Pak Hok Pai is a very powerful style which demands much dedication, time and effort to master. The focus of the power comes directly from the waist, with fully extended punches that strike right through the opponent. There is no holding back in a fight, you are either committed to it or you don't fight. Such is the case with training as well. There is no middle ground. The student must accept that this is hard work, but the benefits tremendous. The basics are very important, they lay the foundation for all your training and success. Some schools view basics as something to master so you can "get on to real training". This is a grave error in training. A Pak Hok Pai student never moves beyond training in the basic punches and kicks.
Although our Gung Fu has many advanced forms, movements and techniques, it is the basics that are key to mastery. Perhaps a contradictory statement to some but the logic is simple. Most advanced techniques are superfluous and difficult to properly execute in a combative situation. Put plainly, the simpler and more direct the technique the more practical and effective it is. My advice to the new student is train hard and never relent. Building mastery and your internal power (Jing) only comes from hard practice and dedicated effort. Never think you can move beyond the basics, for they are the key to your Art.
There are many aspects to our program. The below lists the core forms, techniques, philosophy and fundamentals taught.
To better understand time frame and `level`, the program is split into three divisions: beginner, intermediate and advanced. Achievement of black sash may be granted after the student has mastered these elements. This generally takes between 4 - 6 years with dedicated practice.
Our program is designed to train the individual in 4 foundational skills:
speed/agility with proper body alignment and structure
power (hard/direct)
evasion (soft/deflection)
open palm / grabbing, including trips and throws.
Beginner forms prepare the practitioner for the more difficult routines which condition the body and train power, speed and precision. Combative application is practiced through pressure tested techniques at graduated levels of intensity. Developing the 4 foundations is the aim of the student and is a lifelong journey to develop one's own way.
The base curriculum of forms is detailed below. Students may be taught other forms and techniques of kung fu at the discretion of the instructors.
Beginner
White Belt 0-18 months
Fundamentals
Basic program exercises
Introduction to breath work, posture and stances
Introduction to sparring
Hand Forms
Six Power Fists (Luk Lik Kuen - 六力拳)
Shooting Stars Fist (Lau Sing Kuen - 流星拳)
Reciprocating Step (Chut Yup Bo - 出入步) - Pt 1 & 2
Iron Chain Fist (Tiet Lin Kuen - 鐵練拳)
Weapon Forms
Short Stick - Lee Gar
Double Ended Diamond King Staff (Gum Gong Gwun - 金剛棒)
Coiling Dragon Staff (Poon Lung Gwun - 盤龍棍)
Lee's White Crane Broad Sword (Lee Pang Pak Hok Do)
Intermediate
Green Belt 3 years
Fundamentals
Intermediate program exercises
Introduction to continuous sparring
Introduction to Kam La Sau
Hand Forms
Warrior Saint Fist (Lohan Kuen - 羅漢拳)
Little Diamond Fist (Tien Gong Kuen - 天罡拳)
Ground Demon Fist (Dei Sat Kuen - 地煞拳)
Lesser 5 Form Fist (Siu Ng Ying Kuen - 小五形拳)
Weapon Forms
Traveller's Staff (Hang Ze Pan - 行者棒)
Lee's Double Ended Staff - Lee Gar
Lee's Flying Crane Spear - Lee Gar
White Tiger Broad Sword (Bak Fu Do - 白虎刀)
Winding Horse Straight Sword (Poon Ma Gim - 盤馬劍)
Advanced
Red Belt 3+ years
Fundamentals
Advanced program exercises
Full contact sparring, Sanda
Advanced Traditional combat techniques
Hand Forms
Diamond Fist (Gum Gong Kuen - 金剛拳)
White Crane Fist (Lee Gar) (Pak Hok Kuen - 白鶴拳)
Grabbing Hands Form (Kam La Sau - 擒拿手)
Warrior Saint Exits the Cave (Lohan Chut Dong - 羅漢出洞)
Drunken Warrior Saint (Jui Lohan - 醉羅漢)
Four Diamond King's Fists (Sei Dai Gum Gong Kuen - 四大金剛拳)
Ten Sets of Positive Anti-Hand (Sap Tou Zeng Fan Sau - 十套正反手)
Your breathing is very important and, along with your body posture, builds the foundation for your Kung Fu.
Chi Kung (Qi Gong) is the practice of aligning body and mind
for health and martial arts training. With roots in Chinese medicine,
philosophy and martial arts, Chi Kung is traditionally viewed as a practice to
cultivate and balance qi (chi) or what has been translated as "life
energy".
Our Tibetan White Crane (Pak Hok Pai) lineage is drawn through Si Gung Kwong-Yu Chan and members of the parent group in Hong Kong under Si Tai Gung Ho Tong Bing.
Our Pak Hok Pai lineage: Ng Siu Chung > Kwong Poon Fu > Ngai Yuk Tong > Ho Tong Bing > Chan Kwong-Yu > Tom Haber.
TWC Kung Fu group in Hong Kong under Si Tai Gung Ho (November 2016)
grand master
Ng Siu Chung
Grandmaster Ng Siu Chung (Wu Zhao Zhong) of Sansui, Guangdong, also known as Wei An studied White Crane Boxing and Chinese medicine from Wong Lam Hoi (Huang Lin Kai), later he continued his studies of White Crane boxing from Wong Lam Hoi 's boxing brother Zhu Zi Yao.
Ng became the successor and leader of the White Crane Boxing Clan when he received the symbolic statue called "Jin Ru Lai Fuo" from Wong Lam Hoi. When grandmaster Ng was a young man in Macau he was famous for his martial art prowess and in the 1940's he moved to Hong Kong. Grandmaster Ng taught many outstanding students in his life. Among them were Kwong Poon Fu, Luk Chi Fu, Chan Hak Fu, Ng Ying Kam, Au Wing Ning, Wu Ying Jian, Tang Chek Ming, Li Jian Qin and others, who would later open their own boxing school and became famous in their own rights.
Kwong Poon Fu ( 邝本夫) was one of the most senior disciples of Grandmaster Ng Siu Chung and has passed away on May 15, 2006. He lived to a respectable age of 100. Kwong Poon Fu taught many Si Fu's across the world including his top disciple Ngai Yuk Tong.
Ngai Yuk Tong
Si Tai Ye Gung Ngai. Ngai Yuk Tong passed away on March 6, 2012.
Ho Tung Bing
Si Tai Gung Ho and Si Fu Tom. Si Tai Gung Ho was the top disciple of Ngai Yuk Tong. Si Tai Gung Ho passed away in July 2023.
Chan Kwong Yu
Si Gung Chan.
Edmonton Training
Si Bak Vincent Chan and Si Fu Tom. Edmonton training session, 2013.
Hong Kong 2012
Si Fu Tom with Si Suk Tommy Leung, Si Fu Charles DaCosta and Raymond
Hong Kong 2016
Si Fu Tom with Andy Tam, Si Gung Chan and Si Hing Shaun McDonald