马六甲精武体育会简史

本会创立于1932年春，当时上海中央精武会与雪兰莪精武体育会，黄强亚君与曹尧辉君莅临马六甲号召，由邝建章医生与当届职员等组织成立。起初借用武呀那也街萧氏大厦为临时会址，是时承蒙上海中央精武与雪兰莪精武体育会（现称雪隆精武体育会）先后委派武术教师：魏元峰、欧阳富荣、谭奕嘉、唐文伍、周志成等，在会负责指导武术。由于会务日渐扩展，乃租用武呀那也街160号为正式会所，推行会务，会员日增，异常活动。

迨至日本南侵时期，全马沦陷，当时举凡社会团体，皆停顿活动。光复后，1946年9月由邝建章医生以前任会长名义，向当局申请复办。不久后获比准逐于10月1日复兴会务。当蒙雪兰莪友会购置现在会址地段，租借本会使用，及大力资助。1958年又得到雪兰莪男女友会特派武术组及粤语组莅临，协助举行游艺大会筹款，再行推动会务，如常活动。时至今日，会务之发展，计：体育组（篮球队、乒乓队），武术组（南派武术、醒狮队、北派武术、北狮队），文艺组（中乐科、华语、粤语歌唱组）。

各组之活动：篮球队参加各项友谊赛。乒乓队参加各项友谊赛及野新客属公会主办85年度男女乒乓团体赛，本会男女队荣获双料冠军。北狮队参加甲州武总主办85年度武术龙狮竞艺赛，荣获冠军，及全国武总在雪州举办85年度武术龙狮竞赛，荣获精神奖。南北狮队常受邀前往社团学校纪念会助兴，及农历新年期间登门贺岁。中乐科及粤语组，每年都受到马来西亚广播电台吉隆坡总台邀请前往录音两次，分段播出，以娱听众。及社团纪念会或慈善会邀请临场助庆。

值得一提的是本会曾于1954年8月7日在马六甲极乐园胜利台举办武术表演，舞北狮及口琴演奏以及演出“羞簪夜合花”警世艳情粤剧的义演，为当年的南洋大学筹募建校基金。

于1989年8月4日至6日本会承办了第11届全国精武嘉年华会，阔别14年后，也就是2003年，本会很荣幸的又轮值承办第23届全国精武嘉年华会。连续3天的活动频繁，节目精彩万分，包括百人合唱团，空前在甲州公演的全国精武谭腿大汇操，以及精武文化大汇演。赛会除了基本的武术之外，也包括象棋比赛，书法比赛，乒乓比赛以及水墨画比赛。

经过一番岁月的流逝，本会在过去都有着辉煌的表现，数度代表总会参加与各项赛会都获嘉评，得奖无数。漫长的70年，为本会写下许许多多的光辉灿烂史。

如今本会除了在会内教导武术包括精武基本拳术和国际武术竞赛规定套路之外，还外派武术教练到会外个学校开办武术班，以实际行动推广强身健体的武术运动。

早在1988年本会教练就在培风第二小学开办武术班，并曾经培养出国家选手蔡淑慧，蔡同学大学毕业后工馀回会服务，协助教导及推动本会之武术活动至今，本会武术班逢星期一、三五晚上课。

之后本会教练在马六甲多媒体大学、万里茂华小、圣母女子中学和培风中学开设武术班，多年来在这些学校学习精武武术的学生不少过500人。


上图说明：
前排左五、六为叶振华、施长胜，左八为叶书绅老师，左十为欧阳楚，右三陈林稳舞狮教练，右五梁荣光武术教练，右六郑荣光太极教练。（注：此帧合照为沙巴精武体育会创办人施长胜先生赠送）

霍元甲

       霍元甲（1869—1910）字俊卿，天津静海小南河村人，出身武术之家，排行第四，自幼体弱多病，其父霍恩弟见他实在不是练武的料，便不许他练武，也不让他跨入习武房，求艺心切的霍元甲无奈只能偷看其父与诸兄练武，到了夜深人静，独自一人在枣园里依样练习，从不间断，后经其父与诸兄指点渐入艺境，经十余年披星戴月的磨炼，练就一身高超本领，却深藏不露，无人知晓。霍元甲自幼嫉恶如仇，富有正义感，为人谦虚，待人恭谨，说话诚恳，衣着俭朴，受人尊重。年轻时代以挑担卖柴谋生，当地地痞恶棍经常寻事挑衅。一次霍元甲以武力教训，打败了几十个人，从此，霍元甲在整个天津城名声大增。以后，霍在天津先当码头装卸工，后到淮庆药栈帮工，与药栈掌拒农劲荪成为知友，逐步开阔了爱国修身的视野。

       1901年， 一俄国力士在天津自称“世界第一大力士”，并说“第二是英国人”，“第三是德国人”，霍元甲闻知后，愤然说“我国竟无一人吗” ？ 便挺身而出，前往较量。俄国力士被他的大无畏气概所慑，知非霍的对手，便老老实实登报更正后逃离，大长了中国人的志气。

       1909年冬，西洋大力士奥皮音在上海北四川路52号阿波罗影戏院表演健美时口出狂言，以轻蔑的口吻称华人为“东亚病夫”。 引起了沪上以同盟会骨干陈其美及农劲荪、陈铁生、 陈公哲等为首的爱国人士的极大义愤，经商议邀请霍元甲来沪与奥皮音比试。 1909年12月下旬， 霍元甲偕弟子刘振声抵沪与奥皮音比武。据当时《时报》刊登张园主人设擂比武广告说：“中国大力士霍元甲君为北省拳术之冠，去年在敝园演技三日无不称赞。” 奥皮音闻讯托辞要去外埠，故相约于次年春比高低。

       1910年4月，霍元甲偕其徒刘振声第二次抵沪， 经数度商洽，订立生死条款，再一次约奥皮音在张园搭架擂台比武 。但奥皮音害怕霍元甲的高强武艺，仍失约未到， 不战而遁。自此，霍元甲威名大振，扬名沪上。

       同盟会成员陈其美运筹帷幄，顺势提出“希望十年内训练出千万名既有强健体魄， 又有军事技能的青年以适应大规模革命运动和改良军事的需要。经商议，决定创办 中国精武体操会（上海精武体育会前身），农劲荪任会长， 霍元甲主持武术技击训练并习军事。1910年6月以霍元甲的名义在《时报》上刊登上述消息。我国第一个民间体育组织诞生了。

       建会不久霍元甲偕徒刘振声应邀与日本柔道师切磋技艺，交手时不慎误伤了对方，无意中与日本人结下怨恨。正当霍元甲主持精武体操学校，精心培养骨干，以图大展伟业之机，却遭到日本人的陷害，误服了日人的“慢性烂肺药”不幸英年早逝，为精武事业献出了宝贵的生命。霍元甲自应邀来沪至被日人所害，时仅六个月。悲哉，痛哉。

       霍元甲是精武体育会的先驱和精神支柱。

Chin Woo History

       Grandmaster Huo YuanJia (1869 – 1910) was the founder of Chin Woo Athletic Association. He was the fourth child in the family of 10 brothers and sisters and was born in the Xiao Nan He village on the outskirts of Tianjin. His father, Huo EnDi, was a well-known martial artist who served as a bodyguard for caravans travelling to the Northeast. During his childhood, he suffered from yellow jaundice so his father refused to teach him, as it would be too risky in case he lost a fight and the family lost face. Instead, his father encouraged him to be a scholar, meanwhile instructing all his other healthier brothers in Wushu. Young Huo YuanJia was therefore forced to hide behind bushes, watching his father teach and he practised on his own for the next 10 years.

       One day, a man who had received a beating from Huo EnDi when he was working as a guard, turned up to offer him a rematch. Huo EnDi was now fifty and had a rheumatic complaint and was unable to fight, so the eldest sons fought for him. All of them were beaten and the situation became very serious and rather embarrassing. As the challenger started to gloat, the "untrained" Huo YuanJia stepped up, gave him a sound thrashing and saved his family from losing face. His father was astonished at his son's skill and bravery, and from then on taught him everything he knew.

       In 1901, there was a Russian wrestler in Tianjin who claimed to be the strongest man in the world. The wrestler had openly insulted the Chinese, calling them "Asian weaklings" because no one would accept his challenge to a fight. Huo YuanJia accepted the challenge but the wrestler forfeited the match, which was widely publicised by newspapers.

       During that time, China was in a state of turmoil. It was the end of the Qing Dynasty and China was weak and politically confused. The country was suffering from one natural disaster after another on top of oppression. The Chinese people were regarded as invalids because of the miserable economic conditions. Many foreigners arrived and referred to the Chinese as the "Sick Men of Asia". Phrases such as 'No Dogs and Chinese Allowed' were widely used by the foreigners that were occupying territories in China by force.

       Numerous foreign martial arts schools that arrived in China such as western boxing and Japanese martial arts made the situation worse. They challenged the various Wushu schools and defeated them in fights. This was not helped by the tradition among Wushu masters to teach their skills to a few students. These students may then pass their skills to one or two students. Wushu was therefore limited to a selected few. The skills would be lost if the selected ones did not pass their skills down to anyone. Hence, the standard of Wushu skills in China steadily deteriorated over the years.

       In 1909, Hercules O'Brien, an American boxer of Irish descent was sent to Shanghai and was giving performances of his power. Along with demonstrating his strength, he would issue challenges of hand to hand combat to any Chinese willing to take him on, but in Shanghai no master was strong enough to beat him. Later, some Chinese people invited Master Huo to Shanghai to accept the challenge. O'Brien, however, fell victim to fear and left without competing. Thus, Huo YuanJia's fame has spread far and wide. Master Huo then challenged all the various foreign martial arts organisations. None were able to overcome his skills. He then felt that he must do more to restore the pride and morale of the nation. He believed that when the Chinese people are healthy, the whole nation would become strong again.

       Master Huo started Chin Woo Physical Training School in Shanghai in 1909 to allow all Chinese the opportunity to learn Chinese martial arts and strengthen themselves in order to defend the country. He named his school "Chin Woo" - "Chin" meaning "high spirit" and "Woo" meaning "martial art". His objective was to provide the people of China with the essence of Chinese martial arts with the aim of cultivating knowledge, benevolence and courage and improving the health of the people, in addition to continuing the spread and preservation of Wushu skills.

       As word of his victories spread, so did the Chin Woo spirit. Unfortunately, when Master Huo became ill, his opponents, all of whom had lost to him in fair fights, plotted to murder him. A Japanese doctor provided him some medicine with poison inside and Master Huo passed away on 9 August 1910. He was only 41 years old. Master Huo became a national hero and his name is still revered and honoured as a great martial artist fighter.

       Undaunted by Master Huo's death, Mr. Chen GongZhe, Mr. Yao ChanBo and Mr. Lu WeiChang reopened the Chin Woo school. Master Huo’s younger brother, Mr. Huo YuanXiang, and his son, Mr. HuoTong Ker, continued to teach at the Chin Woo Association and later invited many famous martial-arts masters from Long Fist, Eagle Claw, Praying Mantis and other specialised schools to teach in Chin Woo. These include Liu ZhengSheng, Zhao HanJie, Zhao LianHe, Zhang FuQuan, Lee ZhengJiang, Ye FengKhi, Chen WeiXian, Sun ZhanXuan, Huo YuanQing, Lee ZhanFeng, Sun YuFeng, Huo DongGe, Zhao LianCheng, Zhao GuanYong, Ye ShuTian, Chen ZiZheng, Luo GuangYu, Lee YuTing, Liu ZhiXiang, Lee JianMing, Lee LianChun and Wu JianQuan.

       Therefore Chin Woo became a famous and popular martial-arts association in Shanghai. In 1915, the members bought a new building, reorganised the school and renamed it "The Chin Woo Athletic Association". Many provinces opened their own Chin Woo branches and in 1918 the Hong Kong Chin Woo Athletic Association was formed.

       In July 1919, Shanghai Chin Woo Association sent five representatives to Southeast Asia to perform a missionary program to expand the Chin Woo activities overseas. They were Chen GongZhe, Li HuiSheng, Luo XiaoAo, Chen ShiZhao, and Ye ShuTian. They made their first stop in Saigon, Vietnam. There, they opened the first Chin Woo School and later more were established in parts of Malaysia and Singapore. To prove their skills, they were often required to give demonstrations or accept challenges. By 1923, these five Chin Woo Masters had opened Chin Woo schools all over Southeast Asia and visited nine different countries.

       Currently Chin Woo is one of the largest Wushu organisations in the world with branches in China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Poland, Canada, UK, USA, Australia, New Zealand and Japan. The art and culture of Chinese martial arts is becoming more widespread everyday and valued relationships are growing between an ever increasing number of countries.

The Five Chin Woo Emissaries