|
Chiu Lou Kei （趙老基）
Chiu Lou Kei was a very widely known figure in Guangzhou in the 1940's as referee for the fighting game.
The Chinese Communist ran over Guangzhou on October 14, 1949 and the last game in the city was performed at the roof top of Namfong Daiha (Southern Building) in 1950. Chiu Lou Kei refereed the game and then he retired from the scene. One thing good Communist did for Guangzhou was to outlaw this "decadent gambling" activity.
According to Li Fook Wah, in the history of Chinese Fighting Dog and Shar-Pei, Chiu Lou Kei is probably one of the most important person in Guangzhou. His experience and point of view influenced many later Shar-Pei people in Dali and Hong Kong.
Chiu Lou Kei's most important statement on Shar-Pei in contrast to Chinese Fighting Dog was the term "mou-ngan". What makes Shar-Pei a Shar-Pei among all the rest of the Chinese Fighting Dog? First and above anything else, it is the "mou-ngan"!
"Mou-ngan" in Cantonese means "hair-n-eyes". A Shar-Pei must have a coat which makes it a Shar-Pei and a pair of eyes (triangular or almond shape) which defines a Shar-Pei look.
 |
 |
| |
Photo above: Li Fook Wah (center) and his wife met with Chiu Lou Kei (right) in Dali sometime between 1984~1986. Chiu Lou Kei was already over 70 years old at that time. |
Tse Sing Wai （謝誠惠）
A scholar in Guangzhou Shar-Pei circle in about the same time as Chiu Lou Kei. An arch opponent of Chiu Lou Kei who he found too grass-root, un-refined and coarse in dealing with the breed. Li Fook Wah first met him in China in late 1970's (post 1976 ). His knowledge on the breed also influenced many later Shar-Pei people in China, and of course including Li Fook Wah himself. Died in late 1990's.
 Gau Wong Tow （狗王滔）
(Photograph on right supplied by Li Fook Wah) A rare photo of a legendary Shar-pei old man in Dali widely know by the name "Gau Wong Tow". In Cantonese "Gau" means dog, "Wong" means king and "Tow" is the name. Literally means "King of the dog Mr. Tow".
He died at around the end of the last century, in 1998 or 1999 at age of 100. His activity with Shar-Pei before 1949 (Mao communist took over of China) was unknown. Judging by his age, he was around his forties before the communist period and apparently he was not involved in the Shar-Pei business. Eric Omura still saw him back in Dali in1996 in the first Shar-Pei Specialty Show in China. He was one of the person most widely respected for his knowledge on the Shar-pei breed after 1976 when China opened its door again to the outside world.
Although he himself claimed to be only an ordinary dog trader, his early reputation was not exactly dog friendly because trading also meant buying and selling of canine for food on the table. This however put him in a special historical setting in Dali where he was able to come across all kinds of dog (Tang dogs) in the Dali area including the Shar-Pei. Li Fook Wah said he came to know "Gau Wong Tow" already in the early 1980's.
According to a story told by Li Fook Wah, one day "Gau Wong Tow" decided he had had enough for butchering dogs. A "spiritual man" one day told "Gau Wong Tow" that he should stop this trade if he wants his family to be in health and peace. He threw his butcher knife into a river and swore to heaven that he will never kill a dog again. Ever since, he specialized himself only in breeding of Shar-Pei. Therefore, by his age, the time he had lived through, and his experience in the dog trade had made him a very knowledgeable person in the trade. When people want to dig into the history and find out more about the post 1976 history of Shar-pei, and for that matter, the history of the town of Dali itself, people went to him for information.
However, it is only fair to say that knowledge of "Gau Wong Tow" on Shar-Pei is mainly an empirical one by his experience in trading with the dogs. He was a peasant, not educated, neither was he in touch with the Shar-Pei as Chinese Fighting Dog in Guangzhou before 1949. Therefore, his expertise on Shar-Pei can not extend before the Communist period.
For this period before the Chinese Communist take over of Guangzhou, our attention should go to Tse Sing Wai （ 謝誠惠 ）and Chiu Lou Kei （ 趙老基 ）in Guangzhou where the Chinese Fighting Dog actions were.
Other classic photos of Gau Wong Tow (Dog King Tow) taken in Dali can be seen in the Shar-Pei Club Hong Kong website.
(Persons in photo from left to right: Yun Chit Chi, Gau Wong Tow, Li Fook Wah)
 |
 |
(Photograph supplied by Li Fook Wah)
A bone mouth bitch at home of Gau Wong Tow. This photograph estimated to be taken around the early 70's in the midst of "Cultural Revolution" in China. This is before the 1976 historical dividing line.
|
(Photograph supplied by Li Fook Wah)
In the 1970's taken at Lek Biu at Gau Wong Tow's home yard. His beloved bone mouth Shar-Pei.
"Lek" stands for Dailek, and "Biu" stands for front. So "Lek Biu" means "Front of Dailek". |
 |
 |
1995. Eric T. Omura met with Gau Wong Tow in Dali market.
Impact of "wrinkles" clearly visible in the market. The result of "Great Meat Mouth Gene Flush".
|
In 1995 research of Dali market, bone mouths were still a common presence. However, towards the end of the 1990's, the number of bone mouth continue to decline, its gene pool continued to be eroded by meat mouth genes.
During the same time in U.S., the U.S. market was already shifting back to the traditional type body and wrinkles. Many Dog Shows in the U.S. were already showing the traditional body with wrinkles only at the withers. This tendency implies that meat mouths were not favored as before in the Western world, and in Hong Kong many of the meat mouths were shipped back (dumped back?) into Dali. |
|
|
Introduction
Who's Who in China
