Sum Num

(Chinese: 岑能 pinyin: C¨¦n N¨¦ng; Yale Cantonese: Sam4 Nang4; Shum Lung also transliterated "Sum Nung") was the only Diciple of the great Wing Chun Master of Foshan Yuan Kay Shan? (阮奇山).

In 1926, Grandmaster Sum Nung was born in Peru, South America. He came back to China to visit Family when he was 5. During his visit, Japan was attacking China in 2nd World War. The communication between overseas and China was terminated. Master Sum lost contact with his parents and was suddenly turned from being rich, to being a poor, over night.

Little Sum Nung was living with his grandmother in China poorly from that time on.

When Master Sum was 12, he got introduced to work in a Chinese restaurant as a junior. In Foshan, he worked at the Tin Hoi Restaurant where, in 1938, he met and began learning Wing Chun from Cheung Bo. In 1941, Cheung Bo introduced Sum Nung to Yuen Kay Shan, and Sum Nung became Yuen's only disciple.

Sum Nung developed a great reputation for the quality of his Wing Chun and in 1943 began teaching in Foshan at the Deep Village Temple to students such as Sum Jee. In the late 1940s he moved to the city of Guangzhou where he taught Wing Chun to members of several local Workers Unions.In 1947, he taught Wing Chun at Guangzhou Machinery Union. The next year, he opened a herbal clinic on Daisun Street and ran a martial art school. Many Wing Chun practitioners in Guangzhou? nowadays descend from this branch.Due to Master Sum's power in application, Sum gained the nickname Tiet Bei Nung (Tie Bi Neng, Iron Arm Nung).

Over the years, he quietly taught carefully selected students. Sum Nung has gone on to train many outstanding students who have helped preserve and spread his style around the world. Some of his many students include Sum Jee, Cheung Chut (the son of Cheung Bo), Kwok Jin Fen?, Leung King-Chiu (Leung Dai Chiu?), Dong Chuen Kam?, Ngo Lui Kay?, Kwok Wah Ping, Lee Chi Yiu?, Wong Wah (Tom Wong) and many, many others.

Sum Nung passed away in November, 2002 leaving a huge vacume in the Wing Chun community, that will never be filled.

Sources:

  • Written and oral accounts of Sum Nung Wing Chun Kuen Family
    • William Mah
    • Yun hoi
    • Ngo Lo Kay
  • New Martial Hero
  • Wulin magazine
  • Foshan and Guangzhou Jing Wu.