Wong Fei-hung - Biography

Biography

Wong was born on Mount Xiqiao, Foshan, Guangdong, during the reign of the Daoguang Emperor in the late Qing Dynasty. At the age of five, he started learning Hung Gar from his father Wong Kei-ying. When he was 13, he learnt the essentials of the Iron Wire Fist and sling from Lam Fuk-sing (林福成; Lin Fucheng), 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; Song Huitang) 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; Baozhilin) clinic at Ren'an. In 1919, Wong was invited to perform at the 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, and his two sons, along with his students Lam Sai-wing and Dang Sai-king (鄧世瓊; Deng Shiqiong), 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 and once followed the Black Flag Army to fight the Imperial Japanese Army during the Japanese invasion of Taiwan in 1895.