Shaolin Hero

The legend goes like this: In the early 18th century the Manchu government ordered the destruction of the Shaolin Temple. The white eyebrow monk Pai Mei led the raid, most of the Shaolin disciples were killed, and the temple was burned to the ground. Shaolin student Hung Hsi Kuan narrowly escaped and continued training in the tiger style kung fu he had been taught at the temple, as well as began training in crane style. He combined these two styles in order to exact his revenge, and he killed Pai Mei. Afterwards, he began teaching others his art of kung fu, naming it “Hung Gar”.

Hung Gar was passed down through generations and eventually taught to the legendary hero Wong Fei Hung (the subject of hundreds of kung fu movies including Drunken Master and Once Upon a Time in China), who taught it to Lam Sai Wing, who taught a man named Lau Cham. Lau Cham trained his son, Lau Kar Leung, who grew up to become the greatest director in the history of kung fu cinema (director of 36th Chamber of Shaolin and Invincible Pole Fighter). Lau Kar Leung is not only an incredible filmmaker and action choreographer, he is also a crucial part of Shaolin kung fu history. Here’s a clip he directed in the 70's with Shaw Brothers stars performing basic Hung Gar techniques: