Here is the start of the translation of the various articles on mainland China Lau Gar, specifically the Lau Gar of Zhongshan Xiao Yongding (Siu Wing Ding). They are my best effort translation of articles collected at this Chinese site: http://baike.baidu.com/view/498484.htm. I'm not a professional translator so it's not very polished. Terms and names are mainly Cantonese romanization though sometimes I use/add Mandarin pinyin. I have noticed that this first article I'm going to translate contains some elements of a previous one I have read, and there appears to be a very small section missing - not enough to affect the spirit of the translation though.
http://baike.baidu.com/view/498484.htm#1 源远流长刘家拳 The Long History of Lau Gar Kuen (Liujiaquan) 南拳流派之一。相传有三种说法，一是刘生、二是刘一眼、三是刘青山所创的，他们都是湛江人，都姓刘，故名刘家拳。 One of the Southern fist variations. The legend is that it was created by either: Lau Saang, Lau Yut Ngan (One-Eyed Lau, typo?) or Lau Ching Saan (Green Mountain). They are all from the Zhanjiang area, all named Lau (Liu), hence [the art is] named Lau Gar Kuen (Liujiaquan). 该拳短小精悍，步型稍高，步法灵活多变，含胸蓄气，擅发短劲，出拳后肘微屈。刘家拳以灵为主，短桥短马、功夫硬朗、灵巧敏捷、步走四方、拳打八面。如进似追风箭、退似雷电闪、走步须灵活、出手似云烟，它多是以吊马、拖马、侧闪等的技法。而手法上则是禽蟧爪（禽蟧即蜘蛛）、虾公腰（虾公即雄虾），禽蟧爪是指它的桥手快速敏捷，虾公腰是指腰力的运用上要有如虾腰般的爆炸力。 The [Lau Gar] Kuen is short range, spirited and fierce. Stance is somewhat higher, stepping is nimble and contains many variations. The chest is sunken and breath (chi/qi) gathered. Skilled at expressing short-range force/ging, after the punch the elbow is slight bent. Lau Gar Kuen places spirit first, short bridge, narrow stance, the kung fu is hard and crisp, lively and quick, steps in four directions and fists hit in 8 directions. “Advance like a wind-chasing arrow, withdraw like a flash of thunder & lightning, steps must be nimble, hands move like smoke and cloud" – it uses hanging stance (diu ma), dragging stance (tor ma), sideways dodge and other skills. Hand techniques follow: "spider’s legs, prawn’s back", which refers to the fast bridge hands and the explosive power from the waist. 其拳术套路有大运天、小运天、十拳、天边雁、八图功、刘家五形拳、刘家刀、刘家棍等。 Some of the forms include: Greater moving sky form, Lesser moving sky form, Ten-Fist form, Geese on the Horizon form, Eight Picture practice, Lau Family Five shape (Animal) Fist, Lau Family Sabre and Lau Family Staff. 源远流长的中山刘家拳属于南拳。南拳除洪、刘、蔡、李、莫等五大名家外，还有蔡李佛拳、侠家拳、龙形拳、咏春拳、白眉拳、南枝拳、儒拳、佛家拳、刁家拳、朱家拳、岳家拳等，被称为“十三名拳”。 The well established Zhongshan Lau Gar Kuen (Liujiaquan) belongs to the Southern fist family. Outside of the five big famous Southern fist families: Hung, Lau, Choy, Lee, Mok (Hong, Liu, Cai, Li, Mok) there is also Choy Li Fut (Cai Li Fu), Hop Gar (Hero’s family), Long Ying (Dragon Style), Wing Chun Kuen, Bak Mei (White Eyebrow), Nam Zi (Southern Branch) fist (named after the founder Chan Nam Zi), Yu (Confucian) fist, Buddhist fist, Diu Gar (tricky family) fist, Chu family fist (Zhujiaquan), Ngok Gar fist (Yuejiaquan) and so on, called the "13 famous fists". 南拳是高要人蔡九仪首创，虽然多种多样，但它们的基本要求是共通的。在手法上，上肢动作较多，劲力突出;在身法上，俯仰吞吐、靠棚闪转；在步法上，四平八正，落地生根。它们的特别之处是刚劲有力、步稳、势烈、大呼吸显于爆发力有声、发声以助发力。 Southern fist was first created by Choi Gau Yi (Cai Jiuyi) from Gou Yiu (Gaoyao, Guangdong). Although there are many variants, there is a common basic objective. There are more upper limb (i.e. upper body) techniques, the strength (ging) is outstanding. Body methods deals with rise, sink, swallow spit, structured lean to dodge and turn; stepping methods are stable and even, with rooting. Their speciality is a vigorous power, steady steps, fierce intent, a big breath manifests as an explosive force and sound, the sound production helping power transmission. 南拳深受广大群众喜爱，它不但在广东省内城乡有着深厚的根基，在香港、澳门和东南亚一带都有广泛的影响，享有较高的声誉。 Southern fist is deeply regarded by the general populace. Not only does it have a deep foundation in the city and countryside of Guangdong Province, it also enjoys high prestige and widespread influence in Hong Kong, Macau and Southeast Asia. 刘拳为广东洪、刘、蔡、李、莫五大名拳之一，排列第二位，相传刘拳是在乾隆年间为刘生所创，后由刘三眼和刘青山所授，他们都是湛江地区人氏，同是刘姓，故又名刘家拳。 Lau Kuen is one of the famous Guangdong fists: Hung, Lau, Choy, Lee, Mok; second in the line up. The story is that Lau Kuen was created by Lau Sang during the reign of the Qing (Ching) emperor Qianlong (a period between late 1735 and early 1796). Later transmitted by Lau Saam Ngan (Three-Eyed Lau) and Lau Ching Saan (Liu Qingshan), both from the Zhanjiang area, and both with the Lau surname, thereby [the arts is] also known as Lau Gar Kuen. tbc ...
So could one interpretation of this be that there may be two Lau Gar styles (Lau Saam Ngan's & Lau Ching Saan's)? Or is it the same style transmitted down by two different people?
Sorry, might take a while. I'll see how it goes this weekend. There's no school address but he does have students according to the article. I'll bet the Chin Woo organisation would know. When you're over in Foshan have a word with your hosts. When are you going over again?
