2008-01-19T20:58:00.000-08:00

Jeong Ah Yim
张炎
a.k.a. Jeong Hung Sing (张洪勝)
(1824-1893)
Founder of the Fut San Hung Sing Kwoon
佛山鸿胜馆
(est. 1851)

Jeong Hung Sing has one extremely famous name, not only in Choy Lee Fut's history, but all over southern China as well for being one of its greatest fighters. Wanted by the government for his suspected participation in rebel activities, admired by the people for fighting for their cause, and envied by other martial artists for having one of the biggest gung fu schools of his time, Jeong Hung Sing's name became synonymous with that of Choy Lee Fut.

As the founder of the Fut San Hung Sing Kwoon, Jeong Hung Sing devoted his efforts in overthrowing the Ching, and restoring the Ming back to power. At the same time, he remained undefeated in challenge matches issued to him by various gung fu masters looking to make a name for themselves.

However, due to the dire need for secrecy during the 1800's, Information about Jeong Hung Sing has always been passed down by word of mouth. The times called for instant beheadings or death if caught with any form of connection to the rebel forces, so possessing any written literature was the nail in the coffin so to speak, and something the southern Chinese didn't want to mess around with.

During the many clam downs on the Fut San Hung Sing Kwoon by the Ching Empire, various masters under Jeong Hung Sing spread out along the countryside to re-establish new Hung Sing Kwoons of their own. In many of these schools Jeong Hung Sing came to personally teach there. Sometimes certain masters either left for Hong Kong, Singpore or even the United States. In this case, these masters also took their knowledge of their sifu with them and passed it down within their own schools.

Yet, cultural revolutions and such has destroyed much of china's gung fu history. Over time people begin to forget. But for some, people intend to never let their stories be forgotten.

Here we will discuss the background information on Jeong Hung Sing and clear up any misconceptions being spread around about him or who he was.

Who was Jeong Hung Sing

A father of two sons who died early.
A husband to his wife Chan Kay.
A famous student of masters Li Yau San, Chan Heung, and the Green Grass Monk.
Founder of the Hung Sing Kwoon (鴻勝館)
Founder of the Hung Sing Choy Lee Fut method (Hung Sing Kuen).
One of southern China's greatest fighters.
Chief Martial Arts Instructor for the Fut San Hung Mun branch.
A wanted Revolutionary of the Ching Dynasty.

2. When was he born and where was he from?

Jeong Hung Sing was born in 1824 during the Ching Dynasty and a native of the Sun Wui Sed Jo Dong Ling Village.

3. How did Jeong Hung Sing come to meet Chan Heung and how long was
there?

In 1836 Jeong Hung Sing was taken to Chan Heung by Jeong Kwan, who was his uncle.
Jeong Hung Sing was just 12 years old, hired by Chan Heung as a groundskeeper, and secretly learned Chan Heung's gung fu until they got discovered, which was only 5 years later.

4. After the Chan Village elders discovered that Jeong Hung Sing was learning
their gung fu secretly, what happened to Jeong Hung Sing?

Chan Heung instructed him to locate the Green Grass Monk on Mt. Pak Pai. So, in 1841 at the age of 17 years old, Jeong Hung Sing left the Ging Mui Village and headed for Shenjian.

5. Who was the Green Grass Monk 青草和尚 ?

The Green Grass Monk was once the acting Abbott of the Southern Shaolin Temple and was appointed just after the passing of the former Abbott Gee Sim.
He was responsible for developing the Lohan Halls.
He was the one who killed Ma Ninger or Ma Chut for betraying Shaolin.
He possessed more than one name such as Choy DakJung and Ng Ging.
He was the senior member of the 5 Ancestors of the Hung Mun Society.
He taught the Fut Ga (Buddha Palm Style)
He was the one who gave Jeong Yim the name "Hung Sing 洪勝"

6. Is the Green Grass Monk really Choy Fook?

No. Choy Fook is a totally different character than the Green Grass Monk. In fact, the Green Grass Monk has ALWAYS been denied from members of the Chan Family of Choy Lee Fut, and Hung Sing disciples had even been ridiculed for believing such a person existed. There are many Choy Lee Fut masters that have either translated or read Chan Family archives and have all stated very clearly that "there was no mention of the Green Grass Monk" in their historical accounts.
Choy Fook was also known as Lan Tau Fook or Scar headed Fook for having a scar on his head resulting from the fire during Shaolin's destruction. Choy Fook was also a master of the Choy Gar system whereas the Green Grass Monk was a master of the Fut Ga system. And, while the Green Grass Monk was hiding away on Mt. Pak Pai, Choy Fook lived on MT. Lau Fu
The source of Choy Fook being the Green Grass Monk is the President of the Plum Blossom federation, the very same sifu who wrote in his book a large list of reasons why the Green Grass Monk was a myth, but has since changed his mind. Plus Choy Fook was a
Master of the Choy Gar Style, while Ching Cho Choy was a master of the Fut gar Style

7. What did the Green Grass Monk hand down to Jeong Hung Sing?

According to Fut San Hung Sing Choy Lee Fut elders, Jeong Hung Sing was taught the In and Out Bagua Kuen ( Internal/External Bagua). This form contained a total of 1,080 moves. Later on, Chan Ngau Sing-feeling it was too long to teach new students-broke the form up into 3 forms (Ping Kuen, Cheung Kuen and Kau Da Kuen) to make it easier to learn.
The Green Grass Monk also taught Jeong Hung Sing Chinese Medicine.

8. The Chan Family claims Jeong Hung Sing only came into the Choy Lee Fut picture in 1867 when he was sent by Chan Heung to open a school formely owned by a CLF master that went blind. When did Jeong Hung Sing first open his own school?

The Chan Family is correct in one thing only. Jeong Hung Sing "RETURNED" to Fut San in 1867, but it was ONLY to RE-OPEN his own school that was closed down by the Ching Gov't.

According to various historical records, Jeong Hung Sing officially OPENED his school in 1851 (16 years prior to the date the Chan Family say he was there) in response to the launching of the Tai Ping Rebellion.

9. Who was the first to use 洪勝 Hung Sing name first?

The name Hung Sing 洪勝 was given to Jeong Yim by the Green Grass Monk.and instructed Jeong Tim to open his school under this name.
In King Mui, Chan Heung was using a completely different Hung Sing that what Jeong Yim was using. Chan Heung's Hung Sing 洪聖 means Great Sage Hung, while Jeong Yim's Hung Sing means "Victory to the Hung Mun Secret Society."
Hung Sing (洪勝 ) was NOT used as a "Battle Cry" - it was used as Jeong Hung Sing's name & that of his school. It has NOTHING to do with Chan Heung Hung Sing.

鴻勝 was used after Jeong Yim was constantly being hunted down by the military and the police. It was meant to throw them off his trail so to speak.

雄勝 was used by Chan Heung's son, Koon Pak, who is thought to have learned from Jeong Yim and NOT his father (Chan Heung) or he would have used his fathers' Hung Sing 洪聖

10.

Getting to know Jeong Hung Sing