| Wong Fei-hung 黃飛鴻 |
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An alleged picture of Wong Fei-hung[1] |
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| Born | 9 July 1847 Foshan, Guangdong, Qing Empire |
| Died | 24 May 1924 (aged 76) Guangzhou, Guangdong, Republic of China |
| Residence | Foshan, Guangdong Guangzhou, Guangdong |
| Style | Chinese martial arts Hung Gar |
| Teacher(s) | Wong Kei-ying |
| Rank | Grandmaster |
| Occupation | Martial artist Physician Revolutionary |
| Spouse | Ms Luo (1871, her death) Ms Ma (1896, her death) Ms Chen (1902, her death) Mok Kwai-lan (1915-1924, his death) |
| Notable students | Leung Foon Lam Sai-wing Dang Fong Ling Wan-kai |
| Wong Fei-hung | |||||||||||||||||||
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| Traditional Chinese | 黃飛鴻 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 黄飞鸿 | ||||||||||||||||||
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Wong Fei-hung (July 9, 1847 – May 24, 1924)[2] was a Chinese martial artist, a traditional Chinese medicine physician, acupuncturist and revolutionary who became a folk hero and the subject of numerous television series and films. He was considered an expert in the Hung Gar style of Chinese martial arts. Wong is visibly the most famous Hung Gar practitioner of modern times. As such, his lineage has received the most attention.[3]
As a physician, Wong practiced and taught acupuncture and other forms of traditional Chinese medicine at Po-chi-lam (寶芝林), his private practice medical clinic in Foshan, Guangdong, China. A museum dedicated to him was built in Foshan. Wong's most famous disciples included Wong Hon-hei (his son), Lam Sai-wing, Leung Foon, Dang Fong, Wong Sai-wing and Ling Wan-kai. Wong was also associated with "Beggar So" of the Ten Tigers of Canton.
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Wong was born at Mount Xiqiao, Foshan, Guangdong Province, during the reign of the Qing Daoguang Emperor. At the age of five, he started learning Hung Gar from his father, Wong Kei-ying. When he was 13, he learnt the Tour de Force of Iron Wire Fist and sling from Lam Fuk-sing (林福成), a student of "Iron Bridge Three" Leung Kwan, after meeting Lam in Douzhixiang during a martial arts street performance. He learnt the Shadowless Kick from Sung Fai-tong (宋輝鏜) later.
In 1863 at the age of 17, Wong set up his first martial arts school in Shuijiao. 26 years later in 1886, he opened his Po-chi-lam (寶芝林) clinic at Ren'an. In 1919, Wong was invited to perform at Chin Woo Athletic Association's Guangzhou branch during its opening ceremony.
Wong died of illness on May 24, 1924 in Chengxi Fangbian Hospital in Guangdong. He was buried at the foot of Baiyun Mountain. Wong's wife, Mok Kwai-lan (莫桂蘭), and his two sons, along with his disciples Lam Sai-wing and Dang Sai-king (鄧世瓊), later moved to Hong Kong and established martial arts schools there.
In legend, Wong was recruited by Liu Yongfu, commander of the Black Flag Army, to be the army's medical officer and martial arts instructor. Wong also instructed Guangdong's local militia in martial arts. He followed Liu's army to fight the Imperial Japanese Army in Taiwan before as well.
Wong married four times in his life. The personal names of his first three wives are unknown. He had four known children.
Wong was a master of Hung Gar (also called Hung Fist). He systematized the predominant style of Hung Gar and choreographed its version of the famous "Tiger Crane Paired Form Fist", which incorporates his "Ten Special Fist" techniques. Wong was famous for his skill with the technique known as the "Shadowless Kick". He named the techniques of his skills when he performed them.
Wong was adept at using weapons such as the staff and southern tiger fork. One tale recounts how Wong defeated a group of 30 gangsters on the docks of Guangdong using the staff.
Wong is sometimes incorrectly identified as one of the "Ten Tigers of Canton". His father, Wong Kei-ying, was one of the ten but he was not. Wong is dubbed as "Tiger after the Ten Tigers" for his heroic efforts to defend the pride of the Chinese when the Chinese faced oppression from foreign powers.
A series of 99 films on Wong Fei-hung was produced between the 1940s and 1960s in Hong Kong. Kwan Tak-hing starred as Wong and earned himself the nickname "Master Wong" for his role.
The Chinese folk song On the General's Orders (將軍令) has become popularly associated with Wong Fei-hung because it was used as the theme song of various films about Wong (especially those starring Kwan Tak-hing).
The song was used in the opening of the 1978 film Drunken Master, starring Jackie Chan. In the Once Upon a Time in China film series, the song was titled A Man Should Better Himself (男兒當自強) while Wong Jim provided the lyrics. The song was performed by George Lam and Jackie Chan (only in a few films).
A rearranged version was rewritten and performed by Dayo Wong as the theme song of Men Don't Cry. Taiwanese singer Kenji Wu performed a song entitled On the General's Orders but the tune is different from the original one.
