Meet Hwang Ken-man, the Republic of China's only professional wrestler, and one of the best in the world. In 1973 he won sixth place in the unlimited weight world judo contest in Switzerland. The past three years, he has had won first place in the world professional wrestling contest held in Korea. He wears his champion's golden belt with pride.
Hwang is a big man, six feet tall and weighing two hundred and eighty two pounds. That is not so big among professional heavyweight wrestlers, but among his colleagues he's known as a man who never yields to anyone. He also enjoys the reputation of being a wrestler who always fights fair.
Hwang was asked how he got started in the wrestling game. "Well," he said, "my family was poor. I left school after primary school to become a carpenter's apprentice. For three years and four months I was unpaid. I worked hard and slept on the floor. But at the end of that time, I was a good carpenter. Unfortunately, I fell in with a gang of hoodlums and led a dissipated life. Then I got sick - stomach trouble from excessive drinking. Finally I realized the importance of health. I began to learn judo. After a while my health returned; in 1968 I won the 'Mr. Taiwan' contest, and that encouraged me to go on developing my strength and skill."
There was another factor in Hwang's becoming a professional wrestler. At the time he became interested in wrestling, professional wrestling films were very popular in Taiwan. Often he asked himself, "Why do all those professional wrestlers have to be foreigners? Why can't Chinese be good wrestlers, too?" He made up his mind to be the first Chinese to excel in wrestling. He found himself a Korean teacher, Chang Jung-che. Wrestling is very popular in Korea, and Korean wrestlers are acknowledged masters. Many now famous Japanese wrestlers began their careers under Korean instruction. He proved an apt pupil, and as mentioned, he began to win world-class titles.
"What do you think of before a match?" he was asked. "Perhaps you may think this strange," he said, "but my own honor, fame and wealth become small when I enter a stadium, see the overseas Chinese waving flags and calling out 'Long Live the Republic of China!' Then I want to win for my country and for all the Chinese people. It touches me so much when some old overseas Chinese comes up to me, touches my arms, and sheds tears of joy because to him I represent the honor of China." Wherever he goes in foreign countries, he always decorates his car with Republic of China flags to show where he stands.
Hwang lives very simply. His home is in a four-story apartment building with a big wrestling billboard mounted on it. His gymnasium is on the fourth floor, and about twenty pupils dressed in white uniforms come there every night to learn various wrestling skills from him. His many trophies are displayed in his living room on the first floor.
Hwang's training schedule is not fanatical but it is by no means light, either. He jogs every morning and hits big tree trunks to develop his striking power. Every day, after all this exercise, he eats something like seven pounds of beef, over seventy pounds of fruit, and many bowls of rice with vegetables.
Despite his growing success as a competitor and teacher, Hwang can occasionally be seen selling "chi li san", a kind of powdered medicine to make you strong. His powerful physique is a good ad for the medicine, but he says he doesn't sell much. "Probably it's because I'm not as good at bragging as some of those other mountebanks," he says. "But if you have eight children, you have to work hard at all times."
Huang feels that wrestling keeps his own children away from juvenile delinquency. "All of my kids are good at kung fu," he says. "They're not bullies, but they can take care of themselves. Even my six-year old has become very strong." He feels that fighting in an orderly way according to specific rules is an outlet for young people's energies, but he hates street fighting. "That's no good," he says.
So this is Hwang Ken-man, an easy mannered and simple person, a credit to his family and to his country. He was born last in his family. One of his characters even means "end of the tail." But he has risen to preeminence by developing his strong body and by endlessly seeking perfection in the wrestler's art. Unlike some other athletes, he never forgets his country. "If all of us can be strong in some way" he says, "our country will be strong."
[Picture Caption]
1 & 3. Running up and down stairs and "chopping" tree trunks help to give Hwang strength and stamina. He feels his efforts are worthwhile whenever he receives praise from overseas Chinese on his success. 2. The golden belt shows that Hwang is an international champion in professional wrestling. The only decorations in his living room are the trophies he has won in many contests.
Hwang owns two wrestling schools. He encourages young men to learn wrestling, which not only helps to make the country strong, but also prevents juvenile delinquency.
The golden belt shows that Hwang is an international champion in professional wrestling. The only decorations in his living room are the trophies he has won in many contests.
Running up and down stairs and "chopping" tree trunks help to give Hwang strength and stamina. He feels his efforts are worthwhile whenever he receives praise from overseas Chinese on his success.
Hwang owns two wrestling schools. He encourages young men to learn wrestling, which not only helps to make the country strong, but also prevents juvenile delinquency.
Hwang owns two wrestling schools. He encourages young men to learn wrestling, which not only helps to make the country strong, but also prevents juvenile delinquency.
Hwang owns two wrestling schools. He encourages young men to learn wrestling, which not only helps to make the country strong, but also prevents juvenile delinquency.
