Master Loh Poh Swee 卢保水老师

 

Master Loh Poh Swee (卢保水) was born in Singapore in 1954. As a young man, he studied traditional bone-setting from his father. Although his own father was an accomplished martial artist, Master Loh was entrusted to another teacher from their hometown when he was 10 years old. His father's rationale was that it was always challenging for fathers to be strict in instruction and maintain the rigor in training without being unduly harsh on their sons and affecting family ties.

 

This was how the young Loh Poh Swee was brought to meet his teacher, Grandmaster Lim Eng Leong (林永隆). Grandmaster Lim had lived a nondescript life in Singapore, working at a timber factory until the turbulent years of World War II brought him out of obscurity, and he subsequently began teaching martial arts.

 

Soon after his introduction to Grandmaster Lim by his father, the young Loh Poh Swee became a live-in disciple and took care of the daily needs of his teacher while training and assisting in classes. He was then only about 11 years of age. Master Loh spent his early youth under the watchful eye of Grandmaster Lim until the latter’s passing in 1970.

 

By then, Master Loh had developed into a well-rounded martial artist, and he proceeded to win the Men's All-Round Forms Competition in 1970 as well as become a familiar feature on the free-sparring circuit. He was later selected to represent Singapore as part of the National Team to compete at regional free-sparring competitions.

 

Master Loh Poh Swee will be teaching an art known as the Traverse Fist of White Crane (横拳白鹤派). This art has virtually disappeared from mainland China and is kept alive by only a handful of practitioners in Singapore and South-east Asia.