Introducing Us
The Legacy of a Choy Lay Fut Patriot
In Memory Of The Legendary Buck Sing Choy Lay Fut Fighter Master Dave Lacey
Since his much-publicized 1961 bare-knuckle challenge fight match in Hong Kong at the age of 20 with a 28-year-old kung fu master, Dave Lacey has become not only one of the most celebrated figures in Choy Lay Fut but also one of the most well-known figures in the Hong Kong Chinese Martial Arts circles and that of Far East Asia where many still remember him as the renowned “Black Panther of Choy Lay Fut.” His many years of dedication to kung fu training, teaching and propagating Choy Lay Fut has spanned over 60 years but even with his worldwide reputation, Master Lacey said he was still learning and finding ways to improve his skills and techniques to impeccable heights and has over the last 40 years been a devoted innovator of the Choy Lay Fut fighting arts.
Dave and Bruce
At the beginning of 1959 Bruce left Hong Kong for the United States but on the night before he boarded the liner for a new life in America, the 18-year-old Bruce visited Dave at his home in Kimberly Road, Kowloon to bid farewell to his friend. Bruce talked of finding fame in America and Dave remembered clearly Bruce’s words that night when he said, “When I get to America I will become famous with my kung fu.” Although only 18, Bruce Lee was full of ambition and determination to succeed in his quest for recognition and fame in America.
By the end of 1959 Richard Leung also left Hong Kong to further his studies in Washington DC, America but after much persuasion from Bruce, he later moved to Seattle where the two got together to train martial arts and exchange kung fu knowledge. Towards the later part of the 1960’s Bruce became disorientated with his kung fu style Wing Chun and set about to develop his own fighting style comprising of several oriental martial arts styles (Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Thai, etc.) and western boxing. He named his martial arts system “Jeet Kuen Do”.
Master Lai Hung
In 1959, filled with the desire to learn a more dynamic and exciting fighting style Master Lacey decided to take up the reputable fighting art of Choy Lay Fut under Master Lai Hung, a renowned young master fighter whose fierce reputation earned him the nicknames of “Crazy Hung” and “Daredevil Hung”. As part of a Hong Kong team of martial arts fighters sent to Taiwan for the “1957 Far East Asia Full Contact Championships”, Lai Hung and his Si-Hing (fellow senior student) Chan Woo Leung representing the Choy Lay Fut school returned home to a hero’s welcome after defeating Taiwan’s top fighters in a 4-day Tournament described as a “bloodbath” where contestants fought with fingerless leather mitts.
In 1959 there was still a strong resentment towards the foreigners (arising from the 1900 Boxer Rebellion which was crushed by the armed forces of the Foreign Legations stationed in Peking and the nearby regions) amongst the many kung fu masters in the British Colony of Hong Kong, who for decades vowed not to teach their secret fighting arts to non-pure Chinese. Therefore it was unheard of for anyone other than of pure Chinese origin to be officially or legitimately learning martial arts from a Chinese Kung Fu master in the 1950’s.
Master Lai Hung however took a keen interest in Dave who was of British-Chinese parentage (who spoke fluent Cantonese) and accepted him as a disciple. From the first time he saw Lai Hung’s amazing speed and power Dave knew he had found the teacher and martial arts style he was searching for. The strenuous training was a grueling new experience for Dave whose tired aching body left him exhausted for days after his private day training sessions with Master Lai Hung but he knew he had to keep persevering under the watchful eye of his teacher who was very persistent and strict in the disciplines of Choy Lay Fut Training.
The initial stage (first few weeks) of training were the toughest but once the aches and pain subsided, Dave was able to more fully appreciate what he was learning and began to spend more of his leisure time on his martial arts training to improve the skills he acquired from his Sifu.
Master Kong Hing
In the few months that followed was to see another turning point in Dave’s life. Master Lai Hung told Dave he could no longer give him private tuition during the day because of a change in his work shift with the Bus Company he was working for.
Realizing that Dave was not allowed out during weekday nights to attend kung fu classes in the evenings at his school, Master Lai Hung made arrangements for him to continue private training under a close Choy Lay Fut colleague of his, a reputable fighter by the name of Kong Hing. Thus, began another chapter in Dave’s life as he began training under his new instructor whose teachings and prowess as a kung fu fighter inspired and made Dave even more determined to excel in Choy Lay Fut. The mutual liking and respect they had for each other and Choy Lay Fut formed a very close bond of friendship between the two and they became like blood brothers. Whenever Dave was engaged in a challenge fight match with guys from street gangs or rival martial arts schools, Kong Hing was always there to watch the fights.
The Choy Lay Fut fighting techniques of Lai Hung and Kong Hing were unique as both were from the Buck Sing branch of Choy Lay Fut, a more dominantly combat oriented fighting arts developed by the famous fighter and innovator of Choy Lay Fut, Master Tarm Sarm. His experience in dueling matches with fighters of other kung fu styles enabled Tarm to develop new fighting techniques using the “charp chui” (panther fist) punch, which became a trademark of Tarm Sarm and helped the name of Choy Lay Fut to thunder throughout the whole middle of Southern China. Out of the great respect they had for him, Tarm’s students referred to his innovative fighting art of Choy Lay Fut as “Buck Sing Choy Lay Fut” as a tribute to his great reputation and that of his school, the Buck Sing Gwoon.
Learning Choy Lay Fut became a great passion for Dave and he devoted much of his spare time to mastering the exciting and dynamic moves and techniques Kong Hing had taught him. Though Kong Hing was not officially his “Sifu”, Dave looked up to him as his new teacher and mentor. Kong Hing not only passed on his superb martial arts skills to Dave but also his martial arts philosophy and wisdom. As a martial arts instructor and spiritual mentor, Kong Hing was instrumental in molding Dave into one of the world’s most famous and respected Choy Lay Fut masters over the past six decades.
Although Dave was never really able to “officially” call Kong Hing his Sifu, his overwhelming feeling of respect and gratitude for his teacher and mentor compelled him to later (in 1963) officially acknowledge Kong Hing as his Sifu for having been the one responsible for teaching him most of his martial arts knowledge and fighting skills. For Dave, it was a debt to Kong Hing that he felt was long overdue.
Hong Kong's Street Gangs and Martial Arts Feuds
People take up martial arts for various reasons but for Dave it was predominantly for self defense. Growing up as a teenager in the 1950’s in Hong Kong in an environment of antisocial tension he found himself a favorite target for street confrontations and fights with hostile street gang members or other individuals seeking a reputation for themselves as tough guys. As he didn’t belong to any street gang, Dave realized that his only option was to learn the dynamic fighting art of Choy Lay Fut, a style originally developed for warfare and therefore had to be both practical and effective. It was not surprising that in the early 1960’s Bruce Lee told his students, “Choy Lay Fut is the most effective system I’ve seen for fighting more than one person and is one of the most difficult styles to attack and to defend against” (quoted in the book “Bruce Lee” by Jesse Glover in 1976). These and other comments Bruce made back in 1958 in Hong Kong incited Dave to learn Choy Lay Fut in early 1959.
After the Communist takeover of China in 1949, many kung fu masters were among the thousands of Nationalists who fled the mainland to start a new life in the British Colony of Hong Kong. With the surgence of many Chinese Martial Arts schools in the 1950’s it was inevitable that challenges erupted between rival feuding Kung Fu schools. As martial arts tournaments were outlawed in the British Colony in the 50’s and 60’s, many young kung fu students who were eager to test their fighting skills and defend the name of their school and kung fu style engaged in secretly held “challenge” or “grudge” matches against martial artists of rival kung fu schools.
In those days news circulated very quickly in certain circles of Hong Kong and Dave’s reputation as a defiant and reputable kung fu fighter was well known but it was not until after he started learning the Choy Lay Fut fighting arts that Dave began to feel an immense sense of self-confidence and pride in his martial arts. This and the great inspiration Lai Hung and Kong Hing gave him motivated him to the point where kung fu training became an addiction and a part of his daily life, driven by the thought that he must always be prepared for the ever present and on going hostilities that always seem to confront him. His defiance towards his aggressors, whether they be arrogant street punks or rival martial arts practitioners, incited challenges being issued. Most of these grudge matches took place on the rooftop of buildings. It was one of these grudge fight matches that took place on a Saturday afternoon in September of 1959 on the rooftop (the very same one Bruce, Dave and the others used to go after school to practice martial arts) that Richard Leung first witnessed Dave’s ferocity and skills as a reputable Choy Lay Fut fighter at a time when Dave had undergone only 6 months training in Choy Lay Fut.
Dave had challenged two guys from the “Kowloon Tong” gang because of an incident in which one of them had cowardly kneed Dave’s brother in the groin during a verbal confrontation outside the cinema. Of the two, only one dared show up for the fight – the one who attacked Dave’s brother. He came with four others and had begged Richard to come along as a mediator for him. Dave insisted the grudge be settled with fists. When Richard attempted to lay down some rules for the fight, Kong Hing shouted, “What bloody rules!?! No rules, fight!” With that, Kong Hing’s fierce voice asserted his authority as he commanded the fight to begin with no further interruption. On seeing Dave’s unique fighting stance, Chan Woo Leung who was present, commented that the fight would end quickly. Dave’s shrewd fighting techniques enabled him to hit his opponent at will that left him defenseless and impossible for him to get close without being hit. In pain, and knowing he could no longer go on, he raised his arms and uttered, “I surrender!”. The fight lasted 45 seconds in which time Dave’s opponent never once touched him. This humiliating defeat stunned Richard who had helped coach Dave’s opponent for the fight by teaching him some Choy Lay Fut techniques. What Richard saw that day was later related to his friend Bruce Lee in America.
The most frequent hostile confrontations Dave encountered were with the two Portuguese (Macau or Hong Kong born) gangs of the Tsimshatsui district of Kowloon where he lived. One of the leaders of the two gangs was known by the name of Koonya and the other by the nickname “Bark Gong” (reportedly because he was infatuated by a Chinese female singer by that name). As most of the Portuguese lived in and around the Tsimshatsui area, it was inevitable that wherever he ventured from his home in Kimberly Road, Dave would come across arrogant members of these two local gangs. These hostile confrontations weren’t limited to the streets of Kowloon. It happened at the cinema and even in the grounds of Rosary Church after Sunday mass.
Dave Challenged Portuguese Gang Leader
The ongoing feud with the Portuguese gangs eventually led Dave to challenge Koonya, the leader of one gang and a long-time arch enemy. It happened one Sunday afternoon when Dave and Koonya had a bitter confrontation after bumping into each other on Nathan Road. Dave was prepared to fight him right there on the main road or around the corner in Austin Avenue but Koonya declined saying he didn’t want to get into trouble with the law as he had a police record for fighting. Koonya suggested they go to King’s Park to fight but Dave said, “What’s wrong with fighting right here and now?” He wasn’t going to go to King’s Park where there was a Portuguese Club and where many of Koonya’s friends would be there on Sunday! Dave then told Koonya to fight him the following Saturday and to meet at 1pm at the entrance of Po Hing cinema and that they would both bring along two accomplices.
In the meantime Dave found out some information on Koonya. Someone who knew Koonya told Dave that he had heard of Koonya’s fierce reputation as a tough and mean fighter. That’s why he became the leader in the gang. There was a rumor that when Koonya was young he was bitten on the head by a dog infected with rabies and that caused him to have a violent temper, especially when he got into a fight. Dave knew his opponent would be strong for he was aware that Koonya and his entourage worked out at a nearby body building gym and that although he was a little shorter, Koonya was stocky compared to Dave’s 140lb. Frame.
Dave and Kong Hing Rendezvous at Po Hing Cinema
Come Saturday and it was time to go. Dave left his home alone in the rain to walk the 3/4 mile to the rendezvous at Po Hing cinema on Nathan Road. He was starting to wonder if the Portuguese guys would show up in such wet weather but to his surprise they were already waiting for him at the cinema entrance. When he arrived Koonya asked, “Where’s your friends?” and Dave told him that his friend would be there at any moment. When a few minutes passed and he saw no sight of Kong Hing, Dave became anxious and wondered if Kong Hing was going to show up. He knew Kong Hing wouldn’t let him down but could it possibly be that his father had ordered him to stay home? This had happened once before when Kong Hing’s father (Kong On) overheard his son and Dave whispering that it was time to leave for the arranged fight on the rooftop some 2 miles away.
A couple more minutes went by and still there was no sign of Kong Hing. Then suddenly, out of nowhere Kong Hing appeared. Dave nearly didn’t recognize him in his raincoat and hat and expressed concern that he might not show up. “I said I’d be here. Where’s your brother?” asked Kong Hing. Dave replied, “He’s not coming.” Kong Hing then told Dave that he had been in the cinema lobby even before he arrived. “How come I didn’t see you then and why didn’t you approach me?” Kong Hing told him that he was there early and that he was in the upstairs lobby keeping out of sight as he wanted to make a surveillance. Although he had spotted the 3 Portuguese guys, Kong Hing wanted to make sure there weren’t more of them scattered around!
As they exited the cinema Koonya wanted to know where they were heading. Dave told him that they were going to a nearby rooftop for the fight but Koonya reluctantly objected, saying it was too dangerous because someone could fall off the roof! Despite being assured that it is safe and that there wouldn’t be any risk of anybody falling off the rooftop, the Portuguese guys kept suggesting that they go to King’s Park which was about a mile away! Seeing that Koonya and his two burly friends could not be persuaded to go to the rooftop, Kong Hing said, “Come on, let’s go” and the group headed in the direction of King’s Park.
Duel at King’s Park
When they arrived at King’s Park the group stopped at a soccer field. Koonya opened a sports bag and asked Dave what weapon he wanted to use. “No weapons” was Dave’s reply, “Let’s see who is better with their hands and feet!” Kong Hing then made it clear that it was to be a “stand-up” fight with no fighting on the ground and to agree that if one falls to the ground, the other fighter must not attack him when he’s down but wait till he gets back on his feet.
When Dave saw his opponent shaping up in a crouching stance with both hands half stretched out, he knew Koonya was a grappler. Using a maneuver known as “the panther stalking it’s prey”, Dave began to slowly circle his opponent whilst moving both hands in small circular movements. Then like a flash of lightning he executed the “ying sau mo ying gerk” (“Shadow hand and Shadowless Kick”). The kick caught Koonya in the groin and he cringed in shock. His eyes became bloodshot and fiery. Much to Dave’s surprise, he yelled out “I’m going to kill you!” and charged into attack! Dave lashed out with another kick but because of the sand and wet grass, he lost his footing and slipped. As Dave fell, Koonya went down to grapple him on the ground. Suddenly you could hear Kong Hing’s fierce voice as he yelled out, “Stop! We agreed to no fighting on the ground! Come on, get up!” Koonya got up first and as Dave was getting to his feet, Koonya started to lay his boots into him but Dave managed to block the kicks with his forearms and elbows in front to protect himself. Not wanting to risk slipping again, Dave decided to only use his fists. Koonya was in a rage and kept charging in like a mad bull. Dave knew he had to deliver some heavy blows to stop him as he was a tough and strong opponent. As Koonya charged into attack, Dave decided to use the “G’wai Wong Poot Sien” technique retreating whilst throwing a flurry of left and right sow chui (swinging) punches to Koonya’s head. He managed to knock down Koonya and when he got back up, Dave noticed blood coming from out of one of Koonya’s ears. As the fight continued, Kong Hing noticed that Koonya’s two burly buddies were standing close to him on each side so he decided to move around and not stand in one spot. A crucial moment came when the two fighters were up close. Dave saw Koonya aiming a blow to his groin. He reacted quickly by side stepping and countered with the “Biu Ma Tui Jeung” (low sliding horse and pushing palm strike) to Koonya’s mid section and pushed him back several feet. It was one of Kong Hing’s favorite techniques.
The duel dragged on in the rain and both fighters were getting very exhausted. Suddenly, Koonya signaled to Dave to stop. He was panting heavily and said, “Let’s stop and have a break.” Kong Hing approached Dave and asked, “What’s happening?” Dave told him that his opponent requested to have a break and then continue the fight. As Koonya was talking to his two accomplices, Kong Hing said to Dave, “I really thought he was finished in the first two seconds of the fight when you got him with that kick. I thought it was over when I saw his eyes bulging out and his face almost turned blue! He must be wearing a groin guard!” “I don’t know,” Dave said to Kong Hing, “but when I saw his fiery eyes wide open and he yelled that he was going to kill me, I thought I was seeing a ghost over the devil himself!” Just then Koonya’s friends walked over and said, “Koonya’s willing to call it quits if you are.” Dave translated the message to Kong Hing who in turn asked him, “What do you want to do?” Seeing that Koonya looked very exhausted and realizing that he himself was feeling pretty much the same, Dave told Kong Hing he wouldn’t mind calling it quits and fight again another day. To Dave’s surprise, Koonya came over and gave him a hug and said, “Friends.”
One thing is certain, it was a day that neither Kong Hing or Dave would forget for it had further strengthened the close bond of brotherhood and friendship that already existed between the two young men. Both shared the same faith that they would always be there for each other in times of crisis.
Even after he retired, Kong Hing still remembered very vividly the events of that Saturday as if it happened yesterday. Over the years he had repeatedly told the story to his fellow Choy Lay Fut colleagues around the dining table many a time and NO ONE could tell a story like Kong Hing did! With his loud piercing voice, fierce facial expressions, menacing hand gestures and choice of expletive words, you could feel the excitement and tension in the room as his captivated audience watched and listened in silence.
1961 - Kong Hing Versus Leung Jung Gwun
The duel scheduled for 4pm was held on a weekday. Dave had already finished his job assignment at the courthouse covering court cases as a newspaper reporter for the English newspaper, “The Hong Kong Tiger Standard” and rushed off to Tsishatsui district to the designated rooftop where Kong Hing would be fighting a pugilist from the Wing Chun school. When Dave arrived on the rooftop a small group including Kong Hing and his opponent had already gathered there.
As Kong Hing and Leung Jung Gwun didn’t know each other, the duel wasn’t a personal grudge match for there was no real animosity between them. The duel was more a contest to test the fighting skills of the respective kung fu styles of the two pugilists. It was to be a three round bout refereed by master Liu Chi Keung of the Sil Lum (Shaolin) Yow Kung Moon school of martial arts. (Pictures of the fight are shown below with Kong Hing in the black shirt and Leung Jung Gwun shirtless and wearing shorts.)
The first round ended with both fighters showing no visible injuries. In the second round the pace picked up and Leung began to attack furiously but Kong Hing side-stepped and evaded the blows and countered with kicks. Leung managed to use his legs to block one of Kong Hing’s kicks but was caught off- guard by Kong-Hing’s cunning attack and was hit by a kick and charp chui (pantherfist) combination. The fight ended abruptly when Leung signaled that he didn’t wish to continue as he was hurt. Both fighters respectfully shook hands. Leung’s upper cheek was visibly swollen and he covered his hand with a towel as he was leaving the rooftop. The following day a summary account of the match was published in the sports section of one of the local Chinese newspapers.
In 1961 the media coverage of Kong Hing and Dave’s secret martial arts dueling matches with rival kung fu fighters made them well known figures in the Hong Kong Chinese martial arts circles. Their recognition and reputation as reputable Choy Lay Fut fighters led to the formation of Choy Lay Fut’s renowned “Black Panthers” only days after Dave’s much publicized match with a master of the Wing Chun style in October of that year.
1961 - Dave Gained Fame as Choy Lay Fut's "Black Panther"
As public martial arts tournaments were still illegal in the British Colony, secret challenge or grudge matches remained the only outlets for the proud young kung fu fighters eager to test their pugilistic skills against other kung fu stylists. These secret fight matches in Hong Kong weren’t anything like what you see in the movies such as “Bloodsport” or “Enter the Dragon”. They were private and took place on neutral ground, mostly on rooftops and usually with only a few people present. The bitter feud between the Choy Lay Fut and Wing Chun schools incited most of these secret challenge fight matches.
In October of 1961, the controversy over the sensational 3-day newspaper coverage on a secretly held fight match between a 20-year-old Choy Lay Fut fighter and a 28-year-old Wing Chun Master (in a car park behind the North Kowloon Supreme Court) generated great excitement in the local Chinese Martial Arts community. For the first time a non-full blood Chinese had gained recognition and respect in the Hong Kong Chinese Martial Arts circles. In the following week, Dave’s name was to appear again in the local Chinese journal and he became known as the “Black Panther” of Choy Lay Fut in an article announcing a “Five vs. Five” challenge match between Choy Lay Fut and it’s rival school’s top selected fighters “Controversial Fight” in Hong Kong 1961. The fighters of the Choy Lay Fut school were given the prestigious name “Fighting Black Panthers”. This match was to be held at a secret location in the New Territories (away from the city) at a date to be determined by the organizers. An appointed neutral referee was chosen to officiate and all fighters were required to sign a “Life & Death” waiver. When rumors circulated that Choy Lay Fut’s rival had contacted Bruce Lee in the U.S. to try and persuade him to come back to take part in the grudge match, Dave knew from Lai Hung’s remarks who would be fighting Bruce Lee if he returned! With the publicity surrounding this illegal match and the legal risks taken by those involved, the chosen referee pulled out. Others were approached to act as referee but no one wanted to be implicated in such a sensational grudge match that could very well end in fatality for someone. Facing a dilemma, the match was postponed.
1963 - Dave & Bruce Met Again in Hong Kong
It was not till 1963, four years since they last saw or spoke to each other, that Dave and Bruce met again on the streets of Hong Kong. In those 4 years saw many new changes and challenges that shaped their lives and destiny. After settling in America in 1959 Bruce set about to make a name for himself with his martial arts skills and began to teach Wing Chun kung fu to a small group of students.
[In early 1959 Dave decided to learn the dynamic kung fu style of Choy Lay Fut under two famous young masters of the Buck Sing branch of Choy Lay Fut. When some of Dave’s friends who were friends and fellow Wing Chun colleagues of Bruce (for several years) found out that Dave was learning Choy Lay Fut, they got offended and began to ridicule and taunt him. One of them was a guy by the name of Hawkins Cheung. They kept rubbishing Choy Lay Fut and tried to convince him that their Wing Chun was superior etc. but Dave remained undaunted. The fact that Dave had done a few months training in Wing Chun with them (and Bruce), they expected loyalty from him and they strongly resented him learning Choy Lay Fut – a style that Bruce himself had often spoken highly of and had a lot of respect for. Dave couldn’t see what all the fuss was about as he didn’t owe his allegiance to Wing Chun since he never joined a Wing Chun school or officially learnt from a Wing Chun master but they didn’t look at it that way and the conflict between them escalated into a feud. The taunting finally came to the point when Dave realized that the only way to resolve their martial arts differences was to issue them a challenge to a duel so they could prove that their kung fu style was better. Though only 2-3 months into his Choy Lay Fut training, Dave was determined to defend the name of Choy Lay Fut despite knowing that these Wing Chun colleagues of Bruce had several years of kung fu training. The duel was set for the following weekend at an appointed time on the rooftop of a building in Kowloon City. Dave kept his appointment but the Wing Chun guys never showed up for the challenge match!
In Hong Kong in the 1950’s, conflict between practitioners of different kung fu styles often resulted in challenge/grudge matches and it seemed a shame that sometimes even friends could become bitter rivals in a martial arts feud. In 1959 when Dave was barely 18 years old he already found himself a candidate in the frequent private challenge matches between Hong Kong’s two leading feuding kung fu schools of Choy Lay Fut and Wing Chun. News of these private or secret challenge matches traveled abroad and it was through his Wing Chun colleagues in Hong Kong and his friend Richard Leung (a practitioner of Buck Sing Choy Lay Fut) that Bruce Lee in America was kept informed of current occurrences on the Hong Kong martial arts scene and about news of the friends that he left behind when he moved to the US in 1959.]
When Dave and Bruce met again that day in Hong Kong in 1963 it was a moment of anxiety for the two old friends but they were excited and happy to see each other and greeted one another with the mutual respect of fellow martial arts friends and not as rivals. Both had come to accept their own destiny and in the course of their conversation they were cautious not to talk of matters that might put a strain on their friendship. Bruce told Dave of his life in America – his fights and encounters with other martial artists and of the recognition and respect he gained from his kung fu skills. He also spoke of Richard Leung who had joined him in Seattle where they got together to train in martial arts – something that Bruce had wanted to do for quite some time as he always had a strong desire to learn Choy Lay Fut from Richard.
Neither Dave nor Bruce realized when they parted company that day in Hong Kong in 1963, that it would be the last time they would see each other. In June of 1973, almost 10 years to that day, Dave heard of the sad news of his friend’s sudden and tragic death. Bruce died in Hong Kong at the young age of 33. In life he had lived to see the pinnacle of his success and fame and saw his dreams all come true and in death, he left a name that was to be immortalized in martial arts around the world.
Though Dave never saw Bruce again, he was fortunate enough to meet two of his former students (of the 1960’s era) many years later at a martial arts competition in America when they came up to him and introduced themselves. They told him that they knew of him well because Bruce had on occasions mentioned his name and had spoken commendably of him to his students. Knowing Bruce had shared his sentiments about his old friend with his students left little doubt on Dave’s mind that Bruce had always valued their friendship and had not forgotten him during the years they lived worlds apart.
In his book titled “BRUCE LEE – Between Wing Chun & Jeet Kune Do” published in 1976, Jesse Glover [one of Bruce’s first students] in 1960 quoted Bruce’s personal thoughts and comments that he made whenever he talked about Choy Lay Fut and Richard Leung. “This rare collector’s book on the biography of Bruce Lee’s early life in America in the 1960’s” said Master Lacey, “not only gives an honest insight on the many personal thoughts and beliefs of this young man but is truly reverent of the character of the BRUCE LEE that I knew”.
Perth 1966 - Dave Became 1st Choy Lay Fut Pioneer in Australia
In 1966, Dave began teaching Choy Lay Fut kung fu on the west coast of Australia, in the city of Perth. He held classes in the upstairs section of a large old boat shed down by the Swan River. The training was very hard in those days so in the first few years (from 1966-1971) only small groups of hardened students ever passed the grueling initial stages of training that separated the strong from the weak. In 1970, during a cordial visit to a karate school with several of his students, the chief instructor there made the mistake of asking Dave for a (karate vs. kung fu) sparring match. The stout 3rd dan black belt instructor obviously wanted to show off to his students. Dave obliged and the match ended in defeat and humiliation for the karate fighter who proved he was no match against Dave’s deceptive fighting techniques.
The existence of so many different styles and systems of martial arts today has led people to ask the inevitable question, “Which is the best style or form of martial arts?” To this Master Lacey replied – “The style that you feel is best suited to your abilities, personal needs, and fulfills your expectations. For me, Choy Lay Fut is the martial art that has given me the greatest satisfaction and therefore it is the martial art style that I love most- so for me personally, Choy Lay Fut is the best as far as the Art of fighting is concerned. Choy Lay Fut has given me more than just cultural martial arts knowledge. It also gave me the spiritual enlightenment and philosophical wisdom that has helped me throughout my adult life. Everyone has their own personal preference as to what type of martial arts they want to take up and why they want to do it. Any self-defense system or fighting art is only as good as the person behind it. The effectiveness of an offensive technique depends on the speed, timing and precision of the move when executed. Sharp reflexes, nerves, wit, confidence as well as one’s physical condition and endurance all play an important part in one’s ability to defend oneself. Unfortunately many martial arts practitioners have the illusion that no one can beat them in a fight, thus underestimating the skills and prowess of other experienced fighters. The one important thing any competent martial artist should always keep in mind is that no matter how good you think you are there’s always others who can beat you!”
In the many years he devoted to teaching kung fu in Australia (1966-1995), Master Lacey saw many of his students winning awards and championship titles in numerous national and international kung fu and kick-boxing tournaments.
At the 1982 World Chinese Martial Arts Championships Tournament hosted in Hong Kong, the crowd gave him a thunderous ovation when Master Lacey’s name was announced and he stepped into the arena to perform the “Drunken Eight Immortals” form. It was obvious the local people remembered the name of the Black Panther of Choy Lay Fut who had won fame and recognition in Hong Kong 21 years ago.
During his stay in Hong Kong , his old time rival Sifu Wong Shun Leung (Bruce Lee’s Si-hing and instructor under Grandmaster Yip Mun) contacted Dave to invite him to a small private dinner banquet in his honor, attended by several other kung fu masters including Master Lee Koon Hung and his student Tat Mau Wong.
1985 - Master Dave Lacey's School is Officially Named The 'Buck Sing Gwoon’
In May 1985, Master Dave Lacey officially named his school, “The Buck Sing Gwoon” in honor of Buck Sing Choy Lay Fut founder Grandmaster Tarm Sarm [who died in 1941] and his school. Tarm Sarm’s son Tarm Fei Pang was very proud that Master Dave Lacey carried on the name of his father’s school.
1989 - Master Lacey moved to Melbourne
After living in Perth, W. Australia for twenty-three and a half years, Master Dave Lacey felt he needed a change and decided to move to the bigger and more exciting city of Melbourne in the state of VictoriawhereheintendedtosetuphisnewschooltoteachandpropagateChoyLayFutkungfu.
Undaunted by the larger number of kung fu schools already existing in Melbourne, Master Lacey re-established his school the BUCK SING GWOON in 1989 in the suburb of St. Kilda. Due to the good location of the school and his well-known reputation in the Australian Chinese Martial Arts circles, it soon attracted the attention of martial arts enthusiasts seeking to learn Choy Lay Fut kung fu and train under Master Lacey including a number of disgruntled top students and instructors from another kung fu school. Missed by his students in Perth, several of them took the initiative to move to Melbourne to be with him.
While visiting San Francisco in 1993, Master Lacey was invited to appear as a guest on “Kung Fu Theater,” a weekly TV talk show hosted by Sifu Tat Mau Wong. His candid interview and exciting demonstration of his martial skills on the show won him many commendations from his T.V. audience. It even inspired some of the American martial arts enthusiasts to call Master Lacey at his Melbourne school (“The Buck Sing Gwoon”) in Australia to express their appreciation for him.
In November of 1995, Master Lacey left Melbourne to settle in California. For the many whose lives have been affected by his teachings and his charismatic personality, he will always be remembered and revered as one of Chinese Martial Arts most vibrant and exciting personalities. The twenty-nine and a half years he devoted to teaching kung fu in Australia had given him much to reflect on over the years. He had made many sacrifices in his personal life because of his devotion to teaching kung fu.
While Master Lacey had settled in California and established his school, “The Buck Sing Gwoon” in Hayward in March 1996, his devoted disciple Nick Lizos relocated the school a short distance away from St. Kilda where he resurrected the BUCK SING GWOON in honor of his beloved sifu and the original school he established in Melbourne in 1989. He is presently the official guardian and Sifu of Australia’s “Buck Sing Gwoon” based in Melbourne. Master Lacey’s school, “The Buck Sing Gwoon” and its affiliated branches is mentioned in the upcoming page under the title, “The BUCK SING GWOON”.
Master Lacey implemented changes and improvement to the Buck Sing Gwoon’s training curriculum and focused primarily on combat training for his students. They spent hardly any time on the practicing of traditional choreographed kung fu forms. Unlike most other CLF schools where the training is concentrated on the learning and practicing of forms, Master Lacey believed in adhering to the original motive behind Choy Lay Fut’s motto – “For COMBAT NOT SPORT” not the reverse! With that in mind, he
began to work diligently on seeking new and better ways to improve his overall martial arts combat skills.
His innovative nature, martial arts knowledge and experience helped him employ better strategic combat skills to improve on his Buck Sing fighting techniques as well as using more practical and tactical methods for drilling his students. Over the years he had devoted much time and thought into studying the science of Buck Sing combat. With the implementation of his new training curriculum for the Buck Sing Gwoon, Master Lacey’s former students in Perth, W. Australia can no longer make the claim that they have inherited the same level in martial arts knowledge or training as his loyal students in Melbourne and America who have benefited from his teachings since 2002.
Today, Master Lacey’s Youtubes continue to inspire many kung fu practitioners and enthusiasts around the world. The comments and sentiments expressed by them reflect their deep admiration and respect for Master Lacey’s distinct and unique Buck Sing fighting skills. Master Lacey was humbled by the sincere words of appreciation, respect and gratitude shown on his Youtubes by those who have come to know him.
“It’s a shame,” said Master Lacey, “how little regard or reverence today’s generation of kung fu practitioners have for the core values and principles of the Chinese martial arts culture – HONOR, RESPECT, TRUST, HONESTY, LOYALTY AND GRATITUDE. In Chinese martial arts a student is judged on the content of his character not just on his martial arts skills. His reputation has no merit if he is perceived as one who is conceited, selfish, boastful, arrogant and having a bad attitude.” His advice has always been – “Judge your own moral character and imperfections first before you judge and criticize others! Do not mistake ‘Humility’, ‘Compassion’ or ‘Self Restraint’ as a sign of weakness in a person’s character. On the contrary, it shows a person’s strength of character”.
It was these characteristic qualities in Master Dave Lacey that has made him so well liked and won him the respect and commendations of many kung fu masters and martial artists in his birthplace Hong Kong and Southeast Asia, Australia, USA, Canada and around the world. His 60 years of devotion and dedication to kung fu and his efforts to promote and bring honor to Choy Lay Fut and his sifu is a testament of his love for the Chinese Martial Arts that is well known to all who knew him. He will be remembered as a martial arts crusader for Choy Lay Fut who was dedicated to keeping alive the fighting spirit of its martial arts motto, “Combat Not Sport” in a new era of martial arts combat bloodsports where the UFC mixed martial arts tournaments have generated intense excitement in today’s global martial arts scene. This evolution in martial arts brought about the decline in kung fu’s popularity because traditional kung fu teachers have continued to focus on the teaching of choreographed martial arts forms and not combat. It led to the general perception of many that kung fu is more of a Chinese cultural performing art than a practical or realistic fighting art. Over the years Master Lacey had made it his mission to restore Choy Lay Fut’s reputation as one of kung fu’s most respected and effective fighting styles by teaching and propagating the Buck Sing fighting arts of the legendary kung fu master fighter Tarm Sarm, the founder of Choy Lay Fut’s Buck Sing branch known as Buck Sing Choy Lay Fut. He hoped the inspiration his Youtubes have given others will help renew their confidence in Choy Lay Fut and that it’ll encourage them to put more effort and time into their training of kung fu combat. He had always told others, “Remember, it’s not the style but the person behind it that makes the style effective! It’s the individual who makes the difference.”
Master Dave Lacey first began to teach Choy Lay Fut kung fu in Australia in 1966. In May of 1985, he decided to officially name his kung fu school the “Buck Sing Gwoon”. All forms of advertising, including his school’s signs, banners, flags, T-shirts, sweatshirts, pendants, and both metal and embroidered badges (on caps, jackets, demonstration uniforms, and lion dance equipment), all bear the name “Buck Sing Gwoon” in both English and Chinese. “Buck Sing Gwoon” has been the recognized official trademark of Master Dave Lacey’s Choy Lay Fut kung fu school.
Only 2 other persons were ever given permission by Master Dave Lacey (before his departure from Australia in 1995) to use the name “Buck Sing Gwoon.” They are Master Lacey’s two most trusted and loyal disciples, Nick Lizos and Gary Mallia, whose two kung fu schools in Melbourne, Australia, are the only schools officially affiliated with the original “Buck Sing Gwoon” founded by Master Dave Lacey in mid 1985 in Australia and later based in Hayward, California. Both have proven themselves worthy disciples, loyal to their Sifu (teacher) and dedicated to carry on teaching and propagating the authentic teachings and training of Buck Sing Choy Lay Fut taught to them by Master Dave Lacey since April 1989.
In Master dave Lacey’s judgement only his 2 most faithful disciples, Nick Lizos and Gary Mallia are the only ones worthy of his trust, respect and support for their sincere efforts to bring honor to their Sifu and his school, The BUCK SING GWOON. Nick Lizos is regarded as Master Dave Lacey’s adopted son. Both Nick Lizos and Garry Mallia performed a Bai Si Ceremony and became Master Dave Lacey’s Disciples.
Master Lacey’s school The Buck Sing Gwoon in Hayward was an independent kung fu school with it’s own unique training and disciplines pertaining to the teachings of renowned martial arts fighter and innovator of Choy Lay Fut fighting arts, Grandmaster Tarm Sarm. Tarm was known as one of the famous “Ten Tigers of Kwangtung”. Tarm Sarm died in 1941 at the age of 69.
“Let it be known that “Buck Sing Gwoon” is the name chosen by Master Dave Lacey for his Choy Lay Fut school since May of 1985 and is not affiliated with any other Choy Lay Fut schools operating under similar fictitious names. The only other schools affiliated with Master Dave Lacey are his 2 branches in Melbourne, Australia operated by his most trusted and loyal Disciples, Nick Lizos and Gary Mallia .”
Master “General” Dave Lacey
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A Journey Through History
1958 – Began training in Wing Chun alongside Bruce Lee.
1959 – Discovered Choy Lay Fut under Masters Lai Hung & Kong Hing.
1961 – Gained fame as the “Black Panther” after legendary rooftop duels in Hong Kong.
1966 – Became the first to teach Choy Lay Fut in Australia.
1985 – Established the Buck Sing Gwoon in honor of Grandmaster Tarm Sarm.
2018 – Remembered worldwide as a devoted innovator, fighter, and teacher.
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