Hung Manding - "history" (legend) or movie?

[TenTigers]

It's funny that no Bak Mei history I know of has ever stated that Bak Mei Do Yan killed Jee Siem, nor Hung Hei Guen killed Bak Mei.
Again, most of these "Historical accounts," seem to come from movies and novels.

[santaranks]

Think about it from a Baak Mai practioner's point of view, if your ancestor/founder was a traitor to his people, and also his kung fu brothers, would you advertise it???. I know most of these legends come from the book-1000 year Ching-but that doesnt mean someone can catagorically state it is true or not. I believe the legends, but if another doesnt I respect their opinion, in any case there is no definite proof either way is there??

Most legends dont state that Gee Sim was killed by Baak Mei anyway, he escaped Shaolin and worked on the red boats as a cook (if you believe the legend) and taught Luk Dim Boon Gwun to Wong Wah Bo and Leung Yee Tai, future Wing Chun lineage holders, who incorporated that pole form in a slightly changed version to Wing Chun--I learned the "original" (Gee Sin also taught this pole form in Shaolin to Hung Hei Goon-if you believe the legend) Luk Dim Boon Gwun from si-fu Mark Ho from his Malaysian (non-Wong Fei Hung lineage) Hung Kuen, direct from Hung Hei Goon's 1st generation of to-dai (if you believe the legends), and though there are definite similarities in the two styles pole forms, some adaptation has occured in the Wing Chun version coz it is definitely shorter, perhaps to fit into Ng Mui and Yim Wing Chun' idea to make an art that is quicker to learn (if you believe the legends)

These legends are important as they give people following in their footsteps something to aspire to and inspire them.

[Supji]

Legends, novels are nice as entertainment, but science is also good for fact based education. If not we would believe any superstitions.

[Mike Maley]