Book Review: The Road to Softness: Remembering Tam Hun Fan

I was pleasantly surprised to return from my recent European trip and find The Road to Softness: Remembering Tam Hun Fan waiting for me. Authored by my friends Sifu Joel Lee and Sifu Pearl Seet, this book is truly one of a kind—it is the only detailed exploration of the life of the late Sifu Tam Hun Fan, one of Sifu Leung Ting’s earliest students and enthusiastic supporters.

As a young Wing Tsun practitioner, I distinctly remember seeing Sifu Tam on the cover of Dynamic Wing Tsun, my first book specifically focused on Leung Ting Wing Tsun. He also featured prominently in the Authentic Wing Tsun video and was a familiar face in Wing Tsun Kuen. Unfortunately, by the time I became heavily involved in Wing Tsun, Sifu Tam and my Si-Gung, Leung Ting, were not necessarily on the best of terms. Despite my numerous trips to Hong Kong in the 2000s, I never had the opportunity to meet Sifu Tam. I recall passing by his school on Reclamation Street many times, but out of respect for my Si-Gung, I never ventured in. This remains one of my regrets, but at least I can now learn about Sifu Tam—my Si-Baak in Kung Fu family terms—through the insights shared by Sifu Joel and Sifu Pearl.

Sifu Tam’s contributions to the development of Leung Ting Wing Tsun in Hong Kong and New Zealand are undeniable. Originally, Sifu Tam approached Grandmaster Yip Man for instruction, but due to Yip Man's retirement and health issues, he was directed to learn from Leung Ting, who was teaching in the same space. The rest, as they say, is history.

Not only was Sifu Tam a principal instructor at the IWTA HQ in Hong Kong, but he also trained many full-contact fighters who helped establish the reputation of Leung Ting’s gym in the 1970s. He was known to rise to challenges when necessary, even coming to Sifu Leung’s aid when his instigations got him into trouble. Many of the great stories found in this book were shared with me by other seniors in the Wing Tsun family, but it’s heartwarming to read them from those who were closer to him.

My beloved Si-Baak, the late Sifu Elmond Leung, often spoke of Sifu Tam's tireless dedication to training. Sifu Elmond first told me that because Sifu Tam was already 35 when he began Wing Tsun, he doubled his efforts to make up for lost time. This sentiment is echoed almost verbatim in the book. I also recall another Si-Baak, Sifu Lee Yun Tim, sharing how even Sifu Leung Ting's younger triad-involved brother had nothing but respect for Sifu Tam.

The book further uncovers lesser-known facts, such as Sifu Tam’s relationship with the late Grandmaster Yuen Yik Kai. One of my great mentors, Sifu Carson Lau, often mentioned that Sifu Tam’s skill with the long pole was unmatched.

For anyone interested in the rich, often overlooked history of the Wing Tsun family, I highly recommend getting a copy of this book. Sifu Joel Lee and Sifu Pearl Seet have done their Grandmaster proud. This is an indispensable source of history for our lineage.