Theses are some of the aspects of Si Jo Wong Cheung's life. Paul Burkinshaw has written an depth detailed book about Wong Cheung. Please contact if you would like a copy.
Si Jo Wong Cheung / 師祖黃祥
Sifu Wong Cheung / 黃祥 (also called Kat Shun /Gat Seun / 吉旋), was born in Punyu / Panyu / 番禺, Canton (now a district of Guang Zhou City / 廣州市 in Guangdong Province / 廣東省 in 1902. When he reached the age of 8 years old, because his grandfather thought he was small and weak he began teaching him Chinese martial arts (Kung Fu). A major part of this Kung Fu training revolved around a routine called Saam Jin Tit Sin Kuen / 三輾鐵線拳, which translates to “three wraps of iron thread”.
(This form is intended to harden the body making it more resistant to nerve and pressure strikes, as well as all kinds of other punishment. Iron Wire builds internal power and is attributed to the martial arts master Leung Kwan / 梁坤 (1815–1887), better known as Tit Kiu Saam / Iron Bridge Three / 鐵橋三. Like Wong Fei Hung's father Wong Kei-Ying, Tit Sin Saam was one of the Ten Tigers of Canton. The Iron Wire form is essentially a combination of Hei Gung or meditative breathing with isometric exercise particularly dynamic tension although weights were also used in traditional practice in the form of iron rings worn on the wrists. If properly practiced it can increase strength considerably and promote a stable root. However as with both most forms of qigong and most forms of isometric exercise it must be practiced regularly, or the benefits are quickly lost.)
Unfortunately, by the age of 10, Wong / 黃祥 contracted smallpox. Fortunately, family friends knew a doctor that specialised in the treatment of smallpox. Doctor Leung Shui Wing lived in Duk Kong Village / 讀崗村, which was 50 miles away. His clan (family) hired three workers to carry him the 50 miles to Duk Kong Village where he stayed at Dr. Leung’s clinic receiving treatment for his smallpox. While he was being treated, he would notice that Dr Leung would rise early every morning and train in Chinese martial arts.
Besides being a doctor, Dr. Leung was also a Chinese Martial Arts (Kung Fu) expert. At his home at the side of his clinic, he also had a courtyard where he had erected several different types of Chinese martial arts (Kung Fu) training dummies. These different dummies were a 108 pins Flower Dummy (known as Mui Fa Chong Plum or Mui Fa Jong / 梅花椿) and a Nine Pin Grinder Dummy (known as Gau Chi Mo Pun Chong or Gau Chi Moh Poon Jong / 九齒磨盤椿). Every morning at sunrise (about 5am), Dr Leung was up and training on the dummies. Master Wong Cheung had noticed this and was interested in the dummies. Initially Wong would sit and watch until one day after he had regained his health he asked Dr Leung if he would teach him. After much persuasion Dr. Leung finally agreed as he didn't have any students and was never concerned much about teaching and passing on his skills. Dr Leung was pleased with Wong’s attitude and believed he had shown true sincerity in wanting to be taught. Over the next few years Wong would train diligently every day under the guidance and supervision of Doctor Leung Shui Wing gaining a high level of performance and understanding of both these dummies. As the years past they became very close such that Dr. Leung became Wong’s adoptive father.
When Wong / 黃祥 reached the age of 14, he left Doctor Leung and travelled to Canton (from 1918 officially adopted the name of Guangzhou / 广州) with his uncle. In Canton / Guangzhou he found employment working in a fruit wholesaler. Shortly after arriving he was surprised to find that there was a master teaching kung fu at the fruit company named Fu Wun / 傅文. Sifu Fu Wun was the brother of the famous Iron Palm master, Fu Zhen Song. He was teaching Lung Yin Ba Gua Cheong / Dragon Ba Gua Palm / 龍八卦掌. Master Wong / 黃祥 could not afford the tuition fees and so would secretly watch and imitate the movements. He trained hard and due to his interest and enthusiasm coupled with his previous experience he was able to grasp the feel and flow of the style quite well that after only one year, he could perform the form pretty well. One of the workers noticed the young Wong imitating these movements and so told Sifu Fu Wun. Sifu Fu Wun then asked Wong Cheung / 黃祥 to demonstrate the Lung Yin Ba Gua Cheong before him to see if it was true. Wong Cheung / 黃祥 did as he was asked by Sifu Fu Wun, who was impressed by the young Wong’s ability and so invited him to become one of his students. Wong then mentioned that he didn't have money for tuition fees and so that had been why he had been studying in secret this past year. Fu felt sorry for him and accepted him for formal instruction as one of his students. During the next four years, the young Wong Cheung / 黃祥 studied faithfully and was able to learn all eight palms, including the famous Mo Dong Gim / Wudang Sword / 武當劍.
In 1920, at the age of 18, Wong / 黃祥 then left Canton (now called Guangzhou) and travelled over the border into the British colony of Hong Kong. After looking for work, he found a job as a gardener on Hong Kong Island. This was for a wealthy British family who had a large house on Bowen Road / 寶雲道 near to Victoria Peak. Early in the morning and during breaks Wong would practice his Saam Jin Tit Sin Kuen / 三輾鐵線拳 / three wraps of iron thread boxing, Chai Mei Kun, and Lung Yin Ba Gua Cheong / Dragon Ba Gua Palm / 龍八卦掌. Not long after the young Wong had started this new job, a co-worker saw him practicing and was impressed by his relentless practice and commitment to his Kung Fu. Wong / 黃祥 was training with his staff when one day when this co-worker who had been watching him asked if he could borrow it to demonstrate his technique. Wong obliged and the co-worker started imitating Wong's technique, but he wielded the staff with grace and such power that it broke into two pieces. His co-worker apologised for breaking the staff and then started to go back to work. Wong / 黃祥 realised that his co-worker must be a master of Kung Fu and so therefore asked him his name and where he had learned Kung Fu.
The area of Bowen Road 1910
Bowen Road from Victoria Harbour 1920s
Photos above showing the large mansions on Bowen Road
Bowen Road runs for 4.3 km from Magazine Gap Road to the junction of Stubbs Road and Tai Hang Road. The road is named after Sir George Bowen, Governor of Hong Kong from 1883 to 1885. It is located on the Mid-Levels above Central / 中環, Wan Chai / 灣仔 and Happy Valley / 跑馬地. The aqueduct section consisting of 21 granite arches was built between 1885 and 1887. The photo below shows houses numbered 14 to 17 and the aqueduct.
Below is a photo of the British Military Hospital which was located at 10–12 Borrett Road from 1907 to 1967. It was built between 1903 and 1906, and officially opened on 1 July 1907. Often referred to simply as the Bowen Road Hospital, the first-generation hospital was a 150-bed hospital constructed of red brick. It consisted of two blocks, each of 3 storeys, configured with wards and a central administrative block. It had commanding views of Victoria Harbour.
The co-worker introduced himself as Fung Ping Wai / 馮平慧, who was origanally from Ching Yuen City / Qingyuan City / 清遠市 in northern Guangdong Province / 廣東省. He told Wong Cheung that he had travelled to Canton (Guangzhou / 广州) in his youth and had become a monk at the Honam Temple / 河南寺. While at this temple, he had studied Hak Fu Mun / Black Tiger style / 黑虎門, under the legendary So Hak Fu / So the Black Tiger / 蘇黑虎. So Hak Fu / 蘇黑虎, was the founder of Hak Fu Mun and known as one of the Ten Tigers of Canton. Fung Ping Wai / 馮平慧 had become a disciple of So Hak Fu / 蘇黑虎 and had studied for many years in the art of Hak Fu Mun / Black Tiger Gate style. Sometime after the death of So Hak Fu / 蘇黑虎, Fung Ping Wai / 馮平慧 had decided to leave the Honam Temple / 河南寺 and return to a worldly life. Later, he travelled to Hong Kong and found employment with the British family at Bowen Road / 寶雲道. He had been with the family for a number of years and was a trusted and highly valued member of the staff.
(When a Buddhist monk decides to leave temple life behind, they whould discuss this matter with their teacher or the abbot. After this decision they then just disrobe and leave).
The Honam Temple / 河南寺, (now known as the Haizhuang Temple / 海幢寺) is located on the island district of Haizhu / 海珠區 and was built around 1662. In the nineteenth century it was one of Canton’s / 廣州 largest monasteries and was more commonly known as the Honam Temple / 河南寺 as it was located on Honam Island /河南島. This temple was very prominent during the 1800s and is mentioned in the histories of several of the Ten Tigers of Canton.
River landing at Honam Temple Inside Honam Temple
Honam Temple
Wong / 黃祥 was understandably impressed at the skill of such a master and asked if he could be accepted as Fung’s student. Fung / 馮平慧 agreed, and he and Wong became good friends and practiced together daily at every opportunity. Due to the young Wong’s / 黃祥 previous experience and devoted attitude, he was able to learn and progress at a rapid rate. This continued for the next three years before they found out that their employers were moving back to Britain. Fung / 馮平慧 had been invited to travel with the family back to Britain and continue his employment there. In the final few months before Fung left, he imparted as much of the style as was still left for Wong to learn. On Fung’s / 馮平慧 leaving, he asked Wong to continue to practice Hak Fu Mun / 黑虎門, and pass on the style as an obligation to him.
During the next few years Wong / 黃祥 also studied under Kwong Gang San / 鄺賡臣, who was a disciple of Wong Fei Hung / 黄飛鴻. From Kwong Gang San / 鄺賡臣 he learnt Hung Kuen / 洪拳 and Lee Gar Staff / 李家棍 at Kau u Fong / 九如坊 which was located between the Cenral and Sheung Wan districts on Hong Kong Island. Through Kwong Gang San / 鄺賡臣, Wong Cheung / 黃祥 was introduced to Wong Fei Hung / 黄飛鴻 and they became friends in the next year before he passed away in 1925.
During this period and over the next several years the young Wong Cheung / 黃祥 studied under several renowned masters in an effort to complete his own skills and satisfy his curiosity about other Chinese styles of martial arts. These other masters included such notable people as Cheung Lai Chun / 張禮泉 and Lee Yi / 李義. From Lee Yi / 李義 he learnt various Staff / 棍 routines, including Yau Lung Gwun / 游龍棍, Baat Gwa Gwun / 八卦棍, Chung Wai Gwun / 衝圍棍, and Jui Gwun / 醉棍,.
Wong Cheung / 黃祥 also studied other various styles including Choy Li Fut / 蔡李佛 from Jeung Loi / 張來, Hung Fut / 洪佛 from the “White Hair Devil”, Hung Jiu Sing / 洪照成, and Qigong from Jeung Loi / 張來, and Lei Gau / 李九.
From Pun Fei Shan / 潘輝 (南海人) he learnt various Shaolin weapons including, Node pointing / Point and Hit folding Fan / 點子扇, Node pointing / Point and Hit Flute / 點子蕭, Golden short Rod / 黃金橺, Eight Trigrams Plum Flower whip / 八卦梅花鞭, Green Dragon Crescent Moon Kwan Dao / 青龍偃月刀, Night tour Sword / 夜遊刀, Suen Bin Crutch / 孫臏拐, Plum Flower spear / 梅花槍, Three Section staff / 三節棍, Grand Tutor Seat / 太師座, and The Eight Immortals’ straight sword / 八仙劍等.
Besides being a master of Hak Fu Mun / 黑虎門, Wong Cheung / 黃祥 was also reputed to be a recognised master of Hung Keun / 洪拳 and Hung Fut / 洪佛.
In 1928 Si Jo Wong Chueng / 黃祥 moved a short distance to the Central district on Hong Kong Island where he set up a gymnasium in a basement of one of the buildings in Wellington Street / 威靈頓街. At only twenty-six years old, the young Wong / 黃祥 had built up a formidable skill and reputation, that he was able to open this gymnasium and could now make a living from teaching Chinese martial arts.
Wellington Street /威靈頓街 is named after Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, and it is located at the bottom of Victoria Peak stretching from Wyndham Street to Queen’s Road Central.
As his reputation spread, it brought unwelcome interest from local organised triads / 三合會 that wanted Wong / 黃祥 to teach their gang members. Over the next two years these invitations were refused until they intensified becoming demands. In 1930, these demands came to a head with an open confrontation which became a life and death situation.
This one day as he was walking from the ferry point at Sai Ying Pun / 西營盤 (in the Sai Wan district / 西環) he was approached by two triad gang members. They started to make trouble as Wong /黃祥 again refused to take part in their organisation. As the trouble intensified, Wong lost patience and pushed them away. Then suddenly he was surrounded by another eight members that had been in hiding nearby. Several of these ten gang members were armed with various weapons and they started to circle him looking for an opening. Master Wong / 黃祥 then took the initiative and attacked the thugs. Within seconds a fierce battle had commenced, with Wong in the middle now fighting for his life. Due to Wong’s / 黃祥 skill, the gang members started to come off worse as he struck out dropping one here, then striking another one there. After a brief time, Wong had defeated the gang members who quickly dispersed and made their escape. Besides a few bruises the only other injury that Wong Cheung / 黃祥 incurred from this fight was a broken thumb.
News of this fight soon spread as bystanders talked about the amazing feat of Kung Fu they had witnessed, which further enhanced Wong’s / 黃祥 reputation. After this incident, Wong was not troubled again by these or any other thugs. The next several years passed by at Wellington Street gymnasium peacefully and without any major incident, as Si Jo Wong Cheung /黃祥 built up a large following. During this time, Wong Cheung would use nearby Botanical Gardens / Bing Tau Fa Yuen / 兵頭花園 in the mornings to teach martial arts to his students as well. (now called the Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens / 香港動植物公園).
Wong got married and decided to leave the colony and return back to his hometown of Punyu / Panyu / 番禺区, Canton, in mainland China. Once back in his hometown, he soon found work as a doorman at a local bar. Over the next few years, he established himself and soon owned his own bar and casino. During the Second World War, Wong / 黃祥 would provide food and shelter for other fleeing martial arts masters trying to escape the Japanese. This enabled Wong to train with these other Masters and besides honing his own skills, it was reputed that during this period also learnt several high-level secret aspects of Kung Fu as a repayment for providing food and shelter to travelling masters who had been made refugees during the war. It is understood that one of these fleeing Kung Fu masters / 功夫大師 taught Wong Cheung / 黃祥 the magical skills known as Sun Kung / 神功 during this period.
Also at this time, Wong Cheung / 黃祥 started a family. Over eleven years, he and his wife had five children, three girls and two boys at their family home in Shiqiaofang, South Street, Hualong Town, Panyu, Guangzhou /中國廣州市番禺化龍鎮南街石橋坊前.
Once again, Wong’s / 黃祥 affluent life was brought to a sudden end in 1949. This was also the year that the Communist party took over China and outlawed martial arts and so consequently many Kung Fu masters who had enjoyed revered positions now escaped persecution by escaping China via Hong Kong. They also banned gambling which was Wong Cheung's main business. There was also a story that Wong / 黃祥 had fought a thug causing trouble at his bar and the thug and died of his injuries. Wong was forced to flee Punyu and once again returned to the British colony of Hong Kong. He made his escape with thousands of other Chinese refugees who were also fleeing the Communist government. Besides the clothes on his back, all Wong Cheung / 黃祥 had when he arrived, was a pistol and a hand grenade.
In Hong Kong, Wong / 黃祥 soon found employment teaching martial arts (Kung Fu) again as many locals still remembered his reputation from before the war. Wong / 黃祥 was employed by various restaurant and employees’ associations located at Pei Ho Street / 北河街 and Shanghai Street / 上海街 in the Mong Kok district / 旺角 on the Kowloon peninsula / 九龍半島. Many of their workers wished to learn Kung Fu and the bosses understood that it would keep their employees fit and healthy as well as being able to sort out any trouble if it occurred in their businesses. He also started taking students, teaching them on a one-to-one basis.
Wong / 黃祥 started to get back in touch with other martial arts Master’s and several of them were involved in setting up what they called an enclave. This enclave of Master’s would meet and exchange ideas from their styles for practical fighting purposes. These styles included Black Tiger / 蘇黑虎, White Tiger / 白虎拳, Tiger Claw / 虎爪拳, Bagua / 八卦掌, Wing Chun / 詠春 and Hsing I / 形意拳. These master’s would concentrate on practical scenarios for street fighting and which techniques would best suit these situations. From the early 1950’s Wong / 黃祥 taught many different styles to different people depending on their needs and abilities.
One of his students at this time was an Englishman called Bob Johnson. Johnson was a large man of six foot three and was serving in the Royal Military Police. Bob Johnson wasn't interested in learning the traditional routines / forms, but in how to deal with real life street fights that he would encouter as a policeman. Due to Bob’s prowess as a fighter, he was invited into this special enclave of Kung Fu masters. Wong Cheung / 黃祥 taught Bob Johnson for two years various applications from the Hak Fu Mun routines. Bob left Hong Kong in late November 1951 and then travelled to India before returning to England. When Bob Johnson returned to England, he formulated these applications in to series of self-defence techniques and called his style White Tiger.
A couple of years later in the 1950’s, Wong / 黃祥 was employed to train the workers on the railways by the Kowloon and Canton Railway Workers Union / 九廣鐵路職工會 in Kung Fu. This position enabled him to set up his own gymnasium in a siding at Mong Kok railway station. This was a huge benefit to his students as it gave them a much larger area to train in and allowed Wong to set out many other training aids and dummies. (He would continue to use this area next to the railway for nearly 30 years).
In the early fifties Wong Cheung / 黃祥 was attacked in the Seafood market by a gang of thugs. Wong’s forte was staff fighting and after noticing a broom nearby he picked it up and used it to fight off the gang. Wong / 黃祥 was very skilful with the staff, and would tell his students that all staff encounters, win or lose, should be within three “tapping sounds” of the staff. His simple three step philosophy were (1) contact and feel, (2) sticking and sliding down the opponent’s staff toward the hands to disarm and (3) then taking the opponent out. Wong Cheung / 黃祥 would often tell his students that the staff is merely an extension of their hands.
In the mid 1950s, two students started training under Wong Cheung / 黃祥. These were Chu Kong / 朱江 and Leung Wai / 梁維. They were taught various routines / Ming Kung / 明功, as well as different types of body conditioning.
In early 1962, at the age of thirteen years old, Woo C. Kuen / 胡捷權 (Frederick, Fred Woo) started to study under Si Jo Wong / 黃祥 and the shortly after Wong Tak Sui / 黃德水 also started. A few years later in 1966, Eric Wu (Wu Man Hoi / 胡文開) also joined under Si Jo Wong. Around this period, Wong Kam Piu / 王錦標 also started training under Wong Cheung / 黃祥. At this time, Wong Cheung / 黃祥 had a morning class which ran between 6.00am and 8.30am. Following the morning training sessions, he would then go for ‘Yum Cha’ / 飲茶 Chinese breakfast, often accompanied by several students. It was during times like this that Wong Cheung / 黃祥 would tell his students stories about his life, histories and various other topics. During these times students learned a lot through his wisdom and experiences.
In 1965 Wong / 黃祥 formed the Ya Kwa Wong Cheung Athletic Association / 益群花炮會, (a Cantonese traditional ceremony / game with fireworks to bring luck) which he ran and organised.
Firecrackers (English: Fa Pao or Paper Floral Tributes) are paper towers or playing cards used to worship the gods. They are usually taken out and thrown back by people on the Queen's Day. In some places, people compete for fireworks and attention / 花炮(英文：Fa Pao 或者Paper Floral Tributes) 係用來供奉神主嘅紙塔或者紙牌，通常天后誕會拎出來畀人投返去。有啲地方係會搶花炮，爭意頭。
Fireworks were generally used to celebrate importantfestivals or celebrations / 花炮一般为为重要节日或庆祝活动施放用以庆祝的物品。
At this time and in previous decades this was very popular in Hong Kong for organisation known as “Flower Clubs” to promote certain traditional Chinese festivals. These groups would lead the lion dance team compete to "fight for fireworks" (to grab the fireworks.). Getting the first number of fireworks is considered a "good omen" and represents good luck.
This next photos are believed to be taken at a dinner after a Tin Hau festival in the late 1960s. Many of Wong Cheung’s / 黃祥 students are wearing the association T’shirts. On these can be seen the Chinese letters 益群 黃祥 which translated into English is, "Yea Kwan Wong Cheung". This obviously refers to an abbreviation of the Ya Kwa Wong Cheung Athletic Association / 益群花炮會.
During the late 1950s to mid-1960s, Wong Cheung used a few different buildings in the evenings as gyms, but unfortunately these locations have been lost to time. From the 1960s, Wong Cheung used the Dragon Ball restaurant / 龍珠酒樓天台 located on Shanghai Street / 上海街 as a gym training area (between Bute Street / 弼街 and Mong Kok Road / 旺角道). This building had three floors. The ground floor and first floor were restaurant areas. The second floor was staff dormitories, and the third floor was the rooftop where Wong Cheung had a gym area. During the 1960s Wong Cheung / 黃祥 lived at 332-334 Portland Street, on the 8th floor. Across the street was the Kat Cheung Restaurant / 吉祥酒樓 which Wong Cheung / 黃祥 would often use most days.
During the 1960’s Wong / 黃祥 used the railway sidings at Mong Kok station during the day and various buildings during the evenings. During the mid 1960s, Yeung Yan Choi / 楊恩財 started training under Wong Cheung / 黃祥.
Eric Wu (Wu Man Hoi / 胡文開) recalled a story of a challenge to Wong Cheung / 黃祥 in the early sixties by a British soldier who was a boxer in the army. This challenge match was held in one of the open public places where Wong / 黃祥 taught. At this time, Wong / 黃祥 felt that none of his students were capable of beating the soldier, so he took the challenge and fought personally. Due to the British soldier’s advantage in height and weight, Wong used his Bagua skills to out manoeuvre him and pick him off with various strikes. Because he was fighting a British Soldier in public, he didn’t use his normal lethal strikes, but used more subduing strikes instead. After the match the British soldier acknowledged defeat and was gracious enough to thank Wong / 黃祥 for the skilful lesson and left with full respect on friendly terms.
Eric Wu (Wu Man Hoi / 胡文開) practicing Hak Fu Mun at the railway sidings 1st August 1970
Eric Wu performing the Hak Fu Mun Chain Whip, 1st August 1970
Si Jo Wong would teach his students about fighting and the way to create openings by deception. Wong’s Hak Fu Mun’s style was sneakier than just using brute power and focused on strikes at sensitive and vulnerable areas around the body that can have fatal consequences. Wong Cheung /黃祥 would often say “When you cannot see, there is nothing you can do, and you can never train the eyes to withstand a poke or slice with the fingers”. Si Jo Wong / 黃祥 would teach students how to overcome fear in themselves, and how to instil fear in their opponent. During the sparring sessions, Wong’s hands were sneaky and lightning fast and he would pick off students tapping them in the groin, flicking across their eyes and also hitting them with his trademark Phoenix fist at various pressure points.
Wong Cheung / 黃祥 liked to practice sticking hands with his students, "darting" them with strikes to the pressure points using the Phoenix eye / 鳳眼拳. They would try to take the pain but couldn't and, in the end, had to concede. When students first started in traditional Kung Fu training, they were required to practice stance work exclusively for the first six months. Wong / 黃祥 would show a student a move only three times and, if they didn't get it, they would then have to ask their seniors to help them with it. He trained people according to their needs, rather than from a set curriculum.
In 1969, a student called Yeung Wong Hing / 楊旺興 (Bentley Yeung) started to study Hak Fu Mun / 黑虎門 under Wong Cheung / 黃祥. He had been introduced by his brother, Yeung Yan Choi / 楊恩財 who had started a few years before.
The photos above are from 1973. They were taken at the June annual dinner to celebrate General Kwan / Guan Yu / 關公. General Kwan / Guan Yu / 關公 is commonly celebrated in many traditional Kung Fu schools because he is regarded as the deity for martial arts. These dinners are usually held around the 24th June. On the wall in the background, it reads, “Wong Cheung Martial Gym celebrating Kwan Dai Festival”. A lion dance is performed to open the ceremony which is then followed by performances of martial arts.
With the financial support of many of Wong Cheung’s students he was able to not only have a gym at the Dragon Ball restaurant / 龍珠酒樓天台 but also equipped it out with the various items needed.
Tsang Keung / 曾強 with Wong Cheung 1960s
(Tsang Keung / 曾強 is known as King of lion dance within the Hak Fu Mun Association)
These photos above were taken in the late 1960s at the Dragon Ball restaurant roof top gym / 龍珠酒樓天台on Shanghai Street / 上海街. The larger banner in the background of these photos, Wong Cheung acknowledges the support of his students. The banner translates to say, “Yea Kwan Martial Gym Donated by all students.”
In September 1970, Eric Wu (Wu Man Hoi / 胡文開) left Hong Kong for El Paso, in Texas, U.S.A, to study and work at UTEP (University of Texas and El Paso). Eric would return to Hong Kong every summer to continue to train under his Sifu, Wong Cheung / 黃祥 for three months at a time. A few years later, 1973, once Eric was established in El Paso, he set up a class teaching Hak Fu Mun at the university there.
Jerry Davis started to study Hak Fu Mun / 黑虎門 under Eric Wu (Wu Man Hoi / 胡文開). He stated that he and Eric Wu's Black Tiger group performed many demos over the years, but the art was never taught publicly, but rather in the traditional method of a small group. The students received one-on-one tuition, as well as group, instruction. Jerry Davis was one of only four people certified under Eric Wu (Wu Man Hoi / 胡文開) in the Black Tiger system and so received a certificate of membership in the Wong Cheung Gymnasium signed by Si Jo Wong himself.
From the 1950s and up until the 1980s there was often a degree of hostility between the Hong Kong police force / 香港警務處 and traditional Chinese martial arts schools. The government viewed many Kung Fu schools as fronts for organised crime and Triad activity. In the 1970s the police force started cracking down on rogue Chinese martial arts schools in an effort to combat this situation. The Hong Kong police required all schools to register with them so that they could check all the personal details ensuring there was no one with links to organised crime or the triads. Obviously, Wong Cheung / 黃祥 had to register his Ya Kwa Wong Cheung Athletic Association / 益群花炮會, during this period and he and several others were checked out by the authorities. Wong Cheung / 黃祥 used his home address at Portland Street, to register with the Societies Ordinance on the 24th April 1973. A certificate of this registration was issued and was on display at the gyms.
In this photo below, Wong Cheung / 黃祥 is the guest of honour at one of his students wedding around 1971/2. In the years to come, several of the senior students would invite their Sifu to their weddings. During the early 1970s, Cheung Yau Hang / 張有恒 started training under Wong Cheung / 黃祥.
Standing- ?, Lee man / 李文, Woo Moon Kwan / 胡滿鈞, Chan Yuen Chau / 陳元洲, ?, Bride, ?, Yu Kwong Yu / 余光餘（big soldier / 大兵), Yeung Yan Choi / 楊恩財, ？,？, Wong Chi Keung / 黃志強, Lee Wah / 李華,？
Sitting-Woo C. Kuen / 胡捷權 (Fred Woo), Wong Kam Piu / 王錦標, Wong Cheung / 黃祥, Lo Sai Ping / 勞世平 (watermelon Ping) , Lee sum / 李深（big guy Sum / 大隻深)
Also in the very early 1970s, one of Wong Cheung's / 黃祥 top students was Woo C. Kuen / 胡捷權 (Fred Woo), who had started Hak Fu Mun / 黑虎門 in 1962.
Wong Cheung & Woo C. Kuen / 胡捷權 (Fred Woo) 1971
Woo C. Kuen / 胡捷權 (Fred Woo) skills had increased because of his extensive and vigorous training regime and he soon found himself as one of Si Jo Wong’s / 黃祥 assistant instructors. As time went by Fred Woo / 胡捷權 became one of Si Jo Wong’s top disciples and in 1974 at the age of 25 was asked to become the chairman of the Black Tiger Association. Unfortunately one year later an opportunity to move to the U.S.A presented itself to Fred's family and they decided to take it. In December 1975, Fred / 胡捷權 arrived in New York with his parents. Later in 1976 Fred started a Hak Fu Mun school in the China-town area of New York city. One of his first students here was seventeen year old Wayne Carisi. Wayne progressed quickily as he previuosly studied martial arts obtaining a 2 Dan Black belt in Karate before coming to Hak Fu Mun / 黑虎門.
Fred Woo / 胡捷權 performing the Single Dummy with Wong Cheung sitting in the background watching.
Wong Cheung with Leung Sheung Ping / 梁相平
Originally, Wong Cheung / 黃祥 only taught "magic skills" / Sun Da / 神打 to a couple of students; one of these was called, Wong Tak Sui / 黃德水. It is believed Wong Cheung only taught him privately and in secret because according to legend, those who learn the "magical skills" Sun Da / 神打, cannot accept money, cannot do things that are harmful to nature, and may not be able to have children. But, if a child was born it could be mutilated, or only female. If they were to break these rules then possible retribution, could include getting ill, or dying unexpectedly. Due to these conditions, Wong Cheung would only teach Wong Tak Sui / 王德水.
Sun Da / 神打
Sun Da / Shen Gong is a mysterious trick in Chinese folk art. Performers, commonly known as Sun Da / Shen Gong masters, will perform a set of rituals to summon spirits to possess them, and then perform various difficult performances, such as pouring boiling hot oil on their bodies or being invulnerable to swords and guns. The performers claim that it is because they are protected by the spirits, so their bodies are not damaged at all; experts familiar with psychology also point out that this is the power of self-hypnosis, which suppresses human fears and triggers the so-called potential that would not be done in normal times.
(神功是中国民间的一种神秘戏法，俗称神功师父的表演者会进行一套仪式，召唤神灵附身，再表演各种高难度表演，如身上淋上看似沸腾热油或刀枪不入等。表演者声称那是因为得到神灵保护，因此身体丝毫无损；亦有熟悉心理的专家指出、这是自我催眠的力量，把人类的恐惧压抑、并引发在平常时间不会做的所谓潜能出来。)
Sometime later at a brother student's dinner party, Wong Tak Sui / 黃德水 was drunk, and he demonstrated his magical power / Sun Da / 神打 skills. He broke a beer bottle, and thrust it into his stomach, but there was cut, no blood or any damage whatsoever. Everyone found this extraordinary and asked him how he was not injured and why he was so powerful. He told them that it was a "magical skill" that was taught to him by Master Wong Cheung.
After this, many students asked Master Wong Cheung / 黃祥 to teach them this "magical skill" / Sun Da / 神打, but he refused. He knew that this "magical skill" " / Sun Da / 神打 could not be taught to too many people, but they said that if they could not learn it, they would leave the martial arts gym and find someone else. Wong Cheung / 黃祥 felt helpless as this was his income, and so his livelihood was at stake. He therefore instructed Wong Tak Sui / 黃德水 to teach them. After this, Wong Tak Sui / 黃德水 taught all the other students and was then known as "Little Master" / 師父仔.
In 1973, Wong Yui Fan / 黃銳勳 attended the Anniversary Dinner, with four of his students. The four students after witnessing the skills and experience of Master Wong Cheung / 黃祥 decided to stay with him. They had realised that the Hak Fu Mun / 黑虎門 routines taught by Wong Yui Fan / 黃銳勳 were only the start of the routine and were not complete. A beginning with no end, so they knew that they would progress more under Wong Cheung / 黃祥. It is understood that after this Wong Yui Fan / 黃銳勳 resented this and from this time had bad feelings towards Wong Cheung / 黃祥 and his four dissatisfied students.
Wong Yui Fan / 黃銳勳 & Wong Yiu Ming / 黃耀明 had opened a martial arts gym in late 1972 at Tsuen Wan / 荃灣 without notifying, and getting approval from their Sifu, Master Wong Cheung / 黃祥. Normal procedure would be to ask permission first from Master Wong Cheung / 黃祥, who if he accepted would then clear this with the police authorities and then check the area for other Kung Fu masters (and if any other Kung Fu schools in the district, tradition requires a polite visit to inform the existing Sifu’s to discuss this. Some schools / Sifu’s had gangster or triad connections and so this would also be a consideration). These were the accepted rules between the police authorities and traditional Chinese martial arts teachers when wanting to establish a new club / gym in a new district.
Within a short time, Wong Yui Fan’s / 黃銳勳 & Wong Yiu Ming’s / 黃耀明 martial arts gym was visited by Cheung Kwok Wah / 張國華 who represented the local White Crane Sect / 白鶴派. He was very angry with both Wong Yui Fan / 黃銳勳 & Wong Yiu Ming / 黃耀明 for opening in the district without asking permission. He harassed and threatened them with violence and struck them, so they went back to Wong Cheung / 黃祥 and informed him of what had happened. Master Wong Cheung / 黃祥 was very angry with them for not gaining his consent first and for also bringing his name, his reputation and his school into disrepute / 敗壞名聲 by their actions. To sort out this situation, Wong Cheung / 黃祥 requested Yeung Yan Choi / 楊恩財to deal with this. Yeung Yan Choi / 楊恩財 picked several of his Kung Fu brothers and went to Tsuen Wan / 荃灣 in two cars to deal with Cheung Kwok Wah / 張國華 and the local White Crane Sect / 白鶴派. Yeung Yan Choi / 楊恩財 with his Kung Fu brothers restored the names of both Wong Cheung / 黃祥 and Hak Fu Mun / 黑虎門. Wong Yiu Ming / 黃耀明 continued running the martial arts gym in Tsuen Wan / 荃灣 for a while.
Wong Cheung / 黃祥 questioned Wong Yui Fan / 黃銳勳& Wong Yiu Ming / 黃耀明 and decided that Wong Yui Fan / 黃銳勳 was the main culprit, so he dismissed him from the association. After this, Wong Cheung / 黃祥 washed his hands of Wong Yui Fan / 黃銳勳and requested that everyone was to do the same and have no more contact with him. This was one of the main reasons and with the fame of Bruce Lee and explosion of people interested in learning Kung Fu why master Wong Cheung / 黃祥 established the Wong Cheung Black Tiger Gymnasium / Hak Fu Mun / 黑虎門. As part of this, he set out a more rigid and standardised syllabus. This then culminated in the official opening of the Wong Cheung Black Tiger Association.
The 1974 birthday dinner celebration took place at the Lucky Restaurant located at 610 Nathan Road / 彌敦道幸運酒樓. The birthday and inauguration ceremony was arranged to take place on Monday 11th March 1974 at the Lucky Restaurant located at 610 Nathan Road / 彌敦道幸運酒樓. Several senior brothers / 師兄弟were involvedin organising this event and sending out the invitations to various public figures, celebrities and many other Kung Fu masters / 功夫大師 around Hong Kong, as well as all the students.
Wong Cheung at the head table for (VIP) Masters (of other traditional styles)
showing their support and paying their respects.
According to senior brother Tsang Keung / 曾強, the lion dance opened the ceremony, followed by various martial arts performances by several of Wong Cheung’s senior students and by some of the guest master’s and their students. There were more than ten banquet tables with an approximate attendance of 150 people at this ceremony. Many other masters were present to witness this event, with the more famous including Chiu Kau /趙教 (Hung Kuen / 洪拳 master who was 79 years old) and his son, Chiu Wai / 趙威(who was also a Hung Kuen / 洪拳 master and was 43 years old), Master Tan Han / 譚漢 (Leng Nam stick King / 嶺南棍王, a master of the Tan style and Jow Gar Bagua staff), Ha Kim ping / 夏劍屏 (who was a Choy Lee Fut / 蔡李佛 master), Chen Lun / 陳倫(another Choy Lee Fut / 蔡李佛 master) and Law See Fook / 羅斯福(a Yau Kung Mun / 柔功門 master, which is a Shaolin style). After the martial arts performances, there were several speeches and Wong Cheung announced the positions within the association, including the honorary titles for Kung Fu masters and friends. After the meal, Wong Cheung spent the remainder of the evening socialising with his guests.
In 1975 Wong Cheung, with the aid of several of his students was able to open up a new gym in Bute Street / 弼街, Mong Kok / 旺角 . This gymnasium was on the roof level (8th floor) and had a large outdoor training area on the roof top, as well as an indoor area contain various training equipment and a Gau Chi Mo Pun Chong (Nine Pins Grinder Dummy). Wong also had a private area adjoining the gym where he would live and sleep. This facility was designed by Wong Cheung / 黃祥 and the prefabricated building was constructed by several of his students and friends.
Shortly after, Wong Cheung received a gift from Au Bak Ling / 區百齡. This gift was a sign, which read, Wong Cheung Martial Arts Association / 黃祥體育會. This sign was a red background with black calligraphy and was placed in the entrance hallway of the Bute Street gym from this time
onwards. It is understood that this sign was also personally written by Au Bak Ling / 區百齡.
Au Bak Ling / 區百齡 founded Ling Kee Publishing Co., Ltd., Qilin Bookstore Co., Ltd., Contemporary Culture Enterprise Co., Ltd., British Huale Education Publishing Co., Ltd., British Bailey Book Co., Ltd., British Heyuan Publishing Co., Ltd. and many other book and publishing companies. He served as the president of the Hong Kong
Educational Publishers Association, the chairman of the Hong Kong Book and
Stationery Industry Association, and the president of the Hong Kong Youth
Association. In 1965, he became the director of the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals. In addition to cultural publishing, Au Pak-ling also involved in real estate, trade and many other businesses.
Also, after the opening of the Bute Street Gym and the celebrations and publicity
surrounding it, Wong Yui Fan / 黃銳勳 established his own association called the
Chinese Martial Arts Society / 中國武學會. Within this association he taught five
different styles on Kung Fu, one of them being Hak Fu Mun / 黑虎門. Although Master Wong Cheung / 黃祥 was very angry about this, he ignored Wong Yui Fan / 黃銳勳 and let him stand on his own.
In 1972, Ho Wai Man / 何偉文 started Hak Fu Mun under Wong Cheung / 黃祥.
Si Jo Wong / 黃祥 would still use the gym area at the railway sidings at Mong Kok station in the daytime due the the large open space there. At this site, he had an area for the the Single / Straight Dummy / Zik Zong / 直樁 which was located near the back of the training area away from the public station area.
Around late 1974, Master Wong Cheung / 黃祥 drew a pattern of a nine-pin dummy and organised two of his apprentices to manufacture the dummy. One of these was named Woo Moon Ling / 胡滿凌, and the other was called Chan Fook Sang / 陳福生, who was a skilled builder who built this dummy in early 1975.
Once this dummy had been manufactured it was installed several feet behind the Single / Straight Dummy / Zik Zong / 直樁. Initially, the Nine Pin Grinder Dummies upper rotating bodies arms were made of wooden poles and the body parts of concrete. Once the dummy was manufactured and installed, Wong Cheung / 黃祥 only taught it to a few of the senior brothers.
Wong Cheung on the Nine Pin Grinder Dummy / 九齒磨盤椿 at the Mong Kok railway sidings.
After a while, senior officials from the Kowloon and Canton Railway (KCR) came to meet with Wong Cheung / 黃祥 and told him that this dummy was too eye-catching and that it should be removed. After some discussion Master Wong / 黃祥 persuaded them to allow him to dismantle the top parts of the dummy and hide them when not in use. He and his students would place them in the long grass that grew near the dummy so that they could not be seen and would be difficult to find. When he was teaching the 9 Pin Grinder Dummy, he could put these parts back together for practical use and then dismantle again when finished training.
Since first learning the Nine Pin Grinder Dummy / 九齒磨盤椿 (known as Gau Chi Mo Pun Chong or Gau Chi Moh Poon Jong) from Dr. Leung, Wong Cheung had since adapted it into the Hak Fu Mun / 黑虎門 system. There are five special movements taught within this training that are described as; Cut, Cross, Seep, Strike and Destroy actions. This training consists of 108 movements, with each move having five or six variations using the arms and legs to coordinate. The dummy is approximately seven feet tall with a head. On top of the head is a wooden arm that is connected by a pivot allowing it to be swung over, back and forth. The upper part of the dummy body has four arms, and the lower part of the body has two arms. The two parts of the dummy body are contected to a centre post that has two lower legs, one either side. The speciality of this dummy is that the upper body can rotate around the centre post, which enables the dummy to be used as a single or double person training instrument.
Ho Siu Man / 何兆文, Tam Kwok Shing / 譚國勝, Wong Yiu Ming / 黃耀明, Ho Wai Man / 何偉文,
Wong Cheung.
The photo above was taken at the new Bute Street rooftop gym /旺角弼街天台 shortly after it was constructed, and before the shrine wall was added. This was probably around late 1974. The following year in 1975, the Nine Pin Grinder Dummy / 九齒磨盤椿 on the rooftop of Bute Street was built, by three students who were also builders. These three men were called Poon Hung Yuk / 潘雄旭, Ng Wing Tim / 吳永添 and Au Tung On / 區同安. Wong Cheung had shown them the dummy / 九齒磨盤椿 at the Mong Kok railway sidings gym and told them about the problem of the wooden arms braking. Between them, they altered the design of the dummy slightly and decided that steel tubing would be better for the arms. They then manufactured the new Nine Pin Grinder Dummy / 九齒磨盤椿 and bolted it to the floor in the Bute Street rooftop gym / 旺角弼街天台 around late 1975 to early 1976.
Also in 1975, Wan Yan Hey / 尹恩禧 was accepted as a student under Wong Cheung / 黃祥.
Si Jo Wong Cheung on the Plumflower Posts at the railway sidings Mong Kok.
In early 1976, Master Wong / 黃祥 sketched out the design of the Plum Flower Posts (known as Mui Fa Chong Plum or Mui Fa Jong / 梅花椿. This design had six iron pillars forming a circle. Wong Cheung gave the drawing he had done to two of his students to manufacture these Plum Flower Posts. This was built near the works entrance to the railway platform and they used metal hollow posts concreted into the ground. Originally these metal posts were 3 Chinese feet high (approximately 4 foot tall). Unfotunately, sometime after a manager from the Kowloon and Canton Railway (KCR) noticed them and was not happy. He told Wong Cheung that they were ugly and wanted them taken out as they were in sight of the public from the station platform. After a brief discussion, Wong Cheung / 黃祥 persuaded the manger to compromise so the the metal post were cut down to one Chinese foot (about 16 inches). When Wong Cheung / 黃祥 wanted to use the Plum Flower Posts, he would put wooden poles into the metal base tubes to bring the height back up to 4 foot tall.
From the mid-1970s, Yeung Yan Choi / 楊恩財 became one of Wong Cheung’s / 黃祥 protectors (bodyguard and defender of the school) if there was trouble or a dispute and a challenge was made by an outsider, he would fight. Up until the 1960s, Wong Cheung / 黃祥 had usually done this himself, but now in his 70s, these situations were now done by the younger men within the school that were the best and most capable fighters. Yeung Yan Choi / 楊恩財had started Hak Fu Mun in the mid-1960s under Wong Cheung / 黃祥 learning the martial arts and routines (Ming Kung / 明功), but from the mid-1970s, he was also studying the Sun da / 神打.
Tik Kuen / 踢館 to openly challenge another master at their martial arts club and demand a fair fight. Translates to “kicking the gym”. Kiigu used to refer to a challenger who arrives at a martial arts school and asks for a fighting match with the best fighters from that school. If the challenger wins the matches, the school might be forced to close down.
In May 1976, Wong Cheung / 黃祥 attended the wedding of one of his good students, Yeung Wong Hing / 楊旺興. This was at the Pak Yau Restaurant / 百有酒家, Kowloon side. Yeung Wong Hing / 楊旺興 was studying both Hak Fu Mun / 黑虎門 and Sun Da / 神打.
(Bentley Yeung, who from 2010 was elected president of the Wong Cheung Alumni Association, and then from 2012 it was renamed to Siu Lum Hak Fu Mun Wong Cheung Martial Arts Association. Yeung Wong Hing / 楊旺興 (Bentley) is still president to this current day.)
TVB / 武術精華 (Television Broadcasts Ltd) is a television broadcasting company that was based at 77 Broadcast Drive in Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong. During the 1970s after the outbreak of Bruce Lee and the massive new interest in Kung Fu, they produced a program called the, “Martial Arts Essence / 武術精華. Different schools around Hong Kong were invited to be in an individual episode to introduce the characteristics of each martial arts style and to hi-light their skills.
Wong Cheung’s / 黃祥 school of Hak Fu Mun was invited to film two episodes of this program, which goes to show the high standard and vast martial arts knowledge he had to share.
Si Jo Wong / 黃祥 wanted to highlight the characteristics of Hak Fu Mun martial arts, so he designed a martial arts performance called, "Wu Song Taking Off the Shackles / 武術脫枷”. For this dramatic performance, he chose Yeung Wong Hing / 楊旺興 (Bentley Yeung) and his brother, Yeung Yan Choi / 楊恩財.
This story was based on the historical figure of Wu Song / 武松, and Wong Cheung / 黃祥 put together all the fight choreography for this performance.
Wu Song / 武松 was famed as one of the 108 heroes, which comes from the historic novel called the Water Margin, written in the 14th Century during the Ming Dynasty. The bulk of the novel describes the lives of these men and women and how they came to come together in Mount Liang to rebel against the evil forces controlling the court of the Song Dynasty.
Wu Song / 武松 was drunk, and while passing through a forest, he encountered a ferocious tiger. He fought the tiger and beat it to death with his bare hands. For this amazing feat he became famous in the martial arts world! Later, he was imprisoned for opposing the government.
Yeung Wong Hing / 楊旺興 (Bentley Yeung), Wong Cheung and Yeung Yan Choi / 楊恩財
This photo was taken at Fei'e Mountain / 飛鵝山 not too far from the TVB studios on Broadcast Drive.
Wong Cheung / 黃祥 designed this martial arts performance to tell the story of how Wu Song / 武松 was trapped by wooden "shackles" while being escorted by officials, and was able to escape, and so it was titled, “Wu Song's escape from the shackles / 武松脫枷”.
Wong Cheung with the Straight Sword, near the entrance area to the Mong Kok Sidings gym, 1976
In July 1976, Wong Cheung / 黃祥 was featured in a martial arts magazine titled, "Real Kung Fu". Wong Cheung / 黃祥 was interviewed by the magazine and they printed a brief account of his history in the article they featured about Hak Fu Mun / 黑虎門. In the Chinese edition, he was covered in the first three pages.
Chinese edition
English edition
Real Kung Fu was a magazine featuring Chinese martial arts, published by Comray Publications & Enterprises Company, Ltd. in Hong Kong from 1975 to late 1970s. This magazine was published in both English and Chinese versions.
One of Wong Cheung’s / 黃祥 students from this period was Phillip Kwok / 郭追 (a.k.a. Kuo Chui, Kwok Chui, Kwok Chun-Fung) who was also an actor, martial artist and stuntman involved in many Shaw Brothers Kung Fu movies. Through Phillip Kwok, Wong became involved with several movies as a technical advisor aiding in the choreography of various fight scenes and the use of unique weapons.
Wong Cheung with Philip Kwok next the 9 Pin Grinder Dummy
at the Mong Kok railway sidings gym area, mid 1970s
Unfortunately, the wooden arms on the Nine Pin Grinder Dummy / Gau Chi Moor Poon Chun / 九齒磨盤椿 were not strong enough and they had broken several times during practice. After remaking the body, a couple of times with new wooden arms a new solution was to replace the wooden arms with steel tubing. The photo with Philip Kwok shows the new body with steel arms.
In 1977, Ng Hoi Leung / 伍浩良 started Hak Fu Mun / 黑虎門 under Wong Cheung / 黃祥. Also at this time, Wong Cheung / 黃祥 taught Jackie Chan how to use the rattan ring for one of his movies called, Snake in the Eagles shadow which was made in 1978. There is a short scene within this movie where the Ratten Ring is used. Wong Cheung / 黃祥 was given a token payment for helping Jackie learn this weapon and aiding in the fight scene choreography using this rattan ring as a weapon.
The photo below was taken around 1977 / 78 at the Bute Street gym. This is where Wong Cheung / 黃祥 would run his evening classes.
Ho Wai Man / 何偉文, ?, ?
Wong Cheung
Ng Ho Leung / 伍浩良, Woo Moon Ling / 胡滿凌, ?, Woo Moon Kwan / 胡滿坤, & Ho Siu Man / 何兆文
In the earlier photos of the Mong Kok Sidings gym, there is no fence next to the rail track of the sidings, but then a fence appears around 1973. This was due to safety issues so a wire mesh fence was constructed to section this area off. This fence can be seen in the photos below.
In 1977, Wong Cheung / 黃祥 accepted a new student called Peter Boczar. Peter was from New Jersey, U.S.A. and had studied wrestling all through school. From 1972 to 1976, he had then studied Fu Jow Pai in New York under Wai Hong (and several other instructors) obtaining a 1st Degree Black Sash. Peter had moved to Hong Kong in 1976 after graduating from Columbia University in New York City, to look for a Tiger Claw Sifu and extend his training after four years at Fu Jow Pai. With the help of local friends he visited a number of schools and was ultimately introduced to Wong Cheung by the head of the Chinese Martial Arts Association at the time. His first job in Hong Kong was dubbing Chinese Kung Fu movies into English and then he started working for local magazines and newspapers.
Choi Ming Chun / 蔡明進, Peter Boczar, Ho Siu Man / 何兆文, ? ?
Si Jo Wong Cheung
Peter started to study Hak Fu Mun / 黑虎門 in early 1977, covering several open-hand routines (Tiger and Bagua Snake) the Single / Straight Dummy / Zik Zong / 直樁 and the Nine Pin Grinder Dummy / 九齒磨盤椿. He was also traing in Irom Arms and Iron Palm conditioning. During this period, Peter was also involved with the Hak Fu Mun demonstration team performing around Hong Kong and also in Macau.
Through his connections in the movie industry, Wong Cheung was offered an acting part in the movie titled, Shaolin Rescuers / 街市英雄 (alternately titled Avenging Warriors of Shaolin made in 1979). Wong Cheung / 黃祥 plays the small role of Ying Cha-Po's (Phillip Kwok) father. In this scene, both Phillip and Wong demonstrate the use of the chopstick and bowl. During the climax of this movie, many Hak Fu Mun / 黑虎門 weapons are used in the final battle including the chopstick and bowl, wooden horse bench and rattan ring.
Scene from the movie with Wong Cheung and Philip Kwok using chopstick and bowl
These pictures are from the movie with Wong Cheung / 黃祥and Philip Kwok / 郭追 using the chopstick and bowl during a meal scene. In this scene, Wong Cheung is preventing Philip Kwok from getting any food using his chopsticks and
bowl. The scene shows that this happens many times until Philip Kwok comes up with a sneaky method to finally get some
food
In early 1979, Wong Cheung / 黃祥 was featured in a Hong Kong martial arts magazine called, The Essence of Martial Arts. This was in issue one of 1979 and they were running an article about Unique Weapons. This article covered several pages (pages 26 to 29) and focussed on the Hak Fu Mun Iron Chopstick and Golden Bowl / 金碗鐵筷. The article also gave some background history of So Hak Fu / 蘇黑虎, who was the founder of Hak Fu Mun / 黑虎門 and known as one of the Ten Tigers of Canton and why this weapon was developed.
So Hak Fu's cousin, Co Chan / 蘇燦, more commanly known by his nickname, So Hut Yee / Beggar So / Su Qi'er /蘇乞兒. He had developed these eating untensils into a weapon while living the Jianghu lifestyle / 江湖. The reason was so that hecould easily utilise them at any moment if he was ambushed. Over a period of time, he developed various techniques of blocking and attacking using these eating utensils. To be more practical and durable for combat, he used iron chopsticks /鐵筷 and a metal bowl /金屬碗. The bowl /金屬碗 is utilised more for blocking applications and the chopsticks /鐵筷 mainly for attacking, striking to many of the body’s acupuncture points.
So Hut Yee / Beggar So crafted these applications into a routine / 套路 which he named the Iron Chopstick and Golden Bowl form /金碗鐵筷. So Hak Fu /蘇黑虎 like So Chan /蘇燦, had many enemies, and therefore felt the need to be prepared against attacks or ambushes at all times. One of the most obvious occasions was during mealtimes when he was eating, and so appeared vulnerable. So Hut Yee / Beggar So shared the knowledge of this weapon with his cousin, So Hak Fu / 蘇黑虎. So Hak Fu had passed this weapon onto Fung Ping Wai / 馮平慧 who had then passed it onto Wong Cheung / 黃祥.
The Iron Chopstick and Golden Bowl form / 金碗鐵筷 has about thirty different techniques that are coordinated with flexible footwork to produce smooth fluid body movements.
The other person featured in some of the photos with Wong Cheung / 黃祥, was his student, Tam Kwok Shing / 譚國勝. The photos used in this magazine were taken near the Mong Kok Railway station gym area. The slope in the background is Kadoorie Hill / 加多利山 on the other side of the tracks from where the station was. At this time, work was underway to double track the line and prepare for the new station. This construction work can be seen in these photos with the rail track removed and debris everywhere in the background.
This photo above and the ones from the magazine are the last ones taken from the Mong Kok Railway sidings gym.
In March 1979, the annual dinner for Wong Cheung's / 黃祥 birthday was held at the Mong Kok International Restaurant. As usual, all his students wanted to get their photo taken with their Sifu.
Chu Pak Wan / 朱北雲, Tam Chung / 譚忠, (kid ?), Wong Cheung, IP Lung Piu / 葉龍標, Kwan Pak Chuen / 關柏全 & Chan Wai Chung / 陳圍中 (kneeling)
When Peter Boczar was about to return home to the U.S.A he was presented with a handwritten certificate by Wong Cheung / 黃祥. The certificate is dated 3rd June 1980, and states that at the age of 26 years old, Peter Boczar, from the United States has lived in Hong Kong practicing Hak Fu Mun / 黑虎門 martial arts under Wong Cheung. Peter had lived and worked in Hong Kong for nearly four years by the time he finally left in the summer of 1980.
Annual Dinner for Si Jo Wong's birthday March 1980
Leung Kiu Fan / 梁喬芬 Siu Yiu Nam / 蕭耀南
On the 16th August 1980, the Mong Kok Station closed, but Si Jo Wong Cheung / 黃祥 continued to use the railway sidings until 1981 when this site was forced to close. This was due to renovation of the area with the building of a large new shopping complex, a bus station and what is now called the Mong Kok East Railway Station.
Wong Cheung / 黃祥 would have two Hak Fu Mun dinners each year. The annual dinner was in March to celebrate his birthday and the other dinner was in June to celebrate the deity of martial arts, General Guan Yu / 關羽. The photo below is from around 1980 and shows Wong Cheung / 黃祥 performing a Hak Fu Mun / 黑虎門 routine during the dinner celebration to General Guan Yu.
Ho Wai Man / 何偉文 (wearing shorts) watching his Sifu, Wong Cheung.
Si Jo Wong Cheung / 黃祥 was very well respected in the martial arts world of Hong Kong. On his birthday, many well-known masters from various styles would attend his Birthday dinner celebrations. Many of these Sifu’s and master’s would do a short performance of their skills for the others to appreciate before sitting down to eat. The final performance was always the host, and Si Jo Wong never ceased to astonish his guests and beheld in awe by them.
It is stated that the Mong Kok station was still partially used while the construction work was going on and was closed on the 16th August 1980. It is therefore understood that sometime in 1980, Wong Cheung / 黃祥 was forced to move from this site due to the expanding construction work. This was due to redevelopment of the area with the building of a large new shopping complex, a bus station and what is now called the Mong Kok East Railway Station / 旺角東.
(Franco Lok & Eric Tsai watching in background)
It was during this period that due to Si Jo Wong Cheung’s / 黃祥 renowned skill, his vast experience and his renown within the martial arts world he was asked to be a martial arts consultant to several organisations such as the Taiwanese Sung Chung San Arts and Sports Association in 1970, the Hong Kong Gymnasium and Martial Arts Association in 1977, a Choy Li Fut association in 1980 and the Hong Kong Martial Arts Association from 1983 to 85. He also referred to Kung Fu or martial arts as "kuo shu" ("national art") showing his traditional and patriotic side.
Wong Tak Sui / 黃德水, nicknamed the "Little Master" / 師父仔 was teaching magical skill / Sun Da / 神打 to many of his brothers under the direction of Wong Cheung / 黃祥. The Sun Da / 神打/ 神功 taught by Wong Cheung /黃祥 to Wong Tak Sui / 黃德水 that he then taught to the other students was divided into nine levels / 九層. The ninth level is the highest level, and after completing the ninth level, the students took an examination. This test was called the Feng Dao / 封刀, which translates to Sealing Knife.
The examination was tough and required candidates to be Courageous and Confident. Implements such as knives and iron rulers were used to pierce the examinee's body. If the student was skilled and the magical power worked, it will not hurt the examinee. Otherwise, the examinee's body will be cut and stabbed! The tools you use must be clean with no contaminating, as would pollution on them would break the magic power.
As part of the Sun Da / 神打/ 神功 training, they were also taught how to write talismans (in yellow), to help protect them during this practice.
The religious talismans are divided into 5 colours, also known as the Five Elements. The common yellow colour is to calm evil spirits and ensure peace.
(而以宗教符紙共分為5種顏色，又稱為五行。一般常見的黃色是鎮煞保平安.)
In Chinese Taoist culture, talismans are an important ritual prop, and yellow paper is generally used. Its technique is also known as "the golden armoured god holding a yellow paper talisman to teach".
在中国道教文化中，符咒是一种重要的法事道具，一般情况使用的都是黄纸。其术法也被称为“金甲神持黄纸符敕示法”
Not everyone could pass the exam, but Wong Tak Sui / 黃德水, Chu Kong / 朱江, and Yeung Wong Hing / 楊旺興 (Bentley Yeung) were the most talented, skilled and powerful of the practitioners. These three passed all nine levels and completed the final examination.
During the 1980's at the Bute Street gym, Wong Cheung / 黃祥 would sit in the corner watching the students intensely studying them and giving them corrections or advice when they were training. It is also stated that when Wong / 黃祥 went to sleep at night, he always had a large knife next to him which would be at hand if ever required. This shows the hard violent lifestyle that he had become accustomed to and was always prepared for. In fact, students recall that Si Jo Wong / 黃祥 wouldn't sleep a lot but instead would meditate for several hours every day.
Si Jo Wong Cheung / 黃祥 would watch from the roof top when his students had been challenged by fighters from other styles. This was a traditional way of one-on-one combat to settle disputes or other issues. It is understood the Wong Cheung’s / 黃祥 fighters had never lost one of these challenge matches.
When Eric Wu (Wu Man Hoi / 胡文開) returned to Hong Kong in August 1982, he was accompanied with his wife. He asked his Sifu (Si Jo Wong Cheung / 黃祥) if it would be alright if he could bring his wife, who was pregnant at the time to the class. This was during the August Moon festival month when some of the students were training for Sun-Da / 神打 (Spiritual Boxing) which was practiced at night. Some styles would not allow this, (probably due to cultural or superstitious beliefs) but Wong Cheung / 黃祥 was confident of his level of skill in Sun-Da and that she would not be affected. Wong Cheung / 黃祥 was not superstitious, and he didn’t believe that the spirits would possess the women or unborn child. Eric / 胡文開 felt honoured by this which was a sign of giving him face in front of all Si Jo Wong’s / 黃祥 other students. Eric / 胡文開 believes that this was due to him still returning to his Sifu after leaving Hong Kong for a university education which was not common at the time, and that he had continued to annually return to Hong Kong training with his Sifu since settling in Texas, USA back in 1970.
Eric Wu (Wu Man Hoi / 胡文開) ?, ?,Ruby Mares, Michael Keller, Ron Bowling, ?, & Jerry Davis
After climbing the eight floors to the Bute Street roof gym, Eric’s wife was asked to sit down while she watched one of Eric’s Si-hing’s practicing and demonstrate San Da. Other Kung Fu styles prepare by closing their eyes and stamping their feet as they summon the spirit to possess them, but in Hak Fu Mun / 黑虎門, Wong’s students kept their eyes open which is classed as a higher level.
Lo Sai Ping / 勞世平 (Sai Kwa Peng was his nickname which translate as watermelon) was the Si-hing whom Eric and his wife witnessed the demonstration that evening. His Si-hing murmured some incantation and then with a bundle of red-hot burning joss sticks he stroked his stomach; he then rubbed his body all over and lastly putting the bundle in his mouth as ashes were flying of the red-hot incense before it was extinguished. There was not a scar or any signs of any burns in the body that Eric could see.
Jerry Davis (Eric Wu's /Wu Man Hoi / 胡文開 student from Texas, U.S.A) recalled several stories that his Sifu, Eric Wu had told him regarding Si Jo Wong / 黃祥. Even in his seventies and eighties he was still a very fit man. Besides his kung Fu training, he had to walk up and down eight floors every day to get from his apartment and to walk to the railroad yard, which was also a pretty good workout. He would also cook fish broth every morning which he believed aided his lungs. He was known as a master of several styles aside from Hak Fu Mun / 黑虎門 (Black Tiger) and was particularly expert with a staff, and could drive nails into boards with thrusts from the tip of his staff.
Fred Woo / 胡捷權 had ran this school in New York for 9 years as his full time business before moving into other business opportunities in 1985. From 1985 Fred / 胡捷權 still taught on a part time and one to one basis as his business and time allowed.
Wayne Carsi & Fred Woo / 胡捷權 1979
Alan Low had started Hak Fu Mun / 黑虎門 in 1979 and during the 1980s would often attend the Hak Fu Mun Annual dinner at the London Restaurant. He recalls that the martial arts performances lasted over an hour due to the number of persons taking part. Over ten tables during the dinner were participants and one third of these were the guests from other gyms or famous persons of the Hong Kong community. A lot of Wong Cheung's / 黃祥 senior students did the martial arts performances on behalf of the gym including Franco Lok. Alan stated that Wong Cheung / 黃祥 had a lot of students with high martial arts skills and the mood of the audience was ecstatic leaving unforgettable memories in his mind.
When Alan Low went to train at the Bute Street gym in the late 1980s, he recalls that although Wong Cheung / 黃祥 due to being in his mid-80s, wasn’t performing some of the movements such as jumping kicks or rolling on the floor he would pass on his instructions to his students through a lot of verbal communication and body language expressing ever characteristic easily. He would adjust the movement of the student if they did it wrong and while teaching, he had a smile on his face. Alan stated that you could see the passion on his eyes and due to his methods, he could easily build up a close relationship with his students.
Lee Chi Keung / 李志強, Cheng Fa Yee / 鄭化儀, Wong Kwok Kau / 黃國球
Wong Cheung / 黃祥
Franco Lok / Lok Wak Fai with Si Jo Wong Cheung at the Bute Street gym 1987
Besides the routines, he was also taught the various other skills, fighting techniques and the various theories of these. It is understood that Si Jo Wong Cheung / 黃祥 knew his time was closing and so was imparting all his knowledge and experience to Franco so that nothing would be lost and that he could continue Hak Fu Mun / 黑虎門 as his possible successor. In time it was proven that Franco was the most dedicated and skilled of these disciples performing Hak Fu Mun / 黑虎門 and so was naturally regarded and accepted as Wong Cheung’s / 黃祥 martial arts successor.
Bai Si / 拜師 ceremony :-
The custom of a student offering tea to a sifu is known as the Bai-si / ceremony and should be considered one of the most important ceremonies a kung fu practitioner can be invited to perform. The ceremony is what sets the disciple apart from the “outdoor students”. Historically, a Sifu would only share all their knowledge with their disciples who had earned the opportunity and demonstrated that they could be trusted with this knowledge. By performing the Bai Si / 拜師 they are welcomed into the family group and so become disciples.
Outdoor students are all other students under a Sifu who haven’t been invited to perform the Bai Si / 拜師 and so are outside of the family group.
These photos are from around 1987
Wong Cheung’s students would always come to the Bute Street gym to visit him in the first day of every Chinese New Year. This was to celebrate the happiness, good luck and prosperity of the coming year. However, when his students came to wish him well for the year of the Snake, on Monday 6th February 1989, they were to be shocked with what they found. They arrived at the gym on the eight floor, and senior brother, Woo Moon Ling / 胡滿凌found him laid on the bed, passed away. It was known that there had been another student that had visited him the evening before, on Sunday 5th, therefore it is very likely that he dead peacefully in his sleep during the night of the 5th to 6th February 1989.
As he had no relatives in Hong Kong, several of Wong Cheung’s senior students organised the arrangements for his funeral ceremony. These senior brothers were, Chu Kong / 朱江, Wong Tak Sui / 王德水, Yeung Yan Choi / 楊恩財, and Wong Kam Piu / 王錦標. During the period up to and including the funeral service many students and friends gave money (Baak gam / 帛金. Also called silk money offered in a white envelope) to cover the cost of the funeral.
Baak gam / 帛金:-
During this period, it's traditional for mourners to offer money as a donation to the soul of the dead person. The money is offered in white envelopes, and helps the family pay for the funeral. Joss money, or incense paper, may also be burned to help provide for the spirit in the afterlife.
The funeral was at Universal Funeral Parlor, Cheong Hang Road,Hung Hom 紅磡, Kowloon side and Franco attended it with many other of his Hak Fu Mun brothers, paying their respects. It was Taoist service which lasted more than one hour. This ceremony was packed out with several other famous masters in attendance to show their respects. Some of these included the Northern Shaolin Bagga master, Zheng Rong (鄭榮 北少林), King of the Lingnan Stick Tan Han (譚漢（嶺南棍王) and Hung Gar master, Chiu Wai (趙威（洪拳).
Si Jo Wong Cheung's funeral
With money from the association, some money that Wong Cheung had left, and this silk money donated, all the funeral expenses were covered and enough to take his ashes back to China and have a gave stone erected. The senior brothers who took Wong Cheung's ashes back to Punyu / 番禺were, Wan Yan Hey / 尹恩禧, Yeung Yan Choi / 楊恩財, Wong Tak Sui / 王德水 and Cheung Yau Hang / 張有恒.
After a period of morning, many of Wong Cheung’s / 黃祥 students gathered to discuss the future. At that time, it was decided that instead of one person running everything, they would form a committee to determine future policy and a new association was established.The name of the association had been revised several times over the past several decades. From 1928 to 1965 it was called the Wong Cheung / 黃祥 Chinese Martial Art Association, then from 1965 untill 1989 it had been called the Ya Kwa Wong Cheung Athletic Association, and after the death of Si Jo Wong Cheung / 黃祥 it was called the the Wong Cheung Alumni Association. Senior brother Chu Kong / 朱光 was elected as the new president of the association and Franco was recognised as the martial arts successor being the most skilled and knowledgeable of the remaining disciples. The annual dinners from the mid 1980’s had taken place at the London Restaurant / 倫敦大酒樓 in the Good Hope Building / 好望角大廈 on Nathan Road, Mong Kok. Continuing with tradition, the association has continued to hold the annual dinner at the same time each year at the London Restaurant and Franco has maintained his attendance.
This association maintained the gym / headquarters in Bute Street and also met the costs to cover the utility bills. The general up keep of these premises has been conducted by a few old loyal students that also live close to the gym.
Over the years many students that had continued with the Kung Fu training have since retired or passed away. Franco maintained his class at Cho Yu Youth Centre untill 1997 before handing it over to his student, Alan Low. In 2010 Alan Low relocated the class to the North Point Vehicular Ferry Pier Playground (北角汽車渡海輪碼頭遊樂場), just off Java Road, North Point on Hong Kong Island.
This is still the location of the Hak Fu Mun class which meets on Sunday mornings, 9.00-12.00. Alan Low runs the class, and Frank Lok often attends as well.
In 2001, Wayne Carisi was now a journalist. He had studied under Fred Woo / 胡捷權 in New York for many years, and through his contacts managed to have several articles published about Wong Cheung and Hak Fu Mun. The first article appeared in Kung Fu, Qigong magazine in March / April 2001. The majority of the article was a retelling of Wong Cheungs / 黃祥 history as used in the Real Kung Fu magazine from 1976.
A second follow up article appeared in the July to August 2001 edition of the Kung Fu Qigong magazine. This article focussed on Wayne's Sifu, Fred Woo's / 胡捷權 history, his training and coming to New York.
Wong Cheung / 黃祥 was a small man of about 5 feet tall, who over many years of arduous training, had achieved a very high degree of body conditioning, with extremely well-conditioned hands. His teaching method was therefore to emphasise stealth and deception over raw power, using sneaky techniques and a high degree of body conditioning. The majority of the kicks in the style are low, and the preferred hands strikes are gouging, clawing, and raking to vulnerable areas of the body. During Wong Cheung’s / 黃祥 life, he exchanged ideas and methods with various other masters / 功夫大師 so as to continue to expand his knowledge and skills.
In the same manner as So Hak Fu / 蘇黑虎 had devised his system, combining his knowledge of many systems, Wong Cheung / 黃祥 re-designed the system further, adding skills and concepts he had studied. This was not to change the style of Hak Fu Mun / 黑虎門, but to expand it further. Many of the routines / 套路 were slightly adapted to give them a common feeling and standardisation within the Hak fu Mun / 黑虎門 system.
Siu Lum Hak Fu Mun Wong Cheung Martial Arts Association
/ 少林黑虎門益群堂黃祥體育會
President :- Yeung Wong Hing / 楊旺興 (Bentley Yeung)
Martial Arts Executive :- Si Tai-Gung (師太公) Lok Wah Fai / 駱華輝 (Franco Lok)
Internal Vice President :- Ho Wai Man / 何偉文
Vice President & Head Coach :- Low Shiu Lun / 盧紹麟 (Alan Low)
Treasurer :- Wan Yan Hey / 尹恩禧
Secretary :- Ng Hoi Leung / 伍浩良