Hu Xing Quan  虎形拳

Tiger Style imitates the movements of a Tiger. It uses powerful grabs, and tearing strikes along with strong stances to defend against attacks. The History of this style has been lost for several centuries. It was said it started in the Shaolin temple and after the destruction of the temple when a few monks survived and fled the style had vanished for a several decades and re-immerged with very little teaching. One story tells that it became a vagabond style for a while. The vague history had been lost. It later became popularized when it was reintroduced in the Hung Gar system. There are several families and or sects of the tiger system that have been restored or revamped. A lot of styles of kung fu have a tiger form as a strong base to build a strong foundation in their systems. Most of these are not a complete system on their own. The style is divided into southern and northern tiger. Southern style generally has fewer kicks and has strong stances and doesn't require a lot of room. Northern styles however, utilize more jumping and kicking and require more space.

One studies tiger to develop bones, muscles and tendons. The emphasis, as befits the beast, is on strength and dynamic tension, culminated in short, hard, snappy moves. As in all styles of kung fu, one becomes the animal. In China, the tiger is the king of the beasts. The Shaolin monks chose the tiger as one of the animals to study when they were creating the art of kung fu because of its courage, power and strength. This style, more than the other four animal styles, focuses on developing bone and muscle strength, partly because the tiger itself is thought to develop strength in its bones. When attacking, the tiger uses strength and overwhelms it opponent or prey. It also relaxes its powerful muscles beforehand; this allows it to move faster and more quietly than if the muscles are tensed up. In tiger kung fu, you'll use these techniques in combination with tiger-like stances.

 The tiger is one of the biggest, strongest, most ferocious of all the animals. The tiger has the ideal combination of strength, fluidity, and the right amount of tools (jaws, paws and claws). Tigers are territorial and uses its space efficiently not to over hunt or over dominate.  It just takes what it needs to survive and doesn't require more than is necessary. A tiger is a master of his domain and is tolerant of other predators as long as it is not challenged or bothered. Tigers will seek to avoid fighting other tigers encroaching on their territory if at all possible. Only for the most important reasons, leadership, survival, or mating will the tiger choose to faght another tiger. Tiger to tiger disputes are always lose - lose situations. 

There is a Chinese proverb;

                                    "When two tigers fight, one will die and the other will be seriously hurt"

                        兩隻老虎打架，一隻死，一隻重傷