We specialize in passing on the traditions of an age old art of stripped down practical self defense from real martial arts masters. Our rich history and art is rooted in Tibetan kung fu, (known as a branch of Lion's Roar at the time), and includes Grandmaster Sing Lung who in the late 1860‘s brought it from Tibet to the Canton region of southern China.
While on his travels through the countryside he happened upon a young man practicing kung fu. He quietly watched as the young man went through his routine. Sing Lung returned every day for several weeks to watch. He would sit quietly for hours observing the young man's practice. In need of a guide and impressed by the young man's dedication, he approached and introduced himself. The monk offered him a deal; kung fu lessons in exchange for guide services. The young man was offended by the offer. He arrogantly asked what the monk knew about kung fu. Sing Lung asked the young man to strike him. He tried and was discarded with ease. Several times, he attacked the monk only to be thrown aside. Sing Lung evaded punches and kicks with the grace of a crane, then attacked with the power of an ape, destroying his opponent's defenses. Sing Lung took his balance by continually moving forward against his attacks. The young man was Wong Yin Lum and became Sing Lung's student / Disciple and companion. Years later Wong Yin Lum would become the Hereditary Grandmaster of what would become known as Hop Gar.
Grandmaster Wong was known as Master Hop which translates to "Master Knight". The meaning of Gar translates to "family of". That is when the system became known as Hop Gar. (Family of the Knight).
Grandmaster Wong was a master swordsman and master of Lion's Roar kung fu. He became a personal bodyguard escorting rich families and dignitaries through southern China. At that time, bandit tribes ruled the countryside. He was known for his lightning speed and powerful hands. He was highly paid by those who wished to reach their destination alive.
Grandmaster Wong is also famous for challenging China's masters to join in a kung fu tournament. He had an open-air stage built in Canton to display his skills for prospective students. Grandmaster Wong planned to open a kung fu school and needed money. This would be the perfect arena to popularize his name. He also expected to make a lot of money wagering on the fights. For one week, he fought all challengers defeating each opponent decisively.
Grandmaster Wong defeated 150 opponents and was then declared kung fu champion of China. He organized a legendary group of the ten best kung fu masters in southern China. They were called the Ten Cantonese Tigers. Grandmaster Wong was the champion and leader of the Tigers.
Grandmaster Wong had two senior Disciples, Wong Lum Hoi and Choy Yit Gong. Wong Lum Hoi assisted Grandmaster Wong with running the school. The school was popular and made a living for Wong Lum Hoi and Grandmaster Wong. Choy Yit Gong was from a wealthy family and was not interested in teaching. He would later achieve fame as the bodyguard of Dr. Sun Yat Sin, the leader of the Nationalist party of China and was the man responsible for the overthrow of the last Emperor of China.
Late in his years, Grandmaster Wong was almost blind and no longer taught. Wong Lum Hoi taught classes and supported Grandmaster Wong. He was considered to be a great kung fu master as well. Wong Lum Hoi had very little time to spend with Grandmaster Wong who lived by himself just outside of town. It was at this time Ng Yim Ming became a student at the school under Wong Lum Hoi.
Ng Yim Ming's family had no money, so at the age of four, he had been given up to a local Peking opera troop. He grew up on the road learning acrobatics, kung Fu and acting. Even at an early age he displayed an incredible talent for kung fu. He was fast, agile and flexible. His movements were elegant and flawless with explosive power which Master Hoi appreciated.
So in 1920, at twenty years old, he enrolled in Grandmaster Wong's kung fu school under Wong Lum Hoi. He would go to school in the morning, practice in the afternoon, then perform in three evening shows. The years of pain and hard work in the opera had prepared him well for what was to follow.
Wong Lum Hoi only taught as much kung fu as his students could afford. Ng Yim Ming, not having much money, was taught few moves which he practiced repeatedly while the other students advanced. He never complained and mastered what he was taught. Wong Lum Hoi, due to his lack of funds, would send him on errands and have him clean the school as the others trained.
It was at this time that Wong Lum Hoi started sending Ng Yim Ming with food and medicine for Grandmaster Wong. At first, Grandmaster Wong was put off but he was lonely and he began looking forward to Ng Yim Ming's visits. They would sit and talk for hours. After a short time they developed a close relationship.
One day Grandmaster Wong asked Ng Yim Ming to show him what he had learned at the school. Ng Yim Ming asked how the old man would see his kung fu. Grandmaster Wong said he could hear his movements and feel their power. After a few moments he stopped Ng Yim Ming saying he had learned only a small amount of White Crane. Grandmaster Wong told him to continue going to the school during the day and then come by his house after nightfall. Ng Yim Ming would spend mornings at the school and evenings performing in the opera. After the last show he would practice with Grandmaster Wong until three in the morning. This kung fu was not what he had learned at the school. He asked Grandmaster Wong what was the name of this style. Grandmaster Wong replied Hop Gar. Ng Yim Ming studied with Grandmaster Wong for eight years. Upon the death of Grandmaster Wong the title of Grandmaster was handed down to his number one student / Disciple Ng Yim Ming.
In 1928 Grandmaster Ming joined an opera troop traveling through southern China. His mastery of kung fu made him an instant star. He dazzled the crowds with great feats of kung fu and acrobatics. His speed and precision were without equal. He had mastered Hop Gar and was making extra money by competing in the streets. He was known as crazy Ming due to his brutal fighting style.
Grandmaster Ming stayed with the opera troop until 1935, when he then moved to the United States. Late in 1938, he joined a group of men being trained as pilots to fight the Japanese in China. This group of pilots later became known as the famous Flying Tigers. He joined the Chinese Nationalist Army Air Corps in 1941 and worked his way through the ranks to Colonel. After the Japanese were defeated, he became the personal pilot and bodyguard of General Ku Ding Haw, the father of Ku Chi Wai. They became close friends and confidants over the next four years.
In 1949, when the Communists, led by Mao Ze Dong, defeated and exiled the Nationalist sympathizers, Grandmaster Ming fled to Hong Kong. Out of respect and as a personal favor, he was persuaded by General Ku to take his son, Ku Chi Wai, to Hong Kong with him to be trained in the art of Hop Gar. Young Ku had been studying Choy Lay Fut since the age of seven from Grandmaster Fong Yu Su so he was not completely untrained.
In 1950, Ku Chi Wai became a private / live in student of Hereditary Grandmaster Ming. He studied from the age of twelve until the age of nineteen years old when he then became a Disciple of Grandmaster Ming.
Grandmaster Ming and Ku were often in the company of Grandmaster Ming’s best friend Law Wei Jong. He was a Shao Lin monk who lived in the Ching Yuan Si monastery on Ding Wu Mountain near Canton. It was a branch of the Fujian Shao Lin temple. Law Wei Jong was a scholar and master of many skills. He was an accomplished artist and calligrapher. He was a doctor of herbal medicine and a kung fu master. In addition, he represented the monastery when dignitaries would visit, acting as diplomat and guide.
Grandmaster Ming was a hard teacher expecting all of Ku’s time and attention. Ku awoke at 5:00 a.m. and trained from breakfast until 7:00 a.m., then from 8:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. He trained, taking breaks, for lunch, dinner and scholastic activities. Grandmaster Ming was very secretive about training. If anyone except Law Wei Jong came to the house, they stopped training until the visitors left. Often he would fall asleep only to be awakened after a guest had left to resume training.
Training consisted of forms, meditation, and iron robe. Ku punched rock filled bags. He beat his body with a bundle of chopsticks. He kicked trees until his legs were bruised and bleeding. Grandmaster Ming would apply some of Law Wei Jong's herbs and Ku would be kicking trees the next day. Grandmaster Ming would teach Ku a move then send him out in the streets to fight. If Ku lost he would have to train twice as hard, so he learned not to lose. Ku would join a kung fu school only to defeat it's teacher, then collect twice his money back to leave. Grandmaster Ming said Hop Gar was a fighting art and must be learned by fighting.
In 1958, at the age of nineteen, Ku became a policeman with the Royal Hong Kong Police Department. Within three months, Ku was appointed the self defense instructor. He maintained that position for twenty-one years. He spent five years as a policeman, then sixteen years as a civilian, (still training the police department). He quit the police department to become a fireman. After four years, he left to become a bouncer. Ku found he could make more money as a bouncer in the nightclubs of Hong Kong.
In 1959, after nine years together, Ku became Grandmaster Ming's Disciple. In 1966, they opened the Hong Kong Hop Gar kung fu Headquarters. At the same time, Ku was learning herbal medicine from Law Wei Jong. He would workout early in the morning, then he would teach at the police academy until noon. He would go to San Shing temple after lunch to work in the clinic. San Shing temple was founded by Law Wei Jong in 1960. He would arrive at the school in the early evening and lead the school exercise until 9:30 p.m. He had to be at the nightclub by 10:00 p.m. and work until closing.
In 1970, Grandmaster Ming left Hong Kong to start a business in San Francisco. Ku remained in Hong Kong to run the school until he could get a visa from the United States. Grandmaster Ming had a school in San Francisco for about a year and a half and then in 1972, tragically, he was shot and killed. Upon the death of Grandmaster Ming, Ku Chi Wai became the next Hereditary Grandmaster of Hop Gar.
In 1973 Grandmaster Ku moved in with, and became a Disciple of Law Wei Jong. Over the years Law Wei Jong taught Grandmaster Ku the 72 Shao Lin kicks, Chin Na, weapons and hand forms. He also taught Grandmaster Ku several Chi Kung exercises. Of these, the most important was the "Great Five Elements". Law Wei Jong died December 26, 1989, in Hong Kong at the age of 108.
In 1981, Grandmaster Ku moved with his family from Hong Kong to Atlanta, Georgia. He opened Ku's Holistic Health and Martial Arts Center.
Grandmaster Ku passed away in the Spring of 2019. However, Sifus Syn and Adler now carry on the teachings of the Hop Gar style and traditions.
Sifu Syn has been studying Martial Arts for over forty three years and was a private student and Disciple of Grandmaster Ku for over thirty years.
Sifu Adler has been studying Martial Arts for over thirty eight years and was a private student and Disciple of Grandmaster Ku for over twenty five years.
Both are certified instructors of Hop Gar kung fu.