Martial Arts Website

Chau Qwan Ky

The deceased grandmaster CHAU QUAN KY and his apprentice master PHAM XUAN TONG

Master CHAU QUAN KY was born in the year of the blessing 1895 in the province Quang Dong in China. His family belonged to the clan of the Hakka, who were estimated as stone-carvers all over china. This clan possessed and treasured enviously its own practice of martial arts and traditional medicine. At a very young age master CHAU QUAN KY lost his father. His mother, who couldn't raise him, gave him away to his uncle, who promised to raise him. This uncle was an honourable monk of Taoism who ran a big martial art school ... CHAU QUAN KY showed remarkable abilities for martial arts from early on. His technique level was extraordinary and surprised his environment. He followed the work of his uncle and added his own experiences to it. In 1936 he has to leave China over Hong Kong. He went to a town called Tra Vinh in the south of Viêt Nam, adding to the group of Chinese living there. His greatness in martial arts as well as his knowledge in medicine make him well known in the region. Soon his reputation will cross South-Viêt Nam.

During a public celebration two Chinese perform a little impressive demonstration of martial arts Since the promoter doesn't want to loos his face, he asks CHAU QUAN KY to show them a more realistic idea of Chinese martial art. Despite some hesitation he performed and amazed the audience.. The two other performers doubt the effectiveness of his style challenge him and lose the fight within seconds ... A lot of Chinese asked the master to be accepted as students, and for a long time master CHAU QUAN KY would reveal his knowledge to Chinese only. In 1956 he settled in Cho Lon, a part of Saigon to work as a natural healer and perform acupuncture. Some time later he funds a temple of Taoism following the bids of his fellow countryman in Gia Dinh, where he becomes a master of ceremony of the death cult. His functions are diverse, organising ceremonies and taking care of the believers coming to the temple.

At this time master CHAU QUAN KY meets our master, the very young Pham Xuan Tong, who became one of the first apprentices at that time ... Later master CHAU QUAN KY accepts the advice of his friends (grandmaster Lai Qui, Le Van Kien, Long Ho Hoi, Pham Tru) and applies for Vietnamese citizenship and enters the martial art society (Tong Cuoc Quyen Thuat Viêt Nam) to create his first public school Vo Duong Ho Hac Trao ... After 1968 he starts feeling ill while he is still exploring the control of energy. He writes his testament. Master Pham Xuan Tong's father, a good friend of his, finds him motionless in his house as he wanted to visit him; master CHAU QUAN KY dies a few hours later in the hospital of Cho Ray as a result of a brain-stroke ... Now, it's master PHAM XUAN TONG in France, who he chose as his successor and who was given CHAU QUAN KY`s testament and a part of his books, that he had written during his life.

At the age of ten the young Tong gets to know the man, who is going to change his life and bring him to the infinite world of martial arts.: the honourable master CHAU QUAN KY. The study schedule with daily training-units after school is very hard., from the age of fourteen young Tong learns from master CHAU QUAN KY the knowledge of traditional Chinese medicine (phytotherapy), acupuncture and osteopathic. At this age the young Tong passes the SO-CAP-exam (black belt - first Dang) - a degree no young apprentice has ever received before. Besides that he is taught the method of Vietnamese martial arts in familiar tradition by his uncle PHAM TRU from Da Nang, a region in the centre of Viêt Nam. He also takes lessons with others of his uncle's friends, master LONG HO HOI and master PHAN TRANH SU, which allow him to widen his already great repertoire and to work on perfection. At the age of nineteen he participates in several competitions winning a number of them. Gradually, following his master's advice, he dedicates himself to research and his studies.