Kung Fu Styles List

[Su lin]

Thought this may be of use for beginners or just of interest generally.Let me know if anything has been missed.
* Bafaquan (八法拳) - Eight Methods
* Baguazhang (八卦掌; Pa Kua Chang) - Eight Trigrams Palm
* Bajiquan (八極拳) - Eight Extremes Fist
* Bak Mei (白眉拳) - White Eyebrow
* Black Tiger Kung Fu (黑虎拳)
* Chaquan (查拳) - Cha Fist
* Changquan (長拳) - Long Fist
* Chuo Jiao (戳腳) - Poking Feet
* Chow Gar - a form of Southern Praying Mantis
* Chi Hsuan Men - White Jade Fan
* Choy Gar (蔡家) - also known as Rat Kung Fu
* Choy Lee Fut (蔡李佛; Càilǐfó)
* Dachengquan (大成拳) - Great Achievement Boxing (Yiquan)
* Ditangquan (地躺拳) - Ground-Prone Fist, Ground Tumbling Boxing
* Do Pi Kung Fu (道派)
* Dragon Kung Fu (Lung Ying) (龍形拳)
* Duan Quan (短拳) - Short Range Boxing
* Emeiquan (峨嵋拳)
* Fanziquan (翻子拳) - Overturning Fist, Tumbling Boxing
* Feng Shou - Hand of the Wind
* Five Ancestors (五祖拳) - Wuzuquan or Ngo Cho Kun
* Five Animals (五形)
* Five Petal Plum Blossom Qigong
* Fujian White Crane (白鶴拳)
* Fu Jow Pai (虎爪派) - Tiger Claw System (aka Black Tiger Kung Fu or Hark Fu Moon; G.M. Wai Hong)
* Fut Gar - Buddhist Palm
* Gouquan (狗拳) - Dog Fist
* Hong Cha
* Hongquan-red boxing
* Hop Gar (俠家)
* Huaquan (different character) Flower boxing
* Houquan (猴拳) - Monkey Fist
* Drunken Monkey (醉猴)
* Hsing-i Ch'uan: see Xingyiquan (形意拳)
* Huaquan (華拳) - China Fist
* Hung Fut (洪佛) - Hung and Buddha style kung fu
* Hung Gar (洪家拳; also known as Hung Ga or Hung Kuen) Shaolin Style and ancestor to many southern styles
* I Liq Chuan (意力拳) - Mind-Body Art, founded by Chin Lik Keong of Malaysia
* Jeet Kune Do (截拳道) - Way of The Intercepting Fist, founded by Bruce Lee
* Jing Wu Men (精武門) - Jing Wu, a famous school founded in Shanghai that teaches several different styles.
* Jing Quan Do (精拳道) - a modern synthetic style
* Jow-Ga Kung Fu (周家) - Jow family style
* Kuntao - Way of the Fist
* Kuen-Do (拳道) - Way of The Fist
* Lama Pai- Lama fist
* Lau Gar (刘家) - Lau family style
* Leopard Kung Fu (豹拳)
* Li (Lee) Family (李家) - Li Family or Lee Family style
* Liu Seong Kuntao (also Liu Seong Gung Fu, Liu Seong Chuan Fa) - A Chinese art with Indonesian influence, practiced primarily in the United States.
* Liuhe Bafa (六合八法; Liu He Pa Fa, Lok Hup Ba Fa) - Six Harmonies, Eight Methods or Water Boxing
* Liuhemen/liuhequan-six harmonies school/boxing
* Liuhetanglangquan-six harmonies mantis boxing
* Luohan Quan (羅漢拳) Arhat Boxing, Law Horn Kuen
* Mei Hua Quan (梅花拳 Plum Blossom Fist)
* Mizongyi (迷蹤羅漢拳; Mízōngquán) - Lost Track Fist (also known as My Jong Law Horn)
* Mok Gar (莫家拳) Mok family style
* Nan Quan (南拳) - Southern Fist
* New York Nam Kuen
* Northern Praying Mantis (北派螳螂拳)
* Northern Shaolin (北少林) - Bak Siu Lum
* Pai lum (白龍) - White Dragon, Pai Family Method, a modern style based on Kenpo with Chinese influences found mainly in the US and Canada.
* Paochui (炮捶) - Cannon Fist, Sanhaung Paochui
* Piguaquan (劈掛拳) - Chop-Hitch Fist, Axe-hitch boxing
* Praying Mantis: see either Northern or Southern Praying Mantis.
* Sanda (散打) or Sanshou (散手) - Free Fighting
* San Soo (散手)
* Shaolin Nam Pai Chuan (少林南派拳)
* Shaolin Quan (少林拳)
* Shen Lung Kung Fu (神龍功夫) - Modern variations of Southern style Chinese martial arts based in the United States.
* Shuai Chiao (摔跤; Shuaijiao) - Chinese Wrestling
* Shequan (蛇拳) - Snake Fist
* Shou Shu
* Southern Praying Mantis (南派螳螂拳)
* Tai Chi Chuan (太極拳 T'ai Chi Ch'uan, Taijiquan) - Taiji Fist
* Tai Shin Mun or Dasheng men 大聖門 - School of The Great Sage
*Tantui (彈腿/譚腿) - Spring Leg style
* Tibetan White Crane (白鶴派)
* Tien Shan Pai (天山派)
* Tongbeiquan (通背拳) - Through-the-Back Fist
* Twelve Fists of Tamo
* White Crane: see either Fujian White Crane or Tibetan White Crane
* Wing Chun (詠春) - Forever Spring(永春), made famous by Bruce Lee.
* Wing Tsun (詠春)
* Wudangquan (武當拳)
* Wun Hop Kuen Do
* Xingyiquan (形意拳; Hsing-i Ch'uan) - Form-Intent Fist
* Yau Kung Mun (软功門) - Flexible-Power Style
* Yingzhaoquan (鷹爪拳) - Eagle Claw Fist
* Yuejiaquan (岳家槍) - Yue family Fist/Boxing
* Yiquan (意拳; I Ch'uan) - Mind Boxing
* Zhuan Shu Kuan - A modern composite style containing elements of Tae Kwon Do, Muay Thai and Changquan. It is based in the United Kingdom.
* Zi Ran Men (自然门) - Natural Boxing or "fist of nature"
* Zui Quan (醉拳) - Drunken Fist

[SirVill]

The characters for Shaolin Nam Pai Chuan should be (少林南北拳) according to the certificate in front of me. :D

Just a little thing... feel free to delete this post if you want too.

[SifuJason]

Missed my style: Wun Hop Kuen Do. The name is Cantonese.

[Su lin]

Sorry Jason, will add it. :)

[Tim T]

great list Su, never realised how many styles there were ! :)

[Su lin]

I know,there are many many styles! It's all interesting stuff.

I can't lay claim to singlehandedly writing it all out either,it came from various sources :)

[SifuJason]

Missed my style: Wun Hop Kuen Do. The name is Cantonese.


Thanks: it means "combination fist art" btw if you want to add that too.

[Anathar]

Tai Shin Mun or Dasheng men 大聖門 - School of The Great Sage

[southern jester]

from encyclopedia of chinese martial arts
five elders (not five ancestors you mentioned)
hung-chai
lost track
monkey
wu-shu

[Goju Master]

SirVill,

Please excuse if you already know this, but:

Nam Pai as listed above means "South Family", where as the Nam Pai you are listing means "South / North".

The characters for Shaolin Nam Pai Chuan should be (少林南北拳) according to the certificate in front of me. :D

Just a little thing... feel free to delete this post if you want too.

Best Regards,

Russ

[Banditshaw]

One thing I noticed Su.
I thought Hak Fu Mun and Fu Jow Pai were two different Tiger Styles.
I know Jeff(JMD161) would know for sure.

[SirVill]

SirVill,

Please excuse if you already know this, but:

Nam Pai as listed above means "South Family", where as the Nam Pai you are listing means "South / North".


Best Regards,

Russ

I do indeed know this... in fact it should read "South North Fist".

Cheers for the concern. :D

[Rabu]

http://www.tienshanpai.org/tienshanpai/index.htm

Tien Shan Pai.

Huang Chien Liang's site above.

Regards,

Rob

[jmd161]

One thing I noticed Su.
I thought Hak Fu Mun and Fu Jow Pai were two different Tiger Styles.
I know Jeff(JMD161) would know for sure.



Hak Fu Mun (Haak Fu Muhn, Huk Fu Moon etc..) and Fu Jow Pai are two totally different styles. Fu Jow Pai is a Tiger Claw system and uses a lot more Fu Jow (Tiger Claw) techniques than Hak Fu Mun. Hak Fu Mun has a lot more different animal techniques than just tiger. There are 10 different animals in Black Tiger...

crane,snake,dragon,tiger,leopard,horse,monkey,lion ,eagle, and elephant

Hak Fu Mun also has drunken sets one armed sets and many exotic weapons sets. I know most Hung people won't like this, but my sifu says Hak Fu Mun is a much more complicated Hung Gar. :D :p

;)


jeff:)

[Banditshaw]

I know most Hung people won't like this, but my sifu says Hak Fu Mun is a much more complicated Hung Gar. :D :p

;)


jeff:)


Bah!! Why Complicate things!........ ;) :D

JK. I gots love for my Hak Fu Mun brothers.

[Su lin]

grrrrrrr! Making my list all untidy and that :woo: :p

[Banditshaw]

Hey we have to keep it real right?

[Su lin]

Aye, I'll go through it and update it in a little while :)

[Gufbal1981]

Su, I train in New York Nam Kuen...aka, Tak Wah Kung Fu. Does that count? He has DVD's on it...

[Su lin]

If it's a style then yes it does :)

[Tim T]

i like the sound of this Hak Fu Mun, sounds good? not heard of it before? im off to investigate ;)

not much online, anyone know of any uk schools?

[jmd161]

Su, I train in New York Nam Kuen...aka, Tak Wah Kung Fu. Does that count? He has DVD's on it...



Nam Kuen just means Southern Fist, you're more than likely learning Fu Jow Pai or a mixture of Fu Jow Pai and Hung Gar. Tak Wah Eng had a falling out with Grandmaster Wai Hong of Fu Jow Pai back some yrs ago, so he couldn't call what he taught Fu Jow Pai.



i like the sound of this Hak Fu Mun, sounds good? not heard of it before? im off to investigate

not much online, anyone know of any uk schools?


There is someone teaching it within the UK now, his name is Paul Burkinshaw. He has spent the last couple of yrs traveling back and forth to Hong Kong to learn Hak Fu Mun. Here's the links for the Black Tiger Assocation website and Paul's school website.

Assocation website (http://www.black-tiger-association.org/)


Paul's school website (http://www.sil-lum-kune.com/)



jeff:)

[Su lin]

So that this doesn't turn into a big long massive rambling style thread I am going to lock it.If you think of a style that hasn't been included,please pm or email me and I shall add it. :)

Louise

[Emil]

I don't know a great deal about kung Fu, so I have a question. Would I be wrong in assuming that whilst there are a lot of styles here, a lot of them are simply subsections of other bigger ones - like a different interpretation, as opposed to a completely different style? Obviously there is north and south kung fu, but I imagine that there is more to it than that.

Em

[SirVill]

I don't know a great deal about kung Fu, so I have a question. Would I be wrong in assuming that whilst there are a lot of styles here, a lot of them are simply subsections of other bigger ones - like a different interpretation, as opposed to a completely different style? Obviously there is north and south kung fu, but I imagine that there is more to it than that.

Em

Hmmm... not really.

"Kung Fu" is as useful a term as "Chinese Martial Arts" really... so its not surprising that their are heaps.

Although some of them are very similar to others.

[Emil]

Hmmm... not really.

"Kung Fu" is as useful a term as "Chinese Martial Arts" really... so its not surprising that their are heaps.

Although some of them are very similar to others.

I understand that,but what i mean is that I find it very hard to believe that there are that many different styles of Kung Fu. Surely there has to be some kind of crossover - things developing from the same place/master/technique ideals but turning out differently, that sort of thing. I can't see there being so many completely different styles. Please correct me oif I'm wrong - thats whuy I'm asking - I don't know a great deal about kung fu like I said before.

Em

[Ciar2001]

You can also probably add the various different families for Southern Praying Mantis which includes

Chu Gar
Jook Lum
Iron Ox
even Steelwire which was a cross between SPM and Hung Gar.

[nready]

Hello, Lou

Interesting styles of the Chinese system of martial arts.

What about, six elbow.

The words like Hsing Yi can be interpreted different to. Hsing -element, Yi-mind.

I do not mean for his to come out, like I was trying to bust your balls. Well maybe more like busting your chest....icles.

Excellent list.

To, The Empress.

There are thousands of different styles with different focus concepts in Chinese martial arts. They each system has a major idea of practice and training. Though it seems odd or hard to believe there are different ways to strike than just hit someone whom is in your range between your shoulders area. Hungar, Choi Lay Fut and Chow Gar have style of different straight arm strikes that look similar and do different things. They are completely different in physical training and use of the same appearing strike.

So you ask how can there be different ideas created so different from each other but have what looks a like. There is the thing, of where each system comes from and for whom each system is best to train in said system. Like 'Choi Lay Fut' is more for a longer reach person, if you have long legs and long arms this would be your system it allows for more types of clench and combine attacks that use said straight arm attacks.

For instance on the system I name above six elbows, it relates to the primary focus of the direction the elbow best travels for power in specific moves. It can be stationary, it can move forwards/backwards, left/right, up/down, spiral left/right, it can lock.

[SirVill]

I understand that,but what i mean is that I find it very hard to believe that there are that many different styles of Kung Fu. Surely there has to be some kind of crossover - things developing from the same place/master/technique ideals but turning out differently, that sort of thing. I can't see there being so many completely different styles. Please correct me oif I'm wrong - thats whuy I'm asking - I don't know a great deal about kung fu like I said before.

Em

I suppose this is right, yeah. While there are many differences between most of these arts, they can usually be grouped into groups, and sub-groups, and sub-sub-groups, depending on their similarities in methodology and execution, much like you do for biological life in science I suppose.

[Gufbal1981]

Nam Kuen just means Southern Fist, you're more than likely learning Fu Jow Pai or a mixture of Fu Jow Pai and Hung Gar. Tak Wah Eng had a falling out with Grandmaster Wai Hong of Fu Jow Pai back some yrs ago, so he couldn't call what he taught Fu Jow Pai.

I already knew that. He doesn't teach Fu Jow Pai to anyone at all. It's his own style that he teaches. I would say it's more of a mixture of Hung Gar, Shaolin (what he learned from Shi Guolin) and Taiji.

[roninmaster]

Zi Ran Men and san shou are styles ive always wanted to try for there practicallity. not that the other styles arent useful just easier learning curve.

but i love still love mantis?

[memmek10k]

I have a question what is Lar guru? (might be spelled wrong)

[Panzerhaust]

I have a question what is Lar guru? (might be spelled wrong)

I think you mean Lau Gar. It's an offshoot of Hung Gar, the fighting style of the Chinese folk-hero Wong Fei Hung, who was taught it by his father Wong Kei Ying.

[Tartovski]

Lau Gar is not an offshoot of hung gar. It's one of the five southern styles in it's own right.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lau_Gar

[Panzerhaust]

Lau Gar is not an offshoot of hung gar. It's one of the five southern styles in it's own right.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lau_Gar

My appoligies. The i-net lied to me :woo::eek: :mad:

[herbert]

Zi Ran Men and san shou are styles ive always wanted to try for there practicallity. not that the other styles arent useful just easier learning curve.

but i love still love mantis?

San Shou should be available pretty much anywhere in the UK.

Ziranmen, unfortunately there is no one in the UK qualified to teach this system. There is one Master in France called Liang Chao Qun, but other that him, there is a Master in Holland, but he does not teach much anymore, and one Master in Australia.

Pretty much anyone else claiming to be teaching Ziranmen is telling fibbs!

Zirmanmen is a "concept art". there is not really any standard forms, although some of the current Masters have created forms to aid in the teaching, but really it is a method of training and conditioning as opposed to a definitive system.
In many ways it could be regarded as a forerunner to JKD, not because it uses the same techniques, but because of the "freestyle/no-style" concept.

[Dan Bian]

Ziranmen, unfortunately there is no one in the UK qualified to teach this system. There is one Master in France called Liang Chao Qun, but other that him, there is a Master in Holland, but he does not teach much anymore, and one Master in Australia.

Pretty much anyone else claiming to be teaching Ziranmen is telling fibbs!


Also, there is Serge Augier in Paris.
Serge's first student is Alex Kozma in the UK, who is learning Ziranmen - however Alex freely claims that he does not represent the style as he is still learning.

Alex recently released a new book on Ziranmen based on the writings of Grandmaster Wan Lai Sheng.

[herbert]

Also, there is Serge Augier in Paris.
Serge's first student is Alex Kozma in the UK, who is learning Ziranmen - however Alex freely claims that he does not represent the style as he is still learning.

Alex recently released a new book on Ziranmen based on the writings of Grandmaster Wan Lai Sheng.

Serge attended a couple of workshops with one of the masters mentioned.
Whether that constitutes sufficient knowledge to teach a system is open to debate.

[Dan Bian]

Serge Augier is Grand-disciple of Wan Laisheng.
Serge's Ziranmen teacher taught him from a young age the complete Ziranmen system.
I'm trying to find the name of Serge's teacher, however my copy of Esoteric Warriors is packed away whilst I move house.

[roninmaster]

San Shou should be available pretty much anywhere in the UK.

Ziranmen, unfortunately there is no one in the UK qualified to teach this system. There is one Master in France called Liang Chao Qun, but other that him, there is a Master in Holland, but he does not teach much anymore, and one Master in Australia.

Pretty much anyone else claiming to be teaching Ziranmen is telling fibbs!

Zirmanmen is a "concept art". there is not really any standard forms, although some of the current Masters have created forms to aid in the teaching, but really it is a method of training and conditioning as opposed to a definitive system.
In many ways it could be regarded as a forerunner to JKD, not because it uses the same techniques, but because of the "freestyle/no-style" concept.
i live in the U.S.:)

[Dan Bian]

herbert:
I spoke to Alex today. Serge Augier's teacher was Master Huang.

[steel fingers]

Serge's credentials are totally legit as his is lineage.

Definitely no fibs there !

[marmaduke]

Looking for something called "Northern Long Fist."

[Sifu Ben]

Northern longfist is a branch/family rather than a specific style. It refers to longarm systems typically of Shaolin or Hui origin.
If you're after info on a particular school, post a thread with some details on the main Kung Fu board.

[herbert]

Serge Augier is Grand-disciple of Wan Laisheng.
Serge's Ziranmen teacher taught him from a young age the complete Ziranmen system.
I'm trying to find the name of Serge's teacher, however my copy of Esoteric Warriors is packed away whilst I move house.

WTF is a "grand-disciple"???????

Contact the guy I mentioned; Liang Chao Qun in France, he is a genuine recognised disciple of the late Master Wan, ask him about Serge attending his workshop a few years back.
http://www.wanlaisheng.com/spip.php?page=lesstyles&lang=fr

[wushurichard]

why did you delete my post?

[Kibbles]

WTF is a "grand-disciple"???????

The disciple of the disciple of that guy? Kinda like grandson maybe?

[ROBER-E]

nice list but what about kajukenbo? i see u have Wun Hop Kuen Do listed but what about chuan fa and tum pai they are kung-fu styles also

[19thlohan]

Chuan fa is not a kung fu stlye it is a generic term that can apply to any style. It's just one of many ways to say martial arts in Chinese. Kajenbuko isn't a Chinese art. It's more like Kempo.

[Infrazael]

Quan Fa (Chuan Fa in the retard spelling) just means "Fist Method" in Chinese.

[ROBER-E]

Quan Fa (Chuan Fa in the retard spelling) just means "Fist Method" in Chinese. chuan fa is the American way of spelling it just like kung-fu or chi-kung.chinese its gung-fu or qi gong,they changed the spelling so we could read the name in English,nothing retarded about that at all..

[Fish Of Doom]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinyin

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wade%E2%80%93Giles

?

[ROBER-E]

Chuan fa is not a kung fu stlye it is a generic term that can apply to any style. It's just one of many ways to say martial arts in Chinese. Kajenbuko isn't a Chinese art. It's more like Kempo. your wrong about that chuan fa could mean fist way,kenpo,chinese boxing or plain and simple just kung-fu...chuan fa kajukenbo was created when they mixed northern and southern shaolin styles with kajukenbo,so yes it is kung-fu....btw im not trying to argue with anyone im just sticking up for my art not many people know about it because there is not much info on the internet about it :D

[Infrazael]

I could NOT care less about Kajukenbo, nor am I picking on anyone's art.

I am saying the goddamn CHARACTER FOR QUAN FA does not even mean martial art.

Quan Fa =/= Wushu =/= Kung Fu

They are interchangeable words but ultimately they are all slightly different, if we want to go into semantics.

Don't argue Chinese with me man, you're going to lose.

Quan Fa DOES NOT translate to "Chinese Boxing." Actually nothing translates to "Chinese Boxing."

Unless you say "Zhong Guo Quan Ji," which is quite long and the direct translate to "Chinese Boxing."

Quan Fa means Fist Method, nothing more, nothing less.

Stop attaching your personal definition to it.

[ROBER-E]

I could NOT care less about Kajukenbo, nor am I picking on anyone's art.

I am saying the goddamn CHARACTER FOR QUAN FA does not even mean martial art.

Quan Fa =/= Wushu =/= Kung Fu

They are interchangeable words but ultimately they are all slightly different, if we want to go into semantics.

Don't argue Chinese with me man, you're going to lose.

Quan Fa DOES NOT translate to "Chinese Boxing." Actually nothing translates to "Chinese Boxing."

Unless you say "Zhong Guo Quan Ji," which is quite long and the direct translate to "Chinese Boxing."

Quan Fa means Fist Method, nothing more, nothing less.

Stop attaching your personal definition to it.

ok well maybe your right because i dont speak or wright chinese thanks for the lesson,but that does not change the fact that it is a kung-fu style and belongs in the list and im sure that there's other people on this site that agree with me and it dont matter what u think the moderator can decide not you. like i said im not arguing with nobody so there's no reason for you to get mad

[19thlohan]

chuan fa is the American way of spelling it just like kung-fu or chi-kung.chinese its gung-fu or qi gong,they changed the spelling so we could read the name in English,nothing retarded about that at all..

No it's not. Before the Chinese government adopted the pinyin romanization they used to use the wade giles romanization. Many of the teachers who teach outside of China left before the change or spent most of their lives learning that system before the change and therefor still use it. In taiwan they still use that system. It's no more or less Chinese than pinyin. It's no more or less retarded either. It's certainly not the American way either it's just the way many Americans were taught.

your wrong about that chuan fa could mean fist way,kenpo,chinese boxing or plain and simple just kung-fu...chuan fa kajukenbo was created when they mixed northern and southern shaolin styles with kajukenbo,so yes it is kung-fu....btw im not trying to argue with anyone im just sticking up for my art not many people know about it because there is not much info on the internet about it :D

No I'm not. Chuan means fist and fa means technique or method. It's a generic term that can be swapped out for any other generic term meaning martial arts.

If I take a bunch of techniques from a bunch of different chuan fa styles and blend them with a style that it not Chinese it does not make it a kung fu style.

[El Medico]

In Wade-Giles it's spelt "ch'uan".Note apostrophe.

Signed-Just another retard.

[Baskyn]

Hsiao Chiu Tien (Little Nine Heaven). I've heard of it.