|
 Lam
Sai Wing was born in 1860 in the small village of Ping Chow.
He is considered as one of the best boxers of his time. Lam
Sai Wing grew up at a time when China was still under the
rule of the Ch'ing government and the people were suffering
from poverty, hungar and oppression. He was born into a family
of martial artist and started learning gung fu from very young
age. Because of his hard work and dedication as well as his
strong interest and natural ability in gung fu he progressed
rapidly and in time mastered his family style. Over the years
as Lam grow up, he trained under many other well known gung
fu masters always trying to improve his skill and knowledge
in gung fu. As a young man he earned his living working in
a slaughter house as a pork butcher. Because of his trade
he was also known by the nickname Porky Wing (Jhiu Wing).
Lam Sai Wing inherited the Hung Gar style from his sifu, Wong
Fei Hung. Lam Sai Wing stayed and trained under Wong Fei Hung
until the day Wong passed away. Over many years of hard training,
Lam learned and mastered everything his master taught him,
including his famous skills in dit da. He eventually became
the most famous and well known student of Wong Fei Hung. He
was a man of strong principles and virtues, often used his
skills to protect the weak and help those in need. Lam Sai
Wing's fame spread all over kwaungtung and he became a well
known and respected figure. Lam's fame grew even more when
he entered a competition in Canton. Lam using his Hung Gar
skills defeated all his opponents and won the fist prize.
There are many stories/incidents about Lam Sai Wing, his gung
fu skills and how he became to be one of the best boxers of
his time.
Lam Sai Wing was a kind and honest person and always helped
those in need. His deeds are still remembered to this day.
On one occasion in the early days of the republic Lam demonstrated
his gung fu skills in a charity event to raise money for a
orphanage in Canton(Kwangjau) The president Sun Yat Sen was
also present at this event. (Sun Yat Sen (1866-1925), was
a famous revolutionary leader and doctor who is widely recognized
as the the father of republican China. After overthrowing
the Manchus in 1911 Sun Yat Sen was elected as the provisional
president of the new Republic of China on 25 December 1911).
Sun Yat Sen was very impressed by Lam Sai Wing and honored
Lam by giving him a medal for all his deeds and efforts for
helping those in need.
Lam Sai Wing was an excellent teacher and taught his skills
openly to the public. Mass of students from all over southern
China came to study under him. Lam Sai Wing being a excellent
teacher produced many talented and high caliber students.
He was also asked to instruct the army in martial arts and
became the head instructor for the new Republics Chinese army
in Canton.
Lam Sai Wing did not have children of his own, but adopted
a young orphaned boy, Lam
Cho whose parents had passed away when the boy was still
very young. Lam Sai Wing loved and raised Lam
Cho like his own son, gave him his family name and passed
down all his Hung Gar knowledge as well as teaching him the
traditional art of bone setting and healing (dit da). Some
years after the fall of Ching Dynasty and in early years of
the Republic, Lam Sai Wing was invited to live and teach in
Hong Kong. Lam Sai Wing eventually moved to Hong Kong, taking
his nephew with him. Soon after moving to Hong Kong, Lam Sai
Wing set up the Southern Martial Physical Culture Association
where he continued teaching Hung Gar until his death in 1943.
Lam Sai Wing's endless efforts to teach, preserve and spread
the art of Hung Gar is well known. Lam with the help of his
students popularized Hung Gar even more when he published
three books on hung gar: Gung Gee Fook Fu Kuen - Fu Hok Seung
Ying Kuen and Tid Sin Kuen. This was the first time anyone
published a book on Hung Gar which was available to the general
public. To date, these 3 books are still the best resources
available on Hung Gar. |
|
