Grand Founder of Chinese Martial Arts Club
The Teaching of Master Shaw Han-Sheng

                                                                              Lei Tsan-Quan ( HKU 1982 )
      ( Translated by Nick Lee, HKU 2001 )

Hung Gar ( Taught by Fung Rong-Biao )

           The current chief instructor of the Chinese Martial Arts Club of the university of Hong Kong, Master Shaw Han-Sheng began his martial arts training at age 10 of the year 1910. His homeland, was the Sanshan Village of the Nanhai province. His father Shaw Shi-Jia was a businessman of Gaungzhou. Master Shaw was formerly named Ben Cai but fellow villagers called him Ah Ben. However, at a young age, constant illness made his father worry for his wellbeing. Having no doctors in the area, his father decided to take to him Gaungzhou to study as well as medical care.

 Upon arriving at Gaungzhou, Shaw Shi-Jia sought for a good doctor. However, local people remarked that the weak body of Ben Cai is not curable by medication. It is better for him to get exercise from martial arts training as a means to strengthen his form. Believing in the reason of those words, Shaw Shi-Jia went looking for a martial arts master. By chance, the Hung Gar master of that time Fung Rong-Biao opened a school nearby. Although recruiting students with his own name, the school was actually named Le Yi Tang ( Hall of happiness and honour ).

 Fung Rong-Biao was formerly named Fung Tsan and worked as a fish seller, hence his nickname as Maiyu-Tsan ( Fish selling Tsan. ) His Hung Gar was first learnt from Da Jia-Sheng. Da Jia-Sheng is a man of elderly age. And his Hung Gar style was based upon Da-louhanquan and Xiao-louhanquan as basic techniques. During his youth, he was a action star at a Cantonese opera. As an action star, he was required to be proficient at martial arts techniques. Roles in which he played included Fan Li-Hau, Mu Gui-Ying, Lau Jin-Ding, Tao San-Chun, Sister Yang and the Princess of Shangyang. A famous performer at the time, his reputation was well known within the Liyuan area. However, as years passed, he was no longer able to perform on the state. To which, he went to become an instructor teaching martial arts. Using his own name Zhong Shan as the title of his school, many people flocked to becoming his students. Of which, Lam Shi-Rong and Fung Rong-Biao were also among them. As Zhong Hang-Shan grew too old to teach, the two went over to become disciples of the famous Wong Fei-Hung in Po Chi Lam. With Wong Fei-Hung as their figurehead, no one dared to cross taunt them and become renowned martial arts instructors of the Guangzhou area.

 During this era of Guangzhou, the title of a martial arts school could often be separate to the instructor within. For example, the Le Shan Shan Fang ( Hill's cottage of Benevolence and Charity ) of Lui Ah-Cai and Wong Fei-Hung's Wu Ben Shan Fang. Therefore, Maiyu-Tsan.'s school was named Le Yi Tang.  At this time, Lui Hang-Shan  w as already retired. Although most people just sees him as a classmate of Lam Shi-Rong and a student of Wong Fei-Hung, in actual fact, Maiyu-Tsan learnt a lot more martial arts from Lui Hang-Shan   than from Wong. Among the students within Le Yi Tang., perhaps the most famous were the brothers of Xie Ling and Xie Jia as they were able to become co-instructors beside Maiyu-Tsan.  After Maiyu-Tsan.'s victory over the well know fighter Doufu Sheng ( Bean Curd Sheng ), his fame stretched even further, shaking the entire Guangzhou for a time. Of which even more people came for his teaching. For every two hours, as much as thirty-eight people came to be enlisted as the student of Maiyu-Tsan. It was during this time that Master Shaw was also enlisted together with Cui Zhang, Chen Dou, Lam and a few others. Using the name Shaw Ben, his physical form was quite weak. Xie Ling told his father that martial arts training could help him become stronger. Therefore, his father was glad for him to participate. Because of his fame and superb social skills, most of his students were storeowners of vegetable, fruit, salted fish, timber stores, and teahouse workers. When he became a student, he was unable to take part in any heavy training due to his physique. Hence, the training results from his early days were quite poor. Some of his classmate even teased him for being foolish and called him a "wooden block." Even Maiyu-Tsan thought that there was no hope for him. Believing that nothing could compensate for his lack of potential.

            Ashamed by the situation, Master Shaw went to Xie Ling saying that he was unable to live up to his expectations and that he was considering quitting. However, Xie Ling told him not to give up and should keep trying. Knowing that he lives nearby the Xie Ling offered to tutor him personally. He told Master Shaw to go to the school every day before other students came in and after they left to train. Doing as he say instructed, he started to come after Maiyu-Tsan and other students had left the school. Hence, he was able to receive private tuition from Xie Ling. Even Maiyu-Tsan was not aware of this. With the close teaching of Xie Ling and his own hard work at home, after being taught any new techniques, Master Shaw improved dramatically. Within three months, his skills were must better than before and his body grew in strength.  In order to be taught by Xie Ling only, Master Shaw stopped training in the presence of Maiyu-Tsan. Thinking that he has stopped his training, and hence his payment being unnecessary, Maiyu-Tsan asked him why he was so lazy and whether there was a reason for his lack of presence. If it was so, then he should not waste his father's money and stop his martial arts education. At this point, Master Shaw tried to explain that he was not lazy at all and that he trained hard each day. If he did not believe him, Master Shaw could demonstrate his skill so that he would judge for himself. 

            Upon hearing this, Maiyu-Tsan a allowed him to have a demonstration in the school. At this point, Master Shaw's made a demonstration of Da-louhanquan and Xiao-louhanquan. As Maiyu-Tsan watched he noticed that his stance were stable every move he executed was done almost perfectly. No one among his classmates was able to match him. And looking over to his body, it has improved so much that he was like a different man. It was when asked who taught him, that Xie Ling came out to explain about his involvement. About how he encouraged and taught him after everyone has left. Also, along with the hard work he put in at home could he be able to reach this level. Hence, Xie Ling hoped that the master would not look down upon him again. Hearing this, Maiyu-Tsan finally realised that such achieve could only be achieved by motivation of some form and praised him for this ambition. This led him to believe that young men must be motivated to sour high. The eldest son of Maiyu-Tsan was approximately the same age as Master Shaw at that time. However unlike him, he was a very smart yet lazy man. Therefore Maiyu-Tsan arranged for the two to train together. It was because of this that the skills of Master Shaw took yet another leap. After four year of training in the school of Maiyu-Tsan, Master Shaw already learnt all of what there was to learn from him.

Choy Li Fut ( Taught by Kong Chang )

            Hoping that he would be able to take yet another leap in his martial arts training, Maiyu-Tsan, arranged for Master Shaw to be taught by Kong Chang in the style of Choy Li Fut. Kong Chang was first named Jing Ru, student of Tan San in the school of Choy Li Fut. Specialising in Changshou-daxiao-shiziquan, he later become the student of Zhu Guang and was taught Qijia-paquagun.

            When he has mastered the skills within Hung Gar taught by Maiyu-Tsan, he turned to learning Choy Li Fut.  After he has achieved a certain level of expertise while under the teaching of Kong Chang, he again changed to learning the famous Qijia-paquagun .    During his duel with Doufu Sheng, Maiyu-Tsan realised that it was because he lacked the skill of staff fighting that he, despite his victory, started off the fight poorly. Soon after, he became a student of Wong Fei-Hung and learnt his Wulang-paquagun. Although both staff techniques are from the style of Hung Gar and originated from Wu Tai Shan, they are very different by nature. Many Cantonese of that time from the martial arts world believes that Qijia-paquagun is more powerful. Due to the fact that Master Shaw was a student of both Maiyu-Tsan and Kong Chang, that it made them close friends. Judging from the fact that Maiyu-Tsan allowed Master Shaw and his own eldest son to train together, Kong Chang understood that Maiyu-Tsan regarded Master Shaw very highly. Hence, he too spent much effort in his training of this individual.  After a few years, Master Shaw too became proficient in Kong Chang's styles and skills and became one of his highest students.

Louhan Style ( Taught by Sun Yu-Feng )

             The Chinwoo Athletic Association was established in Guangzhou. It was moved from Zhulanmen to Jianglan headed by the four masters. Hung Zheng-Qing, Li Fu-Lam, Li Ming-De and Shaw Wei-Ming,. At the time, they were known as "Hung-Li-Li-Shaw". However, as the area of Guangzhou was so big, only the people living in the region of Xincheng and Xikwan would be able to reach it. For others, it would have been too far away from home to really go and learn the ways of Chinese Martial Arts. Hence, a group of people organised for a branch to be opened at Laocheng. Through this, people who lives there would also be able to receive training. This new school was headed by two instructors, one teaching northern style and the other teaching southern style. The instructor who was in charge of teaching the northern style was Sun Yu-Feng of the Louhan style and his son Sun Wen-Yong. The instructor for teaching the southern style was Kong Chang.  His title at this time is the supervisor of Zhujiang-Pai which included the teaching of Hung Gar and Choy Li Fut.

           Kong Chang and the Master Shaw of this time was just at their primes, with in depths knowledge and skill of martial arts. Therefore, they were assigned to be the head of this school. On one end, Master Shaw was able to learn the southern styles from Sun Yu-Feng while at the same time, continue his training of Zhujiang-Pai's style which helped him to teach the freshmen. This helped him to improve through the teaching of others and not just training by himself.  Both Sun Yu-Feng and Kong Chang were supervisors with their own unique abilities and attributes. Not only was Master Shaw the senior student of Kong Chang, he was also assigned the title of assistant supervisor of Zhujiang-Pai. He was at the time already skilled in Northern styles of martial arts. However, after six years of training, he became a well-known expert in both northern and southern styles of Chinese Martial Arts. The heads of the school of Laocheng at the time, Xie Shi and Xu Jou-Chu,among others were famous scholars with a passion for Chinwoo. The participation of its organisation are beyond doubt and should noted also. Includes the setting out of plans, promotion of events, etc. Master Shaw was the instructor of this time teaching the fist of the south and the kicks of the north. His teaching skills were also quite effective and pushed the students hard. Having the nickname of Tiemianchajian ( "The monitor with no mercy" ). However, most of the people who became his friends were scholars, aside from Xu Jou-Chu and Xie Shi, others such as Jin Zeng-Cherng, Lu You-Gang, Yim Xian-Gen, Kong Shi-Cai, Zhuxue Gong, Lung Wen-Jwo, etc are all scholars and not martial artists. Hence, his education in the arts are also quite advance. He also joined the Fitness Training Class set up in Guangzhou.

            After joining the Fitness Training Class of Guangzhou, Not only did he continue his training in martial arts, but also furthered his education in the arts and literacy. Because of this, he has made many friends within the academic fields of society. Therefore, a lot of wushu departments of schools' and public services hires him to be their chief instructor.

            Some asks which style of martial arts he learned he would come to a quite unique situation. His techniques is a combination of Hung Gar, Choy Li Fut and Louhan . Hence, his answer to his question would be that was learnt his martial arts from Zhujiang-Pai.

            In 1972, Master Shaw was requested to become the instructor of the Chinese Martial Arts club of the university of Hong Kong. It has been ten years until now. The styles being taught is predominantly the Chinwoo Northern Shaolin Style. However, the southern styles are often taught also.

Note:  Some information was taken from the chapter "The teaching of Shaw Han-Sheng"