Kwan Tak Hing
Encyclopedia
Kwan Tak-hing, MBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...

 (27 June 1905 - 28 June 1996) was a Hong Kong
Hong Kong people
Hong Kong people refer to people who originate from Hong Kong. The term has no legal definition in Hong Kong. Rather, terms such as Hong Kong permanent resident and Hong Kong resident are used...

 actor who played the role of martial artist
Martial arts
Martial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....

 folk hero
Folk hero
A folk hero is a type of hero, real, fictional, or mythological. The single salient characteristic which makes a character a folk hero is the imprinting of the name, personality and deeds of the character in the popular consciousness. This presence in the popular consciousness is evidenced by...

 Wong Fei-hung in at least 77 films, between the 1940s and the 1980s. No-one else in cinema history has portrayed the same person as many times. In total he made over 130 films. He was elected to be the chairman of Chinese Artist Association of Hong Kong
Chinese Artist Association of Hong Kong
Chinese Artist Association of Hong Kong is a non-profit association of Cantonese opera groups and artists in Hong Kong, established in 1953. Sun Ma-Si-tsang was the first chairman, succeeded by Kwan Tak Hing. Dr...

 in 1955. He was awarded the MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...

) in 1983.

History

Kwan was born in Guangzhou
Guangzhou
Guangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port...

, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...

 in 1905. He was the second child in the family. His father died of a disease at a young age. To supplement his family's income, as a boy, Kwan worked as a cowherd. When he was 12, he began work in construction. At the age of 13, he worked as a waiter in a restaurant in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...

 before joining a Cantonese opera
Cantonese opera
Cantonese opera is one of the major categories in Chinese opera, originating in southern China's Cantonese culture. It is popular in Guangdong, Guangxi, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore and Malaysia. Like all versions of Chinese opera, it is a traditional Chinese art form, involving music, singing,...

 troupe under Cheng Hsin-pei.

His film debut was in The Singing Lovers (aka Romance of the Songsters), made in the US for the Grandview Studios and only the second Cantonese-language talkie
Sound film
A sound film is a motion picture with synchronized sound, or sound technologically coupled to image, as opposed to a silent film. The first known public exhibition of projected sound films took place in Paris in 1900, but decades would pass before sound motion pictures were made commercially...

 ever made. His first starring roles came two years later in Song of the Yesterday (aka Yesterday's Song) and Song of Sadness (both 1935). Kwan's first martial arts film was Knight of the Whip (1936). During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

 he was in a troupe of patriotic entertainers and had a price put on his head by the Japanese.

The first film in which he starred as Wong Fei-hung was the Story of Huang Feihong part 1 (1949) directed by Wu Pang and produced by the Yong Yao Film Company. The film included Shih Kien
Shih Kien
Shek Wing-cheung , better known as Shih Kien, was a Chinese actor from Hong Kong. He is sometimes credited as Shek Kin or Kien Shih...

 as the villain and Li Lan
Li Lan
Li Lan is a former Chinese handball player. She competed in the 1984 Summer Olympics.She was a member of the Chinese handball team which won the bronze medal. She played all five matches and scored nine goals.-External links:*...

, the very first winner of the Miss Hong Kong Pageant
Miss Hong Kong Pageant
The Miss Hong Kong Pageant , or MSHK for short, is a beauty pageant organized by the leading Hong Kong television station, Television Broadcasts ....

, and the first of many winners who would become famous actresses in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...

). This partnership was a huge success and spawned many sequels, exploring many ideas and situations used in later action films. In 1956, a total of 25 Wong Fei-hung films were released.

Kwan worked on films with two of the students of Lam Sai-wing (himself a student of the real Wong Fei-hung. First, Leong Wing-hang, who worked as action director on Wong Fei-hung films as well as other Kwan vehicles including The Five Heroes' Deadly Spears (1951). Later he worked with Lau Cham, father of Lau Kar-leung
Lau Kar-leung
Lau Kar-Leung is a famous Hong Kong martial arts filmmaker, choreographer, and actor.Lau Kar-Leung is best known for his movies which he made during the 1970s and 1980s for the Shaw Brothers Studio...

 and Lau Kar-wing.

The Wong Fei-hung sequence of films ended in 1970 and Kwan went into semi-retirement. During this period, Kwan opened a martial arts school
Chinese martial arts
Chinese martial arts, also referred to by the Mandarin Chinese term wushu and popularly as kung fu , are a number of fighting styles that have developed over the centuries in China. These fighting styles are often classified according to common traits, identified as "families" , "sects" or...

 and a number of herbal centres, whose branded soup and an ointment for bruises were well known in Hong Kong.

In 1974, Golden Harvest
Golden Harvest
Golden Harvest is a film production, distribution, and exhibition company based in Hong Kong. It played a major role in becoming the first Chinese film company to successfully enter the western market for an extended period of time, especially with the films of Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan...

 revived the role, pairing Kwan with Sammo Hung
Sammo Hung
Sammo Hung is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist, film producer and director, known for his work in many martial arts films and Hong Kong action cinema...

 in The Skyhawk. Other films followed followed in which Kwan played his most familiar role - Magnificent Butcher
Magnificent Butcher
Magnificent Butcher is a 1979 Hong Kong martial arts action comedy film directed by Yuen Woo-ping, starring Sammo Hung, Kwan Tak-hing, Yuen Biao, Wei Pai, Lee Hoi San, Chiang Kam, Fan Mei Sheng, Fung Ging Man, Fung Hak-on and Max Lee.The film is based on the story of Lam Sai-wing, one of the...

(1979), Magnificent Kick (1980), and Dreadnaught
Dreadnaught (film)
Dreadnaught aka Yong zhe wu ju is a 1981 Hong Kong martial arts action film directed by Yuen Woo-ping and starring Yuen Biao, Leung Kar Yan, and Kwan Tak-hing as Wong Fei Hung.- Plot :...

(1981). TVB
Television Broadcasts Limited
Television Broadcasts Limited, commonly known as TVB, is the second over-the-air commercial television station in Hong Kong. It commenced broadcasting on 19 November 1967...

 also aired a 13-part television series featuring Kwan as Wong Fei-hung in 1976. By this time, he was in his 70's and although he was doubled for the more athletic scenes, he still demonstrated remarkable fitness and suppleness.

Kwan received an honorary MBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...

 for his charitable work and contribution to the entertainment industry, in 1984.

To the Chinese, Kwan embodied Confucian
Confucianism
Confucianism is a Chinese ethical and philosophical system developed from the teachings of the Chinese philosopher Confucius . Confucianism originated as an "ethical-sociopolitical teaching" during the Spring and Autumn Period, but later developed metaphysical and cosmological elements in the Han...

 virtues and patriarchal authority, and he is thought to have modelled his speeches on those of Sun Yat-sen
Sun Yat-sen
Sun Yat-sen was a Chinese doctor, revolutionary and political leader. As the foremost pioneer of Nationalist China, Sun is frequently referred to as the "Father of the Nation" , a view agreed upon by both the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China...

. Kwan appeared in cameo roles in The Family Strikes Back and Aces Go Places 4
Aces Go Places 4
Aces go Places 4 also known in the United States as Mad Mission 4: You Never Die Twice is a 1986 Hong Kong action-comedy film directed by Ringo Lam, and starring Sam Hui and Karl Maka.-Cast:* Sam Hui - King Kong* Karl Maka - Albert Au...

(both 1986). His final film appearance was in the 1994 family comedy film It's a Wonderful Life!
It's a Wonderful Life (1994 film)
-Cast:* Raymond Wong - Kow-Foo Yum* Leslie Cheung - Roberto* Teresa Mo - Kow-An Yum* Fung Bo-Bo - Kow-Foo's Wife* Tony Leung Ka-fai - Kow-Kwai Yum* Anita Yuen - Shou-Kit Ho* Lau Ching-Wan - Cousin* Carol Cheng - Miss 'Coffee' Ho* Wong Jim - George...

, at the age of 89, some 61 years after his acting career began.

In Bey Logan
Bey Logan
Bey Logan is a respected expert on East Asian cinema, particularly Hong Kong action cinema. He is also notable as a screenwriter, film producer and as a martial artist who has had roles in a number of films, including the 2003 Dante Lam film The Twins Effect.He has written two books - Hong Kong...

's audio commentary for the film The Magnificent Butcher, he states that though there is a grave marker to Kwan Tak-hing in Kowloon
Kowloon
Kowloon is an urban area in Hong Kong comprising the Kowloon Peninsula and New Kowloon. It is bordered by the Lei Yue Mun strait in the east, Mei Foo Sun Chuen and Stonecutter's Island in the west, Tate's Cairn and Lion Rock in the north, and Victoria Harbour in the south. It had a population of...

 territory, his ashes were taken to San Francisco to rest with those of his second wife, whom he met whilst travelling in the US, whilst raising money for the Chinese war effort. He died at the age of 92 of pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer refers to a malignant neoplasm of the pancreas. The most common type of pancreatic cancer, accounting for 95% of these tumors is adenocarcinoma, which arises within the exocrine component of the pancreas. A minority arises from the islet cells and is classified as a...

.

Action style

Kwan was originally a practitioner of the White Crane martial art including the use of the bullwhip and the pole. Kwan was also known for his skills in the lion dance
Lion dance
Lion dance is a form of traditional dance in Chinese culture, in which performers mimic a lion's movements in a lion costume. The lion dance is often mistakenly referred to as dragon dance. An easy way to tell the difference is that a lion is operated by two people, while a dragon needs many people...

 and Chinese calligraphy
East Asian calligraphy
East Asian calligraphy is a form of calligraphy widely practised and revered in the Sinosphere. This most often includes China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam. The East Asian calligraphic tradition originated and developed from China. There is a general standardization of the various styles of...

.

Legacy

Although modern martial arts films often feature a lot of violence, at the end of The Magnificent Butcher, Kwan's Wong Fei-hung saves the main villain (played by Lee Hoi-san) from being killed by Butcher Wing (Sammo Hung). This reflected Wong Fei-hung's portrayal in the original films, wherein he would defeat the villain but then heal him.

Kwan became so associated with the mature Wong Fei-hung that other filmmakers would only portray the character as a younger person, including Jackie Chan
Jackie Chan
Jackie Chan, SBS, MBE is a Hong Kong actor, action choreographer, comedian, director, producer, martial artist, screenwriter, entrepreneur, singer and stunt performer. In his movies, he is known for his acrobatic fighting style, comic timing, use of improvised weapons, and innovative stunts...

 playing Wong as a young man in Drunken Master
Drunken Master
Drunken Master, also known as Drunk Monkey In The Tiger's Eye, is a 1978 Hong Kong martial arts comedy film directed by Yuen Woo-ping, and starring Jackie Chan, Yuen Siu-tien, and Hwang Jang Lee...

(1978), and Yuen Woo-ping
Yuen Woo-ping
Yuen Woo-ping is a Chinese martial arts choreographer and film director, renowned as one of the most successful and influential figures in the world of Hong Kong action cinema. He is one of the inductees on the Avenue of Stars in Hong Kong...

 depicting Wong as a child (played by actress Angie Tsang
Angie Tsang
Angie Tsang is a Hong Kong wushu athlete and child actress. She is best known as an Asian Games silver medalist for Wushu...

) in Iron Monkey (1993). When Jet Li
Jet Li
The fame gained by his sports winnings led to a career as a martial arts film star, beginning in mainland China and then continuing into Hong Kong. Li acquired his screen name in 1982 in the Philippines when a publicity company thought his real name was too hard to pronounce...

 portrayed Wong in the Once Upon a Time in China series, many Chinese audiences felt he was too young.

Filmography

  • The Guangzhou Adventure of the Fearless (1947)
  • One-Eye Dragon Strange Hero (1947)
  • Bloody Cloth (1948)
  • Fishing Village in the War (1948)
  • A Sword to Save a Country (1949)
  • A Woman's Heart is Never Mended (1949)
  • The Lady Protector and the Knight with the Whip (1949)
  • Story of Huang Feihong (Part 1) (1949)
  • Story of Huang Feihong (Part 2) (1949)
  • Xue Rengui's Bloody Battle at Liu Village (1950)
  • The Story of Huang Feihung Part 3: Battle by Liuhua Bridge (1950)
  • The Story of Huang Feihong Part 4: Death of Liang Huan (1950)
  • Story of Huang Feihong (Part 5) (1951)
  • The Silver World of Stardom (1951)
  • The Five Heroes' Deadly Spears (1951)
  • The Brave Archer (1951)
  • Soul of the Tiger (1952)
  • How Huang Feihong Defeated 3 Bullies with a Single Rod (1953)
  • Brother in Bloodshed (1954)
  • Huang Feihong Tries His Shadowless Kick (1954)
  • Story of Huang Feihong and Lin Shirong (1954)
  • The Boxer of Nanhai (1954)
  • The True Story of Huang Feihong (1955)
  • The Story of Huang Feihong (2nd Sequel) (1955)
  • Story of Iron Monkey (Grand Finale) (1955)
  • Huang Feihong's Rival for the Fireworks (1955)
  • Huang Feihong's Victory at Fourth Gate (1955)
  • How Huang Feihong Vanquished the Bully on Long Dike (1955)
  • Huang Feihong at a Boxing Match (1956)
  • Huang Feihong's Fight in Foshan (1956)
  • How Huang Feihong Set Fire to Dashatou (1956)
  • Huang Feihong and the Courtesan's Boat Argument (1956)
  • Huang Feihong's Battle at Shuangmendi (1956)
  • Huang Feihong and the Lantern Festival Disturbance (1956)
  • How Huang Feihong Pitted 7 Lions against the Dragon (1956)
  • How Huang Feihong Fought 5 Dragons Single-handed (1956)
  • How Huang Feihong Thrice Tricked the Girl Bodyguard (1956)
  • How Huang Feihong Saved the Dragon's Mother's Temple (1956)
  • Huang Feihong's 7 Battles with the Fiery Unicorn (1956)
  • How Huang Feihong Vanquished the 12 Tigers (1956)
  • How Huang Feihong Conquered the Two Tigers (1956)
  • How Huang Feihong Pitted a Lion against the Unicorn (1956)
  • Huang Feihong's Story: Iron Cock against Centpede (1956)
  • Huang Feihong Wins the Dragon Boat Race (1956)
  • How Huang Feihong Thrice Captured Su Shulian in the Water (1956)
  • How Huang Feihong Vanquished the Terrible Hound at Shamian (1956)
  • Huang Feihong's Victory at Xiaobeijiang (1956)
  • How Huang Feihong Vanquished the Bully at the Red Opera Float (1956)
  • The Princess is Kidnapped (1956)
  • Heroine of Deadly Darts (1956)
  • Huang Feihong Rescues the Fishmonger (1956)
  • Huang Feihong's Battle at Mountain Goddess of Mercy (1956)
  • Huang Feihong Attends the Joss-Stick Festival at Heavenly Goddess' Temple (1956)
  • Wu Song's Bloody Fight on Lion's Bower (1956)
  • Huang Feihong Goes to a Birthday Party at Guanshan (1956)
  • How Huang Feihong Saved the Lovelorn Monk from the Ancient Monastery (1956)
  • The Life of Zuo Song (1956)
  • Chang E's Flight to the Moon (1956)
  • The White Crane Heroes (1956)
  • General Kwan Seduced by Diaochan Under Moonlight (1956)
  • Ne-Zha's Adventures in the East Sea (1957)
  • Devil's Sword (1957)
  • Huang Feihong's Fight at Henan (1957)
  • Huang Feihong's Three Battles with the Unruly Girl (1957)
  • How Huang Feihong Spied on Black Dragon Hill at Night (1957)
  • How the Boxer from Nanhai Stole the Dappled Horse at Night (1957)
  • Huang Feihong's Battle with the Lion King (1957)
  • Huang Feihong and the Battle of Saddle Hill (1957)
  • The War between Chu and Han (1957)
  • How Huang Feihong Smashed the Flying Dagger Gang (1957)
  • The Flag Which Conquered 7 Provinces (1957)
  • How Huang Feihong Fought a Bloody Battle in the Spinster's Home (1957)
  • World of Fist (1957)
  • Knife in Fish-gut (1957)
  • Huang Feihu's Rebellion (1957)
  • Ne Zha's Adventures in the Heavenly Palace (1957)
  • Fifteen Strings of Coins (1957)
  • General Guan Escorts His Brother's Wife on a 1,000 Mile Journey (1957)
  • Huang Feihong's Rival for a Pearl (1957)
  • Huang Feihong's Story: Five Devils against Two Dragons (1958)
  • Huang Feihu's Rebellion (2nd sequel) (1958)
  • Lest We Forget
    Lest We Forget
    Lest We Forget is a phrase in the poem "Recessional," by Rudyard Kipling.It may also refer to:* Ode of Remembrance, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand-Cinema:* Léonce Perret film, 1918* Lest We Forget, a British film directed by John Baxter...

    (1958)
  • Fan Lihua Bears a Son in the Golden-Light Militia (1958)
  • How Xue Gang Smashed the Temple (1958)
  • Huang Feihong's Fierce Battle (1958)
  • How Huang Feihong Erases the Golden Bell Trap (1958)
  • Huanf Feihong Seizes the Bride at Xiguan (1958)
  • How Huang Feihong Stormed Phoenix Hill (1958)
  • Massacre of the Innocents
    Massacre of the Innocents
    The Massacre of the Innocents is an episode of infanticide by the King of Judea, Herod the Great. According to the Gospel of Matthew Herod orders the execution of all young male children in the village of Bethlehem, so as to avoid the loss of his throne to a newborn King of the Jews whose birth...

    (1958)
  • Huang Feihong's Battle with the Bullies in the Boxing Ring (1958)
  • Huang Feihong's Victory at Ma Village (1958)
  • Huang Feihong Gets Rid of the Three Rascals (1958)
  • How Huang Feihong Used an Iron-Fowl Against the Eagle (1958)
  • Huang Feihohng Saves the Kidnapped Liang Kuan (1958)
  • The Flying Prince (1958)
  • Three Attempts to Steal the Cup of the Nine Dragons (1959)
  • The Rascal He on Fire (1959)
  • Huang Feihong on Rainbow Bridge (1959)
  • Shattering the Copper Net Array (1959)
  • Seven Heroes Spy on Chongxiao Bower (1959)
  • King Kong's Adventures in the Heavely Palace (1959)
  • How Wen Tianxiang Thrice Tricked Grand Sire Wen (1959)
  • White Lady's Reincarnation (1959)
  • Huang Feihong Trapped in the Hell (1959)
  • How Huang Feihong Defeated the Tiger on the Opera Stage (1959)
  • Huang Feihong's Combat in the Boxing Ring (1960)
  • How Na Zha Rescued His Mother from the Snake Mountain (1960)
  • Huang Feihong's Battle with the Gorilla (1960)
  • The Strange Hero Conquered the Dragon (1960)
  • Two Orphans Conquered the Dragon at Tianshan (1960)
  • Tao Lung Fighting against Fin Kum Kong (1960)
  • How Huang Feihong Smashed the Five Tigers (1961)
  • The Invincible Iron Fan (1961)
  • Killing of the Villains (1961)
  • Huang Feihong Meeting the Heroes with the Tiger Paw (1967) (also writer)
  • Huang Feihong: The Incredible Success in Canton (1968)
  • Huang Feihong: The Invincible 'Lion Dancer' (1968)
  • Huang Feihong: The Eight Bandits (1968)
  • The Magic Whip (1968)
  • Huang Feihong: The Duel Against the Black Rascal (1968)
  • Huang Feihong: Duel for the Championship (1968)
  • Huang Feihong: The Duel for the 'Sha-yu-qing' (1969)
  • Huang Feihong: The Conqueror of the 'Sam-hong Gang' (1969)
  • Huang Feihong's Combat with the Five Wolves (1969)
  • Huang Feihong in Sulphur Valley (1969)
  • Huang Fei Hong: Bravely Crushing the Fire Formation (1970)
  • The Skyhawk (1974)
  • Magnificent Butcher
    Magnificent Butcher
    Magnificent Butcher is a 1979 Hong Kong martial arts action comedy film directed by Yuen Woo-ping, starring Sammo Hung, Kwan Tak-hing, Yuen Biao, Wei Pai, Lee Hoi San, Chiang Kam, Fan Mei Sheng, Fung Ging Man, Fung Hak-on and Max Lee.The film is based on the story of Lam Sai-wing, one of the...

    (1979)
  • The Magnificent Kick (1980)
  • Dreadnaught
    Dreadnaught (film)
    Dreadnaught aka Yong zhe wu ju is a 1981 Hong Kong martial arts action film directed by Yuen Woo-ping and starring Yuen Biao, Leung Kar Yan, and Kwan Tak-hing as Wong Fei Hung.- Plot :...

    (1981)
  • Aces Go Places 4
    Aces Go Places 4
    Aces go Places 4 also known in the United States as Mad Mission 4: You Never Die Twice is a 1986 Hong Kong action-comedy film directed by Ringo Lam, and starring Sam Hui and Karl Maka.-Cast:* Sam Hui - King Kong* Karl Maka - Albert Au...

    (1986)
  • The Family Strikes Back (1986)
  • It's a Wonderful Life
    It's a Wonderful Life (1994 film)
    -Cast:* Raymond Wong - Kow-Foo Yum* Leslie Cheung - Roberto* Teresa Mo - Kow-An Yum* Fung Bo-Bo - Kow-Foo's Wife* Tony Leung Ka-fai - Kow-Kwai Yum* Anita Yuen - Shou-Kit Ho* Lau Ching-Wan - Cousin* Carol Cheng - Miss 'Coffee' Ho* Wong Jim - George...

    (1994)

External links

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