Monkey Kung Fu
Also known as	Tai Shing Pek Kwar, Hou Quan, Tai Sheng Men, Kou-ken, Tai Sing Pop Gar Mun, Monkey Boxing
Style	Acrobatic, Kicking, Punching, Grappling, Ground Fighting
Country of origin	China
Creator	Kau Sze (寇四)
Famous practitioners	Chan Sau Chung, Xiao Yingpeng
Olympic Sport	No

Monkey Kung Fu (猴拳) is a Chinese martial art where the movements imitate monkeys or apes in fighting. One of the more acrobatic kung fu styles, movements often include falling, lunging, grabbing, light art jumping, and tumbling. The staff features prominently in its weapons training, with practitioners using it for attack, defense, and even climbing it like a pole[1] to gain height in combat. The flamboyant movements and sometimes comic actions of the monkey style has made it a popular subject in Hong Kong martial arts movies. Kicker redirects here. ... A jab In the context of unarmed combat or melee, a punch is a thrusting blow, esp. ... For other uses, see Grapple. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_Peoples_Republic_of_China. ... Sigung Kan tak hoi seated - a young Chan Sau Chung stands beside him. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... Approximate worldwide distribution of monkeys. ... This article is about the biological superfamily. ... Alternative meaning: Kung Fu (TV series) Kung fu or gongfu (功夫, Pinyin: gōngfu) is a well-known Chinese term used in the West to designate Chinese martial arts. ... For other uses of the word staff, see staff. ... Hong Kong action cinema is the principal source of the Hong Kong film industrys global fame. ...

Origins

Hou Quan

Hou Quan (猴拳), literally 'Monkey's Fist' or 'Monkey Boxing', is recorded in part as early as the Han Dynasty(206 BC–AD 220) where it was performed as a part of the Mi Hou Wu dance in the Emperor's court.[2] Contrary to popular beliefs, there are actually a number of independently developed systems of monkey kung fu. Examples includes Xingzhemen (行者門) named after the protagonist Sun Wukong of the popular Ming dynasty novel Journey to the West, Nanhouquan (南猴拳) or Southern Monkey Fist originating from the Southern Shaolin Temple as well as the more well known Tai Sheng Pek Kwar Moon (大聖劈掛門) style of Hong Kong. The houquan style from the Emei region, taught by the famous "Monkey King" Xiao Yingpeng and others, was also used as the basis for the modern wushu variant of monkey style (and monkey staff) that is often seen in demonstrations and competitions today. Each independent style has its own unique approach to the expression of how to incorporate a monkey's movements into fighting.

Hou Quan may have contributed to other styles as well. For example, Wang Lang, the 17th century founder of Northern Praying Mantis Boxing (tanglang quan), was said to have borrowed the footwork of the Monkey style to complement the extremely fast handwork of Praying Mantis Kung Fu.[3]

Han Dynasty in 87 BC Capital Changan (202 BC–9 AD) Luoyang (25 AD–190 AD) Language(s) Chinese Religion Taoism, Confucianism Government Monarchy History  - Establishment 206 BC  - Battle of Gaixia; Han rule of China begins 202 BC  - Interruption of Han rule 9 - 24  - Abdication to Cao Wei 220... Location within China A wooden bridgewalk over the Crystal Stream, western slopes. ... Wushu (武術 or 武术; pinyin: wǔshù) literally means martial art. It is commonly used much the same way as the popular term kung fu, referring specifically to Chinese martial arts, but is in China also used as a general and formal term for any martial... Northern Praying Mantis (Chinese: ; pinyin: tánglángquán; literally praying mantis fist) is a style of Chinese martial arts, sometimes called Shandong Praying Mantis after its province of origin. ...

Tai Sheng Men

Tai Sheng Men, or "Great Saint" Kung Fu, was developed near the end of the Qing dynasty (1644-1911)by a fighter named Kau Sze from a small village in Northern China. Legend states that while serving a sentence in prison, he observed a group of monkeys from his cell. As he studied their movements and mannerisms, he found that they combined well with his own Tei Tong style. While exact circumstances of Kau Sze's inspiration remain legend, upon his release he developed his new style of fighting and dubbed it 'Tai Sheng Men' (Great Saint Style) in honor of the Monkey King Sun Wukong in the Buddhist tale Journey to the West.

Alternative meaning: Kung Fu (TV series) Kung fu or gongfu (功夫, Pinyin: gōngfu) is a well-known Chinese term used in the West to designate Chinese martial arts. ... Flag (1890-1912) Anthem Gong Jinou (1911) Territory of Qing China in 1892 Capital Shengjing (1636-1644) Beijing (1644-1912) Language(s) Chinese Manchu Mongolian Government Monarchy Emperor  - 1636-1643 Huang Taiji  - 1908-1912 Xuantong Emperor Prime Minister  - 1911 Yikuang  - 1911-1912 Yuan Shikai History  - Establishment of the Late... Alternative meaning: In geology, North China (continent) and South China (continent) were two ancient landmasses that correspond to modern northern and southern China. ... This article or section is incomplete and may require expansion and/or cleanup. ... A replica of an ancient statue found among the ruins of a temple at Sarnath Buddhism is a philosophy based on the teachings of the Buddha, Siddhārtha Gautama, a prince of the Shakyas, whose lifetime is traditionally given as 566 to 486 BCE. It had subsequently been accepted by... The four heroes of the story, left to right: SÅ«n Wùkōng, Xuánzàng, ZhÅ« Bājiè, and Shā Wùjìng. ...

Pek Kwar

Pek Kwar Kung Fu dates back to the Ming Dynasty some time around 1500.It was widely taught in the army because it is practical, direct and powerful. Pek Kwar concentrates on upper body, forearm, fist, low stance training and total body co-ordination. "Pek" means "chopping or downward arm or fist attack" and "Kwar" means "swinging or upward arm or fist attack," in Chinese. Loosely translated it means "axe fist".

(Pek Kwar Kuen is the Cantonese pronunciation for Piguaquan.) Piguaquan (Traditional Chinese: 劈掛拳, literally chop-hanging fist), also known as Piguazhang (劈掛掌, chop-hanging palm) due to its emphasis on palm techniques, is often practiced along with Bajiquan (八極拳, literally eight extremes fist) and is a style of wushu (Chinese martial arts) that features explosive, long-range power. ...

Tai Shing Pek Kwar

Tai Shing Pek Kwar (大聖劈掛門) was developed by Kau Sze's student, Kan Tak Hoi. Already schooled in the art of Pek Kwar (Axe Hand), Ken found that it worked well in conjunction with Tai Sheng techniques. After his years of studying with Kau Sze, Ken Tak Hoi then combined the styles to the more modern Tai Sheng Pek Kwar studied today.

Sigung Kan Tak Hoi seated - a young Chan Sau Chung stands beside him. Circa 1950

According to tradition, a master of the art of Tai Shing Pek Kwar is an individual who has mastered all five variations (Tall, Lost, Wooden, Drunken & Stone Monkey) of the monkey system. As recorded, Chan Sau Chung, the only known living grandmaster of the system has mastered all five of the variations. Grandmaster Chan Sau Chung was personally selected by Sigung Kan Tak Hoi to teach Tai Shing Pek Kwar Kung Fu in the early 1950's in Hong Kong and did so under his guidance and mentorship (see inset). Over the years due to his performances and those of his students Chan Sau Chung became known as the "Monkey King." Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ...

Grandmaster Chan Sau Chung has had many students inclusive of his son Chan Kai Leung and Sigung Roger Smart of Australia who happens to be the only non-oriental on the Federation's family tree. The Tai Shing Pek Kwar International Kung Fu Federation was created by Chan Sau Chung who continued the school and the family tree inclusive of the students of his batchmates who were certified by Sigung Kan Tak Hoi to teach Tai Shing Pek Kwar kung fu, following the Sigung's death. There are persons on another organisation who are not reflected on the Federation's family tree or in the historical records going back to the days of Sigung Kan Tak Hoi. The Federation has published many books on the history and evolution of Tai Shing Pek Kwar Kung Fu over the years most notable of which is titled "Essence Of The Monkey" jointly by Grandmaster Chan Sau Chung and Master Chan Kai Leung. Unfortunately another organization has plagiarized both information and images from this book as well as from the Federation's website, for inclusion in their own 'historical' book and on their website. It is against this background that the Federation has taken down its website, made its official family tree unavailable and stopped selling this book publicly hence the shortage of verification information.

The United States Tai Shing Pek Kwar Association was created by Master Michael Matsuda two years ago as well. It reflects the lineage of Kou Sze, the founder of Monkey and follows the lineage of one of Ken Tak Hoi's students, Cho Chi Fung. The Family Tree extends to the first line of Chan Sau Chung's earlier students of the 70s.

Kou Sze was the originator of the Chinese art of Tai Shing. Kou Sze passed on the art to his one and only student, Ken Tak Hoi, who was a master of Pek Kwar. Kan Tak Hoi had started learning Pek Kwar Kung Fu from his father Kan Wing Kwai who was also a master of Pek Kwar kung fu, from he was only eight years of age. He is responsible to combining the names Tai Shing and Pek Kwar together, however, these two arts are not related. Nonetheless, out of respect for founder Kau Sze, the name Tai Shing was placed first followed by Pek Kwar for the name of the new kung fu system. Ken Tak Hoi had a number of students ^{[citation needed]}including Cho Chi Fung, one of his first students, Lum Si Fung, Chow Sing Fun, Hoi Hoy, Chan Sau Chung and Ken Tak Hoi's two sons, Ken Chun Hung and Ken Chun Ying. Chan Sau Chung is the only one to appear in the magazines and became the most well-known. Cho Chi Fung, considered the earliest student of Ken Tak Hoi^{[citation needed]}, passed on the entire five monkey forms to his nephew, Cho Chat Ling, who passed it on to his only student, Paulie Zink, who passed it on to his senior student Michael Matsuda. Undoubtedly, Ken Tak Hoi's others students have their own family tree. In the 70s, Paulie Zink became the first non-Chinese ^{[citation needed]}to master the entire art of both Pek Kwar and Tai Shing (all five monkey forms). The information and Family Tree is noted in the "History of Monkey Kung Fu" book published in 1999.

Techniques

Hou Quan

Traditional hou quan as taught in Mainland China includes running on hands and feet, various difficult acrobatics (such as flipping sideways in the air), and many kicks and strikes. Besides, an array of facial monkey expressions are also practiced, ranging from happiness to anger. The monkey staff, or hougun (猴棍), is one of this style's specialty weapons.

Tai Sheng Pek Kwar

There are six variations of monkey kung fu developed as part of the Tai Sheng Men system, and still utilized in the later Tai Sheng Pek Kwar system (although the Crafty monkey variation described below may have been absorbed into the Lost monkey curriculum in Tai Shing Pek Kwar and Bak Si Lum among others, hence there are only five variations listed, in these systems):

1. Drunken Monkey uses a lot of throat, eye and groin strikes as well as tumbling and falling techniques. It incorporates a lot of false steps to give the appearance it is defenseless and uses a lot of off balance strikes. The practitioner waddles, takes very faltering steps and sometimes fall to the ground and lies prone while waiting the opponent to approach at which time a devastating attack is launched at the knees or groin areas of the opponent. In drunken monkey you use more internal energy than any other. It is one of the most difficult of the monkey styles to master and also the most powerful.
2. Stone Monkey is a "physical" style. The practitioner trains up his body to exchange blows with the opponent - Stone Monkey uses a kind of Iron body method. It will leave an area exposed on its body for an opponent to attack, so it can attack a more vital spot on the body.
3. Lost Monkey feigns a lot. He gives the appearance of being lost and confused to deceive the opponent into underestimating his abilities, and he retaliates when least expected. The hands and footwork change and flow from each other at will. All monkeys are sociable animals and so they live in troops or family groups. They are also very territorial by nature and so when they wander into the territory of another troop there is normally a fight possibly resulting in death to the trespassers. This technique incorporates the fear, nervousness and mischief of a monkey who has wandered into a neighboring territory, in that it attempts to pick and eat as many fruits and insects as quickly as is possible while nervously looking around before scurrying back to its own home range.
4. Standing Monkey or Tall Monkey is a relatively conventional monkey that likes to keep an upright position and avoid tumbling around. This style is more suited for tall people. Tall monkey likes to climb body limbs to make attacks at pressure points. It is a long range style.
5. Crafty monkey is very deceptive, it uses different faked emotions to lure opponents into attacking. By pretending to be scared for example it lulls the opponent into a false sense of security and waits for the opponents guard to be down, then suddenly attacks when not expected. This variation is not listed in the Tai Shing Pek Kwar system, instead it appears to have been absorbed into the Lost Monkey curriculum.
6. Wooden Monkey mimics a serious, angry monkey that attacks and defends with ferocity. The attitude of this monkey is more serious, and its movements are noticeably less light than the other monkeys. Wood monkey likes to grapple and bring its opponent to the ground.

Drunken Monkey Form or Drunken Monkey Pole Form of Kung-Fu is a Chinese martial art, and one of the six variations of the Monkey Style. ...

Additional Information

At Tournaments

A young monkey boxer performing a "Lost Monkey" Staff Form

Monkey boxers usually wear very bright yellow colored uniforms most often with red trimmings or appliqués. The favorite weapon for Monkey Boxing is the staff or stick and standing beside it, the upper end of the staff is normally 'eye-height' for the practitioner. There are also other weapons favored by Monkey Boxers e.g. the broadsword, straight-sword and the spear as well as the iron ring. Monkey forms are not normally performed fast paced from start to finish as in other techniques, instead the practitioner will execute a very swift series of movements then stop to 'play' (which means to fidget or scratch and it usually involves nervously looking around, picking imaginary fruits or insects from off the legs, arms, ears or head and even the groin area then very quickly eating them or scooping water from an imaginary pond or stream then drinking it). In the lost monkey technique, there is a lot of running, nervously looking around, rolling, kicking and punching to the groin area of the opponent. Please note that the running is done in a semi-squatting position and also that a clenched fist is not used in monkey boxing, instead the fingers are loosely held like a semi-closed fist sometimes referred to as the monkey claw. With the exception of the Tall Monkey technique, all monkey forms tend to be executed from the squatting and stooping positions. When well executed, monkey forms are very comical and generally very entertaining and so tend to attract the most attention at martial arts tournaments. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ...

Movies

The following films showcase Monkey Kung Fu either throughout the film or in major scenes:

• Hou quan kou si, English title Monkey's Fist, (1974)[4] features real-life Monkey Kung Fu specialist Chan Sau Chung.
• Tie ma liu, English title Iron Monkey, (1977)[5] starring Chen Kuan Tai.
• In the movie Knockabout, (1979) the lead protagonist Yipao used monkey-fist technique (which he learned from a cop pretending to be a beggar) against The Fox, which happens to be his former master and the one who killed his friend Taipao.
• Feng hou, English title Mad Monkey Kung-Fu, (1979)[6], although the technique displayed in this movie is really the 'monkey' variation of the Lau Family Hung Gar system and not genuine Tai Shing Pak Kwar Kung Fu.
• Chu long ma liu, English title Monkey's Fist Floating Snake, (1979)[7]
• Zui hou nu, English title Lady Iron Monkey, (1979)[8] starring Fung Ling Kam.
• Liu he qian shou, English title Return of the Scorpion, (1979)[9] features 7 Kung Fu masters, one (i.e. Chan Sau Chung) is a practitioner of Monkey Kung Fu.
• Jackie Chan's Drunken Master II (1994) (AKA Legend of Drunken Master (2000) (U.S.)) features drunken monkey-type styles in one fight scene. Wong Fei Hung takes a form he calls "monkey drinks master's wine" which bears resemblances and has a similar name to the Drunken Monkey forms "The Monkey King Stealing Wine", "The Monkey King Drinking Wine" and "The Monkey King Becoming Drunk."
• Chui ma lau, English title Drunken Monkey, uses the Monkey fist variant Drunken Monkey, (2002)[10]although the technique displayed in this movie is really the 'monkey' variation of the Lau Family Hung Gar system and not genuine Tai Shing Pak Kwar Kung Fu.

Knockabout (Chinese:Za jia xiao zi) is a 1979 Hong Kong martial arts movie directed by Sammo Hung Kam-Bo. ... Chan Kong-Sang (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: ), also known as Jackie Chan Sing Lung (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: ) or Jackie Chan SBS, (born on April 7, 1954) is a Chinese martial artist, action star, actor, director, screenwriter, film producer, singer and stunt performer. ... Drunken Master II (Jui Kuen II) is a martial arts film directed by Lau Kar-Leung and starring Jackie Chan as Wong Fei Hung, a legendary Chinese folk hero. ... Motto: (Out Of Many, One) (traditional) In God We Trust (1956 to date) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington D.C. Largest city New York City None at federal level (English de facto) Government Federal constitutional republic  - President George Walker Bush (R)  - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence from... This is a Chinese name; the family name is Wong. ... Drunken Monkey (Chui ma lau) is a 2002 kung fu film directed by Lau Kar-leung. ... Drunken Monkey Form or Drunken Monkey Pole Form of Kung-Fu is a Chinese martial art, and one of the six variations of the Monkey Style. ...

Pop Culture references

• In Escape from Monkey Island, the art of Monkey Combat is practiced by some of the monkeys on Monkey Island. One of the stances is called Drunken Monkey.
• In Sega's video game, Virtua Fighter 5, the character Eileen uses houquan as her fighting style. It is clear, however, that her style is fast-paced and comical. She even scratches her ear like a monkey and jumps like one as well.
• In Scary Movie 2, the character of Cindy Campbell says she is using the drunken monkey technique to defeat a possessed caretaker.
• In a Kung Fu competition on MTV2's the Final Fu, Jonathan Phan, a prominent member of the EMC Monkeys, is seen using a different form of Monkey Kung Fu while sparring against another competitor.
• In the video game series Mortal Kombat, the character Noob Saibot uses Monkey Kung Fu as his primary fighting style.
• In an episode of the animated series king of the Hill the character Dale Gribble once threatens to use what he describes as "the deadliest fighting technique in the world, monkey style." He then procedes to give a brief demonstration accompanied by monkey sounds.
• In the film Bloodsport, and it's sequel Bloodsport II: The Next Kumite, there are fighters who use different variants of Monkey style.

Escape from Monkey Island (EMI) is a computer adventure game developed and released by LucasArts in 2000. ... The following is a list of famous items and things related to LucasArts series of Monkey Island adventure games. ... This article is about the video game company. ... Virtua Fighter 5 is the latest game in Segas Virtua Fighter series. ... Eileen is a fictional character in the Sega video game series Virtua Fighter. ... Scary Movie 2 is a 2001 American horror film spoof and is the second film of the Scary Movie franchise. ... MTV2 is a cable network that is widely available in the United States on digital cable and satellite television, and is progressively being added to basic cable lineups across the nation. ... Final Fu is an American reality television show that debuted on July 17, 2006. ... For other uses, see Mortal Kombat. ... Noob Saibot is a fictional character from the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. ... Bloodsport is a 1988 martial arts film starring Jean-Claude Van Damme. ...

References

1. Monkey King Chan Sau Chung's Journey to the West.
2. The History of Tai Shing Pek Kwar
3. The Shaolin Society- Monkey Kung Fu
4. American Tai Shing Pek Kwar website

See also

• Chinese martial arts
• Northern Chinese martial arts
• Southern Chinese martial art
• Shaolin kung fu
• Drunken Monkey