As the fourth generation in his family to learn White Crane kung fu, Andrew Clifford Pong King-fung has been entrusted with the responsibility of carrying on the legacy.
Pong shared how a childish dream shaped his love for the discipline.
“As a kid, I aspired to be a superhero because I loved watching heroes on screens or in animations,” recalled the 32-year-old action actor, who has been performing on film sets since the age of six.
“That dream inspired me to explore different styles of martial arts, such as taekwondo and gymnastics.”
One of Pong’s heroes is martial arts pioneer Bruce Lee because they are both mixed-race and grew up in the United States.
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“Lee’s martial arts philosophy united both sides of the world. I have seen children in the US learning kung fu after being inspired by his [legacy],” said the Australian-born American actor. “His work influenced the Western world to learn about Chinese culture.”
Inspired by how Lee promoted kung fu through film, Pong and three of his friends founded the New Era Martial Club in Quarry Bay last December. In addition to martial arts classes, it offers professional movie stunt courses, which are rare 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.”
New generation of martial arts talent
Hong Kong martial arts films with kung fu stars such as Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, and Jet Li Lianjie, have wowed global audiences since the 1970s.
But the city has not been producing as many martial arts movies as it did in its heyday, and Pong noted that fewer young people showed interest in this cultural heritage. He explained that Hong Kong students had little time to pursue extracurricular activities like kung fu since the education system emphasised academics.
“Even if young individuals have an interest in learning kung fu as they grow up, they may have missed the golden age, which could make it more challenging for them to master the art,” Pong lamented.
The fight to keep Hong Kong heritage and Hakka kung fu alive
To develop a new generation of martial arts stars, Pong’s club has a team of 13 professional tutors, including experienced stunt performers and British army veterans. They even teach people how to use prop guns and do wire work, which is when actors are attached to wires and look like they are flying.
Besides these movie stunt training courses, the club also offers martial arts classes, from karate to taekwondo, as well as lion dance.
Pong emphasised that there are many life lessons to learn from martial arts: “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 is a discipline that allows you to appreciate the moment.”
‘Kung fu belongs to everyone’
In July, Hong Kong wushu athlete Samuel Hui won a gold medal at the World University Games in Chengdu. Pong noted that Hui’s success inspired people to learn more about this competitive Chinese martial art, leading to increased enrolment in lessons at his club.
One newcomer is 11-year-old Hanson Huang Peng who joined the movie stunt course three months ago.
Although Hanson has learned taekwondo before, he said the course gave him a new perspective on martial arts and action cinema.
“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,” said the student from Ko Lui Secondary School.
Not only has the course taught Hanson a new point of view, but it has also had a positive impact on his abilities: “I feel stronger. When I attended the PE lesson at school, I could feel my improvement physically.”
Looking ahead, Pong is optimistic about the future of Hong Kong’s action movie scene and culture.
“I hope the city’s kung fu movies will come back [to their peak] 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.”
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