Chiu Kao (1895 - 1995)

Chiu Kao (1895 - 1995)

Chiu Kao was born in 1895 in the Sam Kong county of Kwangtung province of southern China. Chiu Kao came from a poor family and spend most of his early childhood with his family in his home village. He was only 12 years old when he left his home to find work in a foreign country. Under the care of his uncle he first traveled to Malaysia to work as a miner. Working in the mines was a dangerous job, work conditions were terrible and the pay was bad. Like his fellow countrymen, Chiu Kao was mistreated and often bullied. The life was hard for all the Chinese workers. Due to his young age, it was even worst for Chiu Kao.

Besides Malaysia young Chiu Kao also traveled and worked in Singapore and Indonesia. Infact it was during his time in Singapore, when Chiu Kao first started training in Gung fu. His interest and desire to learn gung fu was sparked when he witnessed a challenge fight between Leng Jai Yuk (Wong Yuk) a Hung Gar expert and Ha Shan Fu a well known exponent of internal style of gung fu of the time. This public challenge match which took place in front of a huge crowd did not last long. Countering his opponents fleece attacks, Leng Jai Yuk knocked his opponent down dead with a single blow. Immensely impressed by Leng Jai Yuk's victory and gung fu skills, Chiu Kao went on to learn Hung Gar gung fu from Leng Jai Yuk's (Wong Yuk) uncle for many years.

Eventually, after working abroad for many years, Chiu Kao decided to return to his home country. It was also during this period when Chiu Kao met Wong Siu-Ying and married her. Being interested in gung fu and coming from a well-known and respected family of martial artists, Wong Siu-Ying started learning Hung Kuen from her husband. Their long journey back home ended when the couple arrived in Hong Kong. They decided to settle down and live in Hong Kong where they could also continue with their gung fu training. They continued their Hung Gar training at the Lam Saiwing National Art Association Second Branch.
After many years of training, Chiu Kao finally established his first Hung Gar school in Hong Kong during the year of 1935. Chiu Kao together with his wife openly taught Hung Gar to anyone interested. However in 1941 due to Japanese invasion of Hong Kong, the couple had to close down their school and traveled to Kwangtung where they worked as herbal doctors. After the Japanese invasion, the couple returned back to Hong Kong and re-opened their gung fu school. Chiu Kao and his wife became well know figures in the Chinese Martial arts circle of Hong Kong. Besides teaching gung fu and running a dit da clinic, Chiu Kao also took part in many many martial arts performances, competitions and public events in Hong Kong and China to spread his style of gung fu. Chiu Kao and Wong Siu-Ying had five children, all of whom learned gung fu from their father and mother. Chiu Kao passed away on 20th of February 1995 , leaving his legacy and teachings to his family and students. Today, his sons Chiu Wai and Chiu Chi Ling continue to teach and spread the Hung style around the world.