02/10/2026
My Teacher
GIVE THEM THEIR FLOWERS 🌹 | AUGUSTINE FONG
His Sifu chose him to defend the school. He won. Then he carried that Wing Chun across the Pacific.
Born in Macao, Augustine Fong began studying Wing Chun under Ho Kam Ming, a direct student of Ip Man, in 1960. He became one of Ho’s earliest students.
Then came the fight that helped make his name.
According to accounts preserved within Fong’s lineage, a well-known Hong Kong kung fu school formally challenged Ho Kam Ming’s school around 1964.
Ho accepted the challenge, but selected his young student Augustine Fong to fight.
The match reportedly went three rounds. In the second, Fong drove his opponent into a wooden dummy. In the third, he pursued him toward a wall and landed a punch that knocked him unconscious.
The victory earned Fong recognition around Hong Kong and Macao and the nickname “Gum-Pai Da-Sau” or “Golden Ribbon Boxer.” Because the detailed account comes from within his lineage rather than independent contemporary reporting, it is best understood as lineage history.
There’s another fascinating detail: Fong reportedly hid his Wing Chun training from his mother for 13 years. She feared kung fu would only get him into trouble.
In 1969, Fong immigrated to America, eventually settling in Tucson, Arizona. In 1973 he opened what his organization describes as the first public Wing Chun school in the southwestern United States.
And the story is still being written.
In May 2026, Fong’s organization held its 29th annual reunion seminar, with Fong sharing knowledge accumulated over more than 50 years of teaching and training.
Ip Man → Ho Kam Ming → Augustine Fong → America.
Today, we give Augustine Fong, “The Golden Ribbon Boxer,” his flowers.🌹
Have you trained with Augustine Fong or someone from his lineage? Share your story below.
Sources: Fong’s Wing Chun Gung-Fu Federation; WingChun.org Augustine Fong archive; 2026 Fong Reunion Seminar.
