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How Chow Wing Became a Disciple of Master Wong Yuk Kong
Master Chow Chin Ching first learned about kung fu from his father Chow Wing. Chow Wing’s Sifu (teacher) was Wong Yuk Kong, the Master of Kwong Sai Bamboo Forest Temple Praying Mantis Kung Fu.
Kung Fu in Hong Kong during the 1900’s was used to protect ones family, friends and neighborhoods. Styles and techniques were kept secret and only passed to those who were most trusted. At that time an introduction had to be made in order to become a disciple at martial arts schools. Chow Wing went through this process to become a student at the Kwong Sai Bamboo Forest Temple Praying Mantis School headed by Master Wong Yuk Kong.
Wang Jiao Long was Chow’s best friend, they were like brothers, Chow Wing called him Brother Long. Brother Long was the first person to teach Chow Wing Bamboo Forest Temple Praying Mantis Kung Fu, Chu Family Praying Mantis Kung Fu and Liu Shui Pole**. After training together for two years, Brother Long introduced Chow Wing to Wong Yuk Kong, Master and founder of Bamboo Forest Temple Praying Mantis Kung Fu School in Tsuen Wan.
This photo of Chow Wing was taken to congratulate
his kung fu brother Deng Tian
when he opened his school.
Wang Jiao Long (Brother Long) and Chow Wing
Kung Fu School
The Tsuen Wan Kung Fu school was always busy, there were always dozens of people visiting or practicing. Some were students others were Kung Fu Masters who went to visit Master Wong (one of the visiting Masters was Sun Zi Xing, also known as Sun Ng, from Chu Family Praying Mantis Kung Fu).
Listed are Chow Wing's Kung Fu brothers who were in the school at the time: Chen Quan, Deng Tian, He Chun, He Fu, Huang Yao, Huang Zheng Hua Yu, Li You, Liao Chang, Lu Guo Hui, Wu Yao Tong, Zhao Fu Sheng, Zhou Bing Qi, Zhu Hong (listed in alphabetical order).
At that time, Wong Yuk Kong taught kung fu (Wong also had medical skills) and Dai You Cai who everyone called Uncle Buddha was a doctor of bruises who taught Shen Da (Cantonese name of a Chinese Spirit that possesses a person and that needs to be excised out by the Sifu)
Chow Wing's senior Kung Fu brothers included: Li Guo Liang, Li Yu Hui, Liao Yu Qiang, Yang Qin, Zhong Shui (listed in alphabetical order).
There were many more Wong Yuk Kong disciples who may have been unintentionally omitted.
Wong Yuk Kwong and his son Wong Yok Hung lived at the school (this was common at that time, many kung fu masters lived in the same place as their martial arts schools).
Chow Wing's kung fu Pose
Chow Wing teaching kung fu. Note his solid horse stance.
Master Wong Yuk Kong and Chow Wing
Many kung fu masters visited Master Wong at his Kung Fu school in Tsuen Wan. Chow Wing, always curious, would ask for the names of these visitors. Chow used the Huizhou Hakka dialect of his grandmother and asked, “Line gai”?" meaning who is this?. Chow asked so often, "Line gai? Line gai?”, that Wong who was Pingshan Hakka, humorously nicknamed him "Ar gai". From then on, all of his Kung Fu brothers and people who had contact with Chow started to call him "Ar gai".
The youngest kung fu brothers in the school at that time were Chow Wing and Huang Yao Xiong (Master Wong’s son). Chow recalled that if any of his kung fu postures were incorrect, Master Wong sternly corrected it. Although it was painful Chow never forgot these lessons and he never made the same mistake twice. Master Wong would say that by being strict one can achieve great results.
In those days, practice included kicking and sparring, punching, weapon usage and unicorn dances, as well as use of iron rings, throwing iron poles and hitting sandbags.
An iron pole was used to harden and strengthen the "bridge hand" (arms). A fifty pound solid iron pole would be thrown with bridge hands to practice elastic power. Another practice method was to slowly roll the pole up and down the arms.
Sandbags were used to practice hitting and to harden the bridge hand as well. They were hung up and filled with tiny broken stones. After the exercises, "practice medicine wine" also called “iron vinegar wine” was put onto the arms and hands immediately, it helped to increase blood circulation and remove blood stasis. This would help prevent hand joints and other parts of the body from becoming deformed and prevent skin from becoming rough.
Unicorn dances were and still are a tradition practiced in Hong Kong. During festivals, celebrating the opening of a business or to commemorate the opening of a new martial arts school, Master Wong would take Chow and his kung fu brothers to perform these dances. Unicorn dances as well as kung fu demonstrations were performed in many places like Sheung Wo Hang Village in Sha Tau Kok.
Wong Yuk Kong Passes Away
Wong passed away in 1968 and Chow along with his senior kung fu brothers went to pay homage to Sifu Wong's grave (see photos below). After Master Wong’s passing his disciples kept in touch.
A group of disciples pay homage to Sifu Wong Yuk Kong’s grave
(flagholder is Chow Wing, father of Master Chow Chin Ching),1968.
A group of disciples pay homage to Sifu Wong Yuk Kong’s grave.
Chow Wing's kung fu brothers Zhong Shui and
He Chun Yu (holding the unicorn head),1968.
A group of disciples pay homage to Sifu Wong Yuk Kong’s grave
(flagholder is Chow Wing, father of Master Chow Chin Ching),1968.
Disciples Open Kung Fu School
After Wong's passing, several of his disciples opened their own school. Chow's senior kung fu brother Li Yu Hui opened a kung fu school at the junction of Tai Ho Road and Castle Peak Road in Tsuen Wan (upper floor of the signature Melon King Shop). Chow and Wang Jiao Long (brother Long) were often seen visiting.
Later, Li Yu Hui transferred his martial arts school to his kung fu brother Deng Tian, another senior kung fu brother of Chow Wing. Chow was present to congratulate Deng Tian on the opening of the school (see photos below).
Wang Jiao Long, Deng Tian and Chow Wing at Lai Shao Hui's school.
Second from left, Deng Tian, middle, Lai Shao Hui.
Photo of Chow Wing taken to congratulate his
kung fu brother Deng Tian on opening his school.
Chow Wing Teaches Kung Fu
Wang Jiao Long (Brother Long) taught Chow Wing Bamboo Forest Temple Praying Mantis Kung Fu, Chu Family Praying Mantis Kung Fu and Liu Shui pole. Brother Long was Chu Guan Hua's disciple (Chu Guan Hua was the representative figure of the Chu Family Praying Mantis at that time and was famous in kung fu society for his real kung fu). Chu Guan Hua's Sifu was the great master Liu Shui.
Chow Wing later went on to become a Master himself who taught a diverse group of people, from police detectives to professional fighters.
Wang Jiao Long (Brother Long) took Chow Wing to pay homage to Liu Shui's.
Chow Wing and his students pay homage to Liu Shui.
Time Passes By Quickly
Chow helped Sifu Huang Yun Fu (a Sifu of another sect) of the Huizhou Association branch to perform the unicorn dance. Chow's senior Kung Fu brother Deng Tian and his team performed in many places. Later, in the 1980s, Hong Kong's economy transformed and as times changed and the economy took off, martial arts was no longer needed for combat however schools stayed open and many people still study the forms today.