Tang Fong Biography
Researched and written by Sifu Hal Asbury
Tang Fong was born in Sam Soy village. In those days, the oldest male member of the village was in charge. Villages often hired martial arts instructors to teach them so the village could protect itself. During his youth, Tang Fong learned from Sifu Wong Yau, and Sifu Yuen Yin, learning "Village" style Hung Ga, also known as "Old Style" to distinguish it from the orthodox line of Wong Fei Hung, and Mau Shan, a form of folk sorcery. Later, he studied with Wong Fei Hung, completing the traditional Hung Ga style. During his tenure with Wong, he was classmates with Lam Sai Wing. During this period, there was a famous incident. A rival of Wong Fei Hung trapped Lam Sai Wing, Tang Fong, his brother Tang Yee and others inside the Luk Sin Theater. Having only 10 people, and being outnumbered 6 to 1, Tang and Lam were hard pressed to escape. During the fight Tang Fong used an iron ruler to douse the light, and they fought their way out. They escaped, despite that fact that Tang was stabbed during the incident. After this both Lam and Tang left town to avoid trouble. Lam Sai Wing went to the Gwang Dung/Gwang Sai border area because there were fewer people there. Tang Fong went to work in Singapore as a miner. Later, Tang Fong returned to Gwang Dung. After Wong Fei Hung was quite old, Tang Fong and his brother opened a schoool called Yee Ying Ton or "Chivalrous/Brave hall". He also renewed his relationship with Lam Sai Wing, learning forms which were not part of Wong Fei Hung's original curriculum. Because of this period, many erroneously considered him Lam's disciple, but as he had mastered all of Wong Fei Hung's curriculum before leaving Wong's school, he is rightly considered a junior classmate of Lam Sai Wing. Eventually, Tang Fong took over the position as head of security at the Sau Kay Wan fish market from Lam Sai Wing. It was Yuen Ling who would eventually take Tang's place at the fish market when Tang was elderly.
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