The Brutal Truth About the Bare-Knuckle Rooftop Fights That Made Wing Chun Famous
For many years, I’ve heard about the rooftop fights in Hong Kong back in the 1950s and early 60s, particularly the exploits of Wong Shun Leung, the undefeated Wing Chun fighter (and the teacher of my teacher’s teacher, or Sitaigung). I also heard that these bouts used to be covered by local newspapers. Since I’m a librarian by trade, for years, I tried to see if I could get a hold of these reports, but ran into difficulties. There were two main problems - I don’t speak or read Chinese and these resources were not on line yet.
However, this year, I’ve been experimenting with various “Large-language model” AI programs, particularly ChatGPT. I decided to see if ChatGPT could find me these resources and translate them for me and sure enough, it could!
Contemporary Newspaper Coverage of the Fights (1950s–60s)
During the 1950s in Hong Kong, Wong Shun Leung engaged in dozens of illegal rooftop challenge matches. These bare-knuckle fights were usually arranged in secret and took place on rooftops or in otherwise secluded areas (sometimes even on a boat off shore), since open prize fights were against the law.
They became an open secret in the martial arts community and local newspapers reported on them. Hong Kong papers like Hung Look Daily News, Jing Bao, and Ming Pao ran detailed reports of the fights in the late 1950s.
In an article in New Wuxia magazine (Issue #54 / 1958) titled “Wong Shun Leung Opens the Door for Wing Chun,” the reporter dubbed him “King of Talking Hands,” a nickname which spread throughout the city. The population of Hong Kong these days is about 7 million – back then it was more like 2 million. In many ways, it was still a small town and stories got around. Due to Sifu Wong’s fights, Wing Chun’s reputation skyrocketed. I’ve heard he fought around 60 times without ever losing, until he decided to stop around 1959.
The newspaper reports of that time typically named the fighters and their styles, detailed the course of the fight, and highlighted key moves or turning points. Because these “private matches” were unofficial, there was no trophy or money involved (aside from the betting), but the newspapers publicized the winners and glorified the action. For example, one bout was described in a paper as follows:
“Wong Shun Leung calmly shifted his lead hand into a bong sau wing-arm block and his rear hand into a tan sau palm-up deflection, intercepting his opponent’s twin straight punches. In the same beat he stepped in and struck the opponent’s neck, forcing him to stumble back.”
Articles would quote the fighters. After one fight, Sifu Wong’s opponent conceded with a compliment – “Brother, your kung fu is good!”
Not every story was identical – different papers sometimes gave conflicting accounts of the same fight. Wong’s fought a White Crane stylist in the late 1950s. This challenge took place at the Kowloon Elizabeth sports ground (a basketball court). It was arranged by a mutual friend who set basic rules: a chalked ring on the ground (stepping out was a penalty), and no strikes to the eyes, throat, or groin.
According to Wong, the White Crane fighter Ni was about 24 years old, 5’7”, weighed 135 lbs, and was very fit. Ni tested the waters with feints and fast “piercing” punches, while Wong relied on Wing Chun’s centerline theory, ignoring fakes and ready to counter any real entry. After a few exchanges, Wong struck Ni in the mouth drawing a bit of blood, which “lit a fire” in Ni. Ni launched a barrage of heavy punches, forcing Wong momentarily on the defensive. Wong then shifted tactics and pressed forward with chain-punches, driving Ni back. Ni retreated out of the chalked boundary after being hit multiple times.
At that moment Wong said he paused, expecting the referee to enforce the out-of-bounds rule, but Ni leapt back in and landed a surprise punch to Sifu Wong’s face, cutting his lip. This set Wong off. He charged Ni, who turned heel and ran away, with Wong in pursuit until spectators intervened. The fight ended without a clear “official” winner due to the chaos.
Newspapers the next day each gave different versions. Some gave the match to Wong and implied Ni ran to avoid a beating while others pointed out Wong had also been bleeding, calling it more of a draw. Everyone agreed it was an extremely intense fight. These fights were the talk of the town and people would debate who won and who lost, further increasing Wong’s fame.
Another widely reported match was Wong Shun Leung’s rooftop duel with a Master Lam around 1958. Lam was a well-known martial artist (some sources say a Northern Mantis instructor) reputed for his power. He was described as 30-ish, 6 feet tall and 200 pounds – far larger than the 5’6” Wong.
Dozens of martial artists crowded onto a Yau Ma Tei tenement rooftop on Shanghai Street to watch this matchup. Terms were set that a knockdown (opponent hitting the floor) meant defeat, and no kicking was allowed. At first, Wong played it safe, knowing the size disadvantage was huge. Lam’s style involved “swallow-spit power” and techniques like backhand strikes, seizing hands, breaking bridge arm, etc., executed with impressive fluidity. Several times, Wong narrowly avoided Lam’s heavy blows with well-timed blocks.
The fight see-sawed without clear advantage for a minute or two. Wong later admitted that facing such a strong opponent pushed him to perform at his very best. Eventually, Lam began to slow slightly, and Wong seized an opening: as Lam threw a big punch, Wong deflected it with a bong sau and simultaneously punched Lam in the chest. Lam reacted instantly, grabbing Wong’s punching arm and twisting. Wong’s body was torqued and he dropped to one knee, his left arm trapped. Had Lam simply shoved him then, Wong would have been toppled and lost. But Lam instead tried to land a finishing blow. This gave Wong a “one-in-a-thousand” chance: from the half-kneeling position, Wong suddenly pivoted and unleashed an upward “threading” punch with his free hand from below. The punch smashed into Lam’s jaw with full force, reportedly knocking out some of Lam’s teeth.
Stunned and injured, Lam flew into a rage, swinging wildly at Wong, driving him back toward a wall. In those final moments, Wong stayed composed. He used pak sau to parry the blows and kept retreating until his back was literally at the wall. With no room left, as Lam threw another heavy punch, Wong side-stepped and used a palm to guide Lam’s fist into the concrete wall.
Lam’s punch struck the wall so hard that it stripped flesh from his knuckles. At the same time Wong drove a right fist straight into Lam’s abdomen. The cumulative damage to Lam’s hand and body shot finally stopped him. This rooftop battle was described as “David vs. Goliath” in the papers, further bolstering WSL’s reputation. One report even noted that Wong’s strategy against the larger man shifted from his usual “inch-power penetrating strikes” to more shock-impact force, aiming to keep an optimal distance and maximize damage to the opponent.
Amazingly, the same night he beat Master Lam, Sifu Wong fought a second challenger, one of Lam’s junior associates who was angered by his elder’s loss. This man (also surname Lam) was smaller (around 5’7″, 140+ lbs) and not as formidable as his teacher. Wong, despite having injured his hand and being exhausted, agreed to face him immediately. Wong went on all-out offense. As soon as the fight began, he rushed the other Lam with a flurry of heavy straight punches, forcing him against the rooftop railing. Eyewitnesses say the outmatched opponent was beaten to tears in under a minute. Wong was so fired up he instinctively raised a knee to kick, but spectators shouted “No kicking!” Wong switched back to punching, stepping in and driving a final fist into the man’s chest so hard that it made him yield on the spot.
The crowd of onlookers, which included some of the defeated fighters’ students, was stunned. An elderly kung fu master present even approached Wong afterward and asked pointedly: “Just now, were you about to kick him?” Wong respectfully explained, “That was merely our Wing Chun stepping-in move, to guard against his kicks.” The old master could only nod, since Wong technically hadn’t broken the rules. The newspapers the next day praised Wong’s ferocity and pragmatism, noting that he “fought on even with an injured hand” and defeated multiple opponents in succession.
Wong Shun Leung’s exploits were not limited to fighting Chinese styles. Press reports indicate he welcomed all challengers, including foreigners and other combat sports enthusiasts. In 1959, he accepted a challenge from a European former professional heavyweight boxer (6’4″, 240 lb, known in Cantonese as “基高” or Geigo). They agreed to fight bare-knuckle under boxing rules with no kicks. According to to the articles, Wong had to adjust his usual Wing Chun approach due to the reach and strength difference. He abandoned trapping in favor of bursting power punches, and focused on striking vital targets. During the fight, Wong repeatedly slammed punches into the boxer’s chest. Eventually, a heavy blow to the heart made the big man feel faint, and he conceded defeat.
Another famous matchup pitted Wong against a Korean Taekwondo expert. This bout took place outdoors in a public park, with spectators forming a ring. Knowing the kicker would rely on powerful long-range kicks, Wong studied the surroundings. In a move reminiscent of Miyamoto Musashi, he noticed there was a stone staircase just a few steps behind his opponent. As soon as the fight began, the Taekwondo man launched a flying kick at Wong, a dramatic aerial attack. Rather than dodging to the side, Wong burst straight in with his arms up guarding his head and body. He absorbed a glancing blow but nullified its force by moving forward. More importantly, Wong’s sudden charge completely upset the kicker’s balance. The TKD guy landed awkwardly and, with Wong’s body slamming into him, he staggered backward off the edge – tumbling down the stone steps behind him. He was knocked out cold in under 30 seconds. Newspapers marveled at how Wing Chun’s simple direct approach had overcome flashy kicking in an instant.
Wong’s last fight was against a martial artist named Yeung Hua in the early 1960s. Yeung was reputed to be a “kung fu all-rounder” who had studied multiple disciplines. Some of sources say he was versed in internal styles like Bak Mei (White Eyebrow). Confident in his abilities, Yeung was extremely arrogant. Upon being introduced to Wong, he looked WSL up and down and scoffed: “Can you even withstand two palm strikes from me? If not, you have no qualification to fight me.”
Wong’s reply became legendary: “Of course I can’t. I can’t even take one palm. But I’m not here to take your strikes – I’m here to hit you.” They squared off in a government Public Works warehouse after hours, with Wong’s patron Wong Kiu and a few others present. At first, both men were cautious. Yeung assumed a “Kirin stance” and poised a Phoenix-Eye Fist, while Wong held a centered Wing Chun guard. Yeung probed with some quick feints and Wong threw a few jabs that made Yeung hop back. Sensing Yeung was also unsure, Wong then burst forward. A flurry of exchanges ensued as Yeung used evasive footwork to circle and tried to grab Wong’s arms. At one moment, Yeung managed to latch onto Wong’s leading arm with his left hand. Wong counter-grabbed and the two men’s right fists began trading blows at close range, but both were slightly off-angle, so neither could land solidly.
Suddenly, Wong executed an unexpected tactic: instead of pulling back to free himself, he “did not retreat but advanced,” rushing in even closer. Caught off-guard, Yeung stumbled back and fell to one knee. Wong swung down in an arc with a heavy right hand. Yeung, whose left arm was still held by Wong, instinctively looked up at that exact moment and Wong’s punch smashed into Yeung’s left eye. Yeung let out a scream and collapsed, his eye badly damaged. Wong had won but at a terrible cost. Yeung Hua’s eyeball was ruptured, leaving him blind in that eye.
This incident deeply affected Wong Shun Leung. Despite his victory, he was wracked with guilt for permanently injuring a fellow martial artist. He immediately swore to “封拳” (seal the fists) effectively retiring from challenge fights. True to his word, after that match in 1961, Wong never fought another rooftop duel. The newspapers did report on the Yeung fight, some hinting that the “Wing Chun vs. Master Yang” fight ended with an eye severely injured, but out of respect they did not name Yeung and kept details sparse. Within Wing Chun circles, however, the story was well known, and it marked the end of an era.
Many modern sources emphasize the impact of Wong’s rooftop victories on Wing Chun’s reputation. In the 1950s, Wing Chun was a relatively new style in Hong Kong (brought by Ip Man in 1949). Wong’s string of high-profile wins “opened the doors” for the Ip Man lineage, proving the effectiveness of Wing Chun against all comers. As noted in New Wuxia in 1958, Wong Shun Leung essentially “helped Wing Chun establish its name” in Hong Kong’s martial world. His opponents came from Taiji, White Crane, Hung Gar, Southern and Northern Mantis, Pak Mei, Dragon Style, Choy Li Fut, other Wing Chun schools, even Western boxing, karate and judo, and he beat them all. The press coverage of these fights made Wong into a local folk hero of sorts, and attracted many new students to learn Wing Chun (notably a young Bruce Lee in 1955). Wong’s own commentary in later years was humble – he saw the beimo fights as a way to “pressure-test and refine” Wing Chun, calling each fight “an experiment outside of training”.
Sources: Contemporary Hong Kong newspaper reports as cited in modern summaries (叶问大弟子黄淳梁凭啥成为香港“讲手王”？看完这个就懂了_王乔) (叶问大弟子黄淳梁凭啥成为香港“讲手王”？看完这个就懂了_王乔); retrospective accounts from Wing Chun practitioners and publications (叶问大弟子黄淳梁凭啥成为香港“讲手王”？看完这个就懂了_王乔) (叶问大弟子黄淳梁凭啥成为香港“讲手王”？看完这个就懂了_王乔) (wingchun1.com詠春第一: 4月 2014) (詠春傳人林海龍 追憶黃淳樑先生(李小龍之授業師兄)概況 | PeoPo 公民新聞); translations of fight descriptions and quotes from Chinese articles on Sohu (叶问大弟子黄淳梁凭啥成为香港“讲手王”？看完这个就懂了_王乔) (叶问大弟子黄淳梁凭啥成为香港“讲手王”？看完这个就懂了_王乔) and Wing Chun blogs.