Lau Gar
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Lau Gar (Traditional Chinese: 劉家; pinyin: Liú Jiā; Yale Cantonese: Lau4 Ga1; literally "Lau Family") is one of the five major family styles of Southern Chinese martial arts and is attributed to Lau Sam-Ngan (劉三眼; pinyin: Liú Sānyǎn; Yale Cantonese: Lau4 Saam1 Ngaan5; literally "Three Eyed" Lau), who is said to have been taught by Jee Sin.
There are three different branches of Lau Gar:
- The Lau Gar Kuen system headed by Master Jeremy Yau Kam-Wha of Birmingham, England, head of the British Kung Fu Association, who has several disciples and students teaching throughout the United Kingdom where there are currently over 120 clubs. Master Yau brought the style to Britain in 1961, and in 1973 the British Kung Fu Association was set up.
Master Yau's Lau Gar incoporates a grading system based on coloured sashes, similar to Karate with White being the lowest and black the highest (there are six levels of black sash). These are white, blue, orange, green, yellow, purple, brown and then black. However unlike Karate, the white belt is only awarded after the first grading. The style features mid-height strong stances, many open-hand close-range techniques, and several kicks, few of which are above the waist, most aimed at waist height.
- The Lau Gar found in Mainland China, the current recognised Master of which is Xiao Yong Ding (Siu Wing Ding in Cantonese) of Guangdong Province.
- The Lau Gar routines found in certain branches of Hung Gar, another of the five major family styles, which do not come from Lau Gar proper (see discussion), but were originally a Mok Gar empty-hand routine (Lau Gar Kuen 劉家拳) introduced into the curriculum by a student of Lam Sai-Wing named Lau and a Chu/Chow Gar Mantis staff routine (Lau Gar Gwan 劉家棍) introduced into the curriculum by a student of the Chu/Chow Gar Mantis master Lau Shui, after whom the routine was named.
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There are now 20 guardians of Lau Gar Jun in the British Kung Fu association.
