hello gene,
i have just read a article you write about with heading saying " original hung gar - the tangled roots of a powerful gung fu "
when i read i find at first rather abstract in that you go from name differance ( location and dialect ) to various hung gar other than hung gar kuen.
now i agree with you on " do not get stuck up on name hung gar " as you clearly say, many long years hung gar kuen be relaited to skills from wong fei hung sifu and family skills.
what i find interesting is how article change ( well to me anyway ) that you write apologetic for hay say fu skill.
you write that records show original hung gar from chi sim sin si, is short/defensive/high ma etc, but then when go to canton see issues and adjust hung kuen to other skills.
then you bring in ha say fu and bring attention to skills of hasayfu and how they met criteria and that canton hung gar does not, and that maybe hasayfu is older, eventually at end of article you bring in cloud and say what does it matter who come first, as mist covers history.
i ask why you write in this fashion or have i taken hidden meaning of article that not there ??
to me question always been " when did hung gar kuen become what it is ?? "
hung gar of hung hei gun come from chi sim, but at time ma was high and also in fashion of skill of yee gee kim yeung ma, sei ping ma arrive to hung gar kuen for skill requirments not till slightly later, however luk ah choy play skill of yee gee kim yeung ma also.
question also need to be asked what is faht, ging and faht ging of hung gar kuen that make it what it is. i find that what you write does not cover this, yet your implication of ha say fu being the older and maybe more closer to original of chi sim out of context or inaccurate due to complications of matters concerning what is hung gar originally.
please do not take this as attack from me, also maybe i read to much into and your article not draw attention to such depth which i state, however implication on others who not understand can cause confusion and to use to substatiate hasayfu i find concerning and not required.
goi gin