History

Great In His Own Right

Wong Kay Ying, like his father Wong Tai and his son Wong Fei Hung, was a student of Luk Ah Choi.

Wong Kay Ying was a sickly weakling as a child and he admired Luk Ah Choi's martial skills. So Wong decided to devote his entire life to Kung Fu. And for ten years Wong Kay Ying did just that. When he had exhausted all his resources.Wong sought out disciples of Hung Hei Gung for even more insight into Hung Gar. Wong accepted an appointment as an army instructor based in Kwangtung. With time Wong built a reputation for himself, and opened his own Kung Fu school.

Wong Kay Ying's school grew fast. Students came from near and far to study with him. There was a rival school close to his that had started to suffer because of Wong's school. The rival teacher wanted to challenge Wong Kay Ying to a fight in an effort to put him out of business. But because Wong was a pillar in the community the rival teacher had no legitimate reason to challenge him. So the rival teacher set up an open contest. An invitation was sent out to Master Wong. The rival instructor was well known for his pole techniques and he wanted to prove who was truly the master of the pole. Wong accepted the invitation. The rival teacher was known for his great strength, and ability in using the so-called "left handed fishing pole".

Wong Kay Ying sought his now ill and aging Master Luk Ah Choi for advice on how to defeat the rival Sifu. Wong told Luk of his dilemma. Luk Ah Choi got a pair of chopsticks, using them to explain to Wong the deep meaning of 5th son and 8 diagram techniques of the long pole. Wong Kay Ying held a pole and simulated every technique his ill and aging Sifu demonstrated.

Wong was very skilled with the pole so it didn't take him long to master techniques to perfection. Wong, with two of his students went to meet the rival teacher. Word had already spread and a large crowd had gathered to watch the contest. The crowd had cleared a space so the two could match their skills. For a time both just stood there. The rival Sifu became very impatient and shouted out "How is this to be settled if you don't attack?" Wong replied "It was you that challenged me, so it is up to you to attack first!"

The rival teacher attacked, Wong blocked and retaliated with superior techniques to the rival Sifu's chest. It was too late; the rival instructor fell to the ground. Wong had restrained his deadly technique but it took the rival Sifu a long time to recover before getting up and admitting defeat.

Although Wong Kay Ying is known as the father of the very famous Wong Fei Hung, he was truly a very great Hung Gar Master in his own right. Like his son he was also one of the Ten Tigers of Kwangtung, which was like an elite group of martial artists known as the best fighters in all of Southern China.