Andrew Clifford Pong King-fung is the fourth generation in his family to learn White Crane kung fu, and he has been entrusted with the responsibility of continuing this legacy.
Pong is a 32-year-old action actor and has been performing on film sets since he was six years old.
“As a kid, I aspired to be a superhero because I loved watching heroes on screens or in animations,” Pong said. “That dream inspired me to explore different styles of martial arts.”
One of his heroes is the martial arts pioneer, Bruce Lee. They both come from mixed-race families and grew up in the United States. Pong was inspired by how Lee promoted kung fu in movies.
In 2022, he and his friends opened the New Era Martial Club. They teach people to do stunts, which are exciting moves that look dangerous in films. This type of class is tough to find in Hong Kong.
“[The club’s] core value is to preserve martial arts and the spirit of Hong Kong’s action movies,” Pong said. “I hope it not only helps people achieve physical fitness but also teaches the next generation about the fighting spirit and never giving up.”
Martial arts lessons
Pong’s club has 13 teachers, including experienced stunt performers and British army veterans. They even teach people how to use fake guns and do wire work, which is when actors attached to wires look like they are flying.
There are many life lessons to learn from martial arts. Pong said: “You need to put a lot of effort into the discipline, which is something that I find the younger generation lacking nowadays due to distractions like technology.”
“Martial arts ... allows you to appreciate the moment.”
One student is 11-year-old Hanson Huang Peng who joined the movie stunt course last August. He is a pupil at Ko Lui Secondary School.
“It is very different from what I have seen in the movies. It is fun to learn about the guns and wire work ... I have gained an understanding of the hardship behind the action scenes,” Hanson said.
The course taught Hanson a new point of view and improved his abilities: “I feel stronger. When I attended the PE [physical education] lesson at school, I could feel my improvement.”
Looking ahead, Pong is hopeful about the future of Hong Kong’s action films.
“I hope the city’s kung fu movies will come back and the new generation can inject a new element into action cinema,” he said. “Kung fu belongs to everyone – it is something to be celebrated.”
Find the words in the puzzle below to test your understanding of the vocabulary in this story.
Suggested answers
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Quick question: Wing Chun, because it has a long history and is often seen in Hong Kong’s action movies, especially the ones starring Bruce Lee. (accept other reasonable answers)
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Think about it: We can support and watch action films made by Hongkongers. By watching these movies, we can appreciate the skills of the actors and the unique style of Hong Kong action scenes. Also, we can encourage young people to learn martial arts and get involved in the movie industry.
