History of Professor Kam Hock Hoe (甘福和) :
The founder of Hoe's JuJitsu Studio (和氏柔术教授学院) was a colourful person who was born on the 10th of December, 1903. He did wrestling at the age of 16 due to bullying. Later in 1925, he became a professional wrestler in Singapore.
While in Singapore, he started learning Ju-Jitsu under Professor Watanabe who taught at Serangoon Road. There were two other Japanese teachers whom Professor Kam also learnt from. They were Professor Yamasaki and Professor Hiyake who had training centres at Bras Basah Road.
Somewhere in 1931, Professor Kam relocated to the Far East in Shanghai and Hong Kong. His ambition was to wrestle professionally (All-in-American Style). He took part in about 60 matches which included some exhibition matches. It was during this time that his nicknames , "Panther Hoe" or "The Terror of Pahang" became to be known.
Professor Kam's matches were different from today's. There were no fixed number of rounds but only a time limit of one to three hours. The matches were supposingly "anything goes" which included some bitings and eye gougings.
During those years, Professor Kam killed three wrestlers. In 1931, during a match in Alor Setar, Kedah, a Malayan champion named Atra Singh was killed in a strangulation. In another match in Shanghai, a wrestler named Mewa Singh was strangled within 10 seconds in a lock. The last person, named Nai Som Chit, had his back broken in a match in Bangkok. These deaths ended Professor Kam's career because no wrestler wanted to challenge him in the ring.
Professor Kam continued his Ju-Jitsu studies under another Japanese teacher while in Shanghai. The teacher, Professor T. Yamanaka graded him to Nidan (2nd Dan), based on the old style of ranking. This is roughly equivalent to 6th Dan, in today's contemporary rankings.
From Shanghai, Professor Kam relocated to Kyoto. He stayed for roughly two years to learn more about the intricacies of Ju-Jitsu and Kuatsu. In 1933, he was awarded 3rd Dan Honours (Sandan) and Professorship in Ju-Jitsu and Kuatsu at the Kyoto International Ju-Jitsu Society, Doshinsha College. The 3rd Dan awarded was based on the old system and equivalent to today's 10th Dan.
The person who awarded the 3rd Dan Honours to Professor Kam was Master Sensei Admiral Isoruku Yamamoto (1884-1943). He was the person who planned the attack on Pearl Harbor.
Professor Kam returned home to Malaya in 1935. He started a school named "Hoe's JuJitsu Studio" at 94, Jalan Raja Laut, Kuala Lumpur. He called his style Hoe's Ju-Jitsu.
It was during this time, in his 30s, he turned to professional boxing to earn a living. He trained at the Hertsford Road Camp which was managed by a person named Dickey Morrier. He had 30 to 40 fights. The 1930s to 1940s was considered the Golden Age of Boxing in Old British ruled Malaya and Singapore.
In 1936, Professor Kam became Private Trainer and Boxing Instructor with the Federated Malay States Police Depot. In 1937, the Depot won the Police Championship Trophy from the Singapore Police. They retained the trophy until World War 2. Professor Kam also visited Australia in 1941 to participate in a boxing competition.
Many students from the 1930s to 1940s were instructed by Professor Kam. He was also a promoter of many fighting events in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Penang and even Thailand.
In 1946, at the Singapore's Great World Park, the first ever wrestler vs boxer event was held. The boxer, Tommy Carrie was a junior middleweight and a top competitor for the Oriental title. Professor Kam pinned him down in 16 seconds, which caused the crowded stadium to have a riot or pandemonium, as the spectators were expecting an epic long battle.
In 1947, he had a last wrestling match with a person named George Stronghart, supposingly Singapore's Heavyweight Champion. The professor won despite being 145 lbs against a much heavier opponent.
Professor Kam relocated to Penang in 1956. Initially, he started a Dojo in 69b, McAlister Road. He moved to another address at the same road later to take over the International Judo Institute. He changed the name of the institute to International Ju-Jitsu Institute (Bankoku Ju-Jitsu Ryu) in 1958. This place was used to teach many students till 1969.
In 1958, Process Kam started teaching at the Royal Australian Air Force Base in Butterworth. He taught many students till the end of 1979. During this period, there were other Ju-Jitsu classes in other places in Ipoh and elsewhere in Penang.
At the age of 60, in 1963, Professor Kam was challenged to a fight by two Thai kickboxers. The fight was held at the Thai Embassy, as the police refused permission for the events to be held in Penang. It garnered a lot of news.
Professor Kam agreed to observe 5 rules namely no killing, no punching, no chopping, no throwing and no breaking of bones. The opponents had no restrictions. The first opponent was overcame with a Ju-Jitsu lock.
The second opponent was a grand champion but was pinned down. According to witnesses, the boxer kneed Professor Kam in the chin as the latter released him. This caused Professor Kam to be annoyed and threw the boxer down, which broke the rules imposed on him. The judges intervened and declared the winner to be Professor Kam.
At the later part of his life, in 1979, Professor Kam semi-retired and relocated to Kuala Lumpur. He had a small class where he promoted some students to Master Dan level. One of them is his adopted son , Errol Perara, who later became the head of the school. Interestingly, Professor Kam was a bodyguard for a time, for a well know politician and lawyer, the late Karpal Singh (1940-2014).
On the 3rd of October, 1990, age 86, Professor Kam passed away peacefully at home. He was cremated and his ashes were scattered at Port Klang.
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The Art of Hoe's Ju-Jitsu:
The Kyoto International Ju-Jitsu Society Headquarters at Doshinsha College was a well known self defense school before World War 2. The society was founded before the end of the 20th Century.
The curriculum consisted of Ju-Jitsu arts with contributions from various traditional teachers. Its a collective system which had techniques from the old samurai days.
After World War 2, the American forces who occupied Japan prohibited the practice of martial arts for a number of years and as a result, the Kyoto International Ju-Jitsu Society was closed. The remaining students and instructors dispersed. Professor Kam was one of the few who preserved what was taught in the old school.
The traditional art of Professor Kam's Ju-Jitsu consisted of techniques utilising Strikes (Artemi), Throws (Nage), Kansetsu (Joint Locks) Osae (Restraints), Jime (Strangulations) and Ukemi (Breakfalls).
It also has, in its syllabus, the Art of Kuatsu 活术 (Art of Killing, Reviving and Healing). This segment is another section of the art which is taught only to students who are of senior level.
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The teachers of Hoe's JuJitsu Studio (Puchong).
Shihan Leong Chock-Lim :
Shihan Leong was a disciple of Professor Kam from 1979 up to his passing in 1990 and continues to lead the classes today. He was given the rank of Nidan (2nd Dan) with Honours, based on the old Ju-Jitsu grading format, in 1988 and later on, conferred a rank as 'Master Dan and Kuatsu Specialist' in 1990.
As a practitioner of Kuatsu (the Art of Revival Healing), he has been regularly healing people for years. He specializes in physical ailments such as backaches, migraines, sports injuries or ailments related to today's sedentary lifestyles.
As in the old days, when Shihan Leong first approached Professor Kam to join his class, he was rejected and told to go home. He patiently waited outside the gate of Professor Kam's house for 3 whole days till the latter decided to accept him.
Shihan Leong was one of Professor Kam's most dedicated students and used to follow the Professor on interstate long journeys to learn the healing arts of Kuatsu as they made house calls together.
Professor Kam was regarded as a legendary healer in the Penang community, famed for being able to mend even broken bones. Today, Shihan Leong continues the practice of Kuatsu. He has refined the Art of Kuatsu with years of dedication, research and knowledge.
Micheal Lui, Sensei (4th Dan Ju-Jitsu) :
Sensei Michael has been training in Ju-Jitsu for many years since the age of 32. He is a direct student of Soke Perera and Shihan Leong. While assisting the latter, he also conducts classes.
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Contact:
Sensei Michael Lui (019-319 1643)
https://www.facebook.com/hoejujitsustudio/
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