MALAYSIA: Kung-Fu Master Ho Eng Hui, who breaks coconuts with his finger, is set to retire

Record ID: 720346

  • Title: MALAYSIA: Kung-Fu Master Ho Eng Hui, who breaks coconuts with his finger, is set to retire
  • Date: 16th May 2008
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (English) TOURIST, SHAUN PRIDDLE ,SAYING: "Smashing a coconut with his elbow and his finger -- it's crazy." HO WALKING IN FRONT OF AUDIENCE MEMBERS AND SHOWING HIS FINGER (SOUNDBITE) (English) TOURIST, JAMIE GREENHOUGH, SAYING: "It's a true art. He is a very skillful Kung-Fu master."
  • Embargoed: 31st May 2008 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Malaysia
  • Country: Malaysia
  • Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment / Showbiz,Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
  • Reuters ID: LVAE3X8ZITW1RYNYLADTBIKOQ7JQ
  • Story Text: In Malaysia's historical city of Malacca, Kung-Fu Master Ho Eng Hui breaks coconuts with his index finger every weekend to help promote state tourism and also to sell his multi-purpose medication that relieves rheumatism, arthritis and muscle pains.
    For eight long years, his performances at the popular Jonker Street never fails to attract big crowds of tourists and locals alike.
    His achievements have been noted in the Malaysia Book of Records and for Ho, Kung-Fu is more than just a pastime, it's a way of life and a way to earn a living for his family.
    Against the backdrop of familiar Kung-Fu music, Master Ho momentarily enters into serious concentration and without warning he lets out a few forceful cries that couple with swift movements and stunts. He then, to the delight of his audience, raises his index finger and mercilessly sinks it onto the coconut as if it was his worst enemy.
    After a few successive jabs, he gives a final thrust with his steely finger into the husky fruit drawing out its juices which in turn draws out an appreciative shriek from the crowd.
    He has triumphed over the stubborn coconut but not without having to pay a price.
    He looks in great pain and breaks out in perspiration around his forehead as his assistants help him extract his finger. But within minutes of applying his patented oils, he is back at his cheerful best and proudly showing off his famous finger to the crowd, claiming he now feels no pain.
    Some of his other performances include fire eating, devil whips and flying cards and he often invites the audience to participate in some of his performances.

    "Smashing a coconut with his elbow and his finger -- it's crazy," Shaun Priddle, a tourist said, adding that he had never seen anything quite like it.
    Canadian tourist Jamie Greenhough said he likes Kung-Fu and that he appreciated the artistry behind Ho's work.

    "It's a true art. He is a skilful Kung-Fu master," he told Reuters Television.
    An advocate of healthy living, Ho constantly reminds people not to smoke and drink during his show. He jogs every morning to keep fit and occasionally plays golf and indulges in "Healthy Mahjong", a Chinese game of luck.
    Looking nostalgically at his severely punished and slightly deformed right index finger, he recalls the day he broke it in 1993 while performing in Singapore.

    "It was broken. I thought I was finished but I persevered and kept on thinking that I would be famous. That's how I got this finger that has fed my whole family," he said.
    In 2001, he entered the Malaysia Book of Record for breaking three coconuts in one minute and 11 seconds, in quick succession. The record remains unchallenged till today.
    The 56-year-old die-hard fan of Bruce Lee, the late Kung-Fu actor who brought the Chinese arts of self-defence to international attention in the early 70's, plans to retire his overworked finger soon and simply enjoy life without the weekly performances.
    Ho's only regret is that younger generations are no longer interested in taking up the skill, including is only son who does not want to follow in his footsteps.
    Although there are other performers in Malaysia who claim to be as good as Ho, he dismisses them all as "pretenders" and says he has never trusted their true ability to break a coconut the way he can.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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