Happening in January 2008.

I announced earlier that Russ Smith is working with us on a few projects and these include marketing and distributing our DVDs.

 

Apart from the Penang’s show, we also got a few other titles in the pipeline.

 

Expected to be launched in January next – we had so much fun producing these.

 

We are confident that you will like these and add them to your collection…..

 

Stayed tuned for more info.

 

“8 Drunken Immortals” and the lady sings the blues….

Xiong De Lu is one CKF teacher I met through Chester Lim of CMAA.

 

Some 2 – 3 years back, CMAA sent a small group to Singkawang Kalimantan Indonesia to aid in their “Chap Go Mei” or “15^th day of the Lunar New Year” celebration.

 

Well, we all know how Chinese culture was suppressed in that country for the longest time and it was only after the downfall of Suharto that the Chinese were given space to express culturally.

 

So together with 4 other young CMAA athletes, Ah Lu and myself spent few days there, not knowing what to expect, to demonstrate CKF in front of a strange crowd.

 

A very hardworking committed CKF teacher in Sibu, Ah Lu has made many endeavors to rejuvenate the scene there.

 

He, single handedly put together the annual “Borneo Cup “MAs competition; an event that is picking up momentum and gaining popularity.

 

In his 60s, holding a daytime job and still putting in that amount of time into his lifelong passion ….

 

This is one CKF teacher who commands my respect ….anytime….

 A clip shot about a year ago in Sibu in Ah Lu’s rooftop school. The music playing is, ahem,again Zhou Xuan ……

 

 

 

 

 

A short commercial break.

Going for a short commercial break here:

“An Evening of Martial Arts” – The DVDs are  now available for purchase.

Priced @ USD20 each excluding shipping, this DVDs is over 2 hrs long capturing practically the entire show of the night minus the speeches etc..

To order, go to MartialArtsGathering.com

Thank you.

Taking it easy – GM Cheong Wai Por.

GM Cheong Wai Por …. Por Suk, Por Suk , my favorite Ah Sok or “uncle” in Cantonese.

 

When we were first introduced, he was frosty and vehemently denying that he is the “Cho Gar” master that I was looking for – downright frustrating at that point.

 

I refused to give in and I must have been very pesky; I kept probing and it was only after we “touched hands” that he finally owned up that he is the current custodian of Cho Gar Hay Pun WCK.

 

A direct disciple of the late Saam Chum, he is the 4th generation from “Cheng Tam Kam”; the man generally accepted to be responsible for taking “Opera Wing Chun” off the red boats to Poon Yue in Canton.

 

Withdrawn from the martial art scene, Por Suk is very contented with administering a temple, meeting devotees and running around Penang town on his small scooter.

 

I was so delighted when he assented to appear in our event……

 

A very humble man, he refuses to take part in any of the “squabbles” that been plaguing the Wing Chun fraternity.

 

To him, there is no absolute right or wrong when it comes to histories, lineages and evolution of the arts.

 

Different families – different ways, different temples – different Buddha is his creed.

 

Be happy and practice diligently and if not, give it up and do something else is another one of his favorite viewpoints.

 

Quarrelling just dries up your throat; he likes to say with that toothy grin on his face.

 

Well, Por Suk has offered to teach me his WCK…. an offer that I am sincerely thinking of taking up…..

 

Here’s Por Suk with his “Siu Nim Tau” – simply brilliant!

 

 

And the music you hear this time is Jerry Kamit’s sape – an indigenous Sarawak Iban string instrument – no less brilliant, in my humble opinion.

 

 

 

 

 

One man, one lifetime, one kung fu …….

You know when my generation talks about CKF training, it’s usually “I’ve been training for 10 years in one style” or something to that effect. However, if you zoom into a statement like that, more often that not, you’ll hear “I train 3, 4 or maybe 5 times a week”. Pretty much, how we train in these times; what with raising a family, working in a high paced job, spending time on that precious car, weekend retreats at the country club….

 

You know “modern living”….

 

This one year of connecting with CKF masters everywhere has been a journey of discovery.

 

Not just the KF styles but also, the lifestyles of masters who are, to me, caught between 2 ages.

 

Many left China, either on their own, or came as kids with their families, to seek greener pastures in SE Asia and due to various circumstances, never left.

 

Folks from a simple time and if they relocate to a place like Sarawak where not much has changed, except in the bigger cities, their uncomplicated lifestyles are pretty much preserved.

 

GM Ting Huat Yong is one such case. Now almost 70 and still continuing his family traditions in China, he works as a farmer.

 

His Kung Fu, Fong Yang Quan, has been associated with the farming community since the beginning, so much so that many techniques in this system are modified “farming movements”.

 

Art imitating life ……

 

And living in a remote corner of Sibu, without the benefit of any mass media exposure, his Fong Yang Quan is known only to the immediate vicinity.

 

This Penang trip is one of the very few that Master Ting has ventured out of Sibu to perform.

 

One particularly poignant moment is when I sat down with him in Sibu many months ago and he said, with those sad look in his eyes – “Chinese Kung Fu – our soul, do not lose it”….

 

One man, one lifetime and one Kung fu …..

In the clip, Master Ting is wearing the white shirt with the tiger/dragon motif, the gentleman in red is Master Wei, his KF elder brother.

The heavenly singing voice is again, “Golden Vocal Chords” Zhou Xuan….. pardonez moi, my little indulgence….