Ban Chung Zheng Dan Kam Cho Ga Wing Chun
 

HomeAbout UsSyllabusTrainingGalleryContact Us

 
ABOUT US   LegendCho Ga HistoryMaster KuLineage
 
Profile of Master Ku Choi Wah

Ku Choi Wah Sifu was born in Zhong Shan County, Guangdong, China into a long established Martial Arts family. He started to learn Southern Chinese Martial Arts at a very young age (8 years old) from his father and uncle who taught him many southern styles including Hung Kuen, “Hong Head, Cai Tail”, Choi Lay Fut and Hung Mei (Red Eyebrow). This lasted until his late teens by which time his family had moved numerous times but eventually settled in Malacca, Malaysia. Also during this time his father returned to China to bring the family elders to Malaysia. One of these elders was his Great Grand Aunt who was Leung Jan’s grand niece (Leung Jan was a grand master of Wing Chun Kuen).  She passed down the Wing Chun Small Five Elements Fist (小五行拳) she learnt from Leung Jan to him. 

Around 1970 a young Ku Choi Wah travelled to Singapore to earn a living as a chef. Here he met his uncle Master Lau Soon Yuen. He admired his uncle’s mastery of Ban Chung Wing Chun and followed him everywhere day and night to learn all he could. 

In 1974 Ku Sifu went to Kuala Lumpur to work. Here he met Master Jeung Bak Hong who taught him the Hei Ban Wing Chun Fa Kuen (Opera house wing chun flower fist). This series of Fa Kuen was passed down by Monk Chi Sim. Jeung Bak Hong was an inner disciple of ”Tall Guy Zhong” from the Chinese Opera. In 1978 Master Jeung Bak Hong passed away and Ku Sifu returned to Singapore where he continued to train with his uncle Master Lau. 

After a few years, in 1980, Master Lau recommended Ku Sifu to his own Master, Cho Yin On (曹延安), in Penang Malaysia. There he spent 2 years of intensive training with Master On.  

In 1986, feeling a need to further his understanding of Wing Chun, Ku Sifu returned to Penang, to learn from Grandmaster Cho On again. After more intensive training Sifu Ku finally mastered the essence of Ban Chung Wing Chun, and was chosen as the inheritor by GM Cho On before he sadly passed away in 1993.

In the 90’s, Ku Sifu came back to Singapore, where he started to teach his arts to a few students but it was only in the year 2000 that he started a Wing Chun class. However, at that time students were selected carefully based on recommendations only. 

After the passing of his Sigung, GM Cho Yin On, he made it his mission to reunite with the Cho family in Poon Yee, Guangdong, China. Now he and his todai make regular trips to pay respects to the Cho family elders to keep close ties with the home of our precious art. 

Throughout his life Ku Sifu has been consumed with a passion of Martial Arts, especially Wing Chun, travelling to China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Vietnam and South East Asia in general researching and exchanging with many masters along the way. He made many friends and is well known to the Wing Chun masters in Hong Kong and Guangdong as being the authority on Ban Chung Wing Chun.

 

Copyright © 2009 C. J. Kennerley
All rights reserved. No part of this website may be reproduced in any form without permission from the author.