The principles (The Boxing of the Tiger and the Crane, its spirit and its essence, the inheritance of Shaolin)

Hung Gar or boxing of the Tiger and the Crane is not only a set of the forms, but especially a spirit inherited from the boxing of Shaolin, it is translated by the long boxing and the short boxing, by the tiger and the crane, by the power and the flexibility, it is represented by it two symbolic animals but also by the boxing of five animals and by the theory of five elements must to know the water, the fire, the wood, the earth and the metal. In every element corresponds an animal, a sound, an emotion, a color, a season, a flavor, a character trait, an energy strengthening (organs and viscera), as well as an appropriate technique.

The water

The water is an element connected with the North as the east (in Nadir) and in winter as season, thus in the somber, in the Big Yin, in the black color and in the fear as the emotion, its appearance being tears (this is very important to know in the realization of the form Tid Sien Kien or the feelings and sounds play a leading part), its animal of fastening it is the monkey (which in other branches corresponds to the snake)

The energy of the water engenders the techniques of the monkey which allow as external energy form (Wai Chi Kong) to tone up loins and to strengthen the bladder and as (Nei Chia) interns, to awaken the internal listening and to increase the balance of the ancestral or essential energy (Yuan Chi), the sensation it is the cold, these aspects are developed in particular within the framework of the said Dar or the traditional medicine; favorise the flexibility of the joints and be weighed the bones, his favorite strategy it is guile, but its virtue it is the wisdom.

The wood

The Wood is an element bound in the East as orient (at sunrise), in spring (and in the revival), in the small yang and in the color green-blue, its emotion it is the anger its appearance being a certain aggressiveness, it is connected with the tiger.

The energy of the Wood engenders the techniques of the Tiger which allow as external energetics to tone up the liver and to strengthen the gall-bladder, as energy interns to awaken the sensibility and to increase the internal vision, the sensation it is the freshness and favors the strengthening of muscles and tendons, its strategy it is the projection, its virtue the generosity and the martial courage.

The fire

The Fire is bound with the South as the orient (in the Top), in summer (and in the clear-sightedness), in the big Yang and in the red color, its emotion is the cruelty and its appearance the destructive madness, its symbolic animal it is the leopard.

The energy of the fire engenders the techniques of the leopard which allow as external energetics to tone up the heart and to strengthen the small intestine as energetics interns to strengthen the circulation of Jing (the essence or the strength), its sensation being the heat and favors the development of the speed and the blood influx, its strategy it is the strike and its virtue the self-sacrifice and the integrity.

The earth

The Earth is bound with the center as the orient (in the sun before of the rise but also in the sun after sunset), in the fifth season also called Indian summer and by extension to any inter seasonal passage in Tai Ji or Big Summit (the mother of the Yin and the Yang), its color it is Yellow imperial (it is why certain schools connect to it the Dragon as the emblem), its emotion it is the reflection or the introspection, its symbolic animal the Bear.

The energy of the earth engenders the techniques of the Bear which allow as external energetics to strengthen the spleen and to tone up the stomach, and as internal energy to strengthen the general balance, its strategy is the crushing (famous legs of the bear) and the explosion of the strength (Fa Li), its virtue the just action.

The metal

The Metal is connected on the West as east (at sunset), in autumn, its color and white and its emotion the coolness, its symbolic animal the Crane or Heron. The energy of the Metal engenders the techniques of the Crane which allow as external energy to strengthen lungs and to tone up the large intestine, and as energy interns to awaken the sensation and to favor the intention (Yi), its virtue is the sincerity.

In conclusion

All this is a part of the education of Hung Ga, and this is more important than quarrels of forms and way to execute them or of branches and lineages, simply because this is the inheritance of Shaolin and China as such; that's why the hero Hung fought before the degeneration which followed the creation of multiple secret said societies or the monopoly by " whom was the apprentice to whom ", it is in the education(teaching) and not in the shape, nevertheless there is well and truly an immense directory of forms stemming from the contribution of various Masters(Teachers) through the time(weather) who gave to Hung Ga its particular tint and its way to make who differentiates it from other styles of the South which can also be connected with the boxing of the monastery of the small forest ( Shaolin Shi).