (Chinese: 揭阳市), Puning City (Chinese: 普宁市), Chao'an county (Chinese: 潮安市), Jiexi County (Chinese: 揭西市) and Chaoyang distric (Chinese: 潮阳市) etc. They have taught more than thousands of students. On or about 1933, Master Li Guangren (Chinese: 李光壬) together with students has been to Thailand and enrolled into some boxing competitions, they have won many trophies. Li Gar Kao (Chinese: 李家教) was renowned among South East Asia countries after that. Later Master Li Guangren (Chinese: 李光壬) founded Shantou City Kung Fu School (Chinese: 汕头国术馆) at Chaozhou County (Chinese: 潮州), Shantou City (Chinese: 汕头市), Guangdong Province (Chinese: 广东省) of China. They have taught many famous students during that time. Later Li Gar Kao (Chinese: 李家教) was also popular among South East Asia Countries.

Training Styles
Li Gar Kao (Chinese: 李家教) has its own training styles and methods, it own a full content of system which more on practical application rather than performance. Li Gar Kao training sets included:

1. San Bu Lu (Chinese: 三步橹)

2. Tun Tu Quan (Chinese: 吞吐拳)

3. Shuang Gong Shou (Chinese: 双弓手)

4. E Zhang Quan (Chinese: 鹅箭拳)

5. Diao Cha Quan (Chinese: 吊插拳)

6. Chi Bu Quan (Chinese: 驰步拳)

7. Shuang Shan Yue (Chinese: 双山月)

8. San Jiao Hu (Chinese: 三脚虎)

9. Meng Hu Xia Shan (Chinese: 猛虎下山)

10. Tou Men Shou (Chinese: 头门手)

11. Fei Feng Han Shu (Chinese: 飞凤含书)

12. Huo Zhan Quan (Chinese: 火战拳)

and different weapons sets.

Li Gar Kao (Chinese: 李家教) practitioners in different countries.

1. Peoples Republic of China (Chinese: 中华人民共和国), including of Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.

1.1 China Main Land

There are thousands of Li Gar Kao masters in Mainland China, especially active in Chaozhou county of Guangdong Province.

1.2 Hong Kong

There was a Master named Chow Fay Hong (Chinese: 周飞雄) teaching the art in early year of Hong Kong.

1.3 Taiwan

There are many Hakka Kuen (Chinese: 客家拳) masters staying in Taiwan. Hakka Kuen is named as Lao Man Pai (Chinese: 流民派) in Taiwan.

To be updated.

2. Thailand

There are many Chaozhou (Chinese: 潮州) Chinese origins living in Thailand. Grand Master Li Guangren (Chinese: 李光壬) has been to Thailand on about 1933.

3. Vietnam

To be updated.

4. Singapore and Malaysia

There are some Li Gar Kao (Chinese: 李家教) masters in Singapore and Malaysia, Li Gar Kao (Chinese: 李家教) was taught in Singapore and Malaysia since about 1930. Some of the old masters which included Master Goh Hoon Leng (Chinese: 吴云龙, about 1897-1987), Master Goh Yit Leng (Chinese: 吴翼龙, about 1907-1995) and other masters name to be updated. Master Goh Hoon Leng (Chinese: 吴云龙) and Master Goh Yit Leng (Chinese: 吴翼龙) has opened a Martial Art School in Chaozhou (Chinese: 潮州) named as Hang Kong Martial Art School (Chinese: 韩江国术馆). They have also ran a Martial Art Society in Sarawak of Malaysia named Chen Che Chinese Physique Association Sarawak (Chinese: 沙捞越众志国术健身社). They have taught thousand of students in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia. Some of the recorded names are Master Lau Hong Swa (Chinese: 刘洪山), Master Tay Yew Chong, Master Choo Led Sin and other to be updated.