About Our Vagabond Tiger Fist and the R.A.

T Clan

Brendan training with Master James Lee Peek Kuan at his Kwoon in Puchong, Malaysia
Malaysian Vagabond Tiger Fist originated in China, a martial art that evolved in the streets
amongst the vagabond society of street peddlers and vagrants A.K.A. The Wanderers Clan
(Liu Man). The fighting prowess of the Hakka kung fu of the Liu Man society is legendary,
and it is known in English as Vagabond Kung Fu. Malaysian Chinese came over to Malaysia
prior to World War, and as such have still preserved much cultural and spiritual heritage that
has been lost in China in recent times. The largest group that came over was the Hakka
people.
Vagabond Tiger Fist is mostly from Hakka Kuen (a term used for the Hakka Martial arts) is
very distinct from other martial arts in China. Chinese Kung Fu is known for its beauty and
complicated (sometimes drawn out) forms and styles, as well as traditions. The Hakka arts
tend to be short, to the point, and more violent. The travelling people were subjected to a
number of skirmishes wherever they travelled and had to protect their belongings and family
members. As a result of their travels you can see influences of various other arts. Southern
Praying Mantis, Southern Dragon style, and Bak Mei Kung Fu are all Hakka arts and they
tend to have short forms with Practical violence and style to them.
Dr. Leung Ting referred to the Hakka arts in his book, Wing Tsun Kuen (1987), "Their
common features are that during fights, pugilists of these systems prefer short steps and close
fighting, with their arms placed close to the chest, their elbows lowered and kept close to the
flanks to offer it protection. Another characteristic of these two systems of kung-fu is, unlike
those of Kwangtung Province and Northern China, their boxing forms are rather simple". Dr.
Leung Ting also wrote 2 entire books dedicated to the vagabond fighting systems where he
details their history and characteristics as well as their minor influence on Ninjutsu.

Malaysian Vagabond Tiger Fist is a form of Vagabond Kung Fu that comes from the Hakka
peoples and their peddling societies with 2 forms coming from Cantonese Vagabonds. It is a
no nonsense art that has influences from the travels of the Hakka peoples. While the most
obvious being the tiger in the art, there can be found influences from the snake and mantis as
well as the whiplash of the crane. We believe that some of the origins go back to the Southern
Shaolin Monastery, before it burned down, as did many southern styles. The Hakka people
would have had access to various forms of these arts on their journeys which would be added
to their own fighting systems. We are lucky to have had this system preserved in the Low
family, and by Master James Lee Peek Kuan , or else it could have been lost forever.
Currently it is very hard to find Vagabond Kung Fu in the world today, even in China where
it originated.

You can find a great Article about Hakka Vagabond Kung Fu on our website:
http://roamingalleytiger.simplesite.com/