Biography of Sigung Wong Kiew Kit

[Jonny Say]

Absolutely fascinating, thank you Sigung for your generosity in sharing this for all forum readers.

[Robin]

How did Sifu become Si-Gung Lai Chi Wah's student??!

How did Sifu become Si-Gung Lai Chi Wah's student??!



A great question and now here is the answer!

For many of us who view Sifu as an incredible inspiration and Kung-Fu genius, it is enjoybale to read that Sifu was also once a sweet, polite and shy little boy. As you saw in the picture in the first installment.

As you read more you will see that Sifu tells us his humility and good manners as a boy was a major contributing factor to his advcnement in Kung-Fu.

Enjoy!

I'LL TEACH YOU FREE OF CHARGE

Who's This Little Boy?

This was how it happened. My beloved father, Wong York Sang, was a clerk at Soon Tuck Wooi Koon, and he often brought me, a small boy of ten, to his office. At that time Sifu Lai Chin Wah ( ) taught kungfu at Soon Tuck Wooi Koon every night. "Sifu" meaning "Master" is a polite address for kungfu instructors. Whenever my father worked night shift, I would follow him to Soon Tuck Wooi Koon and sat on the threshold of the back-hall and watched entranced, as Sifu Lai taught his students kungfu. I was at the threshold every night, fascinated by the beautiful kungfu movements, observing without obtruding the students and without making any noise. Yet my nightly presence was soon felt. One momentous night Sifu Lai asked his disciples,

"Who's this little boy? He's so interested that he sits here and watches us every night. In fact, he is more consistent in his attendance than many of you!"

"Oh, he"s the son of our clerk, Mr. Wong," answered Chiew Shi Khern, one of his senior students who was also my father's friend.

"Boy!" Sifu Lai said to me, "What's your name?"

"I'm called Kit Chye." Cantonese people often add the word "Chye", which means "Boy", to their male children's names.

"Well, Kit Chye," Sifu Lai said kindly," wouldn't you like to learn kungfu?"

"Sure!" I answered promptly. "But I have no money."

"Doesn't matter! Come and learn here. I'll teach you free of charge," said Sifu Lat benevolently.

I can't remember the exact date of that night. If I could, I would have celebrated the thirtieth anniversary (in 1985 when this was written) of my kungfu initiation over caviar and champagne. And nobody would have guessed at that time that I would one day become one of Sifu Lai's best and proudest disciples.





Below is a great picture of our Si-Gung Lai Chin Wah, showing perfect Kung-Fu Form.

[Martin Do]

Very heart warming indeed .

[Andrea]

Maybe it is good the book is not out yet . It will definitely be one of those "can't put it down and read through the whole night books" ...

Thank you Jim for the links and clarifications
And to Charles Sisook for the pictures

Andrea

[Claire]

That was beautiful.

And that's a beautiful picture of SiTaiGung Lai Chin Wah.

Fills my heart.

[Tim]

Thanks Robin,

Looking forward to the next installment and book. Great read. I have lots of books on history of Shaolin but nothing like this one. Really looking forward to it.

Best wishes

Tim

[Daniel]

Fascinating!

Thank you Robin and sifu, I´m eagerly waiting for the next installment.

[Robin]

The Sash

Hello all,

Sorry to keep you waiting, but not to worry, here is the next installment.

Here we can read of Sifu's efforts to aquire his first Kung-Fu uniform and also get a history lesson about the traditional Kung-Fu sash.

Who knows in the future we in Shaolin Wahnam may have a standard uniform?!!
If we did, I am sure it would incorporate many of the traditional Kung-Fu characteristics as seen in Si Gung Lai Chin Wah's and Si Gung Ho Fatt Nam's school's.

Happy reading, and I promise there won't be such a wait for the next one.



The Kungfu Waist-Sash

Chiew Shi Khern's wife, whom I called Auntie Lean, helped me to sew a pair of kungfu pants and a piece of waist-sash. I also bought a pair of rubber shoes -- a purchase that could be memorable to a poor little boy. Sifu Lai forbid his students from training bare-footed, because that would cause callous to develop at our soles. The kungfu waist-sash is normally about three yards long and a foot wide. It is wrapped round the waist like a belt. Its primary purpose, however, is not just to prevent the pants from falling down, nor to prevent the development of a bulky tummy as some people erroneously believe, but to compress the abdominal cavity and expand the chest of the sash-wearer so as to enhance his power and stamina.

Unlike in judo or taekwondo where a learner proceeds from novice's white to master's black, in kungfu there is no colour differentiation of belts or waist-sashes to indicate different levels of attainment. It is a common practice among kungfu exponents to use black pants and black sashes. After winding the sash round the waist, the two ends of the sash are tied together in a ribbon-like knot. Students usually tie the knot at either side of the waist; only the master or instructor has the honour of tiring the knot of his waist-sash at the centre near the navel.


However, this custom, though common, is not universal. For example, Sifu Ho Fatt Nam, from whom I learned kungfu later on, asked his students to tie the knot at the centre of the waist-line, so as to facili¬tate better circulation of blood and qi (intrinsic energy).






Below is an old picture of Sifu demonstrating Tiger Leans Against Wooden Door to counter a side kick executed Wong Weng Tuck. Here you can see Wong Wen Tuck is wearing a traditional Kung-Fu Sash, with the knot tied in the centre of the waist.

[martialartsmarj]

Hot off the press and waiting for the next instalment

When I visited the March Q & A section of Sigung’s website I was spoilt for choice. Sigung had shared how Tai Chi Chuan had developed within our school and it was fascinating reading for me.

As you probably have known, the Taijiquan set we first used in our school was the 24-Patttern Simplified Set, which was mainly from Yang Style Taijiquan.

Nevertheless, I would like our Taijiquan practitioners to have some understanding and experience of Chen Style Taijiquan too. Therefore, I introduced the fundamental Chen Style Taijiquan set into our school, but it underwent some transformation to suit our particular needs.

At first we just called it Chen Style Taijiquan, but later to differentiate this set from other sets composed from our Taijiquan combat sequences, we named it "Flowing Water Floating Clouds".

I then had the pleasure of watching Sisook Robin’s fantastic demonstration of the "Flowing Water Floating Clouds Set" as it was set just above Sigung's text response in Answer 1. I was like a child at Christmas time opening up a box of goodies.

I went looking for an appropriate place to thank Sigung and Sisook Robin for the joy they brought me.

Ha ha then I found this thread. Talk about abundance. Now I need to thank Sigung and Sisook for even more.

I am particularly touched by the photographs that Sigung has chosen to share, and his gift for telling stories in such an understated way that just leads you in to want more. Thank you also to Sipak Charles for posting, and to all the family who have contributed to this thread. I can now share the excitement waiting for the next instalment.

I would say this is a “hot thread with new posts” wouldn’t you?

Best wishes

Maria

[Charles David]

Dear Maria,

I have to agree that this is a 'hot thread." I have long wanted to learn more details about Sigung's biography; along the way we also get to learn more about traditional Shaolin Kung Fu. For example, I had no idea about the significance or importance of the kung fu sash.

Speaking of Kung Fu traditions, as your Sifu, Joan, is my Sije (senior sister), I would be your Sisook (junior uncle), not your Sipak (senior uncle.) When I am in doubt I usually click on the person's user profile to find out when and from whom they learned.

It also occurs to me that this last installment highlights a very important aspect of our training that many schools have lost. Looking at the picture of our Sifu's training, we might just take for granted that they are sparring using kung fu patterns, without protective padding. But how many schools today train in this way? Again, we are reminded how lucky we are to inherit these arts.


Still,

Charles

[Martin Do]

Brilliant

[Omar]

This is interesting. In my previous kungfu school we did not use belts, but our Master encouraged us to get (black) pants with a higher and tighter then usual waist. He collected our measurements and ordered suits from a tailor.

I still have a pair of these pants, and the higher and tighter waist acts effectively as a belt holding them up in place as well as exerting a small but not uncomfortable pressure around my abdomen.

When asked about belts for rank he told us jokingly that we could wear pink bathrobe belts if it made us more comfortable, but that belts for rank was a recent invention that were only useful for knowing who to ask questions, otherwise he did not support it much as it can quickly turn training into bolstering the ego rather then chipping it away.

[Jimbeaux]

Greetings,

These posts are great, I'm enjoying every one (those from Sigung of course, but also those from the rest of my international kung fu family!).

Thank you all,
Jim

[Robin]

How did Sifu's Kung-Fu get to such a high level??

How did Sifu's Kung-Fu get to such a high level??



I think many of us have pondered this question at one time or another.

Well, beleive it or not... sweeping could be part of the answer!!!

In this enlightening passage you will find that determination, and a joy of carrying out his appointed tasks was with Sifu from a very young age, and in his own opinion, had great deal to do with his work ethic in Kung-Fu.

Enjoy!





The Novice's Duties




In Sifu Lai's class at Soon Tuck Wooi Koon, we practised from eight to ten thirty every night, six nights a week. Every Monday to Friday night we practised kungfu, and every Saturday night we did lion-dance. Sunday night was a time of rest, and, to quote Sifu Lai, "for those of courting age, a night reserved for dating."

Being the newest student, I had a number of novice's duties to perform. I had to sweep the floor of the training hall, get ready all necessary equip¬ments and prepare Chinese tea for my seniors before each training session. At the end of the session I must keep all equipments carefully and check that everything was in order before I could leave for home, while my senior classmates would probably enjoy supper with my master at a restaurant or tea-house in town.

These duties are reminiscent of the probation period at the Shaolin Temple in the past, whereby intending disciples had to perform laborious jobs like fetching water and chopping fire-wood. But while the probation period of the intending Shaolin disciples might last for many months or even years, the novice at Sifu Lai's class would be relieved of his duties by a later new student as the latter joined the class.

Soon after I became Sifu Lai's student, there were many other people who joined the Kungfu class after me. But although these later students were my juniors (in enrolment, not in age) and were supposed to take over my novice's duties, I still carried on sweeping the floor, setting up all the necessary equipments anti¬cipated to be used, and preparing tea for all. The reason was partly because I was the youngest student then, but mainly because I was always the earliest to arrive at the training hall.



Wholesome Attitude towards Duties

Of the many good things I have learnt from my father, is a wholesome attitude towards one's duties.

"Be humble, son, and never be calculating over doing extra work," my father used to advise me. "You may think yourself smart if you cork up excuses in trying to avoid your duties, especially duties of a lowly nature. But you'll be missing a great deal, because others will not teach you as they know you're lazy."

So every night as my master and my classmates arrived for their Kungfu session, they were very pleased to find the floor spotlessly clean, the tea warm and fragrant, and everything else in apple-pie order. Inevitably I became their page-boy, ever ready to run their errands and buy their tit-bits -- often with a smile. Even my junior classmates (who were much older than me in age) took full advantage of my prompt service. In time I became almost indispensable (for performing duties that many people would like others to perform), and even things that my master would person¬ally attend to previously (like praying to gods before every public demonstration) he would entrust them to me with complete confidence that I would do them satisfac¬torily.

As I look back over the years, it becomes clear to me that this attitude towards work has contributed very much to my high Kungfu attainment. Not only that I benefited greatly from the bonus-teaching from by master, seniors and other Kungfu exponents who were always happy to enlighten an obedient, diligent pupil; but more importantly, this attitude helped me to nurture certain qualities that are essential for advanced Kungfu development -- qualities like humility and tolerance that enabled me to humbly seek and accept advice, and to train piously with perseverance and endurance.









In his Sifu's early Kung-Fu years, he would have spent more time with a broom like the one below than with the 'Shaolin Staff'.

[Andy]

Thanks!

Many thanks to Sifu Wong for this gift. An enlightening, touching and inspiring read

Thanks also to Sifu Robin for the wonderful idea of starting this thread.

WSS,

Andy