Wong Fei Hung or
Hwang Fei Hung (1847–1924) was a martial artist, a
medical doctorA physician — also known as medical practitioner, doctor of medicine, medical doctor, or simply doctor — practices the ancient profession of medicine, which is concerned with maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease or injury...
of
traditional Chinese medicineTraditional Chinese Medicine, also known as TCM , includes a range of traditional medical practices originating in China. Although well accepted in the mainstream of medical care throughout East Asia, it is considered an alternative medical system in much of the western world.TCM practices include...
, and
revolutionaryA revolutionary is a person who either actively participates in, or advocates revolution. Also, when used as an adjective, the term revolutionary refers to something that has a major, sudden impact on society or on some aspect of human endeavour...
who became a
ChineseHan Chinese are an ethnic group native to China and, by most modern definitions, the largest single ethnic group in the world.Han Chinese constitute about 92 percent of the population of the People's Republic of China , 98 percent of the population of the Republic of China , 75 percent of the...
folk heroA folk hero is 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...
and the subject of numerous television series and films.
As a healer and medical doctor, Wong practiced and taught
acupunctureAcupuncture is the procedure of inserting and manipulating fine filiform needles into specific points on the body to relieve pain or for therapeutic purposes. The word acupuncture comes from the Latin acus, "needle", and pungere, "to prick". In Standard Mandarin, 針砭...
and other forms of
traditional Chinese medicineTraditional Chinese Medicine, also known as TCM , includes a range of traditional medical practices originating in China. Although well accepted in the mainstream of medical care throughout East Asia, it is considered an alternative medical system in much of the western world.TCM practices include...
at 'lam ang' (寶芝林), his
private practiceA medical practice or practice of medicine is the practice of medicine, as performed by a medical practitioner—a physician...
medical clinic in
FoshanFoshan is a prefecture-level city in central Guangdong province, People's Republic of China. The city has jurisdiction over an area of about 3,840 km² and a population of 5.4 million of which 1.1 million reside in the city proper ....
,
Guangdong ProvinceGuangdong is a province on the southern coast of People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province...
,
ChinaChina is a cultural region, an ancient civilization, and, depending on perspective, a national or multinational entity extending over a large area in East Asia....
, where he was known for his compassion and policy of treating any patient.
Wong Fei Hung or
Hwang Fei Hung (1847–1924) was a martial artist, a
medical doctorA physician — also known as medical practitioner, doctor of medicine, medical doctor, or simply doctor — practices the ancient profession of medicine, which is concerned with maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease or injury...
of
traditional Chinese medicineTraditional Chinese Medicine, also known as TCM , includes a range of traditional medical practices originating in China. Although well accepted in the mainstream of medical care throughout East Asia, it is considered an alternative medical system in much of the western world.TCM practices include...
, and
revolutionaryA revolutionary is a person who either actively participates in, or advocates revolution. Also, when used as an adjective, the term revolutionary refers to something that has a major, sudden impact on society or on some aspect of human endeavour...
who became a
ChineseHan Chinese are an ethnic group native to China and, by most modern definitions, the largest single ethnic group in the world.Han Chinese constitute about 92 percent of the population of the People's Republic of China , 98 percent of the population of the Republic of China , 75 percent of the...
folk heroA folk hero is 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...
and the subject of numerous television series and films.
As a healer and medical doctor, Wong practiced and taught
acupunctureAcupuncture is the procedure of inserting and manipulating fine filiform needles into specific points on the body to relieve pain or for therapeutic purposes. The word acupuncture comes from the Latin acus, "needle", and pungere, "to prick". In Standard Mandarin, 針砭...
and other forms of
traditional Chinese medicineTraditional Chinese Medicine, also known as TCM , includes a range of traditional medical practices originating in China. Although well accepted in the mainstream of medical care throughout East Asia, it is considered an alternative medical system in much of the western world.TCM practices include...
at 'lam ang' (寶芝林), his
private practiceA medical practice or practice of medicine is the practice of medicine, as performed by a medical practitioner—a physician...
medical clinic in
FoshanFoshan is a prefecture-level city in central Guangdong province, People's Republic of China. The city has jurisdiction over an area of about 3,840 km² and a population of 5.4 million of which 1.1 million reside in the city proper ....
,
Guangdong ProvinceGuangdong is a province on the southern coast of People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province...
,
ChinaChina is a cultural region, an ancient civilization, and, depending on perspective, a national or multinational entity extending over a large area in East Asia....
, where he was known for his compassion and policy of treating any patient. A museum dedicated to him was built in Foshan.
Amongst Wong's most famous disciples were
Lam Sai WingLam Sai-wing , was a student of the legendary Cantonese martial artist, healer and folk hero Wong Fei Hung.-Early life:Lam Sai-wing was born in Nanhai district, Guangdong...
, Leung Foon,
Tang FungTang Fung 鄧芳 , was a disciple of the Chinese Kung Fu folk hero Wong Fei Hung. His rigid way prompted him to follow and document the Hung Ga Keun teachings of Wong Fei Hung to the letter, thus he was referred to as Old Square Mind for his stubbornness to tradition.-Life:Tang Fung was born in Saam...
, and Ling Wan Gai. He was also associated with Chi Su Hua, aka Beggar So.
Early years
Legend has it that Wong Fei Hung was born in
FoshanFoshan is a prefecture-level city in central Guangdong province, People's Republic of China. The city has jurisdiction over an area of about 3,840 km² and a population of 5.4 million of which 1.1 million reside in the city proper ....
on the ninth day of the seventh month of the twenty-seventh year of the reign of
Emperor DaoguangThe Daoguang Emperor was the seventh emperor of the Manchu-led Qing dynasty and the sixth Qing emperor to rule over China, from 1820 to 1850.-Early years:...
(1847). When Wong was five, he began his study of
martial artsMartial arts or fighting arts are systems of codified practices and traditions of training for combat. While they may be studied for various reasons, martial arts share a single objective: to physically defeat other persons and to defend oneself or others from physical threat...
under his father
Wong Kei YingWong Kei Ying , also known as Wong Leung Ying, is best known as the father of the Chinese folk hero and martial arts master Wong Fei Hung....
, one of the
Ten Tigers of CantonThe Ten Tigers of Canton or the Ten Tigers of Guangdong were a group of ten of the top Chinese martial arts masters in Guangdong towards the end of the Qing Dynasty . They were reputed to be the best fighters in all of Southern China...
. To supplement his poor family's income, he followed his father to Foshan,
GuangzhouGuangzhou , in English formerly known as Canton and also known as Kwangchow, is a sub-provincial city and the capital of Guangdong Province in the southern part of the People's Republic of China.It is a port on the Pearl River,...
and throughout the rest of Guangdong Province to do martial arts performances and to sell medicines.
Well within his youth, Wong began showing great potential as a martial artist. At the age of thirteen, while giving a martial arts demonstration at Douzhixiang, Foshan, Wong Fei Hung met Lam Fuk Sing, the first apprentice of
Tit Kiu SaamTiit Kiu Saam was known as 'the great master of the Hong Fist' and was one of the Ten Tigers of Canton, a group of ten of the top Chinese martial arts masters in Guangdong towards the end of the Qing Dynasty ....
, who taught him the "
tour de forceTour de Force is a French expression meaning an exceptional creative achievement, a particularly adroit maneuver, or a difficult feat.It may also refer to:* Tour de Force a 1956 album by Sonny Rollins...
" of Iron Wire Fist and
SlingA sling is a projectile weapon typically used to throw a blunt projectile such as a stone. It is also known as the shepherd's sling....
, which helped him become a master of
Hung GarHung Ga 洪家, Hung Kuen 洪拳, or Hung Ga Kuen 洪家拳 is a southern Chinese martial art associated with the Chinese folk hero Wong Fei Hung, who was a master of Hung Ga.-History:...
. When he was sixteen, Wong set up martial arts schools at Shuijiao, Diqipu, Xiguan, Guangdong Province, and then opened his clinic 'Po Chi Lam' (寶芝林) on Renan Street in Foshan. By his early 20s, he was fast making his mark as a highly-respected physician and martial artist.
Later years
As a famous martial arts master, he had many apprentices. He was successfully engaged by Jiming Provincial Commander-in-Chief Wu Quanmei and Liu Yongfu as the military medical officer, martial art general drillmaster, and Guangdong local military general drillmaster. He later followed Liu Youngfu to fight against the
Japanese armyJapanese Army can refer to:* the Imperial Japanese Army, 1869–1947* the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, 1947–present...
in
TaiwanTaiwan , also known as Formosa , is the largest island of the Republic of China in East Asia. Taiwan is located east of the Taiwan Strait, off the southeastern coast of mainland China...
. His life was full of frustration, and in his later years he experienced the loss of his son and the burning of Po Chi Lam, an academy that went unsurpassed in martial arts competitions. On lunar year, the twenty-fifth day of the third month in 1924, Wong Fei Hung died of illness in Guangdong Chengxi Fangbian Hospital. His wife and two of his prominent students, Lam Sai-Wing and Tang Sai-King, moved to
Hong KongHong Kong , officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, is a highly autonomous territory of the People's Republic of China, facing Guangdong to the north and the South China Sea to the east, west and south...
, where they continued teaching Wong's martial art. Wong became a legendary hero whose real-life story was mixed freely with fictional exploits on the printed page and onscreen.
As a martial artist
Wong was a master of the Chinese martial art Hung Fist. He systematized the predominant style of Hung Fist 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 KickThe Shadowless Kick, also known as the No-Shadow Kick or Ghost-Shadow Kick is a martial arts technique in the Hung Gar repertoire. It was made famous by Chinese folk hero Wong Fei Hung, who is reputed to have used it to great effect....
". He was known to state the names of the techniques he used while fighting.
Wong Fei Hung also became adept at using weapons such as the wooden long staff and the southern tiger fork. Soon after, stories began circulating about his mastery of these weapons. One story recounts how he defeated a 30-man gang on the docks of Canton using the staff.
Wong is sometimes incorrectly identified as one of the
Ten Tigers of CantonThe Ten Tigers of Canton or the Ten Tigers of Guangdong were a group of ten of the top Chinese martial arts masters in Guangdong towards the end of the Qing Dynasty . They were reputed to be the best fighters in all of Southern China...
(a group of ten of the top martial arts masters in Guangdong near the end of the
Qing DynastyThe Qing Dynasty , also known as the Manchu Dynasty, was the last ruling dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912...
(1644–1912). His father Wong Kei Ying was one of the Ten Tigers, but Wong Fei-Hung was not. Due to his heroic efforts in defending China's pride during a period when Chinese morale was at an all time low, Wong Fei-Hung is sometimes known as the "Tiger after the Ten Tigers."
Film
There was a
Wong Fei Hung film seriesA film series is a collection of related films in succession. Their relationship is not fixed, but generally share a common diegetic world. Sometimes the work is conceived as a multiple-film work, for example the Three Colours series, but in most cases the success of the original film inspires...
in
Hong KongThe cinema of Hong Kong is one of the three major threads in the history of Chinese language cinema, alongside the cinema of China, and the cinema of Taiwan...
from the late 1940s into the 1960s; it consisted of 99 movies. The star,
Kwan Tak HingKwan Tak Hing, MBE was an actor who played the role of martial artist folk hero Wong Fei Hong in at least 77 films, between the 1940s and the 1980s. No-one else in cinema history has portrayed the same person as many times. In total he made over 130 films. He was elected to be the chairman of...
, gained the nickname "Master Wong" due to his participation in the series. Numerous sources state that it is the most prolific movie series ever, and that Wong Fei Hung is the most portrayed character in movie history.
A short list of later films portraying Wong fei Hung is as follows:
- Challenge of the Masters
Challenge of the Masters is a 1976 martial arts-action film released in Hong Kong by Shaw Brothers, and directed by Lau Kar Leung.-Plot:...
(1976A list of films produced in Hong Kong in 1976:.-A-B:-C-:-External links:* * Hong Kong films of 1976 at...
), played by Gordon LiuGordon Liu is a Chinese martial arts film actor. Best known by Western moviegoers for his role as Pai Mei in Kill Bill: Volume 2 , and as Johnny Mo in Kill Bill: Volume 1 , the head general of the Crazy 88, O-Ren Ishii's personal army...
.
- Drunken Master
Drunken Master, a.k.a. "Drunk Monkey In The Tiger's Eye", is a 1978 Hong Kong martial arts-action-comedy film directed by Yuen Woo-ping, and starring Jackie Chan, billed as "Jacky Chan", Yuen Siu Tien , and Hwang Jang Lee....
(1978A list of films produced in Hong Kong in 1978:.-1978:-External links:* * Hong Kong films of 1978 at...
), played by Jackie Chan, with Yuen Siu TienYuen Siu Tien was a kung fu movie star in the 1970s. He starred in films with actors like Jackie Chan and under the direction of his son Yuen Woo-ping. He died of a heart attack in 1979.-Success in old age:Yuen Siu Tien trained in traditional Peking opera role of Wu-Shen...
as the Beggar So.
- Magnificent Butcher
Magnificent Butcher is a 1979 kung fu-comedy film directed by Sammo Hung and Yuen Woo Ping. The film is based on the story of Lam Sai Wing, one of the students of the legendary Chinese folk hero Wong Fei Hung. Hung plays "Butcher" Lam Sai Wing and Kwan Tak Hing plays Wong Fei Hung, a role he had...
(1979A list of films produced in Hong Kong in 1979:.-1979:-External links:* * Hong Kong films of 1979 at...
), played by Kwan Tak-Hing. Sammo HungSammo Hung is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist, producer and director, known for his work in many kung fu films and Hong Kong action cinema...
, Yuen BiaoYuen Biao is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist. He specialises in acrobatics and Chinese martial arts and has worked on over 80 films as actor, stuntman and action choreographer...
and Wei Pak starred as Wong's disciples, Wing, Foon and Chik.
- Once Upon a Time in China
Hong Kong film director Tsui Hark's Once Upon a Time in China film series is about the kung fu master, practioner of Traditional Chinese medicine and Chinese folk hero, Wong Fei Hung...
(1991A list of films produced in Hong Kong in 1991:.-1991:-External links:* * Hong Kong films of 1991 at...
), played by Jet LiLi Lianjie , better known by his stage name Jet Li, is a Chinese martial artist, actor, wushu champion, and international film star who is currently residing in Singapore. After three years of intensive training with Wu Bin, Li won his first national championship for the Beijing Wushu Team...
. This is the first in a series of six films about Wong Fei Hung.
- Great Hero From China (1992
A list of films produced in Hong Kong in 1992:.-1992:-External links:* * Hong Kong films of 1992 at...
), played by Chin Kar-Lok.
- Iron Monkey (1993
A list of films produced in Hong Kong in 1993:.-1993:-External links:* * Hong Kong films of 1993 at...
). The young Wong Fei Hung is played by female martial artist Tsang Sze-Man. Donnie YenDonnie Yen Chi-Tan is a Hong Kong martial artist, actor, film director, fight choreographer, and producer. He is a well known film and television actor in Hong Kong and, more recently, in the West, having been featured in many movies with prominent, internationally known actors such as Jackie...
portrays Wong's father.
- Once Upon a Time in China IV
Once Upon a Time in China IV is a 1993 Hong Kong action film directed by Yuen Bun. The film stars Vincent Zhao as legendary Chinese folk hero, Wong Fei Hung.It is the fourth film in the Once Upon a Time in China series....
& V (1993) played by Zhao Wen Zhou
- Drunken Master II
Drunken Master II is a 1994 Hong Kong kung fu film directed by Lau Kar-Leung and starring Jackie Chan as Chinese folk hero Wong Fei Hung. It was Jackie Chan's first traditional style martial arts film since The Young Master...
(1994A list of films produced in Hong Kong in 1994:.-1994 :-External links:* * Hong Kong films of 1994 at...
), played by Jackie Chan. Ti LungTi Lung , or Dik Lung, is a Hong Kong actor.-Background:He studied Wing Chun under the martial arts master Chu Wan. In 1969, Ti was found by the Shaw Brothers and cast in Return of the One Armed Swordsman opposite Jimmy Wang Yu, a role which would launch his career as one of the best known faces in...
portrayed Wong's father.
- Drunken Master Killer (1994), played by Willie Chi.
- Last Hero in China
Last Hero in China is a 1993 Hong Kong film written and directed by Wong Jing. It was released after the original Once Upon a Time in China trilogy...
(1995A list of films produced in Hong Kong in 1995:.-1995:-External links:* * Hong Kong films of 1995 at...
), played by Jet LiLi Lianjie , better known by his stage name Jet Li, is a Chinese martial artist, actor, wushu champion, and international film star who is currently residing in Singapore. After three years of intensive training with Wu Bin, Li won his first national championship for the Beijing Wushu Team...
.
- Around the World in 80 Days
Around the World in 80 Days is a 2004 comedy/adventure film based on Jules Verne's novel of the same name. It stars Jackie Chan, Steve Coogan and Cécile de France. The film is set in 19th-century Britain and centers on Phileas Fogg , here reimagined as an eccentric inventor and his efforts to...
(2004The year 2004 in film involved some significant events. Major releases of sequels took place. It included blockbuster films like Shrek 2, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, The Passion of the Christ, Meet the Fockers, Blade: Trinity, Spider-Man 2, Alien vs. Predator, Kill Bill Vol...
), Sammo Hung has a brief appearance as Wong Fei Hung.
- Shao Nian Huang Fei Hong
Shao Nian Huang Fei Hong was a 30 episode TV series that aired in China in 2002.-Plot:The series follows the growth of a teenage Huang Fei Hong from being naughty to behaving like a man. During the first 5 episodes Huang Fei Hong is living in his hometown in Guangzhou, China...
(TV series, 2002), China.
- My Master is Wong Fei Hung (TV series, 2004), Hong Kong.
For a more extensive list, see List of Wong Fei Hung films.
Theme song
Because it was used as the theme song of various Wong Fei Hung films (particularly the versions starring
Kwan Tak HingKwan Tak Hing, MBE was an actor who played the role of martial artist folk hero Wong Fei Hong in at least 77 films, between the 1940s and the 1980s. No-one else in cinema history has portrayed the same person as many times. In total he made over 130 films. He was elected to be the chairman of...
), the Chinese folk song On the General's Orders
(將軍令) is now associated with Wong Fei Hung.
In the Once Upon a Time in ChinaHong Kong film director Tsui Hark's Once Upon a Time in China film series is about the kung fu master, practioner of Traditional Chinese medicine and Chinese folk hero, Wong Fei Hung...
series, the music was named A Man Should Better Himself
(男兒當自強), with lyrics written by the late Wong JimJames Wong Jim was a Cantopop lyricist and writer based primarily in Hong Kong. He was also a well known in Asia as a columnist, actor, film director, screenwriter and talk show hosts. He took part in creative directing positions within the entertainment industry in Hong Kong...
to On the General's Orders
. It was sung by George LamGeorge Lam Chi Cheung, also known professionally by his surname Lam, is a Hong Kong-based veteran Cantopop singer and actor. Lam studied at the Diocesan Boys' School in Kowloon, Hong Kong...
.
A rearranged version was rewritten and sung by Dayo WongDayo Wong Chi-Wah , born 5 September 1960, is a Hong Kong actor, comedian, singer and screenwriter.He gained a degree in philosophy from the University of Alberta in Canada. He began his entertainment career in Hong Kong in 1984, but only became known since 1990 for his stand-up comedy...
as Men Don't CryMen Don't Cry is a TVB period comedy series broadcast in October 2007. The series is shown to celebrate TVB's 40th Anniversary...
theme song.
Wu Ke Qun sang a version based on the iconic theme song.
Others
The character of Lee Rekka from SNKSNK Playmore is a Japanese video game hardware and software company. SNK is an acronym of Shin Nihon Kikaku , Japanese for "New Japan Project", which was SNK's original name...
's Last Blade
series is based on Wong Fei Hung as portrayed by Jet Li in the Once Upon a Time in China series.
Fei Fong Wong, the lead character Squaresoft video game Xenogearsis a console role-playing game developed and published by Square for Sony's PlayStation. It was released on February 11, 1998 in Japan and on October 21, 1998 in North America. The game was never released in PAL territories...
, was named after Wong Fei Hung (his name being written the same in in katakana as Wong's name is written). Another protagonist, Citan Uzuki, more closely resembles Wong, being both a doctor and martial artist dressed in similar period Chinese clothing.
In author Will ThomasWill Thomas, born 1958 in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, is a novelist who writes a Victorian mystery series featuring Cyrus Barker, a Scottish detective or "private enquiry agent," and his Welsh assistant, Thomas Llewelyn. The Barker/Llewelyn novels are set in the 1880s and often feature historical...
' third mystery novel, The Limehouse Text, his
VictorianThe Victorian era of the United Kingdom was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from June 1837 until her death on the 22nd of January 1901. The reign was a long period of prosperity for the British people, as profits gained from the overseas British Empire, as well as from industrial improvements...
detective, Cyrus Barker, trained in Canton under Wong Fei Hung.
Stan Sakaiis a third-generation Japanese American, Eisner Award-winning comic book creator.Born in Kyoto, Japan, Sakai grew up in Hawaii and studied fine arts at the University of Hawaii. He later attended the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California...
has mentioned he plans to include a character based Wong Fei Hung in a future issue of his comic book
Usagi Yojimbois a comic book series created by Stan Sakai in 1984.-Concept:Set primarily at the beginning of Edo period of Japan , with anthropomorphic animals replacing humans, it features a rabbit ronin, Miyamoto Usagi, who is partially based on the famous swordsman Miyamoto Musashi...
.
External links