Kung Fu

The Zhou Jia Quan Training

Master Seet Chor Thong with Nine Rings Halberd — Master Seet Chor Thong

The training programme of Zhou Jia Quan Wushu offers the interested person an inexhaustible potential of activity. In addition to breathing techniques, gymnastics, endurance training, free combat and historical content, the classical hand and weapon forms are in the foreground of the training. These forms (Japanese Kata, Chinese Quanfa), whose contents are are self-defence techniques, are mainly based on five animal styles. This is the original characteristic of this martial art. Each of these animal styles contains a defensive and offensive action of an animal. The individual animals to be embodied each symbolise their own ability. The tiger stands for strength, the dragon for spiritual mental ability, the leopard for speed, the crane for flexibility and the snake for inner strength. Animal techniques are also known in animal techniques are also known in Japanese Karate, but not in this variety and intensity.

In the first training level, which lasts 4-5 years depending on talent, aptitude and training diligence and ends with the examination for black belt, the students learn at least five Zhou Jia Quan forms. Starting with the first basic forms, the following ones become more and more complex and demanding. Through the intensive and strenuous study of the forms, the student learns to constantly improve the techniques and to adapt them to the respective situation and to any opponent during partner fighting exercises. Here he can choose from the huge repertoire of techniques those that best suit his inclinations, possibilities and needs.

An almost "incidental aspect" of this kind of learning is that qualities such as flexibility, endurance, reaction speed, breathing, perceptual ability are significantly improved and aggression is reduced. Another important aspect of the first stage of training is the moral rules of conduct that the Zhou Jia student learns. These rules enable a family-like togetherness in training and are also a guide for daily life outside of school.

However, if you think that Kung Fu is only something for wild thugs, you are completely wrong. Since a fair cooperation is absolutely in the foreground, the following applies during and and also outside of the training:

No aggressive behaviour towards our fellow human beings!

For those who learn to control body and mind need not assert themselves in any situation through uncontrolled aggressiveness.

The Zhou Jia Quan Story

Traditional Chinese Wushu, practiced and promoted by the Nia Kwang Pugilistic Association, is the explosive and powerful movements of Hong Jia Wushu, as well as the fast footwork of Cai Jia Wushu. It is therefore a very effective form of self-defence with emphasis on attack and defence techniques.

The origin of the Zhou Jia Wushu system began with Grandmaster Zhou Long, who belonged to the Shafu dialect and was born in 1890 in the village of Xinhui, located in China's Guangdong province. With his creative thinking, he contributed significantly to the development of the Zhou Jia Wushu system in the 1970s. This system was a dominant force for almost a decade in Guangdong Province.

Master Zhou Long poses for photo — Master Zhou Long

Grandmaster Zhou Long grew up in a large family with ten children. He was the fifth child and also the eldest son of the family with four younger brothers. The sixth Zhou Xie, the eighth and ninth Zhou Biao and Zhou Hai were twins and the youngest was Zhou Tian. Zhou Long was very interested in wushu as a boy. He tried to learn everything from his uncle Zhou Geng (Zhou Hong) who practised Shaolin Hong Quan, and became the best student among his brothers. Zhou Long also scoured the village for other 'Hong' style wushu practitioners to learn even more about wushu.

One day, when Zhou Long was practising in front of his house, an old man passed by and took notice of him. He asked Zhou Long how long he had been practising Wushu. After some conversation, the old man said he would teach Zhou Long his kind of Wushu. Zhou Long asked his father for advice and introduced him to the old man. Surprisingly, it turned out that the old man was a Wushu expert in 'Cai Jia Quan'. With his father's permission, Zhou Long learned Cai Jia Wushu from Master Cai Jiu Yi. Since Zhou Long already had the basic knowledge of Hong Jia Wushu, it only took him a few years to master Cai Jia Wushu.

Due to financial hardship, Zhou Long left China in 1910 for Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to seek work. By chance he met an abbot, the venerable Hong Yi, who took Zhou Long in as his disciple and taught him Bei Pai Wushu. Bei Pai is a northern Chinese fighting style with a lot of foot techniques such as kicks, jumps and fast footwork. Hong Yi advised Zhou Long to combine all three of his fighting styles to create his own style that suits him perfectly.

In 1915, Zhou Long returned to China and took part in a competition, which he also won. He was then appointed chief instructor of the army by the warlord General He Fu Qiao. Zhou Long brought his brothers to assist him in training the soldiers. In 1917, Grandmaster Zhou Long established his first school in his home village (Xinhui) and named it 'Zhou Ren Yi Tang'. Together with his brothers, Grandmaster Zhou Long combined all their knowledge and developed a new form of Wushu. As the surname of the five brothers was 'Zhou', they called the new style 'Zhou Jia Quan' (Wushu style of the Zhou family).

Grandmaster Zhou Long has never forgotten his origins and the masters who taught him Wushu. He often told his students that the Wushu style he practiced was called 'Hong Tou Cai Wei' (Hong - head , Cai - end), Hong style first, followed by Cai style, but on the same basis.

With tireless efforts and combined forces in spreading the new style of Wushu, popularity also grew. For this, the five brothers were honoured and henceforth called the 'Five Tigers of Zhou Jia'. Just when Grandmaster Zhou Long was at the peak of his career, he caught a cold and fell ill. But feeling strong and vigorous, he paid no attention to his illness. He had pneumonia, and as he was also highly stressed by his work, his health deteriorated very quickly. Grandmaster Zhou Long's illness could no longer be cured and he died in 1919 at the age of only 28.

Master Zhou Biao in Kung Fu Pose — Master Zhou Biao

After the death of Zhou Long, there was great disorder in the Wushu School. A family meeting was called and Grandmaster Zhou Biao was elected as the new leader. To take care of the spread of Zhou Jia Wushu, Grandmaster Zhou Biao resigned from his post in the army. Within six months, he established fourteen Zhou Jia Wushu schools spread throughout China.

In 1936, the Zhou Jia Wushu School received an invitation to Hong Kong to attend the coronation ceremony of King George VI of England. Grandmaster Zhou Biao saw his opportunity to promote Zhou Jia Wushu and travelled to Hong Kong with a team of friends and students. The demonstration was well received, and became a resounding success for all involved. To promote Zhou Jia Wushu, a school was established in Kowloon, Hong Kong. During his stay in Hong Kong, Grandmaster Zhou Biao was invited by the Garment and Medical Merchant Association and appointed as their Wushu instructor.

In the same year, Grand Master Zhou Biao renamed the Hong Kong school 'Zhong Wai Zhou Jia' (which means Outside China Zhou School). Grandmaster Zhou Biao made this distinction to emphasise the origin, as it was the first ever school outside of China.

When Grand Master Zhou Biao returned to China, World War II was just beginning and communism was on the rise in China. After much thought and planning, the Zhou family emigrated to Hong Kong in 1949.

In this phase of development, Zhou Jia Wushu was re-modified into practical self-defence and physical training, with a wide range of hand and weapon forms. The new form was taught to students along with the Lion Dance.

On March 14th 1961, Grand Master Zhou Biao passed away after a short illness.

Although Zhong Wai Zhou Jia Wushu has only a short history, the number of students is enormous. Today, schools and associations practising and promoting Zhou Wai Zhou Jia Wushu can be found throughout China, Hong Kong, Southeast Asia, Australia, the USA and Europe.

The Zhou Jia Quan Style

Zhou Jia Quan means the style of the Zhou family and is also called ''Hong Tou Cai Wei''. This means : ''Hong'' first (head), ''Cai'' last.
Master Zhou Long learned Hong Jia Quan from his uncle Zhou Hong, Cai Jia Quan from Master Cai Jiu Yi and Bei Pai Shaolin Quan from the monk Hong Yi.
He combined all three systems and developed Zhou Jia Quan from them.