Wong Fei Hung

Wong Fei Hung (黃飛鴻 huang2 fei1 hong2) (1847 - 1942) was a healer, martial artist and revolutionary who became a Chinese folk hero. He is often described as the "Chinese Robin Hood".

As a healer and medical doctor, he practised and taught acupuncture and other Chinese medicine at his 'Po Chi Lam' clinic, where he was known for compassion and a policy of treating any patient.

As a martial artist, he helped invent a system/branch of Tiger-Crane form kung fu and "Ten Special Fists" boxing that still is used to this day. He has been mistakenly said to be one of the Ten Tigers of Canton - the top ten kung fu masters in Guangzhou (Canton) around the end of the Qing dynasty. In fact, his father Wong Kei-Ying was one of the Ten Tigers, and Fei Hung was often called "the Tiger after the 10 Tigers of Canton". It is this nickname which led to the error.

He became a legendary hero, and many Hong Kong movies are based on his story. Both Jackie Chan (in Drunken Master I and II, as a trouble-making youth) and Jet Li (as an adult opposed to European influence on China in the Once Upon a Time in China series) played Wong Fei Hung.

From the late 1940's into the 1960's, there was a Wong Fei Hung movie series (shown in Hong Kong only) consisting of more than 100 movies. It is claimed to be the longest movie series ever, and Wong Fei Hung to be the most-portrayed character in movie history. The star at that time was Kwan Tak Hing who gained his nickname "Master Wong" through this movie series. The character of Wong Fei Hong also appeared as a child in the movie Iron Monkey alongside his father (played by Donnie Yen).

A monument exists for him in China.