Zhou Jow brothers History Lung Bil Biu
Zhou Jow brothers History Lung Bil Biu Zhou Jow brothers History Lung Bil Biu Zhou Jow brothers History Lung Bil Biu Zhou Jow brothers History Lung Bil Biu Zhou Jow brothers History Lung Bil Biu, History Zhou Chow Jow Brothers History Jow Lung Loong Jow Bil Biu Chow Ka Jow Ga Zhou Jia, jow ga, zhou jia
Zhou Jow brothers History Lung Bil Biu Zhou Jow brothers History Lung Bil Biu Zhou Jow brothers History Lung Bil Biu Zhou Jow brothers History Lung Bil Biu Zhou Jow brothers History Lung Bil Biu, History Zhou Chow Jow Brothers History Jow Lung Loong Jow Bil Biu Chow Ka Jow Ga Zhou Jia Zhou Jow brothers History Lung Bil Biu History Zhou Chow Jow Brothers History Jow Lung Loong Jow Bil Biu Chow Ka Jow Ga Zhou Jia History jow ga jowga zhou jia brothers history Zhou brothers Jow brothers jow History jow brothers history zhou brothers history jow ga history zhou jia history Chow Loong Jow Loong Chow Lung Jow Loong Chow Biu Jow Biu Chow Bil Jow Bil Chow Hoy Jow Hoy Chow Hoi Jow Hoi Chow Hip Jow Hip Chow Hiep Jow Hiep Chow Tin Jow Tin Chow Tien Jow Tien chow kar chow ga chow gar jow ka jow kar shaolin jow ga shaolin jow gar chou ka shaolin chou kar chou ga shaolin chou gar jou ka shaolin jou kar jou ga shaolin jou gar shaolin chau ka chau kar shaolin chau ga chau gar jau ka jau kar shaolin jau ga shaolin jau gar shaolin chao ka chao kar chao ga shaolin chao gar jao ka jao kar shaolin jao ga shaolin jao gar shaolin zhou jia kar gar chou jou chau chao jau jao choi hoong chow jow zhou hung choy ka ga jia hung choy hung choi hoong choy hoong choi loong lung biu bil hoy hoi hip tin


The Five Chow (Jow, Zhou) Brothers
(The Five Tigers of Canton)




Chow Loong
1891 - 1919
Chow Hip
1893 - 1941
Chow Biu
1899 - 1961
Chow Hoy
1899 - 1947
Chow Tin
1902 - 1971



The Five Tigers were amongst the most famous Southern Shaolin martial artists of their era.

Chow Loong, the main founder of Chow Ka kung fu, was the eldest of the five brothers and the 5th child in the family. Chow Hip was the second eldest brother and the 6th child in the family. Chow Biu was the third eldest brother and the 8th child in the family. Chow Hoy was the fourth eldest brother and the 9th child in the family. Chow Tin was the youngest and the 10th child in the family.

These five brother were dubbed the Five Tigers of Canton as the reputation of their fighting skills travelled throughout Gwungdong. They are considered to have contributed significantly to the martial arts world.




The Chow Ka (Jow Ga, Zhou Jia) Style

Chow Ka kung fu is said to combine the best of Southern and Northern Shaolin techniques. Chow Loong originally learnt Hung Ga (a Southern Shaolin style), then Choy Ga (a Southern Shaolin syle) and finally Buk Siu Lum (‘North Shaolin’ kung fu). After mastering these systems, Chow Loong realised that each style had strengths that could compensate for the weaknesses of the other.

Chow Loong took the upper body techniques of Hung Ga and the lower body techniques of Choy Ga. Because of this, Chow Ka is sometimes known as ‘Hoong Tau, Choy Mei’ or ‘Hung Head, Choy Tail’. To this, Chow Loong added the kicking and flexibility of Buk Siu Lum.

Chow Ka aims to combine the best of North and South, internal and external, hard and soft.


T here are many well known Chow Ka forms. These include:


Chinese PronounciationEnglish Meaning
Foo Pau KeunTiger Leopard Fist
Surng Moy Fah DoeDouble Plum Blossum Blade
Baht Gwa Gwun or Dahn Tau Gwun Eight Trigram Staff or Single Head Staff
Siu Fahn GwaSimple Trigram
Sahm Jit Gwun3 Section Staff
Dai Gwun DoeBig Staff Blade
Goong Seun Gwun'Goong Seun' Staff
Seu Mei GwunMouse Tail Staff
Tsim DoeZen Blade
Chut Jit Bin7 Piece Whip
Foo Tau Surng Ngau DoeTiger Head Double Hook Blade



The First Chow Ka (Jow Ga, Zhou Jia) School

In 1925, the first and main school was established in the locality Sup Sahm Hong (13th Lane), Gwungdong province. This school was named ‘Yun Yee Tong, Chow Goon’ (The Justice Benevolence Dynasty, Chow School).

There are a number of schools which soon followed. These are:


SchoolEst.Town AreaProvince
2nd1925Churng Tau?Gwungdong
3rd1926Mah Tong Kiu?Gwungdong
4th1926Sun Fong Wong Hurng (New Phoenix Village)?Gwungdong
5thEarly 1927Chan Village?Gwungdong
6thMay 1927Faht Sahn Foo Shun (Buddha Mountain - Which is known as the birthplace of Wong Fei Hoong, also spelt Wong Fei Hung)?Gwungdong
7th1927Nahm Hoy (The birthplace of the Buddha princess ‘Goon Yum’ or 'Kwun Yin') Gau GoongGwungdong
8thMay 1928Sun Woy (The first school opened by Chow Biu)? Gwungdong
9th1928This school was opened by Chow Biu’s top two students - Joo Wah & Lei NgauToy SahnGwungdong
10th?Nahm Hoy (This school was opened by Chow Biu’s students - Lei Ngau and Lau Hoe Lurng)Gau GongGwungdong


In 1929, the youngest Tiger - Chow Tin, went West to Kwung Sei Choon (Guangxi Zhungzu or Western Gwungdong). There he eventually set up 80 schools which were managed by the Chow brothers and their disciples.

Presently, there are many famous Chow Ka martial artists who were trained in Hong Kong. These include:

  • Gwun Duk Hing
  • Tzun Dau
  • Muk Tzing Tzeng
  • Lum Jurk Hoong
  • Ng Yau Meng



* The above history was originally recorded by two of Chow Biu’s senior disciples, Loe Joo Seng and Chun Mun Churng. This was later updated and reprinted by the Ho-Chi-Min City Chow Ka School, currently run by Si Gung Lau Kim Churng. A copy of the reprint which appears below, was kindly and patiently translated by our school brother, Dr Vincent Lok.




Courtesy of Lau Kim Churng, of the Ho-Chi-Min City Chow Ka School.