The Hung Choy (ZHOU JIA QUAN / Zhou familystyle) was founded by ZHOU LONG (Chow Lung). ZHOU LONG was born in1890 in the village Xinhui in the province Guangdong in China. He was the oldest son of the family and had four younger brothers: ZHOU XIE (Chow Hip), the twins ZHOU BIAO (Chow Biu) and ZHOU HAI (Chow Hoy) and ZHOU TIAN (Chow Tin). The five brothers learned Wushu from their uncle ZHOU FANGXI (Chow Hung). He instructed them in HONG JIA QUAN (Hung Gar Kuen).
ZHOU LONG had very big interest in Wushu, tried to learn as much as possible from his uncle and finally was the best student of the five brothers. His talent did not remain unnoticed and so he was discovered by master CAI JIU YI. CAI JIU YI noticed that ZHOU LONG had very good talents to become an excellent Wushu expert and master. He taughthim in CAI JIA QUAN (Choy Gar Kuen). ZHOU LONG only needed a few years to master the CAI style. The HONG JIA QUAN as well as the CAI JIA QUAN are south Shaolin styles of the Wushu. Peculiarities of these styles are a low and strong stand, powerful hand techniques and deep treads.
In the year 1910 ZHOU LONG travelled to Malaysia. At his stay in Kuala Lumpur he became acquainted with a buddhistic priest. He took ZHOU LONG as his student and instructed him in a north-shaolin-style, the BEI PAI Wu Shu. This style decorates itself by a lot leg-work and high treads und bounds. After ZHOU LONG had mastered this style, he decided to combine the best und effective technics from the southern and the northern Wushu Styles he learned. In memory of his origin and the master, who once teached him Wu Shu, ZHOU LONG told all his students that the Wu Shu form represented by him was called “HONG TOU CAI WEI” (“HUNG TAO CHOY MEI”). This means as much as “starting with HONG, ending with CAI”. So the name of our school is explained “SHAOLIN HONG CHAY” or “SHAOLIN HUNG CHOY" (kantonese dialect). Because all ZHOU brothers helped by every possible means to spread this new Wu Shu style, he became more liked and because of their common exertions and their community spirits at the spread of Wu Shu they became famous under the honourable name “ZHOU JIA WU HU” (The five tigers of the Zhou family). At the highest point of their work by spreading Wu Shu ZHOU LONG died being straight 29 years old having an inflammation of the lungs. After his death his brother ZHOU BIAO became the head of ZHOU JIA QUAN. ZHOU BIAO was mainly responsible for the worldwide spread of ZHOU JIA QUAN. In the meantime HUNG CHOY / ZHOU JIA schools weren’t only foundet in China, but also in Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, Vietnam, Australia, USA, Canada, England, Poland and Germany.
