The Fall of Ma Fook

Many of Chan Wahâs students had left other schools to follow him, so many of the other schools had grown jealous of Wah. One local master, Ma Fook, was about 40 years old and had come from another county. Ma claimed his system came from Yiu Ga (Yiu Family). He had strong arms, and set up a school. Many of his students worked in the furniture business, since many of the shops surrounding Fookâs school sold furniture. Fook always told people his martial arts were very special, and of a higher quality then Hung, Lay, Choy, Lay, & Mok (the famous 5 Families).

One time in Foshan, because the water levels had risen, a wall was constructed to prevent a flood of the town. The wall split the town in two, and both sides had staircases running up to the top of the wall. Many people liked to walk atop the wall, though it was not even wide enough for three people side by side. If people traveled in opposite directions, one had to make way for another. Should an accident happen, the fall of five or so meters to the streets below would likely cause injury.

One day, Ma Fook was walking on the wall and was startled to see a bucket of oil blocking the way. The bucket was 3x2, so it blocked half the width of the wall. The bucket was quite dirty, so one hadf to be very careful when going around it. There were also many people on the wall now, so it was inconvenient. Ma thought that a worker must have left it, and thought that no good worker would do such a thing.

When the worker returned, Ma Fook began to chastise him, saying that leaving the bucket was not right. The worker replied that if Fook didnât like it, why hadnât he simply moved the bucket. Fook smiled and asked the worker if he wished Fook to move it. The worker knew it took two men to move it, and even then it was quite heavy, so he thought it would be impossible for Fook to displace it. The worker told Fook to move it if he could.

Fook informed the worker that it would be very easy to move the bucket, but that the worker would have to pay for this service. Fook then rolled up his sleeves, picked up the bucket, and walked down the steps, placing the bucket down in front of the entrance. Many people saw Fook do this and were amazed.

After Ma Fook left, the workers hurried to take their bucket away. One of the bystanders knew the man had been Fook, and told the workers he was a master of martial arts who taught at the Hung Sing temple. Fookâs name became famous and many people went to his place to learn.

Now Chan Wah had opened a school. People knew Wah was a good student of Leung Jan and since Jan had retired, everyone now went to Wahâs school. One person at Wahâs school was named Jung Ho-Sang. Ho-Sang was in the furniture business and he loved the martial arts. He had begun training at Ma Fookâs school, which was popular with many furniture workers. However, many of the other students were not nice, not polite, not gentlemen. Ho-Sang had paid three months of school fees but had only attended two lessons and did not intend to go again. Ho-Sangâs employee, who was also a student of Fook, asked Ho-Sang why he was not continuing and Ho-Sang replied that he did not find the school to be very good. Someone told this to Fook, and Fook became angry at Ho-Sang.

When Chan Wahâs school opened, Jung Ho-Sang heard Wing Chun was very good and decided to try the school out. Wah taught him the Siu Lin Tao. Knowing that Ho-Sang was a furniture maker, Wah told him to make himself a Wooden Dummy so that every morning and night he could practice his bridge. Jung Ho-Sangâs martial skill developed quickly because his bridge became very strong. Ho-Sang told his employee that Wing Chun was very good and better than Ma Fookâs style.

Ma Fook heard what Jung Ho-Sang has said and became very angry. He decided he was going to fight Chan Wah. Fook was worried, however, that his skill was not high enough to challenge Wah, and he did not want to try only to fail. He thought of a trick to hurt Wah and waited for his opportunity.

One day, while walking on the wall, Ma Fook came upon Chan Wah. Fook took the opportunity to shove Wah with his shoulder, hoping to knock Wah off.

While walking atop the wall, Chan Wah suddenly saw the eyes of a man who he knew meant to do him harm. As the man punched him with his shoulder, Wah punched back. Ma Fook was sent crashing down to the street.

Ma Fookâs head crunched on the street. Blood poured out and his clothes were soon stained red. The onlookers said that two masters had just fought and Chan Wahâs power had been better. Wah went down to the street and asked Fook why he had tried to harm him. Wah told the man he did not know him, and demanded to know why he had attempted to knock him off the wall. Fook knew he had tried to push Wah off, but he himself had been sent flying, and thus realized Wah had a great amount of internal power. Fook knew Wah was "Soft Outside, Hard Inside" and understood that he could not hope to fight him.

Ma Fook claimed it had been an accident and asked Chan Wah to forgive him. Wah smiled and said Fook was telling lies. Wah told Fook that he knew Fook had tried to harm him - to push him off the wall - because he had seen the ferocity in Fookâs eyes. Wah knew Fook was not an ordinary man, and asked him to identify himself.

Ma Fook was in a quandary. If he told the truth, he would loose face; if he lied, Chan Wah would know it. Just then Jung Ho-Sang walked by. Seeing the two men, Ho-Sang rushed forward and called out to Fook. Wah then knew who he was facing. Recognizing the name, because many people had said Fookâs martial arts were good, Wah understood that the man had lost many students and was trying to protect his territory.

Chan Wah told the man that he knew he was Ma Fook, a martial arts teacher. Wah said that since they shared similar interests they should have contacted each other and worked together to expand the arts for mutual benefit. Wah pointed out that Fook only cared about his own fame, however. Wah maintained he had never made problems for Fook, but Fook had come and tried to harm him. Wah told Fook he should know Wah was a Wing Chun master. If his technique was not good, he would not stay in Foshan. Now, instead of harming Wah, Fook had harmed himself.

Ma Fook could not reply. He knew Chan Wah was not bad. He told Wah they had competed and he had failed, and asked what Wah wanted him to do. Wah informed Fook that his goal had never been to hurt him, that Fook had struck first, and was himself responsible for what had happened. Wah said if he had been knocked down, he would have been hurt, and his reputation, and the reputation of Wing Chun would have been ruined. Wah had been lucky, however, and it had been Fook who had failed. Wah told Fook that if Fook closed down his school, Wah would forget everything.

Ma Fook said that within two days word of his failure would spread all over Foshan and he would not be able to keep his school open anyway. Fook told Chan Wah that according to his wishes, he would close his school and leave Foshan within ten days. Wah stated that all was agreed then, and there would be no more problems.

Chan Wah told Ma Fook there was one more thing. Since Chan had been ready when Fook had attacked, he had used Internal Power to counter it, so Fook had been harmed internally. Wah cautioned that if that night Fook felt poorly, he must go to Mr. Janâs pharmacy and ask Leung Jan to fix him, or in the future he would have grave problems. Fook knew he had internal damage, so he agreed and Wah let him go.

Chan Wah went with Jung Ho-Sang back to his school and told all his students about the incident. Before, they had heard that Ma Fook has said Wah was no good, so now they were happy at their teachers success. Half a day later the story was all over town, and Wah was worried Leung Jan would be upset with him. Wah went to Jan and made sure he was the first to explain. Wah told Jan that Fook had been harmed and would come to him for treatment. Jan reassured Wah and said not to worry since Fook had started it.

That night Ma Fook went home and felt awful. The next day Fook went to Leung Jan. Jan fixed his injury and lectured him that it had been wrong to attack Chan Wah. Since people knew Wah had harmed him, but had gotten his teacher to fix him, they thought Wah had a good heart.

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.