hskwarrior
01-22-2008, 03:33 PM
GREAT GRAND MASTER LAU BUN
刘彬
鸿胜馆
(1891-1967)
2ND GENERATION MASTER AND FOUNDER OF THE
1ST AMERICAN HUNG SING KWOON
鴻 勝 蔡 李 佛 拳
*borrowed from www.proflaubun.blogspot.com - Soley written by Frank McCarthy
GREAT GRAND MASTER LAU BUN IS ONE OF THE MOST AUTHENTIC MASTERS TO HAVE EVER SET FOOT ON AMERICAN SOIL. DURING A TIME WHEN THE ONLY ASIAN MARTIAL ARTS BEING TAUGHT WITHIN THE U.S.A. WAS JAPANESE SYSTEMS, HE WAS NESTLED AWAY WITHIN THE CONFINES OF CHINATOWN-FIRST IN LOS ANGELES, THEN FINALLY SETTLED IN SAN FRANCISCO.
HE WAS A LEGEND. AND MASTERS SUCH AS ADRIANO EMPERADO, ED PARKER, RALPH CASTRO,BRUCE LEE, OR ANYONE WHO'VE EVEN MET HIM OPENLY ADMITTED THAT GREAT GRAND MASTER LAU BUN WAS SECOND TO NONE. THE AMERICAN PEOPLE HAD YET TO SEE A MASTER OF SUCH HIGH CALIBRE PRIOR TO HIS ARRIVAL. IN THE BEGINNING, "WAH KUE' OR STRONG CHINESE IN ENGLISH, WAS THE ORIGINAL NAME OF GREAT GRAND MASTER LAU BUN'S SCHOOL. SOMETIME IN THE 1950'S HE CHANGED HIS SCHOOLS NAME TO REFLECT THE TRUE ROOTS OF HIS LINEAGE AND REPLACED IT WITH HUNG SING KWOON.
SINCE GREAT GRAND MASTER LAU BUN WAS THE LAST DISCIPLE OF YUEN HAI, THERE ARE NO OTHER KNOWN SCHOOLS EXISTING THAT ARE CONNECTED TO THE LATTER. GREAT GRAND MASTER LAU BUN AS FAR AS WE KNOW IS THE SOLE INHERITOR OF YUEN HAI'S SCHOOL. IN OTHER WORDS, THERE IS NO ONE ON EARTH OTHER THAN THE LAU BUN LINEAGE IS CONTINUING THE TEACHINGS OF YUEN HAI TODAY.
SINCE GREAT GRAND MASTER LAU BUN WAS THE ONLY ONE LEFT TEACHING YUEN HAI'S GUNG FU, IT WAS UP TO HIM TO EVOLVE HIS GUNG FU. ONCE HE CAME TO AMERICA, ALL TIES TO THE FUT SAN HUNG SING KWOON HAD BEEN SEVERED ONLY TEN YEARS LATER, WHEN THE LATTER WAS FORCED TO CLOSE DOWN ONCE AGAIN IN 1949, BASICALLY FORCING ALL OF THE MASTERS OF THAT GENERATION TO GO UNDEGROUND OR RELOCATE TO OTHER COUNTRIES. AND OF COURSE, LAU BUN ESCAPED TO AMERICA.
DURING GREAT GRAND MASTER LAU BUN'S LIFE HE WITNESSED ALL TYPES OF MISTREATMENT OF HIS PEOPLE. HE WAS BORN IN 1891, DURING THE TAIL END OF THE CHING DYNASTY...ONE OF THE WORST PERIODS OF CHINA'S HISTORY. AFTER COMING TO THE UNITED STATES HE REALIZED IT WASN'T ANY DIFFERENT HERE NEITHER. THEREFORE, HE HAD A STRICT RULE AGAINST TEACHING THEIR ONLY FORM OF SELF DEFENSE TO OUTSIDERS-MEANING "NON CHINESE". IN FACT, HE INSTRUCTED ALL OF HIS DISCPLES TO IMMEDIATELY STOP WHAT THEY WERE DOING IF AND WHEN A NON CHINESE ENTERED THROUGH THE DOORS OF THEIR SCHOOL.
GREAT GRAND MASTER LAU BUN AND HIS DIRECT DISCIPLES BASICALLY USED THEIR GUNG FU AS A MEANS OF SURVIVAL. THAT MEANS THEIR GUNG FU WAS MEANT TO SEVERLY HURT AN ATTACKER OR EVEN KILL IF THEY HAD TO WITH IT. NO DOUBT, THE GREAT GRAND MASTERS PERSONAL METHOD WAS THAT OF NO NONSENSE. WHEN A DISCIPLE OF THE GREAT GRAND MASTER WAS ASKED TO DEMONSTRATE HOW THEIR SIFU WOULD TEACH A TECHNIQUE, IT WAS QUITE CLEAR YOU WOULDN'T WANT TO BE ON THE RECEIVING END OF THEIR GUNG FU. TODAYS MARTIAL ARTISTS ARE CLOUDED WITH THE CONCEPTS OF "TRADITIONAL" FORMS AS OPPOSED TO "EFFECTIVE AND REALISTIC SKILL."
DURING CLASS, GREAT GRAND MASTER LAU BUN WOULD SURPRISE A STUDENT FROM BEHIND TO SEE IF THEIR HORSES WERE STRONG, OR IF THEIR HAND TECHNIQUES WERE EFFECTIVE ENOUGH. IF A STUDENT HELD BACX BECAUSE HE KNEW THE GREAT GRAND MASTER WAS STANDING THERE, THE LATTER WOULD SCOLD THAT STUDENT ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING REAL SKILL.
OUTSIDE OF THE GUNG FU STUDIO, GREAT GRAND MASTER LAU BUN WAS KNOWN FOR BEING A MUSICIAN,A CALLIGRAPHIST, A PHILOSOPHER, AS WELL AS BEING A LOCAL HERO. YOU CAN SAY THAT GREAT GRAND MASTER LAU BUN WAS THE "TRUE GOD FATHER OF CHINATOWN." HE WAS ALWAYS CALLED UPON TO SETTLE ALL TYPES OF DISPUTES WITHIN CHINATOWN. AND, IF OUTSIDERS CAME WITH THE INTENTIONS OF CAUSING TROUBLE, GREAT GRAND MASTER LAU BUN AND HIS DISCIPLES WERE THERE TO PROTECT CHINATOWN.
STORIES OF WHAT PROFESSOR LAU BUN'S LINEAGE HAD A PART TO PLAY WITH WAS DEALING WITH BRUCE LEE AND HIS TEACHING OF NON CHINESE. GRAND MASTER DINO SALVATERA'S FIRST TEACHER THE LATE CHAN BING HONG WAS SAID TO HAVE BEEN THE ONE TO CREATE THE DECLARATION ISSUED TO BRUCE LEE.
NOT ONLY WAS HE THERE TO PROTECT HIS COMMUNITY, GREAT GRAND MASTER LAU BUN ALSO OFFERED HIS CHINESE MEDICINE AND BONE SETTING SKILLS TO THOSE WHO COULDN'T AFFORD TO PAY FOR IT. IN FACT, ONE OF HIS DISCIPLES RECALLS BREAKING HIS ANKLE AND HIS FATHER BRINGING HIM TO SEE GREAT GRAND MASTER LAU BUN, WHO, RESET THE BONE AND PLACED SOME BLACK PLASTER TAR HE MADE HIMSELF ON IT, AND LEFT THERE WALKING ON HIS OWN.
HANDS DOWN, NO QUESTIONS ASKED, GREAT GRAND MASTER LAU BUN WAS ONE OF THE GREATEST MARTIAL ARTISTS OF HIS TIME. HE POSSESSED A KEEN INSIGHT INTO HAND TO HAND COMBAT, HAD ENOUGH FORESIGHT TO KNOW THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN BODY TYPES AND WHAT WORKED BEST FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL, AS WELL AS TAKING THE DESTINY OF HIS SCHOOL WITHIN HIS OWN HANDS AND SET THE TREND FOR LATER GENERATIONS TO EVOLVE THEIR TRAINING. HE ALSO PLANTED THE SEED ABOUT CHOY LEE FUT BEING EVER CHANGING. WHILE SOME MAY PICK UP THEIR TRAINING BY READING BOOKS, OLD FAMILY MANUELS, OR WHATEVER, GREAT GRAND MASTER LAU BUN'S OWN PERSONAL EXPLORATION OF HIS CHOY LEE FUT HAS SHOWN US THAT ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS LOOK INTO OURSELVES TO FIND OUR OWN GUNG FU. THIS ELIMINATES THE NEED TO GO TO OTHER TEACHERS TO CONTINUE THEIR LEARNING AND KEEPS THE EVOLUTION "in house."
刘彬
鸿胜馆
(1891-1967)
2ND GENERATION MASTER AND FOUNDER OF THE
1ST AMERICAN HUNG SING KWOON
鴻 勝 蔡 李 佛 拳
*borrowed from www.proflaubun.blogspot.com - Soley written by Frank McCarthy
GREAT GRAND MASTER LAU BUN IS ONE OF THE MOST AUTHENTIC MASTERS TO HAVE EVER SET FOOT ON AMERICAN SOIL. DURING A TIME WHEN THE ONLY ASIAN MARTIAL ARTS BEING TAUGHT WITHIN THE U.S.A. WAS JAPANESE SYSTEMS, HE WAS NESTLED AWAY WITHIN THE CONFINES OF CHINATOWN-FIRST IN LOS ANGELES, THEN FINALLY SETTLED IN SAN FRANCISCO.
HE WAS A LEGEND. AND MASTERS SUCH AS ADRIANO EMPERADO, ED PARKER, RALPH CASTRO,BRUCE LEE, OR ANYONE WHO'VE EVEN MET HIM OPENLY ADMITTED THAT GREAT GRAND MASTER LAU BUN WAS SECOND TO NONE. THE AMERICAN PEOPLE HAD YET TO SEE A MASTER OF SUCH HIGH CALIBRE PRIOR TO HIS ARRIVAL. IN THE BEGINNING, "WAH KUE' OR STRONG CHINESE IN ENGLISH, WAS THE ORIGINAL NAME OF GREAT GRAND MASTER LAU BUN'S SCHOOL. SOMETIME IN THE 1950'S HE CHANGED HIS SCHOOLS NAME TO REFLECT THE TRUE ROOTS OF HIS LINEAGE AND REPLACED IT WITH HUNG SING KWOON.
SINCE GREAT GRAND MASTER LAU BUN WAS THE LAST DISCIPLE OF YUEN HAI, THERE ARE NO OTHER KNOWN SCHOOLS EXISTING THAT ARE CONNECTED TO THE LATTER. GREAT GRAND MASTER LAU BUN AS FAR AS WE KNOW IS THE SOLE INHERITOR OF YUEN HAI'S SCHOOL. IN OTHER WORDS, THERE IS NO ONE ON EARTH OTHER THAN THE LAU BUN LINEAGE IS CONTINUING THE TEACHINGS OF YUEN HAI TODAY.
SINCE GREAT GRAND MASTER LAU BUN WAS THE ONLY ONE LEFT TEACHING YUEN HAI'S GUNG FU, IT WAS UP TO HIM TO EVOLVE HIS GUNG FU. ONCE HE CAME TO AMERICA, ALL TIES TO THE FUT SAN HUNG SING KWOON HAD BEEN SEVERED ONLY TEN YEARS LATER, WHEN THE LATTER WAS FORCED TO CLOSE DOWN ONCE AGAIN IN 1949, BASICALLY FORCING ALL OF THE MASTERS OF THAT GENERATION TO GO UNDEGROUND OR RELOCATE TO OTHER COUNTRIES. AND OF COURSE, LAU BUN ESCAPED TO AMERICA.
DURING GREAT GRAND MASTER LAU BUN'S LIFE HE WITNESSED ALL TYPES OF MISTREATMENT OF HIS PEOPLE. HE WAS BORN IN 1891, DURING THE TAIL END OF THE CHING DYNASTY...ONE OF THE WORST PERIODS OF CHINA'S HISTORY. AFTER COMING TO THE UNITED STATES HE REALIZED IT WASN'T ANY DIFFERENT HERE NEITHER. THEREFORE, HE HAD A STRICT RULE AGAINST TEACHING THEIR ONLY FORM OF SELF DEFENSE TO OUTSIDERS-MEANING "NON CHINESE". IN FACT, HE INSTRUCTED ALL OF HIS DISCPLES TO IMMEDIATELY STOP WHAT THEY WERE DOING IF AND WHEN A NON CHINESE ENTERED THROUGH THE DOORS OF THEIR SCHOOL.
GREAT GRAND MASTER LAU BUN AND HIS DIRECT DISCIPLES BASICALLY USED THEIR GUNG FU AS A MEANS OF SURVIVAL. THAT MEANS THEIR GUNG FU WAS MEANT TO SEVERLY HURT AN ATTACKER OR EVEN KILL IF THEY HAD TO WITH IT. NO DOUBT, THE GREAT GRAND MASTERS PERSONAL METHOD WAS THAT OF NO NONSENSE. WHEN A DISCIPLE OF THE GREAT GRAND MASTER WAS ASKED TO DEMONSTRATE HOW THEIR SIFU WOULD TEACH A TECHNIQUE, IT WAS QUITE CLEAR YOU WOULDN'T WANT TO BE ON THE RECEIVING END OF THEIR GUNG FU. TODAYS MARTIAL ARTISTS ARE CLOUDED WITH THE CONCEPTS OF "TRADITIONAL" FORMS AS OPPOSED TO "EFFECTIVE AND REALISTIC SKILL."
DURING CLASS, GREAT GRAND MASTER LAU BUN WOULD SURPRISE A STUDENT FROM BEHIND TO SEE IF THEIR HORSES WERE STRONG, OR IF THEIR HAND TECHNIQUES WERE EFFECTIVE ENOUGH. IF A STUDENT HELD BACX BECAUSE HE KNEW THE GREAT GRAND MASTER WAS STANDING THERE, THE LATTER WOULD SCOLD THAT STUDENT ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING REAL SKILL.
OUTSIDE OF THE GUNG FU STUDIO, GREAT GRAND MASTER LAU BUN WAS KNOWN FOR BEING A MUSICIAN,A CALLIGRAPHIST, A PHILOSOPHER, AS WELL AS BEING A LOCAL HERO. YOU CAN SAY THAT GREAT GRAND MASTER LAU BUN WAS THE "TRUE GOD FATHER OF CHINATOWN." HE WAS ALWAYS CALLED UPON TO SETTLE ALL TYPES OF DISPUTES WITHIN CHINATOWN. AND, IF OUTSIDERS CAME WITH THE INTENTIONS OF CAUSING TROUBLE, GREAT GRAND MASTER LAU BUN AND HIS DISCIPLES WERE THERE TO PROTECT CHINATOWN.
STORIES OF WHAT PROFESSOR LAU BUN'S LINEAGE HAD A PART TO PLAY WITH WAS DEALING WITH BRUCE LEE AND HIS TEACHING OF NON CHINESE. GRAND MASTER DINO SALVATERA'S FIRST TEACHER THE LATE CHAN BING HONG WAS SAID TO HAVE BEEN THE ONE TO CREATE THE DECLARATION ISSUED TO BRUCE LEE.
NOT ONLY WAS HE THERE TO PROTECT HIS COMMUNITY, GREAT GRAND MASTER LAU BUN ALSO OFFERED HIS CHINESE MEDICINE AND BONE SETTING SKILLS TO THOSE WHO COULDN'T AFFORD TO PAY FOR IT. IN FACT, ONE OF HIS DISCIPLES RECALLS BREAKING HIS ANKLE AND HIS FATHER BRINGING HIM TO SEE GREAT GRAND MASTER LAU BUN, WHO, RESET THE BONE AND PLACED SOME BLACK PLASTER TAR HE MADE HIMSELF ON IT, AND LEFT THERE WALKING ON HIS OWN.
HANDS DOWN, NO QUESTIONS ASKED, GREAT GRAND MASTER LAU BUN WAS ONE OF THE GREATEST MARTIAL ARTISTS OF HIS TIME. HE POSSESSED A KEEN INSIGHT INTO HAND TO HAND COMBAT, HAD ENOUGH FORESIGHT TO KNOW THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN BODY TYPES AND WHAT WORKED BEST FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL, AS WELL AS TAKING THE DESTINY OF HIS SCHOOL WITHIN HIS OWN HANDS AND SET THE TREND FOR LATER GENERATIONS TO EVOLVE THEIR TRAINING. HE ALSO PLANTED THE SEED ABOUT CHOY LEE FUT BEING EVER CHANGING. WHILE SOME MAY PICK UP THEIR TRAINING BY READING BOOKS, OLD FAMILY MANUELS, OR WHATEVER, GREAT GRAND MASTER LAU BUN'S OWN PERSONAL EXPLORATION OF HIS CHOY LEE FUT HAS SHOWN US THAT ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS LOOK INTO OURSELVES TO FIND OUR OWN GUNG FU. THIS ELIMINATES THE NEED TO GO TO OTHER TEACHERS TO CONTINUE THEIR LEARNING AND KEEPS THE EVOLUTION "in house."