Lohan boxing

Tai Cho leg-kicking techniques

Monkey fist technique

White crane incorporated in ngo cho kun

Da Mo iron-shirt technique

Power of ngo cho kun

The roots of ngo cho kun can be trace to Sijo Chua Kiam, also known as Giok Beng and I-Ho. Chua Giok Beng was born in 1853, in Fujian province, amidst the turmoil of declining years of the Ching dynasty (1644-1911). He lived in the village of Pan Be, a few miles from the city of Chuan Chiu. Raised in a wealthy family, Beng’s parents were engaged in the sauce manufacturing business. Despite the business’s increasing prosperity over the years, Beng’s heart was with the practice of kung fu. To him, material and monetary gain was secondary to the practice of martial arts. Beng’s intense desire to learn kung fu led him to be accepted as a pupil of venerated master Ho Yang, a native of Honan province. Beng’s lessons were conducted in the sauce garden, thus enabling him to utilize his time efficiently. When Ho Yang died of old age, Chua Giok Beng escorted Yang’s remains to his hometown province of Honan. On his way back, Beng took the hard route; he wondered throughout China for ten solid years, continuously searching for new techniques and ideas, practicing and combining them until he created a composite style of kung fu, which he considered the perfect fighting art. This style is ngo cho kun, or “five ancestors fist.”

 

In creating his style, Beng combined the five distinctive techniques from the five styles they are the peho (white crane), kao kun (monkey fist), Tai Cho (grand ancestor boxing), lohan (internal Buddhist boxing), and tat chun (Tamo’s iron-body training). The peho style consist of a variety of hand techniques such as arm movements, finger strikes and whipping power. The kao kun offer ngo cho kun many evasive tactics such as jumping, dodging, mobility and dexterity. The Tai Cho style was named after Sung Tai Cho, first emperor of the northern Sung dynasty (A.D. 960). He reportedly practiced a system that featured numerous jumping, sweeping, and scissors kick attacks. The lohan is an internal kung fu system, relying on short steps that serve as the basis for ngo cho kun foot work. It is also recognized as the original form of Shaolin boxing. Finally, the tat chun style forms the basis of ngo cho kun’s iron-body training. The Indian monk Tamo introduced the Muscle Changing Classics (Yak kun kieng) and the marrow washing exercises (swe che kieng) to the monks at the Shaolin Temple. These exercises were adapted to condition the practitioner’s body.

 

After spending his entire fortune on his odyssey through China, Beng returned home. Not surprisingly, the family business, with nobody to attend to it, had closed. Dispassionate over the loss of material wealth, Beng concentrated his body and mind on the study of kung fu. He opened a kung fu school called Lin Gi Tong (Hall of Humanity). On its door hung a sign that read: “Gentlemen. Let us study the way of sam chien, and warrior, please observe my ngo ki lat (five part powers).” Inaddition to teaching kung fu, Beng also made use of his medical knowledge by offering his services to the community. As was the custom, many masters from different schools came to challenge and test Beng’s art. The Sijo went undefeated, becoming so well-known in his region that he soon earned the moniker Mua Lo Hiong (Popular all the Way).

 

Chua Giok Beng was a man of peculiar character – iunworthy, and disinterested in glitter of riches and wealth. To Chua Giok Beng, kung fu was the heart and soul of being. In his forties, Beng had passed the government test for bu siu chai (a post in the military) with flying colors. This examination tested one’s expertise in shooting arrows while astride a running horse. Instead of accepting a position in the government, Beng chose to continue his pursuite of kung fu. This was during the decline of the Ching dynasty. Since corruption was rampant in the government,  Beng felt he could not compromise his intergrity. Instead, he rose to greater heights in the field of kung fu and become well known for his pat wat (eight methods deadly technique)

 

Sijo Chua Giok Beng was also an expert in both the iron palm (ti sha chiong) and the light body (kin gung) methods. Beng is also known as Pan Be Ho or the “Crane of Pan Be Village” because of his amazing acrobatic feat and high leaping abilities. His reputation spread throughout Fukian, and many masters of other styles came to study under him, consequently incorporating ngo cho kun into their respective styles. Anyone who had a specific ability in kung fu was welcome by Beng and invited to stay in his house. Beng’s house in Pan Be had no doors, only windows-anyone possessing the ability to jump from the ground to the window of his house, was welcome as an honored guest.

 

In his last years, Beng was a nomad, wandering from one place to the next. Shunning materialism, he dressed in ragged cloths. If Beng received new cloths or money, he offered them to the destitute, making him a philanthropist of sorts.

 

In Chuan Chiu, Chua Giok Beng’s first students became known as the “Ten Tigers of Ngo Cho Kun.” They included:

 

1. Kiu Lu of Chuan Chiu (also known as Kai Sai)
2. Yu Chiok Sam of Kuan Kio
3. Wei Bun Pa (also known as Wan Tian Pa)
4. Lok Te Kim Kao
5. Ho Hai Sai (Phoenix hand)
6. Tan Tao Sai
7. Hong Kiao of Ching Yong
8. Kua Chai Hun Sai
9. Tan Kiong Beng Sai (also known as Golden Wings Tai Peng)
10. Bicho Seller,

 

Each became famous in their own right, some for their specialty techniques, others for their extraordinary feats. They were held in high esteem and revered. Thus, people from the nearby regions came to study under them.

 

Ngo cho kun stands out as one of the most popular among the different styles of kung fu from southern Fukien. Although the form looks like Tai Cho, it also resembles kao kun (monkey fist) and peho (white crane). That is why many northern kung fu masters are confused as to what style ngo cho kun belongs. Many of the popular kun-to (forms) such as sam chien (three-wars), se mun pah kat (four gates direction), and song sui ( double banner fist), fall under ngo cho kun, thus establishing this art as a legitimate style in southern Fukien.

 

Sijo Chua Giok Beng  was recognized as an eminent authority  among the southern Fukien kung fu circles. Famous masters in Chuan Chiu, such as Wei Lin Pa an expert in kicking techniques, Wei Lin Pa attempted to sweep Chua Giok Beng, but was instead grabbed by Beng and thrown through the walls of the house. As a result of this encounter Pa became Beng’s student. Lim Kiu Lu of Tai Cho style a strong and muscular master of chang chuan (long fist) style of Tai Cho tried to test his skill with Chua Giok Beng, he was sent back several feet by the power of Beng’s punch. Admiring his skills, Lim Kiu Lu quickly became Sijo Beng’s student.

 

At that time, there was no master in Fukien province who could defeat Chua Giok Beng in hand-to-hand combat. As a result, many of the established masters came to study under him and were thus influenced by ngo cho kun. Such influence made ngo cho kun one of the most popular styles in China. In Chuan Chiu, and other nearby places, many adopted his sam chien form to the beginner’s curriculum. Although the sam chien seems simple, with only three steps forward and three steps backward, these steps are the essence of ngo cho kun.

 

When teaching ngo cho kun, Sijo Chua Giok Beng placed emphasis on three components: breath (qi ), form (sze), and strength (li). He stressed that if these components are properly cultivated and combining spirit (ching), breath (qi), and soul (shen), power will also develop naturally. However, Beng’s primary emphasis was on form (sze). Without proper form the practitioner is believed to be like a puppet, pulled and control by a string. Lacking proper form, the practitioner, while moving forward and backward, will lack the grace and posture of the style. In ngo cho kun, proper form is not only necessary but essential.

 

The dynamic strength and ferocity of ngo cho kun techniques require the stability of strong stances. The foundation of this art is grounded in the four basic stances: the sam chien be (fighting stance), si peng be ( level horse stance), tiam-be ( I-stance), and the kieng tzi be (bow-arrow stance).

 

Ngo cho kun makes use of short steps when moving from one point to another. The steps carry a strong-grounded weight that they are able to crush a head.

 

Ngo cho kun’s five power principle ( ngo ki lat ) refers to the legs must be firmly rooted and grounded for balance and stability and is the power source. The hip to amplify the power from the legs and transfer it to the third power which is the shoulder then to the arms and then combining breathing ( qi ) a powerful-penetrating strike can be develop. The head should be held upright, the chin sunk low, the mouth slightly retracting the lips to tense the facial and neck muscles and the eyes are held wide open. With a single look, the practitioner, in such a state of facial contortion, looks like a beast ready to devour its prey.

 

The stance’s power source is comprised of three segments: the upper legs or thighs, the lower legs or shin and the feet. When focusing training on these parts, you should will your mind to circulate the chi by way of inhalation and exhalation, with it passing from one legs, the another in continuous cycle. In the three segments of the legs, the thighs are tucked in, the ankles are exposed outwardly, and the toes are curled up tense the calf muscles, with the soles of the feet glued to the ground. With proper form, every step will automatically be firm like roots in the ground. This forms a solid stance, deligent practice will enable one to move with ease and coordination while maintaining stability, power and mobility for swiftness.

 

There are four main principles of ngo cho kun;

1. pu (float) to unbalance the opponent in defense and attack, to be mobile.;

2. tim (sink) to keep foot firmly planted on the ground, to take the opponent to the ground;

3. tun (swallow) to absorb the attack and stay focus;

4. toh (spit out) to explode in attack, explosive strikes that are glued to the target.

 

 

 

Material reference in the History of Ngo Cho Kun with special acknowldegement is to Master Alexander Co.