Huang Sheng Shyan

Who was Huang Sheng Shyan?

Huang Sheng Shyan or Huang Xingxian was born in Minhou County of the Fujian province in Mainland China. He began studying Fujian White Crane with Xie Zhong-Xian at the age of 14. In 1947 he resettled in Taiwan where he became a disciple of Cheng Man-ch'ing. Yang Ch'eng-fu as the grandson of the Yang style founder, had been Cheng Man-Ching’s teacher.Huang committed himself to this tradition for the next 45 years. In 1955 Huang Sheng Shyan along with eight fellow students of Cheng Man-Ching, represented the Shih Chung Association, in the Provincial Chinese Martial Arts Tournament. Huang was adjudged champion in the taijiquan section and runner-up in the open section. Huang emigrated to Singapore in 1956 and then in the 60’s moved to Malaysia. Both times with the expressed purpose of propagating the art of taijiquan.

At the age of 60 Huang Sheng Shyan again demonstrated his abilities in taijiquan by defeating Liao Kuang-Cheng, the Asian champion wrestler 26 throws to 0 in a fund raising event in Kuching Malaysia.

By the time of his death in December 1992, he had established 40 schools and taught 10,000 people throughout South East Asia. Huang was considered by some to be the most highly achieved student of Zheng Manqing. In Robert W. Smith’s book, Chinese Boxing: Masters and Methods Smith writes: "[William] Chen probably climbed higher than any of Cheng Man-Ching’s students, except the converted White Crane boxer Huang Sheng-Hsien"