FIVE ANCESTORS or NGO CHO (Wu Zu Quan) Style Kung Fu
Five Ancestors is also known as Ngo Cho or, in Mandarin, Wu Zu Quan. This style of Kung Fu is a "Southern" branch.
The Five Ancestor Kung Fu originated in southeastern China, Fukien province. Ngo Cho is from the Amoy dialect.
The founder of this system, Chua Giok Beng (Chua Kiam), was born in 1863, into a wealthy family. His home village was Pan Be. He began his training under Ho Yang. When his teacher died he followed the funeral caravan back to Ho's home province of Honan. On the return he searched out other Kung Fu instructors staying away from home for ten years. When he retuned his family's properous sauc e business was now on the deline but Chua spent all his time on assimilating and systematizing what he had learned into a new fighting form. Once he was satisfied he had created a complete system he opened his Lin Li Tong (Humanity Hall). Once open he took on many challengers and defeated them all gaining great respect for his new Five Ancestors Boxing. This was augmented but Chua's skill with herbs and his righteous character. Though passing a military test and gaining a rank with the government he nonetheless abstained from joining an administration he distrusted. Instead he continued his single-minded refinement of Kung Fu. Chua also continued his open-hearted attitude to the arts. Possessing "light body" skill himself he had his home built with only windows. Any boxer who could enter under his own leaping power was welcome to visit and stay with Chua. Eventually Chua gave up running a school and spent the rest of his life traveling, dressed in ragged clothes, and teching his art throughout China. But he left behind a group of students which became known as the original "Ten Tigers of Ngo Cho Kun". .
Chua based his style on five key styles:
1. Fukien White Crane (Pe Ho in Amoy): Famous for its hand motions, wrist blocks and tight elbow positions with a fast light energy, whipping motions, and trapping hands.
2. Lo Han: This ancient form of Shaolin contributed the footwork; tight, fast and deceptive to the system.
3. Ta Sien Pek Kwar: The Celestian Great Sage Monkey Fist contributed low angle attacks, leaping, dodging, evasion and speed.
4. Tai Cho is the style most people know as Tai Tzu or Great Ancestor named after Zhao Kuan Yin, the founder of the Song dynasty. Tai Tzu utilizes one leg presses, held kicks, deep stances and other methods to create deep kicking actions.
5. Tat Chun: The Bodhidharma or Tamo style of Shaolin contributes Iron Body conditioning to the style.
Some forms from this style:
San Chien (3 Wars)
Mun Pah Kat (Four Gates Directions)
Song Sui (Double Danner Boxing)
Major Stances
Sam Chien Be - fighting stance
Si Peng Be - Four Level Horse
Taim Be - "I" shaped stance
Kieng Tzi Be - Bow and Arrow Stance
The Four Main Principles
Pu (float)
Tim (sink)
Tun (swallow)
Toh (spit)
