Fut Ga Kuen or Buddhist Family Fist is a relatively modern Southern Shaolin style of

Kung Fu Chinese martial arts, commonly referred to with umbrella terms Kung fu (term), kung fu (; ), kuoshu () or wushu (sport), wushu (), are Styles of Chinese martial arts, multiple fighting styles that have developed over the centuries in Greater Ch ...

devised primarily from the combination of Hung Ga Kuen 洪家 and Choy Gar 蔡家 Kuen. The style utilizes mostly punches, palm strikes and low kicks, further characterized by evasive footwork, circular blocks and using the opponent's force against them. The words "Fut Ga Kuen" literally translate to "Buddhist Family Fist". The word "Ga" in Cantonese means family. This name has been synonymous with the martial arts practiced in the Southern Shaolin Monastery in

Fujian Fujian is a provinces of China, province in East China, southeastern China. Fujian is bordered by Zhejiang to the north, Jiangxi to the west, Guangdong to the south, and the Taiwan Strait to the east. Its capital is Fuzhou and its largest prefe ...

, and used as an ambiguous term for their skills. One style that was formally founded using the name of "Fut Ga" has its origins at Qingyun temple near Dinghu Mountain in

Guangdong ) means "wide" or "vast", and has been associated with the region since the creation of Guang Prefecture in AD 226. The name "''Guang''" ultimately came from Guangxin ( zh, labels=no, first=t, t= , s=广信), an outpost established in Han dynasty ...

Province. Early on in its history, the monks at this temple were fortunate enough to learn martial arts from fighters that had mastered the 5 most popular systems of Southern Kung Fu. These styles were Lau Gar, Li Gar,

Mok Gar Mok Gar () is one of the five major family styles of Southern Chinese martial arts. It was developed by a Shaolin monk named Monk Mok Ta Shi () as an inheritance of the Southern Shaolin Fist in Guangdong province in China. It gained fame thre ...

, Choy Gar, and Hung Gar. The names of the styles reflect the surname of the particular style's founder. A monk named Leung Tin-jiu 梁天柱 realized the value of incorporating different schools or styles together and took only the best techniques of each style and discarded what he thought was useless or ineffective. A combination of mostly Choi Gar from Leung Siu-jong and Hung Gar from Yao Loon-kwong, this became ''Sil Lum Fut Gar'' 少林佛家 or " Shaolin Buddhist Family". A branch of Fut Gar developed by Leung Tin-chiu is currently being partially taught in schools worldwide and was headed by Chen Rong-en (陈荣恩) 1922-2015, the only direct disciple of Leung Tin-jiu who was involved in spreading the style. The Leung Tin-jiu style of Fut Gar is best known in China for the ''Flying Dragon Staff Form'' which is known as the King of Staff Forms within the

community.
The National Fut Gar Kung Fu Training Centre
taught by Sifu Richard Chow in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada is the longest running school that taught Fut Gar with the direct guidance of Grandmaster Chen. A newer school also closely monitored by Grandmaster Chen exists in China since 2004. In November 2007 an International Fut Gar Federation was formed to unite instructors of Fut Ga Kung Fu worldwide.
Master Wong Ting-fong
opened the Golden Dragon Kung Fu Society in Buffalo NY over 50 years ago. He was a student o
Leong Tin-chiu
He aske
Sifu Norman Mandarino
to open a school under his name when he closed his hands (stopped teaching) in 1974. Sifu Mandarino was Master Wong’s top ranked student and disciple. He opened The Golden Dragon Kung Fu Society under Master Wong's leadership. Sifu Mandarino changed the name t
Mandarin Kung Fu
after Master Wong died. He continues to instruct and practice a blend of Hung Gar, Choi Gar and Fut Gar as taught by Master Wong.Sifu Norman Mandarino
Mandarin Kung Fu
/ref>

Popular culture

* Sing, the main protagonist of '' Kung Fu Hustle'', uses Fut Gar.

References

{{reflist Chinese martial arts Buddhist martial arts