Cheung Yim (Cheung Hung Sing) wanted to learn kung fu from Chan Heung, but was turned down because he did not belong to the “Chan” family clan-only those within the family clan could learn at Chan Heung’s school. 

Cheung Yim was able to get a job as a handyman working inside the school, and he utilized every opportunity to observe and learn what he could while the classes were in progress. Cheung Yim would practice all he had observed in the evenings, when everyone had left. Master Chan Heung caught Cheung Yim practicing in the school one evening, and was so impressed with the young mans dedication that he decided to train him personally in secret. 

One day while Chan Heung was away from the school, a fight broke out between Cheung Yim and some students who were taunting him and trying to bully him. Because of this, and much to everyone’s surprise, Cheung Yim defeated all the bullies. Unfortunately, his secret was exposed, and when Master Chan Heung returned, the angry members of the Chan association protested and asked for Cheung Yim’s expulsion from the school. Chan Heung had no choice but to expel his secret student. 

When Chan Heung left Law (Lo) Fou San, his master, Choy Fook, had recommended to him to further his training with a monk more senior than himself (Si-Bark) named Ching Cho Wor Seung (Wor Seung means monk). Because of Chan Heung’s many commitments, he had missed the chance to train under this monk and further expand his knowledge. Now Chan Heung saw this was an opportunity to send his student, Cheung Yim, in his place. Ching Cho Wor Seung was a disciple of the Abbot of the Shaolin Temple, and was one of the six surviving monks from the destruction of the Fukien Shaolin Temple, and was now living on Bart Pai San (San meaning Mount or Mountain), in the Gong Sai province. 

Cheung Yim left to train under monk Ching Cho Wor Seung, and spent the next ten years training in both the martial arts and medicine. At the end of his training, Ching Cho Wor Seung gave Cheung Yim another name, and he was therefore to be known as Cheung Hung Sing. Hung Sing literally means “victory to the Hung’s”, the Hung’s being a secret society acting as revolutionaries to overthrow the Ching Dynasty.

 Cheung Hung Sing returned to the village of Ging Mui, and to his master Chan Heung. He showed Chan Heung all that he had learned from Ching Cho, and they collaborated to further improve the art of Choy Lay Fut to its present form. 

In 1839, Cheung Hung Sing opened a school in Fut Sarn, on Ging Sing Street, which he named “Hung Sing Choy Lay Fut”. One of his first students was a Hung Gar master by the name of Chan Ngau Sing, who master Cheung had defeated in a challenge match at his new schools grand opening. Some of his other second generation students were Wong Sai, Lai Yau, Tarm Narp, Lui Chang Tong Don San, Ching Chi Sau, Jik Gong, Dai Darm Wood, Sow Bar Cheung and Fong Shui Meen. 

By 1846, the Choy Lay Fut Hung Sing Kwoon was so popular, it had created a lot of jealousy among competing martial arts schools. The rival school’s enrollments had been drastically affected, and they got together to plot how to get rid of Cheung Hung Sing.  

One evening while walking along the pier to catch a ferry, Cheung Hung Sing came across a couple of men engaged in a fight. Seeing that none of the onlookers was interested in breaking up the fight, he stepped in to intervene. He was shocked when both men turned against him, and found that many men, some with weapons, surrounded him. Cheung noticed that some of his assailants were troublemakers (challenge match losers) that he had previously defeated at his school. They had disguised themselves as laborers working along the docks, waiting to ambush him.

 Master Cheung had no choice but to fight for his life, using the only weapon he had, an umbrella. He killed three of his assailants, wounded many others, and sent the rest fleeing for their lives. Grievously wounded, Master Cheung managed to struggle back to his school, but given the severity of his wounds, his life could not be saved – Master Cheung Hung Sing was only thirty-three years old at the time of his death.

 Master Cheung’s students, particularly Chan Ngau Sing, were deeply saddened by their master’s murder, and went on a rampage, seeking out all those responsible for his death. Many of the assailants fled in fear for their lives, went into hiding and some sought refuge from the Manchu Government. These cowards told the authorities that the “Hung Sing Choy Lay Fut Kwoon” was a “front” and the headquarters for the anti-Manchu Revolutionaries. This led to the government closing of the Fut Sarn “Hung Sing Kwoon” in 1848.     

After the closing of the Kwoon (school) Master Cheung Hung Sing’s students dispersed and went their separate ways. They were Tarm Narp (Nap), Ma Yu Sai, Lui Chang (Charn), Lay (Lai) Yun, Tseen Tse Sau, Wong Sair, Tong Gun Sing, Da Darm Wood, So Ba Cheung, For Sui Meen and Sook Gong. Chan Ngau Sing founded the Hong Kong “Hung Sing” school, and among his famous students was Tong Sak (third generation). 

Master Lui Chang, Tong Gun Sing and Sook Gong opened a Kwoon at Hor (Ho) Narm (Nam) in Canton. Lai Yun also settled there and began teaching. Tarm Narp’s son, Tarm Ngau, taught in China and Tarm Fu was an herbalist in Hong Kong. Chan Yu Sing’s Kwoon in Hong Kong was closed down due to his students being involved in too many fights. 

Lay Yun’s students were Lau Chung, Wong Lo Lik, Hung Duk Gong, Choy Yut Kiu (Kiew), Choy Yee Kiu, Fong Yuk She, Chan Say Yu and Bung Hau Seung. 

Among Lau Chung’s students was Gee Duk Choy, who died in 1968 in Indonesia. Fong Yuk She’s students were Chan Hon Hung, and Lum Siu Larp. Chan Yiu Chi (Grandmaster Chan Heung’s grandson) also helped to propagate the art of Choy Lay Fut.  

Chan Hei, Ho Ngau, So Kum Fook, Mok Hon Mun, Tarm Ging Fu, Leung Biu, Tong Sak, Wong Bau, Chan Yik, Do Gok Jeung, and Ho Jark Sun all carried out their duty to spread the art of Choy Lay Fut.

 Master Choy Yut Kiu’s student, Kwan Man Keng, was left in charge to carry on the duties and he formed the “Hung Sheng (Sing) Chinese Koontow and Lion Dance Society in Singapore in 1965.

Chan Gok Choy 2nd Generation

Chan Yiu Chi 3rd Generation