[2013.07.24] 12 LIONS BID LAU KAR LEUNG FAREWELL

Lau Man Yi, Lau Hung Yi

courtesy of on.cc

courtesy of singtao.com

Widow Mary Jean Reimer bid farewell to Master Lau Kar Leung with the disciples

Yung Jing Jing and Master Lau's seven children thank the guests 

The nine plain lions' salute to Lau Kar Leung is the greatest sign of respect in the martial art world and a rarely seen event in recent years.

Hong Kong chief disciple Adam Cheng led his fellow disciples to welcome the nine major styles' plain lions

The nine major styles' plain lions enter the hall one by one to pay their respect
courtesy of mingpao.com

The Hung Kuen Grand Master of a generation Lau Kar Leung retired from the ring of life and the glory days in the martial arts and the film industry, for 20 years he battled cancer to the final moment. It was quite a victory. Although blood cancer took away Lau Kar Leung, his martial art ethics and kung fu film contributions will linger on; have a safe journey Master Lau!

Lau Kar Leung passed away from illness on June 25 at the age of 76. Lau Kar Leung's funeral services began yesterday at the Universal Funeral Parlor with a Buddhist ceremony and the funeral takes place today. Lau Kar Leung's life was honored and death grieved. Widow Mary Jean Reimer (Yung Jing Jing) as the master's wife at the martial art hall decorated venue posed for a group photo with Lau Kar Leung's disciples and their disciples to display the funeral services' solemn elegance. Yung Jing Jing spent several million to purchase niches in Po Fook Hill for Lau Kar Leung's ashes and the funeral hall decoration that resembled a luxurious martial art hall in movies. 3 filial lions and 9 plain lions from the 9 major martial art styles bidding Lau Kar Leung farewell was the grandest in half a century and the highest salute from the martial art world to Lau Kar Leung.

Lau Kar Leung's funeral takes place today at noon with a master monk hosted ceremony, then the closing of the coffin. The remains will be transported to the Tung Wah Coffin Home then on a lucky day to be cremated in Po Lin Monastery. Master Lau's coffin was environmentally friendly, which was a decision that he discussed with his wife Yung Jing Jing.

Yung Jing Jing and his family yesterday morning arrived at the services. The hall was decorated mainly in white and filled with fresh flowers. The photo was Master Lau's kung fu look from DRUNKEN MONKEY (JUI MA LAU). The Hall's banner said "Grand Master of A Generation", and the side elegiac couplets were Hung Kuen formulas. In the center were floral arrangements from Lau Kar Leung's widow and his 7 children. Yung Jing Jing's floral arrangement was white rose formed heart with a note that read "lover comrade Lau Kar Leung, from wife Lau Yung Jing Jing". Inside and outside the hall were large television screens that played the Lau Kar Leung special, which included film stills, life photos and interviews. The score of the special was Master Lau's three favorite songs ALWAYS IN MY HEART, THE MOON REPRESENTS MY HEART and UNCHAINED MELODY.

Yung Jing Jing wore a special design mourning dress, a wide body blacked Chinese dress with a white scarf with the word Lau. She looked extremely frail and her daughters Man Yi and Hung Yi were still very heart broken. Yesterday a public memorial was held as ordinary folks came to pay their respect to Master Lau. An abbot also began the scripture recital.

At 9AM the Lau family's 3 filial lions welcomed the nine plain lions that represented the major styles, including Hung Kuen, Bak Mei, White Crane, Damo Butterfly, Luoshan Boxing Fung Fo Tong and others. 12 lions in total arrived at the hall to salute Lau Kar Leung.

Yung Jing Jing around 4PM in the company of Nat Chan Pak Cheung and Lau Kar Leung's disciple Sin Kwok Lam spoke with the press. She said that the funeral arrangements have been very satisfactory. The hall was decorated like a martial art hall in the movies. She thanked everyone for their help. Yung Jing Jing said that Master Lau's children as well as his siblings and relatives were all. However, Lau Kar Leung's former wife was not.

Did Master have any final wish? Yung Jing Jing said that Master Lau wanted to more charity work. Thus the Lau Kar Leung charitable fund plan will be announced later. She personally wrote the eulogy in the funeral program. How did she feel? Yung Jing Jing said that she was very calm and hoped to maintain composure as much as possible. Since human is blood and flesh, she still had to remain composed despite her sorrow and pain. When Master Lau's memorial special was played in the venue she could not help but break down. Her daughters also cried until their tears ran dry before they stopped.

Yung Jing Jing said that in the days after Master Lau's passing, she and her daughters were very sadden. The reminders at home made them collapse emotionally. Luckily the nunnery took them in for 3 days, as the power of religion calmed their emotions; yet occasionally they would still get upset. Speaking of Andy Lau Tak Wa's "Grand Master Of a Generation" calligraphy for the program, she said that Ah Lek suggested asking Wa Jai for help. She knew that Master Lau had quite a connection with Wa Jai. Back then when he invited Wa Jai to make DRUNKEN MASTER 2, Wa Jai agreed without discussing money at all.

She revealed that the coffin used was environmentally friendly, the grave goods were simple pajamas and underwear. Only after the cremation would Master's favorite items be included in his grave goods.

Ah Lek was the funeral committee chair, which Yung Jing Jing had to explain clearly to prevent jealousy from others. She, Ah Lek and Master Lau had a little story. Once Master Lau lost his wallet, identifications and cash. Suddenly Ah Lek called Master Lau and asked if he lost his wallet. Actually in the wallet was Ah Lek's number, the person who found it contacted Ah Lek. At the time Master Lau said the wallet had 10,000 in cash, but actually it only had 4,000. When Ah Lek returned the wallet, 10,000 in cash was inside. Master knew that Ah Lek put the money in. She said that normally she talked with Master about life and death. He said that Ah Lek was trustworthy and he could help with the funeral. Master in the final days did not want to see people, but he and Ah Lek met several times.