Page 23 - Martial Science Magazine 2019 FEB DIG
P. 23
Another master at the association who taught
me Hung Kar Kuen is Master Yee’s senior broth-
er is Sifu Chang Sook Mook, fondly addressed
as MOK-KOR. A very kind and knowledgeable
master who learned over 50 different chapters
from empty hands, dual fighting (empty hands
to weapons), broad sword, single headed and
double headed cudgels, etc. Sifu Mok-Kor has
over 50 different chapters under him.
Both my Sifu were under the tutelage of Grand
Master Li Yong Tien (in Mandarin, or Lei Yong
Thien in Cantonese). GM Li came from Foh-san,
China, who trained under different teachers at
Poh-Chi-Lum school.
8. what was the training like at that time?
Very difficult, three sessions a week. 15 minutes
of square horse stance for new students, 25 to
30 minutes for older seniors. About 40 minutes
of conditioning of palms, fist, arms, legs and
body. Two-person conditioning and standard
hands movement training. Weapons recognition
and usage, breathing exercise, etc.
Sets practice includes four gate practice,
means that for the first set for example, com-
prising about 78 movements, takes about 2
minutes plus to complete with full force, is prac-
ticed from four directions (facing North, South,
East & West) non-stop. After Sifu is satisfied
with your performance, he will then move to a
new set. When you start learning a new set, you
must practice the recent previous set by four
directions first then only start with the new
set, also from four directions. In the old days it
takes about 9 months to fully complete one set.
We normally start at 7.00 PM and ends at 11.00
PM. The last hour is normally for lion dance.
9. what type oF skills did you learn, were any easier or
asked me to teach all new students the basics, harder than the others to absorb?
first three chapters, later on broad sword, cud-
gels, etc.
Skills include conditioning of arms, palms, fist,
fingers, tiger grip, crane beak, snake form, leop-
Ah Seng-Kor then focused on teaching lion ard fist, phoenix fist, finger whip, grips, etc. It
dance of which he was extremely good at, from is really quite painful. Other areas include leg
history of its origin, different styles of lion strengthening, jumps, low & medium height
dances, strategy of breaking a stratagem, rules kicks, breathing exercise coordinating arms, in-
and regulation, etc. Many Chinese associations cluding breaking sugar cane to prepare for the
and guilds engaged his expertise. He was well lion dance sequence, etc.
sought after during the lunar new year, open-
ing ceremony where lion dances are used, etc.
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