Lukh Ah Choi is not, in my experience, the ancestor in our line, which one is named first. He disappears, just like others, behind the dazzling names Wong Fei Hung and Hung Hee Gung or Chiu Kau, which is much closer to us. However, the fact that Lukh Ah Choi was a Manchu and therefore belonged to the enemy camp according to his origin, makes him a particularly interesting figure in my eyes. As is well known, the Manchus took over power in China at the beginning of the seventeenth century – the Qing Dynasty. The Shaolin fought against them vehemently until they finally destroyed the southern Shaolin monastery.
History
What is known about his life is quickly told. No contemporary records have appeared so far and it is unlikely that any exist. This is because in the Cultural Revolution of Mao, large parts of the Chinese cultural heritage were destroyed.
As a child, the orphaned Lukh Ah Choi lived with his uncle. According to the stories, he fled from his uncle’s overly strict hand when he was about fourteen years old. Probably as a street boy he met the monk Lei Baak Fu. Lei Baak Fu took care of the boy and taught him Kung Fu. After several years of study he brought him to Shaolin.
The records of Jyu Yu Jai report that the acceptance of Lukh ah Choi as a student happened shortly before the actual destruction of Shaolin. He then fled together with the surviving monks to Hoi Tong Monastery, where he was officially listed as a disciple of Abbot Ji Sin Sim See. At this time the abbot must have been very old. Lukh Ah Choi was one of the last students ever to accept.
Because of the old age of Ji Sin Sin decided to send his young student away to complete his education. He sent him to Hung Hee Gung. Lukh ah Choi followed this instruction and made the journey to his older Kung Fu brother. This could not have been an easy thing at that time. It is worth remembering that the Shaolin had to practice their art in secret. However, Lukh ah Choi was successful and found Hung Hee Gung, was taken over by him as a disciple and finally became his style heir.
Own school
Later Lukh ah Choi taught in Gwongjau. One of his students was Wong Tai, although there are also opinions that it was not Wong Tai, but his son Wong Kai-Ying who learned from him – or even both.
