Malaysian Hakka Tiger Fist

Malaysian
Hakka Tiger Fist
Low Kin-Wan &
James Lee Peek Kuan
by

by

Low Kin-Wan

James Lee Peek Kuan

During their migration southwards they were sometimes subjected

to certain discrimination from local who had settled in before
them. Consequently the men had to defend their families. The
Hakkas were very adaptive and used whatever that was found
locally to their self defense systems. And this resulted in several
fighting system arts which evolved over time to suit their needs.

&

The Hakka peoples are believed to be from central China.

They fled south to escape from war and famine. Hakka people
were known to be very diligent in preserving of their cultural
characteristics as seen from their customs, cuisine and language.

Contents

Malaysian
Hakka Tiger Fist
Low Kin-Wan &
James Lee Peek Kuan
by

illustrations and design by

Adrian Camoens

PREFACE..........................................................................................5
THE ORIGIN OF THE HAKKA TIGER FIST...........................................6
LINEAGE CHART...............................................................................7
THE HAKKA TIGER FIST SYSTEM........................................................8
STANCES........................................................................................10
BLOCKS.........................................................................................12
STRIKES..........................................................................................14
A) HAND TECHNIQUES.................................................................14
B) LEG TECHNIQUES.....................................................................16
CONDITIONING............................................................................18
I) SPEED CONDITIONING..............................................................18
II) WHIPLASH STRIKE.......................................................................19
III) BASIC CLAW STRENGTHENING.................................................20
TIGER BODY FIST PATTERN.............................................................22
SECTION I - IV...............................................................................22
SECTION V VI..............................................................................22
SECTION VII - VIII...........................................................................22
SECTION IX....................................................................................22
SECTION X.....................................................................................23
SECTION XI....................................................................................23
SECTION XII...................................................................................23
HAKKA TIGER BODY FIST SHADOW BOXING..................................24
SECTION I - SALUTATION...............................................................27
SECTION II.....................................................................................28
SECTION III....................................................................................29
SECTION IV....................................................................................35
SECTION V....................................................................................35
SECTION VI....................................................................................37
SECTION VII...................................................................................39
SECTION VIII..................................................................................42
SECTION IX....................................................................................45
SECTION X.....................................................................................47
SECTION XI....................................................................................49
SECTION XII...................................................................................50
YING TIGER AND YANG TIGER.......................................................52
YING TIGER (DEFENSIVE TIGER.......................................................54
1) AGAINST A STRAIGHT PUNCH....................................................54
2) AGAINST A HOOK PUNCH........................................................55
3) AGAINST A KICK........................................................................56
5

4) AGAINST A KICK........................................................................58
5) AGAINST WRISTS GRAB..............................................................60
6) AGAINST A LAPEL GRAB.............................................................62
7) AGAINST A DOUBLE LAPEL GRAB...............................................64
8) AGAINST COLLAR GRAB FROM BEHIND.....................................66
9) AGAINST A REAR BEAR HUG.......................................................68
10) AGAINST A KNIFE STAB............................................................70
11) AGAINST A LAPEL GRAB WITH KNIFE POINTING TO BODY........72
12) AGAINST A KNIFE.....................................................................74
13) AGAINST A MACHETE LIKE WEAPON........................................76
14) AGAINST A MACHETE LIKE WEAPON........................................78
15) AGAINST A REAR STRANGLE WITH A KNIFE TO THE BACK.........80
YANG TIGER (AGGRESSIVE TIGER)..................................................82
1) TEN-CHARACTER CLAW.............................................................82
2) STEPPING GROUND CLAW........................................................84
3) PAWING THE AIR........................................................................85
4) FLOWERY CAT PLAYS WITH SAND...............................................86
5) TIGER SWINGS ITS TAIL.............................................................88
6) HANGING FIST..........................................................................90
7) DRAGON STRETCHES LEG..........................................................92
8) SCHOLAR ASKING THE WAY......................................................94
9) SEA DRAGONS RISING TO HEAVEN............................................95
WEAPONS.....................................................................................97
BUTTERFLY SWORDS......................................................................98
BUTTERFLY SWORDS AGAINST MACHETY BROADSWORD...............98
BUTTERFLY SWORDS HIDDEN REVERSE GRIP CLOSE DISTANCE..100
BUTTERFLY SWORDS VS. LONG POLE...........................................102
LONG POLE.................................................................................104
LONG POLE VS. LONG POLE.......................................................104
LONG POLE VS. KATANA..............................................................106
GRABBING YOUR LONG POLE.....................................................108
HANDKERCHIEF...........................................................................110
TECHNIQUES USING THE HANDKERCHIEF...................................110
THE BELT......................................................................................114
THE LEOPARD HOE......................................................................117
VARIOUS OF STANCES USING THE LEOPARD HOE.......................117
HOE............................................................................................118
AGAINST A SLASH........................................................................120
AGAINST A POLE.........................................................................122
ABOUT THE AUTHORS.................................................................124
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PREFACE

THE ORIGIN OF THE HAKKA TIGER FIST

My friend asked me, why didnt I write a book on Hakka Tiger Fist? I had a lot of
excuses to give.
One of them was that I felt that it was just a set of patterns taught to me by a
father to a son so that he could build up his health.
James went on to show the values especially in the practicality and the ferocity
of the Tiger Claw System in my family.
I went on to learn other martial arts like Bujinkan Ninjutsu, Tae Kwon Do, free style
self defense, Silat Tongkat and etc. only then did I realize the values and usefulness of what I have inherited from my father.
All this while, I was searching for Budo and Bujutsu outside my circle without
realizing whatever I have been searching for was right before my eyes.
The result is this book.

The Hakka peoples are believed to be from central China. They fled south to
escape from war and famine. Hakka people were known to be very diligent in
preserving of their cultural characteristics as seen from their customs, cuisine and
language.
During their migration southwards they were sometimes subjected to certain
discrimination from local who had settled in before them. Consequently the men
had to defend their families. The Hakkas were very adaptive and used whatever
that was found locally to their self defense systems. And this resulted in several
fighting system arts which evolved over time to suit their needs.
There are several well known arts such as the Chu Family Style, Liu Family, Tiao
Family, Niu Family and etc.
One of the rare forms inherited by my father was the Hakka Tiger Fist.
My father Mr. Low Yong Ten was then a policeman then in the 1950s and 1960s.
During his social ties with the people of Seremban (a small town in west of
Malaysia) he managed to learn from three Hakka Chinese immigrants. This art
was eventually passed on to some close friends and myself.
Fearful that the art may be lost forever, I started a class to teach this art and at the
same time decided to write a book with my close friend James Lee P.K. in order to
ensure the survivability of this unique ancient Chinese culture heritage.

LINEAGE CHART

Chin Fatt
(Ah-Fatt Pak)

THE HAKKA TIGER FIST SYSTEM

Chong Fatt

A chinese
medicine peddler

Many Chinese martial arts system are based on animals movements, eg. Hsing-I,
Five Animal Pattern, White Crane Systems, Monkey Fist, Mantis Fist and etc. In
Shaolin traditions, especially those of the south, the Five Animals Pattern forms
the main basic foundations of most styles.
The Five Animals are the Dragon, Tiger, Leopard, Snake and the Crane. Basically,
the Tiger trains external strength and agility. Its power comes from powerful
stances and strong waist. The bones are well developed and muscles are relied
upon for hard external strength.
The Leopard being very similar to the Tiger in aspects such as ferocity and power
is a smaller animal. It depended on its footwork and speed to generate force
and agility.

Low Yong-Ten

The Crane trains a person to be calmed so that his mental concentration

is maximized. In this way its essential energy (Jin) is conserved, and Chi is
developed. The strength is developed internally and externally as well. Crane
techniques tend to be circular and soft.
The Snake looks the least forceful when compared to the rest because it relies
on internal power. It is usually more defensive than offensive compared to the
others, but not in the least any less effective.

Low Kin-Wan

The Dragon is a soft-hard style. It represents internal as well as external strength. It

may be similar to the snake but when it is necessary it can generate tremendous
hard power.
It is our belief that the Hakka Tiger Fist may have branched out from the
Southern Shaolin Monastery after it was burned down (circa 1768). While it has
Tiger characteristic, such as the Tiger Claw, it also has whiplash techniques
found in the Crane. There is also fingertip strike seen in the Snake form.
The system has few forms and it is simple to learn and fast to master.

James Lee Peek Kuan

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STANCES

Basically there are 4 stances in the Yang Tiger Body Fist. There are:

The unarmed forms are as follows:

I)
II)
III)
IV)

Yang Tiger Body Fist

Ying Tiger Body Fist This for mid and long range fighting.
Tiger Elbow Fist This is for short range purposes.
Piercing Arrow Fist This is for meditation and Chi development.

The weapons include:

I)
II)
III)
IV)
V)

The Butterfly knives

The Single Head Pole
Hoe
The Belt / Sash
The Handkerchief

A) Bow Stance - is often used to execute

attacks, it provides a fast attacking base.

Although this volume will discusses mostly the techniques from the Yang Tiger
Body Fist, it will touch on the weapons from the system.

B) Horse Stance - this stance prevents

imbalance and to serve as a platform to
delivers strikes.
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BLOCKS
The blocks are not of the hard type using the bones to block incoming strikes,
they are performed in a circular manner to parry and if possible to grab the attackers limbs.
The blocks are divided into upper and lower types performed in clockwise and
anti-clockwise motion.

Fierce Tiger Descent Mountain

Against a punch to the face, the exponent blocks thrust by twisting the forearm. If possible, the claw is use to grab
and control the opponents arm.

C) False Step / Cats Stance has

ninety percent of its body weight on the
rear leg. The other ten percent is on the
front foot.

Stepping Ground Claw

This lower block is used to block / parry
attacks to the stomach area. Block by
twisting the outside edge of the forearm
in a cutting motion.

D) Subdue Tigers Stance this stance

is used when certain techniques were
executed on the ground.
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STRIKES
Being a southern style the Hakka Tiger Fist uses mostly hand techniques. However leg techniques were not neglected.
Illustrated below are the methods involved:
HAND TECHNIQUES

Palm Hand Claw this claw hand is the

dominant weapon use in the system. It
is usually use to rip / tear muscles and
for palm strikes.

Tiger Displays Claw

This upper parry is used to block strikes
to the upper body by pushing them
inwards and down. The contact is with
the outside edge of the forearm. Again
if possible the claw is used to grab the
opponents hand.

Spear Hand Jab This is to attack the eyes or throat.

Scholar Asking The Way

Both arms are used to block. This lower
block is used to defend against a strike/
kick to the stomach region. The lower
outside forearm comes in a downward
swing. The other arm protects the upper
region, to block kicks to the head.
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The Fore Fist

17

LEG TECHNIQUES

Back Hand Whiplash This technique is

use to whip in a snapping motion to the
face, back of the head, hand and etc.

The Front Kick / Dragon Stretches

Its Leg It is the easiest to use, and
also use in jumping attack.

The Elbow This technique is hardly

used in the Tiger Body Fist. But it is the
primary technique found in another
pattern The Tiger Elbow Fist.

Side Kick / Flowery Cat Stretches Its

Body When the tiger stylist does
not enough time to turn towards the
opponent coming at him, he will use the
side kick.

The Hanging Back Fist

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CONDITIONING

It is common for most martial artist to devote some of his time to condition his body in
order to protect himself from possible injuries.
The Hakka Tiger Stylist practices several types of conditioning, three of which are
shown below:
Back Kick / Tigers Tail When the
opponent is at the rear the tiger stylist
strikes using this kick.

SPEED CONDITIONING

Back Sweep / Sweeping the Temple

The kick can be done clockwise or anticlockwise to attack the lower part of the
opponent.

The Tiger Stylist stands facing with

a partner.

He leaps and grabs his partner as

quickly as possible in order to train his
footwork and seizing skills. This exercise
can be practiced as many times as the
stylist sees fit.

Knee This strike is found in the Tiger

Elbow pattern. Obviously the kick is use
for close-quarters fighting.
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BASIC CLAW STRENGTHENING

WHIPLASH STRIKE

Here, the Hakka Tiger stylist stands

facing each others.

Tiger Claw Tensing:

This exercise strengthens the muscles of the fingers.

He leaps and whiplashes his backhand

against his partner as many times as
possible in order to train his attacks.
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TIGER BODY FIST PATTERN

The Tiger Body Fist Pattern is a set of movements which contains the
fundamental strikes, parries, grabs and throws in the system.
All these movements can be utilized in defensive (Ying) and offensive (Yang)
situations. This pattern contains the essence of Hakka Tiger Fist.
The authors have separates the pattern into several sections. Each section has
several numbered photos and a corresponding diagram. Each diagram shows
where the tiger stylist has to place his leg in order to perform the moves as
shown in the photos. The numbers on the diagrams are the numbers given to the
photographs of the pattern.
The starting position is indicated by a Ying-Yang circle. If the reader wishes to
practice the pattern, he must remember to place his foot on either side of the
line as shown on the diagrams and not on it

Section I - IV

Another simple method to strengthen the fingers is to

press the fingers together as hard as possible, one may
count from ten to twenty times before releasing them.

Section V VI

Section VII - VIII

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