A brief Biography of Huo
Yuan Jia
Huo Yuan Jia, whose given name was Junqing, was born in a Kung Fu
family in Jinghai, Tianjin. He was the fourth child in the family.
He learned Kung Fu by secretly observing his father, Huo En Di,
teaching others. Eventually he humbly mastered Kung Fu.
While growing up, he began making a living by selling firewood in
Tianjin. He later worked as a helper at Tianjin Huaiqing Pharmacy.
During this time Yuanjai became acquainted with Nong Jinsun, boss
of the pharmacy, and he became his intimate.
In 1901, there was a Russian in Tianjin who claimed to be the
strongest man in the world. Huo Yuan Jia fought the Russian and
effortlessly defeated him. From December 1909 to April 1910, Huo
Yuanjia and his apprentice, Liu Zhen Sheng, went to Shanghai twice
(at the invitation of patriotic personage in Shanghai) to compete
with Oupin, a westerner with unusual strength. Oupin, however, fell
victim to fear and left without competing. Thus, Huo Yuan Jia's
fame has spread far and wide.
At this moment, Chen Qi Mei, a member of Tung Men Hui (the Chinese
Revolutionary League) raised his suggestion to train millions of
youth to be both physically strong and militarily skillful within
ten years so as to meet the demand of large-scale revolution and
military renovation.
According to Qi Mei's suggestion, China Chin Woo Gym Association
(predecessor of Shanghai Chin Woo Athletic Federation) was founded.
Nong Jinsun was the first president and Huo Yuan Jia was in charge
of Kung Fu training and military training. In June 1910, the
Eastern Times announced the establishment of this association in
the name of Huo Yuan Jia. It was the first civil Kung Fu
organization in China.
While Master Huo was building Chin Woo towards a great prospect,
there were several Japanese who despised him and plotted to murder
him. They secretly poisoned him day by day, which eventually
destroyed his lungs. Inevitably, the poison killed him and Huo died
at the young age of 41, much of his life having been dedicated to
Chin Woo.
