The history of the Kung Fú in Matanzas has uncertain
beginnings. There are many anecdotes that count us about
Chinese that were earned a living in the parks of the city
avoiding attacks of steels for some money that the
spectators wanted to leave. It is also spoken of old
members of the personal guard of Chiang Kai Shek, one of
them able to remove with a blow pieces of a solid wall.
But the proved history doesn't properly begins until final
of the years 70, when the practice of the Thai Chi Chuan
of the family Yang began. Later on, in the decade of the
80, were introduced other styles, as the Chan Chuan, the
Choy Ka Kiin and the Wing Chung Kiin , founding many
schools that didn't lasted more than some years (to
exception of the school of Chan Chuan that disappeared in
Matanzas in the 2000). By the middle of the 90 it is
founded in the city a branch of the Academy Nam Pai Kung
Fú of the Master Wong Yi Man, with the one the styles Hung
Ka Kiin, Fat Ka Kiin and Choy Lei Fat were introduced. It
was this the golden age of the Kung Fú in Matanzas. The
schools of Nam Pai specialized in each one of the three
styles that integrated it and they extended, together with
those of Chan Chuan, for the main cities and towns of the
province. The Chan Chuan even carried out representations
of the opera of Beijin. The Thai Chi Chuan and the Wing
Chung also had certain increase although in smaller
measure. It was constituted the then called Yee Yung Tong
or “Hall of the Brave Gentlemen” integrated by the
professors of all the styles of traditional Kung Fú
resided in the province of Matanzas. Then, there was a
period of something more than 1 year in the one the
traditional Chinese martial arts almost disappeared of the
open teaching, only a school of Wing Chung Kiin in
Cárdenas (second city in importance of the province), two
small schools in Colón city (Nam Pai and Chan Chuan) and a
small school of Thai Chi Chuan in Matanzas persisted in
the effort of maintaining alive the flame of the Kung Fú.
In the year 2001 a slow and progressive reborn began. It
is in this it dates that it is founded the Choy Lei Fat
Hung Sing Gwoon Matanzas in the place of the old Nam Pai
Kung Fú. In the 2002 visit the city the Sifu Adolfo
Tijero from the Choy Gar Kung Fú Klubb of Stockholm,
Sweden, giving a new impulse to the practice of this
style. In this very year it is founded in Matanzas a
branch of the Academy Chan Lee Ma of the Master Alfonso
Chan and in which is practiced the style Hung Ka Kiin. At
the end of the 2003 it is founded the school of Wing Chung
Kung Fú that shared in its beginnings the training place
of the Choy Lei Fat Hung Sing Gwoon Matanzas. Lastly, and
after having existed sporadically during the year 2003, it
is founded, at the beginning of the 2004 the Lei Tchoy
Choy Ka Kung Fú.
Although in smaller measure, the modalities of the modern
Wu Shu are also practiced in Matanzas inside the Academy
Long Feng Wu Shu that includes forms of Thai Chi Chuan,
Hsing I, Pa Kua Chuan and the Nan Chuan or southern
boxing.
At the moment Matanzas is recognized as the region of Cuba
in which there are conserved with more zeal the
traditional styles of Kung Fú and it has always been a
pure source for those who deeply love this way of life
that are the Chinese martial arts are.
