Wuhu School

Wuhu School

Contents

The Wuhu School (simplified: 五虎门, traditional: 五虎門, pinyin: Wǔhǔ Mén, jyutping: ng5 fu2 mun4, also written 五虎派) was the school founded at Foshan, Guangdong, by Feng Tiannan, the “Southern Overlord” (南霸天), after he had beaten every opponent in Lingnan with a gilded iron rod (SIDE ch. 5). By the account of Foshan townsfolk, its members everywhere paid him a share of their gains (SIDE ch. 5). Feng was killed by Hu Fei at the Grand Assembly of Zhangmen under Heaven (SIDE ch. 19).

Overview

Wealth and reach

In Foshan, Feng owned a great pawnshop, the Hero Pawnshop (英雄当铺), a tavern, the Hero Tavern (英雄楼), and a gambling house, the Hero Gaming Hall (英雄会馆). He was counted the best fighter in all Guangdong, and had friends among officials in the provincial capital, Beijing, Zhili, Hunan and Hubei. Townsfolk said silver was brought to him each month from the east, west and north of the province, and that he was zhangmen of the Wuhu School, taking a cut whenever its brothers made money anywhere (SIDE ch. 5). Hu Fei’s verdict was that he was both a rich man and a bandit who sat at home and shared the loot (SIDE ch. 5).

Members

The third-ranking member, known as the “Lingnan Flying Tiger” (岭南飞虎), was Feng’s right-hand man and feared throughout Foshan; he was strong in external hard skills but had no qinggong (SIDE ch. 5). Feng’s son Feng Yiming (凤一鸣) had killed thirty or forty people himself, by his father’s account (SIDE ch. 7).

History

The Zhong family and the flight from Foshan

Feng Tiannan’s persecution of the peasant Zhong Asi and his family brought Hu Fei down on him. Hu Fei made scenes at Feng’s tavern, pawnshop and gambling house to draw him out, and at the North Emperor Temple threw the Lingnan Flying Tiger up so hard that he had to hang from the ridge beam, then held a knife to Feng Yiming (SIDE ch. 5). Feng killed the three members of the Zhong family and immediately abandoned his house and fled, travelling by night along back roads (SIDE ch. 5, 7). Yuan Ziyi, his daughter by Yuan Yingu, saved him from Hu Fei three times (SIDE ch. 7, 14).

In Beijing, Feng tried to buy peace, giving Hu Fei a mansion and lands at Yitang through Zhou Tiejiao, who lured Hu Fei into promising to forgive him; Hu Fei refused to let the matter drop (SIDE ch. 13, 19).

At the Grand Assembly

The imperial bodyguard He Sihao had come south to invite Feng as the Wuhu School’s zhangmen to Fuk’anggan’s assembly (SIDE ch. 5). Feng came, and took the last of the contested seats for a Jade Dragon Cup, winning bout after bout with silver needles that seemed to come from nowhere. When Ke Zirong forced him back, he drew from his gilded rod a light, folding shield painted with five tiger heads; onlookers took it for the Wuhu School’s emblem (SIDE ch. 18). The needles were in fact fired by Tang Pei from his boot, in return for Feng’s promise of ten thousand taels a year and his silence about Yuan Yingu (SIDE ch. 19).

Hu Fei cut Feng’s rod into four pieces with the Tianlong treasured dao he had taken from Tian Guinong. When Tang Pei was exposed and turned on him, Feng tried to slip away, and Hu Fei threw the dao after him, cutting him down as he neared a side gate of Fuk’anggan’s residence (SIDE ch. 19). His Jade Dragon Cup had already shattered on the floor, poisoned by Cheng Lingsu (SIDE ch. 19).

Notable members

  • Feng Tiannan: founder and zhangmen, the “Southern Overlord” (SIDE ch. 5)
  • Feng Yiming (凤一鸣): Feng Tiannan’s son (SIDE ch. 5, 7)
  • The “Lingnan Flying Tiger” (岭南飞虎): third-ranking member (SIDE ch. 5)

Locations

  • Foshan: seat of the school and of Feng’s businesses (SIDE ch. 5)
  • North Emperor Temple (北帝庙): the Foshan temple where Hu Fei confronted Feng and where the Zhong family died (SIDE ch. 5, 14)

See also

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