Grandmaster Tam Sam's Caap Ceoi Reflections by Dr. Ng Chi Fei

Grandmaster Tam Sam 譚三 was from Kaiping 開平 County, Guangdong 廣東 Province. In his youth, he studied Hung Kuen under Master Yuen Tai in Jiangmen 江門, specializing in double fist techniques. Later, he joined Grandmaster Lui Chan’s 雷燦 school to learn Hung Sing 鴻勝 style. Grandmaster Lui was an inner disciple of Cheung Hung Sing, and Master Tam received his transmission. He also frequently practiced with fellow disciples Master Wong Tou and Master Lau Chung, day and night, creating many superior hand techniques, truly surpassing his teacher.

Master Tam spared no effort in promoting the Hung Sing style, constantly supporting and guiding younger generations with patience and encouragement. Therefore, his disciples teaching both domestically and overseas are numerous.

According to Master Wong, before Master Tam entered the Hung Sing school, he had studied Hung Kuen under Master Yuen Tai. At that time, Grandmaster Lui Chan was teaching at Yun Fa Jing in Guangzhou. Master Tam and Grandmaster Lui were fellow villagers, and due to their hometown relationship, Master Tam would visit Grandmaster Lui’s school every evening to observe techniques. At that time, among the students at Grandmaster Lui’s school, Wong Sam and Wong Tou had exceptional skills. Master Tam, wanting to study Hung Sing hand techniques, specifically arranged to meet with Wong Sam, mentioning his double fist techniques and wanting to test skills with Wong Sam. Wong Sam agreed, but before one exchange, Wong Sam was struck in the ribs by Master Tam, while Master Tam’s head was also hit by Wong Sam’s Sau Ceoi 掃搥. Later, Wong Sam used the Hung Sing school’s Gwaa Sau 掛掃 technique, and Master Tam could only defend without the ability to counter. Therefore, Master Tam formally joined Grandmaster Lui’s school. Shortly after Master Tam joined, he still didn’t fully believe in Hung Sing hand techniques. One day, he asked Grandmaster Lui about hand techniques, and Grandmaster Lui immediately used the Wan Jyun Ceoi Zoeng 混元捶掌 to strike Master Tam to the ground, then helped him up. Master Wong said that Grandmaster Lui’s Cin Zi Sau 千字手 could break seven grass ropes, showing the power’s strength.

Master Wong said that Grandmaster Lui had three conditions for not teaching: (1) when he had a job, (2) when he had business to do, (3) when he was financially comfortable. Based on these reasons, opportunities to learn from Grandmaster Lui were rare, and those who received his transmission were few. Master Tam’s close associates included Wong Tou, Chung Tai, and Lau Yau.

Master Tam and Master Wong were as close as brothers, their friendship deeper than flesh and blood. They often taught younger generations together. Those who followed Master Tam for long knew of Master Wong. Both masters often told me that their hand techniques came from mutual practice and experimentation, proven practical through actual combat. Mr. Ku Yu Cheung often said that Master Tam’s hand techniques were not learned from school but gained through battle. Now both masters have passed, but their demeanor, virtue, and martial arts continue to shine in our minds.

I seem to have an inseparable connection with the Hung Sing school. At age fourteen or fifteen, I studied under Master Chung Tai at Tianping Street, Xiaobei Shi, Guangzhou, but didn’t complete my studies. Later, due to circumstances, I joined Master Lau Juk Fung’s school in Yan Family Village, Jing County, Hebei Province to learn spear and sword techniques. Through Master Lau’s introduction, I also entered Grandmaster Yang Cheng Fu’s school to study Tai Chi at Dongshan Tuisi Garden. Later, I became neighbors with Master Wong Tou and studied Hung Sing style again. Through Master Wong’s introduction, I personally sought Master Tam to complete my unfinished studies.

Recalling my first meeting with Master Tam: Master Wong first told me that if Master Tam asked about my hand techniques, I should not forcefully receive his attacks, otherwise the pain would definitely increase. I kept this in mind. One day, Master Wong arranged for me to visit Master Tam at the Tam Family Ancestral Hall on Sihou Street. When we met, Master Tam immediately asked what hand techniques I was using recently. I replied “Gwaa Sau Caap 掛掃插.” Master Tam said, “Try using Hui Ceoi 揮搥.” At that time, I was young and confident, forgetting Master Wong’s warning, and immediately advanced with Fu Zaau Hui Ceoi 虎爪揮搥. I estimated I could at least receive two or three of Master Tam’s attacks. Unexpectedly, as soon as I made one move, my head was struck by Master Tam’s Baat Gwaa Zoeng 八卦掌, leaving deep finger marks on my forehead.

Master Tam’s Baat Gwaa Zoeng 八卦掌 method was not the Baat Gwaa school’s double-single exchange palm method, but Master Tam’s personal creation. Its form included Tam Jiu 吞腰 (swallowing waist), Biu Bok 標膊 (marking shoulder), Syu Zi 舒指 (extending fingers), and Jan Zoeng 引掌 (leading palm) techniques. It truly had the characteristic of “advancing makes it longer, retreating makes it shorter.” Using the Hung Sing couplet “Hands like dragon’s claws, turning body like tiger raising head” to describe it is not excessive.

At that time in Guangzhou, there was a famous martial artist, one of Guangzhou’s “Ten Tigers,” who set up a school in Xiaobei Tianguan Li, claiming to specialize in breaking Gwaa Sau Caap 掛掃插. Master Tam heard this and went to visit him, using Fu Zaau Hui Ceoi 虎爪揮搥. That master was immediately struck by Master Tam’s Hui Ceoi 揮搥 and spat blood, then stopped. Later, they tested staff techniques. At that time, Master Tam’s staff techniques were still superficial, but for research purposes, he agreed to test. In less than one exchange, Master Tam’s Fu Hau 虎口 was injured by that master’s staff end. Each had victories and defeats, neither declaring victory—this was a secret story in the martial arts world. Later, Master Tam and Master Wong successively learned the Yin Yang Baat Gwaa Gwan 陰陽八卦棍 method from the Chit and Tse families, greatly enhancing Hung Sing staff techniques. Today, Hung Sing staff techniques can also gain fame in the martial arts world, thanks to Master Tam and Master Wong’s contributions.

Around 1915-1916, at Hong Kong’s Ko Shing Theatre, a German named “James” set up a challenge platform. Many overseas Chinese participated, with many injured during the day. Master Lau Chung happened to be in Hong Kong and witnessed his fellow countrymen being injured. Feeling injustice, he wanted to go on stage to challenge the German, but was refused by the platform manager, who said that recently many overseas Chinese had been injured in challenges, so for safety, anyone wanting to challenge must first get permission from Master Wu Kei Biu. So Master Lau went to visit Master Wu and mentioned the challenge. Master Wu said, “If you want to challenge, you must first test with me. If you can beat me, then you qualify.” Master Lau immediately advanced with Gwaa Sau 掛掃, and Master Wu couldn’t resist, saying “The younger generation is formidable. May I ask which school and master?” Master Lau said, “My master is Lee Yan, school name Fok Ga.” Through this, Master Lau was able to go on stage for the challenge. At that time, the German made an agreement with Master Lau for ten rounds. During the competition, in the first five rounds, the German received many hits from Master Lau but still didn’t fall. At the sixth round, that master couldn’t dodge and immediately fell unconscious. Master Lau thus gained great fame, and Hung Sing martial arts could gain overseas recognition, thanks to Master Lau’s one battle.

At that time in Guangzhou, General Lee Fuk Lam heard of Master Lau’s name and hired him as a military instructor and captain of the guards battalion. At that time, there was instructor Wong Hon Wing, an inner disciple of Wong Yan Lam, skilled in Hak Ga Kuen and expert in Cyun Paau Haap 穿抛扱. Hearing Master Lau’s name, he eagerly wanted to test skills. One day, Wong Hon Wing invited Master Lau for a talk, mentioning his school’s hand techniques and wanting to practice with Master Lau. A battle between Gwaa Sau Caap 掛掃插 and Cyun Paau Haap 穿抛扱 ensued, each showing their strengths, with no clear winner. Both smiled knowingly and became close friends, both giving up their military positions. At that time, there was a Mr. Ng also employed in the military who wanted to provoke a test between Master Lau and Master Tam. He pretended to set up a school and hire Master Lau as instructor, saying there was an old tiger near the school location, and if he wanted to open a school, he must first subdue this tiger—meaning Master Tam was the old tiger, living in the Tam Family Ancestral Hall on Sihou Street. After speaking, Master Lau went to Master Tam’s place, pretending to admire his great reputation, saying dozens of people wanted to invite Master Tam to teach, and asked what school Master Tam studied. Master Tam said, “I’m still learning, how dare I be a teacher?” Master Lau asked who his master was. Master Tam said “Fok Ga Lui Chan.” Master Lau immediately thanked him, saying he was almost deceived by Mr. Ng, and told Master Tam about Mr. Ng’s scheme. Master Tam also laughed it off. Master Lau also revealed his name and lineage. Master Tam laughed and said, “So it’s Chung Gor, the one who beat the foreigner in Hong Kong” (at that time foreigners were called “lo fan”). The next day, Master Tam invited Master Wong to meet Master Lau together, asking about Master Lau’s experience fighting the foreigner. Master Wong also understood and said to Master Lau, “Sam Gor wants to have a friendly competition with Chung Gor, how about it?” Master Lau had also heard of Master Tam’s reputation and agreed. With Master Wong as witness, Master Tam advanced with Fu Zaau Caap Ceoi 虎爪插搥, while Master Lau displayed Gwaa Sau Caang Cyun Daan 掛掃撑穿彈 techniques. Initially, Master Tam was slightly inferior to Master Lau in experience and strength, often being controlled by Master Lau. Later, through Master Wong’s guidance, Master Tam transformed Fu Zaau Caap 虎爪插 into Tam 吞, Sim 閃, Tau Lau 偷漏 methods. At that time, Master Lau’s chances of winning were very slim. Through this, the three masters practiced together, creating many superior hand techniques.

At that time in Guangzhou’s Xiguan Daiheji, there was a martial artist nicknamed “Iron Arhat,” seven feet tall with arms of several hundred pounds of strength, expert in Teng Zaap Sau 籐匝手, claiming to specialize in defeating long hands and feet. Masters Tam, Wong, and Lau went to visit him. The three masters discussed the competition procedure beforehand: (1) Master Wong would be responsible for watching the weapons in Iron Arhat’s school to prevent chaos. (2) Master Lau would guard the school entrance to control access. (3) Master Tam would personally test hands with Iron Arhat. The result was that Iron Arhat was struck by Master Tam’s Caap Ceoi 插搥, with bruise marks all over his chest, while Master Tam’s upper lip was also scraped by Iron Arhat’s Sam Sing Zoeng 三星掌. Before the battle, Hong Kong’s Chun Chau Daily published Mr. Cheng’s “Master Tam’s Hundred Battles Glory Record,” with detailed accounts of Master Tam’s bloody battle with Iron Arhat. Mr. Cheng has now passed, and his unpublished works are a regret. Through this battle, Masters Tam, Wong, and Lau frequently visited each other, and Master Tam’s Caap Ceoi 插搥 gained many more variations.

Between 1929-1931, the Chinese government promoted martial arts, holding national martial arts competitions in Nanjing and other places. Each province established national martial arts halls. In Guangdong, there was the establishment of the Two Guang National Martial Arts Hall. Southern martial artists included Wan Lai Sing, Lee Sin Ng, Ku Yu Cheung, and Fu Jan Cheut. At that time, Guangzhou’s martial arts atmosphere was greatly stimulated. Guangdong’s martial arts practitioners wanted to have a great north-south martial arts battle to test skills. Master Tam, to prepare for this battle and have his disciples train together, specially established the Buk Sing school. Later, northern martial artist Ku Yu Cheung, knowing Master Tam had the reputation of “Divine Fist,” visited Master Tam out of respect for heroes, discussing promoting national martial arts and wanting to exchange disciples for learning. Master Tam, with his broad-mindedness, broke down school barriers and gladly accepted. What was planned as a great north-south martial arts battle became a great north-south national martial arts integration—a blessing for the martial arts world.