China's Fountain of Youth
by Joseph Plante, Inside Kung Fu, August 2001

For centuries, humans have searched for the fountain of youth. Does such a thing exist? If it does, where can we find it? Many Chinese believe the perfect answer to the age-old question of staying younger can be found in the practice of martial arts. And if you need the perfect example, look no further than hung gar master Y.C. Wong.

Although approaching 70, the magical birthday in Chinese culture, sifu Wong looks, acts and moves like a man 20 years his junior. It is not only his love of martial arts that keeps him going, but also his ability to share the knowledge he has gained in 60-plus years of practice. Whether the conversation centers on the amazing health and self-defense benefits of hung gar or the training he received from his sifu, grandmaster Lam Cho, Y.C. Wong's face lights up at the sheer joy of discussing his martial arts pursuits.

Longevity and youthfulness appear to be traits shared by both master and student, or in this case, grandmaster and master. Even though grandmaster Lam Cho is 91, he practices kung-fu every morning, operates a bone clinic and occasionally teaches hung gar to students visiting from the four corners of the world.

Quality of Life
How is it that these kung-fu masters are not just living longer lives, but living with such a positive quality of life? Let's turn to their philosophy of life, which begins with the study of hung gar. As a child, sifu Wong learned hung gar from his father and his village uncle. Young Wong later went with his father to visit grandmaster Lam Cho at his gung-fu school and bone clinic in Hong Kong. After watching the young man perform the sup ying kuen (five animals and five element form), Lam Cho laughed and said, "Old man Wong, your son does the form better than you do."

Grandmaster Lam Cho agreed to accept the new student. Young Wong became an apprentice and assistant to Lam Cho at the grandmaster's bone clinic and kung-fu school. He practiced gung-fu during his spare time and helped with teaching duties during the evenings. Sifu Wong also assisted his teacher in treating patients at the bone-setting clinic during the afternoons. This may be when sifu Wong learned the secrets of longevity and the gung-fu philosophy he lives by today.

Sifu Wong's wisdom, knowledge, and experience in hung gar kung-fu are legendary. As sifu Wong stated in his creed (see accompanying sidebar), "Chinese kung-fu has had a long developmental period. Its extensive scope and profound principles put it in a class by itself. There are many branches and styles, all originating from the same concepts." Contained within Y.C. Wong's hung gar system are three levels - beginning, intermediate, and advanced. During the developmental period, a student focuses on the forms that best suit his level of expertise.

Beginning Level
Beginning students concentrate on the base forms of the style, such as taming the tiger (gung gi fok fu kuen) and tiger and crane form (fu hok seung ying kuen). The student is encouraged to practice these forms with diligence. At this level, the student learns the basic hand techniques, foundational stances, footwork, and power generation.

Intermediate Level
Intermediate students focus on improving footwork and mobility. An additional emphasis is placed on smooth and natural body mechanics. Practitioners at this level do this through mastery of the five animal and five element form sup ying kuen.

Advanced Level
Advanced students focus on the iron wire form (tid sin kuen). Considered the most advanced form of hung gar, this set represents the internal and external focus of training. The iron wire form helps practitioners transition from external to internal practice with emphasis on various types of breathing, coupled with different sounds. The practitioner simultaneously learns to coordinate the various types of hand, body, and foot movements. Having consistently trained in this form, many famous hung gar masters live well into their 90s and lead productive lives. Such individuals include Lam Sai Wing (early 1980s), Mok Kwai Lan (1990s), and many of Lam Sai Wing's students, including grandmaster Lam Cho.

As the practitioner continues his martial arts development, he learns more sets to complement his training. Weapons forms and two-man sets of a variety of types further sharpen reflexes, focus, and timing. When thinking about a style, it is important to understand that one form is not favored over another form. Hung gar training comes as a package. The student focuses on different aspects at different stages of his training. When practicing a new technique the student must learn the correct power required for that technique. He strives to experience the correct usage of that technique through sparring and instruction. When he has mastered the move and can apply it correctly, then and only then, can the student move to the next level of practice.

Benefits Are Obvious
Ponder sifu Wong's five points (see related sidebar) and apply them to your kung-fu practice. The benefits should soon become obvious as the quality of your martial arts improves. Sifu Wong further breaks down his kung-fu philosophy into what can help and what can hurt today's serious stylist. They are:

Three objectives
1. Emphasize good character in your dealings with others. Control your temper and do not become arrogant. Strive to use decorum and good manners in dealing with others.
2. Analyze and think about what you are practicing. Strive to understand the principles behind the techniques.
3. Strive to master the techniques you have learned.

Three Hazards
1. Avoid allowing power to be stuck at the joints. One expression of this might be stiffness, which results in movements that are neither natural nor smooth.
2. Avoid unnatural straining in your breathing during practice. Over time, you can suffer internal injury, as evidenced by pain when taking a breath or a bad complexion.
3. Avoid having your breathing stuck at the top of the chest, thus not allowing air to go down into the dan tien area (located three inches below the navel).

Master Wong's Favorite Saying
Sifu Wong is fond of an old kung-fu adage pertaining to training: "If you learn nine techniques and practice each of the techniques only once, you are not likely to have much achievement in martial arts. However, if you learn only one technique but practice that one technique nine times, you have a much greater chance for success." Sifu Wong adds that it is better to master one technique than know a little bit about several techniques. The objective is quality over quantity.
Y.C. Wong walks the walk and talks the talk when it comes living the martial arts life. When asked how he remains so youthful, sifu Wong quickly points out, "Consistent and correct practice is the key to good health." While many have searched for the fountain of youth, few know where to find it. But when it comes to martial arts, look no further than Y.C. Wong.

Y.C. Wong's 5 Points for Success
Sifu Y.C. Wong insists you must keep five points in mind to achieve successful kung-fu practice. For easy memorization, the points are expressed as a semi-rhyming Chinese character-phrase.
The following five points remind practitioners about the expected behaviors and training objectives associated with kung-fu. Note that the points are in a mixed order to facilitate the flow of the phrase in Chinese.

1. Geng - Show respect toward others, fellow students, and your sifu. If you are not respectful, will your teacher and older kung-fu brothers be willing to help you?
2. Ging - Strive for focused concentrated power.
3. Cun - Strive for achievement through persistent and diligent training.
4. Hun - Treat others with sincerity and honesty.
5. Chet - Strive toward practical usage.

Y.C. Wong's Philosophy of Life
In 1974, Y.C. Wong wrote the following creed, which he believes is an asset to those who chose to follow a path of self-discipline and hard work: "Chinese kung-fu has had a long developmental period. Its extensive scope and profound principles put it in a class by itself. There are many branches and styles, all originating from the same concepts. Those who desire to understand the true meaning of kung-fu should seek out qualified instructors and train with skilled friends. Extrapolate the techniques and forge your style with diligent and consistent practice. Be sure to avoid laziness and procrastination. Guard against arrogance and boastfulness. Do not be easily provoked. Seek to analyze with an open heart and open mind. Those who have mastered the art should use it honorably. Teach and help others so many can benefit. Propagate kung-fu so that the art will endure."

by Joseph Plante, Inside Kung Fu, August 2001