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Ten Tigers
Of Canton
The Ten Tigers of Canton
"Guangdong Sahp Fu" (Chinese: 廣東十虎)
were a group of ten of the top Chinese martial arts masters in
Guangdong (Canton) towards the end of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912).
- Wong Yein-Lam (Chinese:
王隱林;
pinyin: Wáng Yǐnlín; Yale Cantonese: Wong4 Yan2 Lam4)
- Wong Cheng Ho (Chinese:
黃澄可;
pinyin: Huang Cheng Ke)
- Su Hak Fu (Chinese: 蘇黑虎;
pinyin: Su Hei Hu)
- Wong Khei-Yin (Chinese:
黃麒英;;
pinyin: Huáng Qíyīng; Yale Cantonese: Wong4 Kei4 Ying1)
- See Yu Le (Chinese: 黎仁超;
pinyin: Li Ren Chao)
- Su Hut Yee (Chinese: 蘇乞兒;
pinyin: Su Qi Er)
- Chow Thye (Chinese:
鄒泰;
pinyin: Zou Tai)
- Thit Kew Sam (Chinese: 鐵橋三;
pinyin: Tiě Qiáo Sān; Yale Cantonese: Tit3 Kiu4 Saam1)
- Tit Chee Chan (Chinese:
鐵指陳;
pinyin: Tie Zhi Chen)
- Tam Chai Wen (Chinese: 譚濟鶴;
pinyin: Tan Ji He)
Wong Fei-Hung (Chinese: 黃飛鴻),
son of Wong Khei-Ying, is sometimes listed as one of the Ten Tigers.
However, Wong Fei-Hung was known rather as the "Tiger after
Ten."
All
the "Ten Tigers of Guangdong were Shaolin lay disciples. They did
not studied in the Shaolin Monastery itself, but were directly
connected to the southern Shaolin Monastery at Jiulian Mountain or at
Quanzhow, having learnt from monks or lay disciples who in turn were
from the monasteries before they were burnt.
Although they lived in the later part of the Qing Dynasty in Guangdong
Province, they did not appear at the same time as a group. (A Hong
Kong video series showing them at the same time and place, is
fictitious.) They were about two or three generations after the Five
Shaolin Ancestors. The Ten Tigers were Thit Kew Sam, Wong Yein Lam,
Wong Khei Yin, Su Hak Fu, Su Hut Yee, Chow Thye, Tham Chai Wen, Wong
Cheng Ho, Tit Chee Chan, and See Yu Leong.
Thit Kew Sam was the foremost of the Ten Guangdong Tigers. Thit Kew
Sam, which literally means "Iron Bridge Three", was his
nickname because his arms were very powerful; his actual name was
Leong Khuen. His internal force came mainly from his training of Thit
Seen Khuen, or Iron Wire Set.
Wong Yein Lam was a master of Hap Ka (Family of Knights) Kungfu. Hap
Ka Kungfu originated from Lama Kungfu of Tibet, but had been modified
and taught by Shaolin monks or lay masters. Wong Yein Lam's teacher
was a Shaolin monk called Sheng Loong.
Wong Khei Yin was a disciple of Luk Ah Choy and the father of Wong Fei
Hoong. His was well known for his "no-shadow kicks".
Su Hak Fu was a master of the Black Tiger Style. He was good at the
tiger-claw. "Hak Fu" actually means "Black Tiger";
it is uncertain whether it was his real name or nickname.
Su Hut Yee, which means Beggar Su, was originally rich but squandered
away his money. He was a master of Hoong Ka Kungfu. He learned from
Chan Fook, a monk from the southern Shaolin Monastery, and was
probably the same Chan Fook who started my lineage from Uncle
Righteousness. (Please see below.)
Chow Thye was well known for his staff, known as Tai Cho Chooi Wan
Khun, or "Soul-Chasing Staff of the First Emperor". He shot
to fame when he defeated an international boxing champion from France.
Tham Chai Wen was known as "Three-Leg Tham" because of his
three kicking techniques. They were tiger-tail kick, weeping-floor
kick, and organ-seeking kick.
Wong Cheng Ho was famous for his Iron Head. He learned his kungfu in a
Guangdong temple from a monk belonging to the Shaolin tradition.
Tit Chee Chan means "Iron Finger Chan"; his real name was
unknown. Naturally he was expert at the Iron Finger Art.
See Yu Leong was known for the Red Sand Palm. This is an advanced
Shaolin art using internal force which leaves a red mark on the skin
of an opponent after being struck.
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