Wong Kei Ying
Encyclopedia
Wong Kei-ying also known as Wong Leung-ying, was a Chinese
martial artist
and physician
who lived during the late Qing Dynasty
.
Wong's son, Wong Fei-hung, inherited his father's martial arts and medical skills and later became a folk hero
in Chinese popular culture.
. His date of birth is not specified. His son, Wong Fei-hung, lived from 1847 to 1924, so it is very possible Wong Kei-ying was born in the 1810s or 1820s, but there is no documentation of his birth.
As a young man, Wong Kei-ying would perform as a street artist, using kung fu and acrobatics. During one of these performances in Guangdong, he was noticed by Luk Ah-choi, a practitioner of the Hung Ga fighting style who is known as the first and best disciple of Jee Sin Sim See
and as a classmate of Hung Hei-gun
, for whom Hung Gar is named. Based on the young acrobat's talent, Luk took on Wong as a student.
A different story, which reflects the sense of history and lineage in Hung Ga, says that Luk Ah-choi learned "Taming the Tiger Fist", a southern Shaolin
form, from Abbot Chan, who was staying in the Hoi-tong Monastery in Guangdong. Luk passed it on to Wong Tai, who lived in Saichiu, who passed it on to his son Wong Kei-ying.
Wong spent ten years training and mastering all of Luk's skills, including "Single Hard Fist", "Double Hard Fist", "Taming the Tiger Fist", "Mother & Son Butterfly Knives
" , "Angry Tiger Fist", "Fifth Brother Eight Trigram Pole", "Flying Hook", and "Black Tiger Fist". Once this training was complete, Wong became a martial arts instructor and member of the Black Flag Army
. His wages were so low that he had to sell herbal medicines to support his family. He had a herbal medicine dispensary on Jingyan Street in Guangdong.
Wong Kei-ying was became so famous that he was named one of the Ten Tigers of Canton
, a group of ten of the top Chinese martial arts
masters in Guangdong (Canton) towards the end of the Qing Dynasty
. Wong passed on his knowledge of martial arts to his son, Wong Fei-hung.
series, Wong Kei-ying is a supporting character with little screen time. However, the 1993 film Iron Monkey is a fictional depiction of the filial
relationship between Wong Kei-ying and a ten-year-old Wong Fei-hung. It hints at how the younger Wong is shaped by the example of his father.
Chinese people
The term Chinese people may refer to any of the following:*People with Han Chinese ethnicity ....
martial artist
Chinese martial arts
Chinese martial arts, also referred to by the Mandarin Chinese term wushu and popularly as kung fu , are a number of fighting styles that have developed over the centuries in China. These fighting styles are often classified according to common traits, identified as "families" , "sects" or...
and physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
who lived during the late Qing Dynasty
Qing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
.
Wong's son, Wong Fei-hung, inherited his father's martial arts and medical skills and later became a folk hero
Folk hero
A folk hero is a type of hero, real, fictional, or mythological. The single salient characteristic which makes a character a folk hero is the imprinting of the name, personality and deeds of the character in the popular consciousness. This presence in the popular consciousness is evidenced by...
in Chinese popular culture.
Biography
Wong Kei-ying was born in the village of Xiqiao, Nanhai, GuangdongGuangdong
Guangdong is a province on the South China Sea coast of the People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province...
. His date of birth is not specified. His son, Wong Fei-hung, lived from 1847 to 1924, so it is very possible Wong Kei-ying was born in the 1810s or 1820s, but there is no documentation of his birth.
As a young man, Wong Kei-ying would perform as a street artist, using kung fu and acrobatics. During one of these performances in Guangdong, he was noticed by Luk Ah-choi, a practitioner of the Hung Ga fighting style who is known as the first and best disciple of Jee Sin Sim See
Jee Sin Sim See
Jee Sin Sim See is said to have been one of the legendary Five Elders, survivors of the destruction of the Shaolin Temple by the Qing Dynasty ....
and as a classmate of Hung Hei-gun
Hung Hei-Gun
Hung Hei 1745–1825, born Huadu, Guangdong, China, was a major influential figure of Southern Shaolin Kung Fu.-Overview:Hung Hei was originally named Jue 朱 and was a tea merchant. He escaped to the Southern Fujian Shaolin Temple after he had an argument with a few upper class Manchurians during the...
, for whom Hung Gar is named. Based on the young acrobat's talent, Luk took on Wong as a student.
A different story, which reflects the sense of history and lineage in Hung Ga, says that Luk Ah-choi learned "Taming the Tiger Fist", a southern Shaolin
Shaolin kung fu
Shaolin Kung Fu refers to a collection of Chinese martial arts that claim affiliation with the Shaolin Monastery.Of the multitude styles of kung fu and wushu, only some are actually related to Shaolin...
form, from Abbot Chan, who was staying in the Hoi-tong Monastery in Guangdong. Luk passed it on to Wong Tai, who lived in Saichiu, who passed it on to his son Wong Kei-ying.
Wong spent ten years training and mastering all of Luk's skills, including "Single Hard Fist", "Double Hard Fist", "Taming the Tiger Fist", "Mother & Son Butterfly Knives
Butterfly sword
The butterfly sword is a short dāo, or single-edged blade, originally from the South of China, though it has seen use in the North.The blade of a butterfly sword is roughly as long as a human forearm, which allows for easy concealment inside loose sleeves or boots, and allows greater...
" , "Angry Tiger Fist", "Fifth Brother Eight Trigram Pole", "Flying Hook", and "Black Tiger Fist". Once this training was complete, Wong became a martial arts instructor and member of the Black Flag Army
Black Flag Army
The Black Flag Army was a splinter remnant of a bandit group recruited largely from soldiers of ethnic Zhuang background, who crossed the border from Guangxi province of China into Upper Tonkin, in the Empire of Annam in 1865. They became known mainly for their fights against French forces in...
. His wages were so low that he had to sell herbal medicines to support his family. He had a herbal medicine dispensary on Jingyan Street in Guangdong.
Wong Kei-ying was became so famous that he was named one of the Ten Tigers of Canton
Ten Tigers of Canton
The Ten Tigers of Canton or Ten Tigers of Guangdong refer to a group of ten Chinese martial artists from Guangdong , China, who lived during the late Qing Dynasty . They were said to be the best fighters in southern China at that time...
, a group of ten of the top Chinese martial arts
Chinese martial arts
Chinese martial arts, also referred to by the Mandarin Chinese term wushu and popularly as kung fu , are a number of fighting styles that have developed over the centuries in China. These fighting styles are often classified according to common traits, identified as "families" , "sects" or...
masters in Guangdong (Canton) towards the end of the Qing Dynasty
Qing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
. Wong passed on his knowledge of martial arts to his son, Wong Fei-hung.
Cultural references
In the many films made about Wong Fei-hung, especially the Once Upon a Time in ChinaOnce Upon a Time in China
Once Upon a Time in China is a Hong Kong martial arts action/adventure film franchise directed, written, and produced by Tsui Hark. The stories are based on the life of the legendary kung fu master, Traditional Chinese medicine practitioner, and Chinese folk hero, Wong Fei Hung...
series, Wong Kei-ying is a supporting character with little screen time. However, the 1993 film Iron Monkey is a fictional depiction of the filial
Filial piety
In Confucian ideals, filial piety is one of the virtues to be held above all else: a respect for the parents and ancestors. The Confucian classic Xiao Jing or Classic of Xiào, thought to be written around 470 BCE, has historically been the authoritative source on the Confucian tenet of xiào /...
relationship between Wong Kei-ying and a ten-year-old Wong Fei-hung. It hints at how the younger Wong is shaped by the example of his father.