Going to Hong Kong.

[Mr Punch]

Hi all.

I'm going to Hong Kong with some time on my hands but only from Oct 7th-10th. Any suggestions for kwoon to visit over there?

Looking for one(s) that are

1) open quite a few hours, or
2) offer privates,
3) without too much expense, which
4) aren't going to insist I start everything from day one of slt in the four days, and
5) without too much of a formal introduction rigmarole (don't even know if Chinese kwoons have these, but some of the introduction stuff for some of the Japanese dojo is nonsense!).

Too much to ask?! I hope not!!! Oh, and plus, I don't speak any Chinese languages...!

Any help, emails, contacts here, or through PM would be much appreciated.

Hope everybody's training's going well.

Mat.

[PaulH]

Hi Mat,

I think Frank Exchange and his kwoon go to HK annually. Perhaps he can help you here.

Regards,

[Mr Punch]

Thanks Paul.

No-one else any useful experience/info?

[Frank Exchange]

Hi Mat

There are loads of places to train, but for the sort of thing you are after, I would recommend the Ving Tsun Athletic Association Headquarters, at 3 Nullah Road, 2/Fl., Flat C, Kowloon, Hong Kong, just off Nathan Road (the main street of Kowloon) I think the nearest MTR/underground/subway station is Prince Edward.

Lots of different schools train there on different days and times, Ip Chun definitely does for example, but we tend to visit the Wong Shun Leung class, taken by Chan Ken Man and Ko Kwong Lin, (the infamous Mr. Ko, used to be known as "psy-ko"! )

This is a very informal class where you should just be able to turn up and train, perhaps the other teachers classes are as informal, at any rate its a good starting point, and the training hall has hardly changed since the 70s. Old school all the way! Many of the students speak English, ask for Joseph if you visit, he's a great guy.

There are many other excellent teachers in Hong Kong, both Cliff Au Yeungs school in Wan Chai and Wan Kam Leung in Ya Mau Tei to name but two, but they may be more formalised, I dont know how open they would be to the casual training you are after, but its worth a try. Cliff Au Yueng is a great, friendly guy, and speaks english too.

These are just the good schools I have personally visited, there are undoubtably many more.

Have a great time!

[PaulH]

Hi Frank,

If you ever meet again the "infamous' Mr. Ko, a barber in life, please send warm regards from Jean Marc and Chan Keo. I think he may still fondly remembered these two Frech fried by him in the past training. Ha! Ha!

Regards,

[Frank Exchange]

We will be visiting again in November, so I will pass on the regards!

Frank

[PaulH]

I'm Jealous! Wishing I make more money and have more free time to join you. Happy training!

Best wishes,

Paul H.

[John Weiland]

Originally posted by Mat
Hi all.

I'm going to Hong Kong with some time on my hands but only from Oct 7th-10th. Any suggestions for kwoon to visit over there?

Are you familiar with the red envelope custom? Might preclude misunderstandings about your intentions when you show up.

Regards,

[russellsherry]

hi john cheack the assosiation in hk webpage for one of my sifu"S sifu steven chan"S wing chun tak kwoon asosication alos don mak ffrom chow sze cheun the addreas is on the links page with a number of otherschools peace russel1 sherry

[yuanfen]

A friend of mine enjoyed his lessons with sifu Ko Kin (?)... who learned from WSL---((VTAA site has a list of HK schools))
but the red envelope protocol is important. One doesnt automatically just drop in and work out at many good schools.

There area couple of goood instructors from the Ho Kam Ming line in Macao as well across the bay-but I dont have their addresses.
I have met one of them... but I forget his name. He has good full contact experience as well.

[Mr Punch]

Thanks for the info Frank.

What exactly is the red envelop protocol?

Not wishing to be short btw... just rushed.

[Frank Exchange]

Not aware of that myself, I suspect it is some sort of introductory gift.

We tend to take gifts to teachers we visit on a friendly basis, rather than as a formal introduction, perhaps someone more familiar with traditional ideas could explain more.

[kj]

Originally posted by Frank Exchange
Not aware of that myself, I suspect it is some sort of introductory gift.

Offerings of money. Usually in significant portions.

Trivial amounts are best avoided, as are "unlucky" numbers. E.g., the number "4" is bad, and "7" is not great either; 6, 8 and 9 are good numbers. 108 and other numbers that add to 9 are also good.

As I understand it, auspicious and inauspicious words are largely based on the sound (e.g. 4 sounds like the word for death).

Regards,
- Kathy Jo

[John Weiland]

Originally posted by kj

Offerings of money. Usually in significant portions.

Trivial amounts are best avoided, as are "unlucky" numbers. E.g., the number "4" is bad, and "7" is not great either; 6, 8 and 9 are good numbers. 108 and other numbers that add to 9 are also good.

As I understand it, auspicious and inauspicious words are largely based on the sound (e.g. 4 sounds like the word for death).

Regards,
- Kathy Jo

Yeah. What she said. If you can afford it or look at it as an investment in future good will and relationship, 99 bucks HK or US should be "significant," and the number "99" is especially auspicious, signifying long life.

Regards,

[Rolling_Hand]

Hi Mat,

You should talk to Sui, he can show you around in HK.



<<Offerings of money. Usually in significant portions.>>

Whenever you go to visit a Kung Fu school and want to show your appreaciation. You can't go wrong with $108 inside the red envelope.