How many kung fu stars were real martial arts masters?

[GOLDEN DRAGON YIN-YANG]

There are plenty of opera trained kung fu movie stars.

Thanks to everyone who contributed on that thread.

How many real martial arts MASTERS were kung fu movie stars?

I wonder if the list will be longer than the opera trained kung fu movie stars.

Thanks GD Y-Y

[Secret Executioner]

Korean kicker Hwang Jang Lee is a 7th dan in taekwondo IIRC.

[yojimbo]

Real martial arts master by what definition?

Having learned, competed, or have an actual title of master?

[clfnole]

Masters would be a stretch for many however many had substanial martial arts backgrounds. Some that would likely be considered masters would include:

Yuen Siu Tien

Shek Kin

Lau Kar Leung

[reason108]

Well, I guess that we should also include Lau Kar Wing and Gordon Liu.

Chen Kuan-tai

Ti Lung

[yojimbo]

Bruce Lee.

Gordon Liu is related to Lau Kar Leung on his mother's side.

[fatcat]

Masters would be a stretch for many however many had substanial martial arts backgrounds. Some that would likely be considered masters would include:

Yuen Siu Tien

Shek Kin

Lau Kar Leung

Where have we seen Yuen Siu Tien and Shek Kin? Pardon my ignorance, but I have to ask, just because they are mentioned with Lau Kar Leung.

[thekfc]

Where have we seen Yuen Siu Tien and Shek Kin? Pardon my ignorance, but I have to ask, just because they are mentioned with Lau Kar Leung.

IIR, Yuen Siu Tien (patriarch of the Yuen Clan) was opera trained - not sure of his martial arts background.

Shek Kin do have a martial arts background - he trained from an early age at Chin Woo and eventually becoming certified to be an instructor.

[fatcat]

aaah the drunken master, ok.

[Tex Killer]

Korean kicker Hwang Jang Lee is a 7th dan in taekwondo IIRC.

How about another TKD stylist, Tan Tao Liang?

[Asmo]

Gordon Liu is related to Lau Kar Leung on his mother's side.

No he's not. He was a student of Lau Jaam's school. Lau Jaam's wife/LKL's mother liked him and adopted him as her godson.

There are more in depth explanations around here.

[yojimbo]

No he's not. He was a student of Lau Jaam's school. Lau Jaam's wife/LKL's mother liked him and adopted him as her godson.

There are more in depth explanations around here.

Checked google/Wikipedia. That pretty much about sums it up.

[DrNgor]

I'm going to guess that the Korean actors (Huang In-Sik, Ji Hon-Jae, and the aforementioned Hwang Jang Lee and Tan Tao Liang, among others) were all masters.

Chen Kuan-Tai teacher made a couple of films and he was a real monkey fist master. Hsiu Cheng Chen, was it?

Lo Meng wasn't Opera Trained, but was trained in Chow Gar, IIRC.

I think Michael Chan Wai-Man was also trained in some northern styles and eventually became an instructor.

[thekfc]

With martial background thou some may not be considered masters. Some became. instructors

Chi Kuan-Chun

John Liu

Sadaho Maeda (aka Sonny Chiba)

Yasuaki Kurata

Bolo Yang Sze

Chen Sing

[GOLDEN DRAGON YIN-YANG]

Real martial arts master by what definition?

Having learned, competed, or have an actual title of master?

Masters is what I mean. REAL KF Masters yes indeedy.

Thanks everyone.

GD Y-y

[GOLDEN DRAGON YIN-YANG]

How about another TKD stylist, Tan Tao Liang?

Yes!

GD Y-Y

[GOLDEN DRAGON YIN-YANG]

With martial background thou some may not be considered masters. Some became. instructors

Chi Kuan-Chun

John Liu

Sadaho Maeda (aka Sonny Chiba)

Yasuaki Kurata

Bolo Yang Sze

Chen Sing

I figured Chen Sing would be in this list.

Thanks.

Gd Y-Y

[NoKUNGFUforYU]

My understanding is that Larry Lee, not a huge star, was still highly ranked in Goju. You guys are also forgetting Bruce Leung. That dude was a die hard martial arts guy, I am pretty sure he was 4th or 5th degree in Goju, as well as various styles of Kung Fu. That guy that played Wong Fei Hung forever was a master of 10 animal styles and wrote a few books on Kung Fu. Sammo Hung is considered a serious practitioner/master as well as Donnie Yen. I don't know if you would consider her a master, but Polly Kuan having a black belt in Judo, Tae Kwon do, and Karate would be damn close, considering she knew Kung fu and fencing as well.

[Chinatown Kid]

Anyone who is a Taekwondo stylist that holds a fourth degree or above is considered a Master. I believe seventh dan and above is Grandmaster. Im currently a third dan and been one for way to long. Need to take the time to learn that damn form and get refreshed on the lower ones. I just want to practice fighting techniques when I train lol.

[Asmo]

Chen Kuan-Tai teacher made a couple of films and he was a real monkey fist master. Hsiu Cheng Chen, was it?

That's correct. I'm not sure of the Mandarin but his name in Cantonese is Chan Sau Chung.

[Chinatown Kid]

Yes I believe he was in Duel of the 7 Tigers.....

[GOLDEN DRAGON YIN-YANG]

Thank you all for your input.

GD Y-Y

[NoKUNGFUforYU]

Doesn't Duel of the 7 Tigers open up posting each actors cred's? That would be a good place to start. Also, remember, a lot of the old school actors got there start in Chinese Opera, which has some martial arts instruction, but not enough to become a "master". Another point is that what might have made you a "master" then would not make you one post Bruce Lee. I find it interesting that Chinese Wrestling (Shaiu Jiao) was very popular back in the olden days but almost no one uses it in the movies, instead it is Hung Gar uber alles. Reading some of the scholarly works on Chinese Martial Arts, some of the most influential styles are internal- Tai Chi, Hsing Yi, Pa Kua, etc- and are either never used, or, demonstrated as something magical.

PS, A ton of the guys and gals that are in Jet Li's first few movies would be considered masters, on another level entirely from even Jackie Chan etc at the time.

[AlbertV]

Hwang Jang-Lee is now a 9th-degree black belt in TKD. He earned it in 2003. He trains alongside kung fu star Chang Il-Do (aka Chang Yi-Tao aka Bruce Lai), who is also a 9th-degree TKD black belt.

Yasuaki "David" Kurata holds a 7th dan in Karate, a 3rd-dan in Judo, and a 2nd-dan in Aikido.

One film stars Jhoon Rhee (When Tae Kwon Do Strikes) and Byong Yu (The Association) are grandmasters in Tae Kwon Do. Rhee holds a 10th-degree black belt and Yu holds an 8th degree black belt. Yu holds belts in judo, hapkido, and tang soo do.

[fatcat]

Hwang Jang-Lee is now a 9th-degree black belt in TKD. He earned it in 2003. He trains alongside kung fu star Chang Il-Do (aka Chang Yi-Tao aka Bruce Lai), who is also a 9th-degree TKD black belt.

Yasuaki "David" Kurata holds a 7th dan in Karate, a 3rd-dan in Judo, and a 2nd-dan in Aikido.

One film stars Jhoon Rhee (When Tae Kwon Do Strikes) and Byong Yu (The Association) are grandmasters in Tae Kwon Do. Rhee holds a 10th-degree black belt and Yu holds an 8th degree black belt. Yu holds belts in judo, hapkido, and tang soo do.

WoW! Some bad mofos!! Great info:nerd: