CHAN NGAU SING

1864-1926

*Written by Sifu Frank McCarthy

 

Chan Ngau Sing, also known as Chan Gok Choy, and  Chan Gei Sing, and his nick name was Chan Mou Sing.  He  was born in Fut San on Ngar Pong St. in 1864.  His ancestors came from a place called San Sui.  As a young boy his gung fu career started with Hung Gar under a master named Chow Gum Biu. 

Cheung Hung Sing 1824-1893

Since the Fut San Hung Sing Kwoon under Jeong Yim opened, Jeong Yim had to face many challengers which was customary during that time and defeated all his opponents.  His reputation quickly spread throughout all of southern China.  With this in mind Master Chow Gum Biu suggested to Chan Sing that he should go and complete his training under such a master as Jeong Hung Sing.

Chan Ngau Sing dismissed his teachers recommendation because he was personally very proud of his own physical strength and marial arts prowess.  Feeling that he was far better than most of the fighters in the area, and thought defeating Jeong Yim who was much older than him-would be easy.

In 1883, Chan Ngau Sing was convinced to pay Jeong Hung Sing a visit.  During their initial encounter Chan Ngau Sing challenged Jeong Yim to a match.  But Jeong Yim told Chan Ngau Sing that he would defeat him in 3 rounds. And in each round, Jeong Yim dictated where Chan Ngau Sing would fall.  First he said that Chan Ngau Sing would fall to the East, and he did.  The second round Jeong Yim said to Chan Ngau Sing, "now you will fall to the west" and of course Chan Ngau Sing did.  On the third round Jeong Yim told Chan Ngau Sing he would fall down in the middle, and one more time Jeong Yim was correct.

 It was on the last fall that Chan Ngau Sing recognized the effectiveness of the Hung Sing Kwoon's fighting art, and especially that of Jeong Yim, even at his old age.  Jeong Yim recognized the great potential of Chan Ngau Sing who proved to be a worthy disciple that practiced hard day and night to perfect his gung fu.  Jeong Yim also instilled within Chan Ngau Sing his revlotionary spirit.

The Hung Sing Kwoon of Chan Ngau Sing

 Chan Ngau Sing learned the In and out bagua style that  Monk Ching Cho taught to Jeong Yim.  In this hand form, there were 1080 moves in it, and was the essence of the Green Grass Monk's system.  Later on, because it was too long to teach to the newer students, Chan Ngau Sing broke up the In and Out Bagua into 3 separte hand forms used for fighting.  They were called Ping Kuen, Cheung Kuen, and Kau Da Kuen.

Evil people was one of Chan Ngau Sing's pet peeves.  He was an hornorable man who often treatment bad people as his personal enemies.  Once, a well known tough bully from the Sing Tong name Ying Sha was one of those people Chan Ngau Sing despised.  Ying Sha had more than 100 people under him, and he also enjoyed causing trouble where ever he went, and often took advantage of the villagers whenever he could.

In Fut San at the Zhu Miao Ancestral Temple Ying Sha and his followers always took control over the first three rows in the audience.  He and his roughnecks wouldn't allow anyone to sit in those rows without receiving a severe beating or even possibly killed.

On one of these occasions, someone ran to Chan Ngau Sing and informed him that Ying Sha and his group were at the Ancestral Temple causing trouble.  Chan Ngau Sing was incensed, grabbed a pair of CLF hammers and rushed over to the temple and caught Ying Sha in the act.  Single handedly, Chan Ngau Sing killed Ying Sha and his followers, then made a public announcement to the audience that the first three rows were now based on a First Come First Serve basis,  making him sort of a local hero.

By 1893 Chan Ngau Sing was running his own Hung Sing Kwoon in Fut San near his home, and Jeong Hung Sing would come to teach there on a regular basis. That same year (1893) Jeong Hung Sing fell ill and eventually passed away leaving Chan Ngau Sing the next head master of the Fut San Hung Sing Mo Kwoon.

 

AT THE LEFT: CHAN NGAU SING
(Circa: 1900)

Towards the end of the 

Ching Dynasty, Chan Ngau Sing would teach his students that "the strong should never bully the weak, and small groups should never bully individuals.  He was a very strict teacher who installed a set of rules, and  placed a strong emphasis on perfecting the basics.  Chan Ngau Sing also made it a point to pesonally teach every single student for more than 30 years straight. 

  Aside from gung fu, Chan Ngau Sing also had his own metals business, but that wasn't doing too well.  And if that wasn't enough, once again  the Chinese Government tried to arrest the members and close down the Hung Sing Kwoon.  Yet this time, Chan Ngau Sing fled to Hong Kong and stayed with his Si-Hing Yuen Hai (Lau Bun's teacher).  During his stay there, Chan Ngau Sing managed to beat up a British Police officer in Hong Kong and had to flee back into Fut San to avoid being arrested. 
 

While back in Fut San Chan Ngau Sing began setting up some very strict rules.  Personally he was against public Lion Dances because he felt it would bring too much attention to their school.  So the Lui Chung and Hip Lien Lion Dance Societies were set up where he was the head master.  However, all of the members of these two Lion Dance groups were secretly Hung Sing members which numbered over 10,000 students.
 

FRONT ROW RIGHT: Chan Ngau Sing.

In Fut San, Chan Ngau Sing's name carried much weight.  His name was so famous that anyone wishing to open a school in the area regardless of who they belonged to always paid him a visit to ask his permission first.

                              Over time, Chan Ngau Sing changed his mind about teaching revolutionary groups.  Many of his students were members of the Communist Workers and Farmers Unions.  Most of his students wre forced to open Hung Sing Kwoons overseas to avoid being arrested as well.  At the time, the Fut San Hung Sing Kwoon was constantly in the local news.

 

GRANDSON OF  CHAN NGAU SING

Some of Chan Ngau Sing's famous students were Qian Wei Fang, Wu Qin, Liang Hui Hua, Tong Sek, and more who were all involved in the revolution.  Wu Qin became a revolutionary martyr, and bodyguard to Dr. Sun Yat Sen.

On October 13,1926 in the midst of all his poverty, Chan Ngau Sing passed away after falling ill and was buried in the Mong Ching Gong cemetary. There were more than 5000 people who attended his funeral.  Today, his legacy is being carried on by his true bloodline. His Grand son and Great Grand Daughter (Cho Chi Han)  who was born on December 29, 1985 and still resides in Fut San till this day, practicing the gung her great grand father passed down. 

Chan Sing's Home

Chan Ngau Sing's Great Grand Daughter Cho Chi Han

Cho Chi Han was been entering and winning local competitions with her gung fu. Hopefully sometime in the future she would be able to step up and take over where he grand father, the legendary Chan Ngau Sing left off.