An Old Student

Over a three year period in Foshan, Leung Bok-Lao passed along a complete knowledge of Wing Chun to Leung Jan. Foshan held a key position and many people and businessmen passed through it on their way to Guangzhou, and often used it as a meeting place and place to conduct negotiations. One man named Lum Luen was from Siu Hing and had at one time learned Choy Ga Kuen from Leung Bok-Lao, before Bok-Lao had fled after losing his fight with Choy Biu. Since Luen was a martial artist, wherever he went he kept his eyes open for other martial artists. In Foshan he heard about a famous martial art named Wing Chun and a famous teacher named Leung Bok-Lao. When Luen heard Bok-Lao's name, he was very surprised. He asked a local person for a description and got a rough idea of Bok-Lao's age and appearance, and the description he got matched that of his former sifu. Luen asked where he could find Bok-Lao and was told he was staying with Leung Jan.

Lum Luen went to Keung Jan's pharmacy and found Leung Bok-Lao. Bok-Lao was very happy to see his former student and asked him to come in and chat for a while. Bok-Lao recounted to Luen that when he discovered his martial arts were no good, he left the school with Choy Biu and journeyed to Guangxi where he learned Wing Chun Kuen. Bok-Lao reported that he had been very fortunate to learn the complete Wing Chun system. He explained that he came to Foshan to spread the style, but no longer wished to run a formal school, and so only taught the pharmacy owner, Leung Jan. He said Leung Jan had asked him to stay at the pharmacy and had been learning from him. Bok-Lao mentioned that when he had left Siu Hing, he left a letter for Choy Biu telling Choy Biu he should take over the school and teach his father's style, since he was better at it then Bok-Lao. Bok-Lao told Lum Luen that since he had been studying with Choy Biu, he must have really improved his quality. Lum Luen replied that Choy Biu had indeed told them of the letter and said Bok-Lao had asked him to watch the school until he came back. Choy Fu had returned to their home town. Bok-Lao smiled when he heard that Choy Biu was anxious for him to return to Siu Hing and said it was not true. Choy Biu had forced him out, so it was not very likely that he wanted Bok-Lao back. Bok-Lao asked Luen if Choy Biu had taught them anything. Luen replied that Choy Biu had only taught them what they knew before, the same things Bok-Lao had taught them, nothing new. Luen said Biu had only changed two or three techniques maybe. Bok-Lao sighed and said most teachers were like that, it was not strange.

Lum Luen stayed and chatted with Leung Bok-Lao for a while before having to leave to go on business. Bok-Lao told him that any time he was in Foshan, he should be sure to stop by and say hello.

Soon after returning to Siu Hing, Lum Luen encountered Choy Biu and told him he had encountered Leung Bok-Lao in Foshan. Biu was surprised and asked Luen if he was sure. Biu thought Bok-Lao should have gone far away and would not dare return to Guangdong, so didn't know how Luen could have met him in Foshan. Biu asked Luen what Bok-Lao was doing for an occupation. Luen replied that Bok-Lao was still teaching the martial arts, but only to one pharmacist, not in a school anymore. Biu thought Bok-Lao was spreading Choy Ga Kuen in Foshan, but Luen said that was not the case. He said Bok-Lao was teaching Wing Chun Kuen and many of the locals liked it and thought it was good quality. Biu didn't believe this, he maintained that Bok-Lao's martial arts came from his father, Choy Gao-Yee. He thought Bok-Lao was teaching the same thing and had just changed the name. Luen told Biu that Bok-Lao explained that upon leaving Siu Hing he knew his martial arts was not good quality so he went looking for a new sifu and managed to learn Wing Chun Kuen. Biu asked Luen if he believed such a story. Choy Biu felt that after he defeated Bok-Lao, Bok-Lao had learned his Choy Ga was not good and so dared not open a public school. Biu felt instead that if Bok-Lao used the name Choy Ga, people would find out he was a failure and not believe him, and so he had made up the name Wing Chun. Choy Biu said he wished to ensure the reputation of Choy Ga, so he was going to go to Foshan. Luen pointed out that although Biu said he was going to investigate, he had already forced Bok-Lao out of teaching publicly in Siu Hing. Now that he was teaching privately in Foshan, if Biu went again people would think he was not a good person. Choy Biu said he was the same generation as Bok-Lao, and denied he was going there to force Bok-Lao out again. He maintained that he was merely going to protect the reputation of Choy Ga Kuen. Biu stated, however, that if he found out Bok-Lao was telling lies, he would fight him again. If Bok-Lao had gotten the complete style from his father, however, he would be happy to leave him to spread it to Foshan. Choy Biu pointed out that if Bok-Lao was teaching bad Choy Ga, and his students used it and lost, Choy Ga would get a bad reputation.

Lu Luen knew he couldn't stop Choy Biu from going to confront Leung Bok-Lao, so he decided to leave early and go to Foshan in hopes of explaining things to Bok-Lao. Luen knew he had made a mistake by telling Biu about Bok-Lao, and was thus responsible in part for the fight which seemed inevitable. Luen wanted to make sure Bok-Lao knew he was not deliberately causing problems. Luen rushed to complete new goods and then headed straight for Foshan.

These stories were translated by Rene Ritchie, and have been included here with his permission. Visit the Yuen Kay-San Wing Chun home page to see the originals.