Deep within the historic city of Melaka, Malaysia, lies a rare Hakka combat art that exists nowhere else in the world. Spider Fist (蜘蛛拳) is an obscure southern system carrying deep ties to Old China—historically linked to itinerant medicine peddlers and secret branches of the syncretic White Lotus Society (白蓮教).
Though renowned across Malaya between the 1950s and 1970s, economic shifts and modern lifestyle changes have pushed this rare treasure to the brink of extinction. Today, only a dedicated few continue to keep the flame alive.
Historical Origins & Migration
The story of Spider Fist moves from the provincial heartlands of Southern China to the historic streets of Melaka during the pre-WWII era:
- Grandmaster Choo Ban Er (朱萬二): Hailing from Fengyang Prefecture, Jiangxi Province, GM Choo practiced Chu Gar Kung Fu (朱家教). He traveled across Southern China as a wandering medicine seller (Zou Jiang Hu).
- Grandmaster Lai Than Keng (賴覃慶): While GM Choo was performing martial arts and selling traditional medicine in Guangdong, Lai Than Keng met him and trained alongside him for three years on the road. In the late 1930s or early 1940s, GM Lai migrated to Malaya, settling down in Melaka to establish and teach Spider Fist.
Demonstration: Hakka Hand Strikes & Short-Range Power
Watch: Demonstration of Hakka close-quarters hand strikes.
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Lineage Branches & The Donn Draeger Connection
Spider Fist flourished throughout Melaka during the mid-20th century, developing two primary lineage branches:
Branch 1: Lai Kim Chuan Gymnasium (赖錦全健身院)
Founded under Sifu Lai Kim Chuan, this branch remains active today on a modest, dedicated scale, continuing to preserve the original forms and combat applications passed down from GM Lai Than Keng.
- Lineage Chain: GM Choo Ban Er ➔ GM Lai Than Keng ➔ Sifu Lai Kim Chuan ➔ Sifu Xia Gui-Yuan (夏桂源)
Branch 2: The Wee Soon-Hin Lineage (Inactive)
Led by Sifu Wee Soon-Hin, this branch trained a prominent group of exponents including Wee Kim-Chuan, Wee Kim-Ann, Teo Eng-Chew, and Chan Chee-Fook.
Notably, this group caught the attention of famous American martial arts historian and author Donn F. Draeger, who met and documented Sifu Wee’s group during his research on Southeast Asian fighting arts. Though currently inactive, historical records provided by Mr. Chan Chee-Fook to the Wenwu administration ensure this branch’s history remains preserved.
Chinese Historical Record (Wenwu Archives)
For historical archiving purposes, below is the original account shared by Mr. Chan Chee-Fook regarding the roots of the system:
師祖朱萬二，中國江西省，凰陽府朱家教功夫。他走江湖賣药。有一次到廣東賣药，表演功夫。賴覃慶跟朱師祖學拳三年及走江湖。後來三四十年初來南洋，在马六甲安居。在呷教拳。
- Translation Summary: Grandmaster Choo Ban Er was from Fengyang Prefecture, Jiangxi Province, practicing Chu Gar Kung Fu. He traveled the country selling medicine. During a demonstration in Guangdong, Lai Than Keng joined him, training for three years while traveling together. In the 1930s/40s, GM Lai came to Nanyang, settled in Melaka, and began teaching.
Training & Contact Information
If you are interested in researching, practicing, or preserving the last remaining active branch of Malaysian Spider Fist, instruction is available via the Lai Kim Chuan Gymnasium (赖錦全健身院) in Melaka.
Active Lineage Contacts
- Sifu Xia Gui Yuan (夏桂源师傅): +60 12-225 5971
- Sifu Hong Rui Fu (洪瑞福师傅): +60 17-678 2222
- Sifu Huang Zheng Lu (黃政陆师傅): +60 19-666 1484
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