So Chan (Su Can), also known by his nickname Beggar So (So Fa-tsz or So Hut-yee), was a Chinese martial artist and

folk hero A folk hero or national hero is a type of hero – real, fictional or mythological – with their name, personality and deeds embedded in the popular consciousness of a people, mentioned frequently in folk songs, folk tales and other folklore; ...

who lived during the late

Qing dynasty The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing,, was a Manchu-led imperial dynasty of China and the last orthodox dynasty in Chinese history. It emerged from the Later Jin dynasty founded by the Jianzhou Jurchens, a Tungusic-speak ...

. One of the

Ten Tigers of Canton Ten Tigers of Canton or Ten Tigers of GuangdongKim, Sun-Jin. Tuttle Dictionary of the Martial Arts of Korea, China & Japan. 996(1996). Tuttle publishing. Korea. . refers to a group of ten Chinese martial artists from Guangdong Province lived ar ...

, he was best known for his

drunken boxing Drunken boxing () also known as Drunken Fist, is a general name for all styles of Chinese martial arts that imitate the movements of a drunk person. It is an ancient style and its origins are mainly traced back to the Buddhist and Daoist r ...

Background

Born during the late

Qing Dynasty The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing,, was a Manchu-led imperial dynasty of China and the last orthodox dynasty in Chinese history. It emerged from the Later Jin dynasty founded by the Jianzhou Jurchens, a Tungusic-speak ...

, So Chan was from

Nanhai District Nanhai District (), is a district of Foshan, Guangdong, China. Its government is the first to have developed e-government informatization at the county level in China. History Establishment of Nanhai is traditionally attributed two brothers ca ...

Foshan Foshan (, ), alternately romanized as Fatshan, is a prefecture-level city in central Guangdong Province, China. The entire prefecture covers and had a population of 9,498,863 as of the 2020 census. The city is part of the western side of the ...

Guangdong Guangdong (, ), alternatively romanized as Canton or Kwangtung, is a coastal province in South China on the north shore of the South China Sea. The capital of the province is Guangzhou. With a population of 126.01 million (as of 2020 ...

, or

Hunan Hunan (, ; ) is a landlocked province of the People's Republic of China, part of the South Central China region. Located in the middle reaches of the Yangtze watershed, it borders the province-level divisions of Hubei to the north, Jiangxi ...

according to one source, he was skilled in unarmed

Chinese martial arts Chinese martial arts, often called by the umbrella terms kung fu (; ), kuoshu () or wushu (), are multiple fighting styles that have developed over the centuries in Greater China. These fighting styles are often classified according to common ...

skills, Drunken Eight Immortals Boxing (), Shaolin

staff Staff may refer to: Pole * Staff, a weapon used in stick-fighting ** Quarterstaff, a European pole weapon * Staff of office, a pole that indicates a position * Staff (railway signalling), a token authorizing a locomotive driver to use a particula ...

() said to be taught by the Shaolin monk Chan Fook, and also brutal boxing (). He formulated the unusual ''Golden Bowl and Iron Chopsticks'' technique (), which involved the use of an iron bowl on one hand to provoke the opponent and striking the opponent's acupuncture points with the iron chopsticks on another hand. He was a wanderer and made a living performing martial arts and acrobatics with his younger sister in the streets of

. He also taught martial arts at Sancheng Community Training Centre () in

Guangzhou Guangzhou (, ; ; or ; ), also known as Canton () and alternatively romanized as Kwongchow or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of Guangdong province in southern China. Located on the Pearl River about north-northwest of Hong ...

and would later be known as one of the Ten Tigers of Canton. So exchanged ideas with So Hak-fu (), a fellow martial artist of the Ten Tigers of Canton, and imparted the technique of ''Golden Bowl and Iron Chopsticks'' along with some of his drunken boxing skills to him. He also exchanged ideas with two other Ten Tigers martial artists Leung Kwan and

Wong Kei-ying Wong Kei-ying or Huang Qiying (c. 1815–1886) was a Chinese Hung Ga martial artist and physician of Cantonese ethnicity, who lived during the Qing dynasty. He was one of the Ten Tigers of Canton. He was best known for his use of the Tiger C ...

as well. According to a folklore, So Chan also taught Wong Kei-ying's son

Wong Fei-hung Wong Fei-hung (born Wong Sek-cheung with the courtesy name Tat-wun; 9 July 1847 – 17 April 1925) was a Chinese martial artist, physician, and folk hero. His recent fame was due to becoming the subject of numerous martial arts films and televi ...

in drunken boxing. It was assumed that So was believed to have died during the early reign of the

Guangxu Emperor The Guangxu Emperor (14 August 1871 – 14 November 1908), personal name Zaitian, was the tenth Emperor of the Qing dynasty, and the ninth Qing emperor to rule over China proper. His reign lasted from 1875 to 1908, but in practice he ruled, w ...

In popular culture

He was first portrayed by Liu Chi-wai in at least six black-and-white Wong Fei-hung films starring

Kwan Tak-hing Kwan Tak-hing, MBE (27 June 1905 – 28 June 1996) was a Hong Kong martial artist and actor best known for his portrayal of martial artist folk hero Wong Fei-hung in at least 77 films, between the 1940s and the 1980s. No one else in cinema hist ...

from 1950 to 1961. He was portrayed by Lam Kau in the 1953 black-and-white films ''The Beggar Named Su'', ''The Swordsman And The Beauty'', and ''Revenge of the Beggar Named Su''. He was portrayed by

Yuen Siu-tien Yuen Siu-tien () (27 November 1912 – 8 January 1979) (also known as Yuan Xiaotian, Simon Yuen, Sam Seed or "Ol' Dirty") was a Hong Kong actor and martial artist. in the late 1970s, Yuen is perhaps best known as Beggar So (a.k.a. Sam Seed) in ...

in the 1978 film ''

Drunken Master ''Drunken Master'' () is a 1978 Hong Kong martial arts comedy film directed by Yuen Woo-ping, and starring Jackie Chan, Yuen Siu-tien, and Hwang Jang-lee. It was a success at the Hong Kong box office, earning two and a half times the amount ...

'', and Yuen has often been associated with the character Beggar So ever since. He was portrayed by Kwok Choi-hon in the 1978 film ''Ten Tigers of Shaolin''. He was portrayed by

Lau Kar-leung Lau Kar-leung (28 July 1934 – 25 June 2013), was a Chinese actor, filmmaker, choreographer, and martial artist from Hong Kong. Lau is best known for the films he made in the 1970s and 1980s for the Shaw Brothers Studio. His most famous wor ...

in the 1978 film ''

Heroes of the East ''Heroes of the East'' (), also known as ''Challenge of the Ninja'', ''Shaolin vs. Ninja'' and ''Shaolin Challenges Ninja'' is a martial arts film produced in 1978. It starred Gordon Liu and was directed by Lau Kar-Leung. Lau Kar-Leung has a ca ...

''. He was portrayed by Yuen Siu-tien again in the 1979 film '' Story of Drunken Master''. Yuen went on to reprise the role in the 1979 film '' Dance of the Drunk Mantis''. He was portrayed by

Philip Kwok Philip Kwok (; also known as Kuo Chui, Kwok Chui, Kwok Chun-Fung; born 21 October 1951) is a Hong Kong-based Taiwanese actor, martial artist, and stuntman. He rose to fame as a member of the Venom Mob, an ensemble of highly-talented martia ...

in the 1979 film '' Ten Tigers from Kwangtung''. Yuen Siu-tien reprised the role for the last time only as a cameo in the opening credits of the 1979 film ''World of the Drunken Master'', with Lee Yi-min and Yu Chung-chiu portraying young and old versions of Beggar So respectively. Yuen was supposed to reprise his role as So Chan in the 1979 film ''

Magnificent Butcher ''The Magnificent Butcher'' () is a 1979 Hong Kong martial arts comedy film directed by Yuen Woo-ping, and starring Sammo Hung, Kwan Tak-hing, Yuen Biao, and Wei Pai. The film is based on the story of Lam Sai-wing, one of the students of t ...

'', but he died on 8 January 1979 as production of the film was beginning.

Fan Mei-sheng Fan Mei-sheng (; born 13 September 1942) also known as Fan Mui-sang, is a prolific Hong Kong Cantonese actor. Fan Mei-sheng started acting in movies from 1964; his first movie was ''The Story of Sue San''. He made his name in Shaw Brothers Stu ...

portrayed So Chan in that film. He was portrayed by

Chow Yun-fat Chow Yun-fat (born 18 May 1955), previously known as Donald Chow, is a Hong Kong actor. He is perhaps best known for his collaborations with filmmaker John Woo in the five Hong Kong action heroic bloodshed films: ''A Better Tomorrow'', '' A B ...

in the 1982 TVB television drama series ''

The Legend of Master So ''The Legend of Master So'' (蘇乞兒) is a TVB television series, premiered on 27 September 1982. Theme song "Forgets With All One's Heart the Sentiment" (忘盡心中情) composition and arrangement by Joseph Koo, lyricist by Wong Jim, sung b ...

''. He was portrayed by

Gordon Liu Gordon Liu (Lau Kar-fai ); born Sin Kam-hei () August 22, 1951) is a Chinese martial arts film actor and martial artist. He played the lead role of San Te in '' The 36th Chamber of Shaolin'' (1978) and its sequels, and later played two roles in ...

in the 1985 film ''Young Vagabond''. He was portrayed by

Stephen Chow Stephen Chow Sing-chi (, born 22 June 1962), known professionally as Stephen Chow, is a Hong Kong filmmaker, former actor and comedian, known for ''Shaolin Soccer'' and ''Kung Fu Hustle''. Early life and education Stephen Chow was born in British ...

in the 1992 film '' King of Beggars''. He was portrayed by

Donnie Yen Donnie Yen Chi-tan (; born 27 July 1963) is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist, and action director. Yen is one of Hong Kong's top action stars. Yen is widely credited for bringing mixed martial arts (MMA) into the mainstream Asian cinema by cho ...

in the 1993 film '' Heroes Among Heroes''. He was portrayed by

Cheng Pei-pei Cheng Pei-pei (born 6 January 1946) is a Chinese actress, who is considered cinema's first female action hero. She is known for her performance in the 1966 King Hu ''wuxia'' film '' Come Drink with Me'', as well as her portrayal of Jade Fox in ...

in the 1996 television series '' Wong Fei Hung Series: The Final Victory''. He was portrayed by Lam Chi-ho in the 1999

ATV ATV may refer to: Broadcasting * Amateur television *Analog television Television stations and companies * Ràdio i Televisió d'Andorra * ATV (Armenia) * ATV (Aruba), NBC affiliate * ATV (Australian TV station), Melbourne * ATV (Austria) * AT ...

television drama series ''Ten Tigers Of Guangdong''. He was portrayed by Felix Wong in the 2000 television drama series ''The Legend of Master Soh''. He was portrayed by Pu Ye Dong in the 2005 television drama series ''Kung Fu Beggar''. He was portrayed by Vincent Zhao in the 2010 film ''

True Legend ''True Legend'' is a 2010 martial arts film directed by Yuen Woo-ping in his first film as directed since 1996. The film stars Vincent Zhao, Zhou Xun, Jay Chou, Michelle Yeoh, Andy On, David Carradine (in his final film role before his death) ...

''. He was portrayed by an opera actor Zhang Xinyi of the Xiuqin Opera Troupe in the

opera Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a libre ...

show ''Beggar So'' during the Kaohsiung Spring Art Festival 2016. He was portrayed by Jun Cao in the 2016 film ''Master of the Drunken Fist: Beggar So''.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chan, So Beggars Cantonese folklore Chinese warriors People from Nanhai District Sportspeople from Guangdong