Continued from the Top:
Bio from Kwok's Official Website:
Samuel Kwok was born in Hong Kong in 1948, the son of a Church Minister. His interest in the martial arts started at an early age. His first experience was in White Crane Kung Fu, under the guidance of his uncle Luk Chi Fu. His Wing Chun training first started in 1967 under Chan Wai Ling in Hong Kong.
In 1972 Samuel Kwok came to the UK to study psychiatric nursing and pursue a new life. Living in London then, he went to the Church of Reverend Kao, how told him about one of the congregation, a Wing Chun teacher called Lee Sing, who started teaching Samuel Kwok in 1973.
In 1978 he returned to Hong Kong hoping to find the true source of Wing Chun, Samuel Kwok was introduced to Ip Chun by Lee Sing, who at the time was joining the Ip Man Martial Arts Association. It was during a second meeting with Ip Chun that he offered to teach Samuel Kwok the wooden dummy techniques, and realizing that he was being given a great honour Sam accepted. At this time, Ip Chun was only teaching part-time.
For the next few years, Samuel Kwok had private tuition from Ip Chun. After gaining Master level in Wing Chun, he opened his first school in Hong Kong, and it was not long before his students began making a name for themselves at tournaments and demonstrations in the colony.
After returning to the UK in 1981, he was appointed chairman and senior overseas representative of the Ip Chun Martial Art Association by Grandmaster Ip Chun.
Having settled in the UK, Master Kwok started to teach Wing Chun privately, but later he opened his first school after great demand from several martial arts enthusiasts. In his bid to promote Traditional Wing Chun and his Sifu, in 1981 Master Kwok held the first of many seminars in the UK for Grandmaster Ip Chun.
The Samuel Kwok Wing Chun Martial Art Association has now grown to become one of the largest Kung Fu organizations in the UK. With students in Europe, the USA, South Africa and Australia, it has now become international. Although Master Kwok has many students teaching for him, he has always remained faithful to true Wing Chun tradition and still teaches classes personally.
In 1998 Master Samuel Kwok received an honorary BA from Manchester University for his lifetime achievement and promotion of martial arts. Today, Master Kwok is constantly promoting Wing Chun across the world by conducting and organizing seminars, competitions, demonstrations, books, videos and helping the B.C.C.M.A. promote Chinese martial arts. He also helps to arrange tours and training in Hong Kong with Grandmaster Ip Ching for his students, showing that like himself he wants his students to benefit from this great Master firsthand.
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