The Ng Long’s Eight-Trigram Spear Technique (Ng Long Baat Gwa Cheung Faat 五郎八卦槍法) was transmitted by Lo Mou Hing 羅茂興 of Saichiu 西樵 in Yut 粵 (Gwong Dung). After mastering the art, he studied martial arts at a temple on Ng Toi Saan 五台山 and returned to Gwong Dung to teach. His refined method, influenced by his monastic training, became widely disseminated.

Among his disciples, Jau Taai 鄒泰, courtesy name Yu Sing 宇昇, from Naam Hoi Daat Ling 南海鵽嶺, stood out. Jau Taai was said to have received his master’s complete transmission (ji but 衣缽). With both natural intelligence and real combat experience, he advanced the system and became highly regarded in the martial arts world (mou ton 武壇). His fame attracted many students, though only a few truly mastered his art.

Among these was Je Daat Chiu 謝達朝, the most skilled. Je slightly modified the method, emphasizing softness (yau 柔) in contrast to Jau’s emphasis on hardness (gong 剛). Though they shared the same root system, their applications differed in expression. Later generations referred to their respective branches as the Jau Family Eight-Trigram Spear (Jau Ga Baat Gwa Cheung 鄒家八卦槍) and Je Family Eight-Trigram Spear (Je Baat Gwa Cheung 謝家八卦槍), although they originated from the same lineage.

Je Se 謝蛇 and the Bandits

Je Se 謝蛇, nephew of Je Daat Chiu 謝達朝, inherited the spear method to a high level. A mild-mannered and unassuming man, few realized he was a skilled martial artist. He ran a rice business in Saam Bouh 三埠, and would personally travel to nearby villages to purchase grain.

At that time, the region was terrorized by a notorious bandit leader, Daan Yi Jung 單限忠, who commanded over a hundred men and operated ruthlessly between Gong Yik 公益, Geung Mun 江門, and Saam Bou. They committed murder, robbery, and extortion with impunity.

One day, Je Se arranged a meeting with a client in Fung On Heung 鳳安鄉. Running late, he chose to travel by boat through a narrow, overgrown canal. As they passed Ngang Go Jeui 鶯哥咀, a bandit suddenly emerged from the reeds, pointing a large silver revolver and ordering the boat to stop.

Recognizing the danger, Je Se addressed the armed man politely:  

“I only carry a small amount of money today. If it pleases you, I will hand it over without resistance.”

The bandit sneered and replied:  

“Do you think we only want your pocket change? We know you’re the boss of Wing Cheung Lung 米舖 永昌隆 — we’ll take both your money and your person for ransom.”

Knowing the firearm posed a deadly risk, Je Se quickly formed a plan. He took a bamboo pole from the boatman under the pretense of helping to dock, but as they neared the shore, he suddenly thrust the pole toward the bandit, knocking the gun into the water.

The bandit, enraged and unarmed, grabbed another pole from the shore and charged. He was not just a thug, but the vanguard of Daan Yi Jung’s gang, highly skilled in long pole (gwan 棍) and close-quarters combat. Confident he could defeat Je Se in a single blow, he attacked fiercely.

But Je Se remained calm. With the refined movements of the Je Ga Baat Gwa Cheung 謝家八卦槍, he deflected the attack and controlled the opponent’s weapon. Smiling, he warned:  

“If you don’t drop your weapon, I will break your wrist.”*

Before the sentence was finished, there was a loud *clang!* — the bandit’s staff fell to the ground, and he stumbled away, clutching his injured arm.

The remaining bandits drew knives and charged, but Je Se wielded the bamboo pole like a spear. His movements were like a “Swimming dragon forming formations” (Yau lung bou jan 游龍佈陣) — each strike precise and disarming. Within moments, all of the attackers were routed.

He didn’t pursue the retreating bandits. Instead, he returned to the boat and continued on to his scheduled meeting, arriving on time.

Aftermath and Legacy

When others later heard the story and questioned him, Je Se explained:

„This is the principle of using stillness to overcome movement — of responding after the enemy but arriving first. The key is timing. That’s what allowed me to defeat them.”

Those who heard this realized Je Se had truly reached the pinnacle of Baat Gwa Cheung 八卦槍skill. Though he had only a bamboo pole, in his hands it became a deadly spear. His mastery of the art — timing, structure, control — allowed him to overwhelm a group of armed attackers.

The essence of “post-launch, pre-arrival” (hau faat sin dou 後發先至) and „courage with composure“ defines the Je Family’s Eight-Trigram Spear.

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