Huang Sheng-shyan
Master of Fujian White Crane and student of Cheng Man-ch'ing, who founded over 40 taiji schools with about 10,000 students in Singapore and Malaysia.
Quick Facts
SingaporeBiography
Huang Sheng-shyan was born in 1910 in Minhou county in Fujian province and died in December 1992. He is known as a teacher of taiji in Southeast Asia, where he founded over 40 schools with about 10,000 students.
From the age of fourteen he studied Fujian White Crane (baihequan) under Xie Zhongxian, and also luohanquan under Chen Shiting, and while visiting Shanghai he picked up Shaolinquan. Between 1937 and 1945, according to Chinese sources, he led units fighting with the dadao broadsword against Japanese forces. After 1945 he studied the Ziranmen style under Wan Laisheng. In 1947 he moved to Taiwan and became a student of Cheng Man-ch'ing (Zheng Manqing), from whom he took over his 37-posture form of Yang style. According to Robert W. Smith he was considered Cheng Man-ch'ing's most capable student.
He taught taijiquan at National Taiwan University. In 1955 he won the taiji section of a provincial tournament and came second in the open section. In 1956 he emigrated to Singapore, in 1957 he founded the Huang's Taijiquan Society in Kuching, Sarawak, and in the 1960s he moved to Malaysia.
At sixty he defeated the Asian wrestling champion Liao Kuang-cheng 26:0. In a match with Donn F. Draeger, arranged by Robert W. Smith, he lost to a judo choke; Draeger, however, admitted that Huang's pressure had pushed him back about six metres, and his tui shou earned recognition. According to Chinese sources, in 1989 he won fighting and tui shou competitions in the USA.
Teachers, students and family
Associated Martial Arts
A Chinese family of internal martial art styles with slow forms and tuishou, documented from the 17th century in Henan. Zhang Sanfeng is a legend, UNESCO 2020.
Baihequan (Fujian White Crane)Notable figure→Southern Chinese styles from Fujian, traditionally ascribed to the legendary Fang Qiniang. Teachers documented from the 19th century, kata Sanchin shared with Goju-ryu and Uechi-ryu.
Achievements and honours
- Provincial Chinese Martial Arts TournamentNational Championships · 2nd place · 1955