The Hero Kwan Tak-hing, Part 2

Even casual fans of Chinese martial arts films are aware that the training and practice of wushu involves more than just beating up on one’s opponents. There’s a philosophical side to the arts, which, despite having inspired countless “Grasshopper” jokes, is truly thought-provoking. The highest level of combat requires restraint and a commitment to non-violence. Otherwise, the powerful can easily turn into bullies.

”Heroes must have generous minds, brave hearts, and the ability to forgive.” Kwan Tak-hing as Wong Fei-hung in THE SKYHAWK.

The Cantonese martial arts teacher Wong Fei-hung was famous for his virtue and keen sense of justice. A big part of the reason he was so well known to the South Chinese population was due to a book written by Chu Yu-chai, who had studied Master Wong’s kung fu style from his disciple Lam Sai-wing. When director Wu Pang wanted to shoot an action film that would reflect genuine South Chinese culture, he naturally thought of the legendary master, who had died almost 25 years earlier. Wu cast Cantonese opera star Kwan Tak-hing as his hero, and THE STORY OF WONG FEI-HUNG, PART 1 hit screens in 1949.

It was a sensation, and Wu continued to turn out a nearly endless stream of sequels, all starring Kwan. Wong Fei-hung’s family and students from his lineage were involved in the series from the third film,THE STORY OF WONG FEI-HUNG, PART 3: THE BATTLE BY LAU FA BRIDGE (1950). Wong’s widow, Mok Kwai-lan, had a small part in the film and another student of Lam Sai-wing took over as action director. His name was Leong Wing-hang. He worked closely with Wu Pang and Kwan Tak-hing on a number of projects, choreographing not only the early Wong Fei-hung films, but also THE FIVE HEROES’ DEADLY SPEARS, which costarred Kwan with Yu So-chau, and a version of the wuxia novel THE BRAVE ARCHER (both from 1951).

Left: Kwan Tak-hing as Wong Fei-hung. Right: Flyer for THE STORY OF WONG FEI-HUNG, PART 2 (1949).

In 1953, another disciple of Lam Sai-wing took over the choreography of the Wong Fei-hung series, with HOW WONG FEI-HUNG DEFEATED THREE BULLIES WITH A ROD. Lau Cham was heavyset, like his sifu, and starting with 1954’s THE STORY OF WONG FEI-HUNG AND LAM SAI-WING, he portrayed his his own teacher onscreen, in addition to designing the fight sequences. For director Wu Pang, the authenticity of the kung fu techniques depicted in his films was a matter of lifelong pride. In his biography, “Wong Fei-hung and I,” Wu praised the film for “present(ing) to audiences the real techniques of ‘Tiger-crane fist’ and ‘Six-thirty pole’ that were taught to Master Wong Fei-hung’s disciples and described in Chu Yu-chai’s biography of Wong. ‘The Tiger-crane fist’ is Lam Sai-wing’s specialty.” Lau Cham’s oldest son also became a fixture on the Wong fei-hung sets. His name is well known to kung fu movie fans: Lau Kar-leung!

Left: Flyer for WONG FEI-HUNG’S BATTLE AT SADDLE HILL (1957). Right: Flyer for BOXER FROM NANHAI (1954), a non-Wong Fei-hung martial arts film starring Kwan Tak-hing.

Master Wong as incarnated by Kwan Tak-hing was the very opposite of a bully (that role was left to costar Shek Kin). He was the enemy of vice in all forms, staunch defender of the weak, a Confucian epitome of righteousness. To avoid conflict, he would suffer humiliation and even personal injury rather than respond to a provocation. But of course, eventually he would have no choice but to fight, and then the choreographers and actors and stunt crew could really go all out. Over the years, Kwan and Wu and their people would add various elements to the formula, keeping it fresh. In WONG FEI-HUNG TRIES HIS SHADOWLESS KICK (1954) they introduced what would become Master Wong’s signature move, while WONG FEI-HUNG’S VICTORY AT THE SIPAI LOU showed him to be a master of long staff weapons and HOW WONG FEI-HUNG VANQUISHED THE BULLY AT A LONG DYKE highlighted lion dancing (both 1955). By the 1960s, the choreography was credited to Kwan, Shek Kin, and Yuen Siu-tin, and these able professionals kept up the level of quality set by the series in general.

Hong Kong trends moved away from the old Wong Fei-hung films after a while, but they never broke away completely. The more recent incarnations of Master Wong portrayed by Gordon Liu, Jackie Chan, and Jet Li all owe an enormous debt to the original series. Kwan Tak-hing himself returned to the character several times in the modern era. The film that is probably closest in spirit to the lost early features is THE SKYHAWK (1974), made when Kwan was 69 years old. Sammo Hung costars and was the action director for the film, which also stars Carter Wong. It’s worth seeking out to see Kwan in action. He reappeared in Yuen Wo-ping’s THE MAGNIFICENT BUTCHER in a supporting role, and in similar parts in THE MAGNIFICENT KICK (1980) and DREADNAUGHT (1981). Kwan continued to make opera films and many kung fu movies in addition to the Wong Fei-hung series throughout his career.

Here’s a clip from a 1968 film, WONG FEI-HUNG: THE EIGHT BANDITS, posted on YouTube by “martialartsmovies.” Kwan Tak-hing uses drunken boxing against Yuen Siu-tin’s monkey style!

Originally posted on April 17, 2007.