Lam Sai Wing

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Lam Sai Wing (林世榮, Cantonese, 1861 - 1942, or 1860 - 1943 according to other sources), or Lin Shi Rong (pinyin), was perhaps the most well-known student of the legendary Cantonese martial artist, healer and folk hero Wong Fei Hung.

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[edit] Biography

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Most martial-arts history is of a legendary and semi-legendary nature and was often passed along orally for generations before being written down. What follows includes commonly transmitted stories of Lam Sai Wing and the martial arts style(s) he studied.

Lam Sai Wing was born in Nanhai district, Guangdong . He followed the customs of his ancestors and learned the traditional martial arts of his family. Afterwards he proceeded to learn from Lin Fu Cheng, Wong Fei Hung (Huang Fei Hong), and Wu Quan Mei.

Lam was considered an expert in Hung Gar Kuen (1), which he learned from Wong Fei Hung. Hung Gar is noted for its focus on tiger and crane techniques, best evidenced in the ‘Fu Hok Sheung Ying Kuen’ (The Double Form of the Tiger and the Crane) form (kata) created by Wong Fei Hung. Lam may have also studied Fo Kuen ('Buddhist brotherhood Fist') (2) style.

Through his persistent training he became a very skillful master in the martial arts. He founded the ‘Wu Ben Tang’ (The Hall of Fundamental Study) in Guangzhou (Canton) where he taught his martial arts.

Towards the end of the Qing dynasty (1644-1911) Lam gained the first place at a large martial arts competition that took place at the Dongjiao ground. Thanks to this he received a silver medal handed to him by Dr. Sun Yat Sen (3), as a token of the recognition of his great services and successes.

When he became older he moved to Hong Kong (4) where he started teaching martial arts. Together with his favorite students Zhu Yu Zhai, Zhang Shi Biao, Li Shi Hui, and others, he wrote (three) books on the the three primary forms (kata) of Hung Gar: Gung Gee Fook Fu Kuen (Conquering the Tiger Fist), Fu Hok Seung Ying Kuen (The Double Form of the Tiger and the Crane), and Tiet Sin Kuen (Iron Thread Fist).

Although his exact age is not known, Lam was over 80 when he died on Hong Kong. His death occurred during Japanese occupation of Hong Kong, and while conditions were difficult during the occupation there has been no indication that the occupation contributed to his death.

Lam Sai Wing marked a new era for Hung Gar. He and his students, which are said to have numbered over 10,000 during his life, are primarily responsible for popularizing the style in the 20th century. Some of his students became among the first actors and stunt people in the fledgling Hong Kong "kung fu" movie industry in the 1940s. Many historical figures in Hung Gar became the subject of such movies, particularly Wong Fei Hung who has been portrayed in over 100 of them since the 1940s. Lam himself has also been portrayed in such films as the internationally popular 1991 "Wong Fei Hung" (English Title: Once Upon a Time in China) and by Sammo Hung in the 1979 "Lam Sai Wing" (English Title: Magnificent Butcher).

1. Hung Gar Kuen - 'Hung family Fist'. This style was widespread in secret societies Gelaohui ('The union of the Elder Brother'), Sandianhui ('The Triad'), and others in Southern China in the 19th. and beginning of the 20th. century. It is remarkable for its very high fighting efficiency. It takes its origin from the Southern Shaolin Tiger style.

2. Fo Kuen - 'Buddhist brotherhood Fist'. was practised in secret Buddhist sects in Guangdong province. This style also originates from the Southern Shaolin Temple.

3. Sun Yat Sen (1866-1925), a Chinese revolutionary democrat, the leader of the Chinese Revolution of 1911-1913, the first (provisional) president of the Chinese Republic (1 January-1 April, 1912). In 1912 he founded the Kuo Min Tang party (KMT).

4. Since 1917 till 1923, before his departure to Hong Kong, Lam Sai Wing served in the KMT army of Fujian province as the Chief Instructor in hand-to-hand combat.

[edit] Students

Amongst Lam's students was Lau Cham, father of action director and star, Lau Kar-leung. Lam's final student was Golden Harvest producer, Raymond Chow.

[edit] Film portraits

Lam Sai Wing was a butcher by trade, causing his name to be translated as "Porky" in the English subtitles of Once Upon a Time in China. He appears in many movies about Wong Fei Hung, and appears as a main character in the movie Magnificent Butcher.

[edit] External links