Hung Fut

System

Hung Fut is considered to be a hybrid system. Its philosophies are a mixture of two martial art systems: the powerful, hard style of Hung Gar with the flowing, soft style of Fut Gar (Buddha's palm) forms that develop body coordination. Hung Fut is a combat method that uses economy of movement in order to achieve efficiency. Its strategies are to try to throw the opponent into an awkward position that makes defense difficult and counterattack unlikely. There is no need to keep contact with an opponent, as the system uses interchangeable and flexible movements.

The system also includes techniques from Fut Jeung which is thought to be a Shaolin Buddhist method, and ten animal styles (snake, tiger, leopard, lion, eagle, crane, monkey, elephant, horse and dragon) as well as "8 Drunken Immortal" forms (based on the personality traits of the 8 heavenly deities of Chinese traditional religion), "4 Afflictions/Cripples" forms (a deceptive mimicry of one who is crippled) and a left- handed form (based on the legend of a famous general fighting while holding the infant son of a Chinese emperor).

There are somewhat different lineages and succession stories listed by various Hung Fut schools around the world. The stories of the masters vary also from account to account. As the style has moved around the world, the content of the system—number and names of forms, types of power used, stances, techniques, theory, and training methods—has also changed, leading to a large variation from school to school.

8th generation grandmaster, Tai Yim, the adopted son of Hung Yu Chung, the 7th generation grandmaster, immigrated from China to the United States in 1977. He traveled to the United States to fulfill the wish of Hung Yu Chung to spread Hung Fut to the west. He opened his first United States side school in Wheaton Maryland in 1978 and now teaches in Kensington, Maryland, a suburb outside of Washington D.C.

The 9th Generation Masters, inducted by 8th generation Grandmaster Tai Yim include: Master Linh Thai, Master Eugene Chung, Master John Miller, Master Mike Sutton, Master Vicky Miller, Master Shelton Lee Jr, and Master Ricardo Chen. Some of his most notable students include Joe Myers, Don Niam, Hung Stewart (International Grand Champion), Phung Lee ( International Grand Champion), Ed Pratt (National Full contact fighting and Forms Champion), Antwann Rawls (Forms and Fighting National Grand Champion), James Whitley (Forms and Fighting International Grand Champion), Philippe Prosper (Forms and Fighting International Grand Champion), Lester Solomon (Asst. Chief Instructor), Michael Hammond (Asst. Chief Instructor Forms and Fighting International Grand Champion), Stephen Roberts (Asst. Chief Instructor).

There are other masters of this generation who are in other countries around the world, such as in Hong Kong and Raymond Man Ying Nap in Scotland. In 2007, Tai Yim sent instructors, James Whitley and Phillipe Prosper to São Paulo to represent him in introducing Hung Fut Kung Fu to Brazil in the International Grandmasters Exhibition and Kung Fu Tournament with Grandmasters from the United States Traditional Kung Fu and Wushu Federation.

The official Grandmaster for the 8th generation is controversial. Hung Kam Pui from Hong Kong, is the official chairman and founder of the HUNG FUT PAI CHINESE KUNG FU ASSOCIATION. A semi complete family tree, full of a definitive list of Hung Fut Pai teachers is here: Hung Fut Family Tree. NYC has a strong Hung Fut Pai branch (Hung Kam Pui) that is very active in the Hung Fut community.NYC HUNG FUT PAI BRANCH The NYC branch is run by SIFU Phil Auffray Hung Man Fu Recently Sifu Hung Man Gong (Sheldon Landa) of the NYC Hung Fut Pai branch started the Hung Fut Pai Maui Branch. Another Sifu worth mentioning is Sifu Jai A.K.A. Lee Thai-loong. All of these masters practice with dedication in NYC and frequently return to China to study with master Hung Kam Pui.

Unique features

Hung Fut is truly an original martial art form from China. Its roots go back to the Shaolin temple. Hung Fut is a modified fighting form that has brought together the combined knowledge of many kung fu masters and styles.

All Hung Fut forms start with the left side of the body.

The Hung Fut system includes more than twenty weapons, the best known of which is the left-handed staff style. There are traditionally ten different staff forms taught; each successive one increases in difficulty and intensity. The staff is the first weapon taught in the system and also the last. The final staff form is the most famous and mysterious. Most commonly known as the "mad devil staff" it was traditionally passed down only to the one or few select students appointed to succeed a teacher. This form was used by the sixth generation Grandmaster, Hung Ju Sing, also known as the "White Haired Devil", and there are several students known to have received his transmittion of this.