Master Paolo Cangelosi was born in Genoa in October 1960.
With the age of eight, he started practicing Ju Jutzu and after two more years he met his first Kung Fu Master, Fu Han Tong, who was decisive in his martial and existential foration. Young Paolo got immediately attracted by the profound charisma of this "strange chinese" who, alone, practiced Kung Fu in Genoa in the beginning of the '70ies.
Fu Han Tong
Fu Han Tong was born in September 1925 in the south of China. After becoming Si Fu in several styles, he often found himself in contrast with other masters due to his innovative thinking and lifestyle. In the '60ies in China, it was common thinking that Kung Fu was an art for Chinese only, and it was custom that a master practiced and taught only one single style.
Fu Han Tong surely was a sui generis man: his profound knowledge of Kung Fu, his skills and charisma, and his innovative lifestyle as a martial artists often rendered him an "uncomfortable" character in his domain.
His life was intense and mostly misterious. He left China in 1965 and travelled to Australia and California first, then to Europe. He did not have many students and formed only few other masters. In Europe, he first stayed in France (Marseille), and, then, he moved to Genoa, where he meant to remain temporarily, working as a carpenter in the old city centre.
It was there, in 1971, that he met Paolo Cangelosi, who became his pupil when he was only eleven. Severe training methodologies were imparted to the child according to traditional chinese customs, but tough training. humiliations meant to strengthen the spirit, and several challenges, showed that young Paolo had a sincere and profound passion for the Art. The path was therefore traced and Fu Han Tong stayed in Genoa, training his student, for seven years. From 1971 to 1978, Paolo dedicated himself completely to martial arts, studying and practicing for eight hours a day for years and years.
The Beginnings
While learning Kung Fu, Paolo got black belts in Karate and Judo, also practicing Western Boxe and Kendo.
When he was 16, he decided to abandon school, convinced that his life would be dedicated to martial arts only. He started teaching: first only fitness, self-defence and Karate. He avoided transimtting his Kung Fuas, a form of respect, because he considered it still too linked to his Master.
He nonetheless started being followed by a group of passionate students, with whom he practiced and grew in every possible location.
Starting from 1977, he was invited to participate in several martial arts exhibitions in Italy, where he got immediately appreciated notwistanding his youth. In his last period in Genoa, Fu Han Tong intensified his trainings, and eventually allowed his pupil Paolo to further transmit his art.
Si Fu Paolo Cangeosi
In 1978, when the old master travelled back to China, he conferred Paolo the title of Si Fu. From that moment on, Paolo opened his first school, hence becoming one of the first Italians dedicated to chinese martial arts in history. He transimitted his Kung Fu by selecting his students with severe and oriental teaching methods, as he was previously taught. His main goal was not fame, since only few students resisted in the beginning, but rather to still grow alongside them. These years were magic for Kung Fu: with the spreading of Bruce Lee's movie it was not easy for a master to find a balance between the tradtional reality of a thousands-year old art and the popular fanatism of that period.
China
When he was 20, after having started his school, he left for the East (China and Hong Kong), hoping to find his master, of whom he hadn't had news after he had left Italy. Adventures and experiences worth of a movie characterized this first journey to the East. Fourty years ago, the Kung Fu scene was much different: Westerners, especially if skilled, where obstacled by almost every school and practitioner. For Chinese, sharing their culture and secrets with a European was seen as dishounorable.
It was not easy for Paolo to find Sifu Fu Han Tong, but once it happened, his old master granted Paolo the possibility to meet other great Sifus, who where decisive for his further growth. Among the several Sifus encountered, one of the most beloved and respected is Hung Gar's Sifu Chan Hon Chun: man of high moral standing, Hung Gar Master and Ti Taa (traditional chinese orthopedics) expert. With him, Sifu Paolo created a genuine link, which lasted for 9 years, till master Chan Hon Chun's death, occured on February the 23rd 1991.
During his regular journeys to the East, Paolo got in contact with many other important Masters and their Schools. Among the most esteemed, we find: M° TANG SUNG LEUNG (Choy Lee Fut), M° HO TANG SING (Tsui Pa Hisien), M° TSUI SEON TIN (Wing Chun), M° CHEN CHAN FENG (Tang Lang), M° HO CIAU (Tai Chi and Pa Kua), M° WOONG TAK HUNG (Nam Siu Lam). This list could continue: Paolo Cangelosi followed in fact Fu Han Tong's way, hence continously training and practicing new combat styles, eventually obtaining one of the vastest martial konowledges in the world.
Thailand
When in Hong Kong, Paolo also met Alex Sing and Kim Way, two famous athletes in the scenes of Kick Boxind and Muay Thai. They gave him the input to start practicing the thai arts as well. Following their advice, in 1983 Paolo started attending the same schools in Bangkok they were practicing in. He had so the chance to train and learn with and from masters and champions such as PHAYAKAROON SAMART, YODTONG SENANAN, DISEL NOI, SENTIEN NOI, PUD LOI. From this moment on, in his travels to the East, Thailand became a central stage. In his several stays, he also grew with other famous practitioners: CHERANG TONG, PORNTAVEE SAKAD, CHANDEE, PORTONWEE RAINBOW, PRAMOUN RAYM.
Sifu Paolo is now a good friend to SKUNTALK ALFRED and the I.M.P. “International Promotion Martial Art” in Bangkok, where he was honoured with the appellation of SANPAYAK “the man who can fight with every style” and where he has been appointed as a teacher.
Fighting experience
Sifu Paolo has had, often, to demonstrate his skills in traditional fighting occasions. In order to be admitted to the narrow scene of traditional Kung Fu practitioners, he was invited several times to demonstrate his courage and abilities in combat challenges.
This was normal and customary if one wanted to study Kung Fu in those years. Nowadays things have changed radically: most of the schools are opent to anyone in exchange of money. Sometimes (and sadly) only few lessons are needed to be authorized to teach and spread a particular art. In the past, things were much tougher everywhere in the eastern martial scene.
Master Cangelosi teaches today his Art in the whole world. He is regularly invited to participate in exhibitions, stages, and publications in worldwide famous and important occasions.
Thanks to the help of his instructors, he keeps the enthusiasm of his students alive. Not only in Italy, but in his other European schools as well. In the years, his school hsa become one of the most appreciated and well-considered in the global scene.
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