Category: Hakka Ethnography

The ‘Hak-gar’ or ‘Guest People’ live in South China but follow a Northern Chinese culture.

Master Chan Tin Sang c. 1956 Enhanced Photo

UK: Enhanced Photographs of – Chan Tin Sang [陳天生] – Our Hakka-Chinese Grandfather! (1.10.2026)

The British Authorities refused to arm the local populace. Most of his family were captured, tortured and brutally murdered by the Imperial Japanese Forces. Due to the bravery of the Hakka people – the British Authorities took the unusual step of raising a monument to their bravery in the New Territories after the British resumed colonial control of the region in 1945 – following the Imperial Japanese Surrender. To be clear, the Hakka people were “civilian” men, women, and children offered no military support (unlike the brave Gurkha warriors). As a consequence, and due to their bravery and law-abiding behaviour, the British State invited these “Guest People” ro resettle in the UK as a reward for their loyalty and sacrifice. Master Chan Tin Sanng – our Chinese grandfather – was a martial arts Master who brought his gongfu style to the West and transmitted the lineage to Adrian Chan-Wyles – the only inheritor of the complete style.

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Gee Stands with Her Grandparents Who Came to England in the 1950s & 1960s!

UK: Cleaning the Ancestral Graves [Chung Yeung – 重陽] – Mid Autumn “Hungry Ghost” Festival!

As summer transition to Autumn – the mid-point is considered a time when the material world is in a state of commune with the unseen spiritual world. The ideograms “重陽” are pronounced “Zhong Yang” (Double Nine) in Putonghua (Mandarin) – are pronounced “Chung Yeung” in the Cantonese dialect (spoken in Hong Kong). In our Hakka dialect we say “Chhiùng-Yòng” – which is nearer the Northern Beijing dialect (Hakka people migrated into the South from the North). Although the graves are cleaned of leaves and dirt – this time of year is usually designed for “feeding” the spirits. Bowls of fresh (sealed) food can be laid near the grave with paper clothing “burned” (the smoke carries the objects up to the divine-sky). The food is then taken away, Incense is lit and flowers distributed.

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Daoist Immortal By a Lake!

UK: Daoist Magical Spells & Divination Arts! (23.9.2026)

In the Hakka-Cantonese language this (internal) process is termed “Mo-Sut” [魔術] (or “magic arts”). This is not to be confused with the similarly sounding “Mo Sut” (武術) – which stands for “Martial Arts”. “Mo-Sut” [魔術] (or “Magic Arts”) ran parallel with “Mo-Gui” [魔鬼] (or “Magic-Spirits”). My experience of Daoist magic came down through my gongfu training – and not through my Qianfeng Daoist (neidan) training. I suppose I experienced the “folk” variant as practiced within the culture of the Hakka people. In this regard, I practiced “invincibility” spells that prevented me being defeated in fighting over many years (when I was a teacher and lineage head). This is a lesson not in superstition – but sound character building and the application of physical skills. My ongoing training – which maintains my health and strength – constitutes “Immortality” training. Mo-Sut correlates with “self-visualisation” techniques that boost the self – whilst Mo-Gui seeks to unnerve and unsettle an opponent “at a distance” (as if their well-being is being interfered with by an unseen third-party).

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Old Way Mansion - Torbay - Where Me & Gee Were Married!

UK: The Hidden Celtic Structures in Modern Families! (23.6.26)

Of course, conflicting with powers outside the family is a normal occupations for working-class Celts. Although we can seldom win these wars in real terms – we win in another way – as the inner structure of the family is protected and secured. We divert the enemy and turn their attention to a more or less irrelevant feature which they invariably fall for. We encourage the false idea that “they are more intelligent” and that “they have beaten us” – and we retreat in mock defeat. This is how we handle the authorities. Children watch their parents doing this from an early age – and on it goes. The modern equivalent of showing the Shire-Reef our naked bottoms when he comes to collect taxes. Letting the middle and upper-classes think we are thick is one of our greatest defences. Inwardly, we cannot be rattled regardless of what is done to use externally. We will not bend to any blow and we never show it hurts. 

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The Re-Arranged Family Shrine - 2026

UK: The Family Shrine Re-Arranged for the Passing of My Father! (18.6.2026)

Even if no member of a Chinese family has not trained in a formal spiritual order – incense will be regularly lit, and fresh flowers and fruit will be added every so many days. Of course, some shrines are kept-up at a greater degree than others – but this does not matter in the end. A family shrine is a door-way between one plane and another. It is a two-way structure that permits a solemn respect to traverse from the material realm into the immaterial realm – and allows a positive spiritual reality to emanate from the immaterial plane to the material realm. Today, I talked to my deceased father – and I did this via a photograph that my mother took and printed-out for me probably around 2010. The photograph was taken in the front garden of our old home at 2 Torbay Road, Torquay Road, Torquay, Devon (the shyster landlord took over a hundred thousand pounds in rent between 2002-2018 before applying a no-fault eviction because we requested a repair be made). As this was 16-years ago – my father would have been around 68-years old at the time. I suppose my father was at the peak of his power as an elderly person! Tomorrow we will collectively lit incense. It is the next stage of respectful mourning.

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Moses Waveman - Peter Wyes RIP

UK: An Email to my Deceased Father – Moses Waveman! (30.5.2026)

Even the far-right tried to have ago – pretending you said this or said that – apparently unaware that half of your family are “Chinese” (many of the current staff-members of Hadleigh Court – the care home that evicted you – are members of the far-right and punished you for not supporting their twisted ideas). This fact, once it became known, holed that far-right beneath the water-line and it never recovered. I knew what you think – but you never openly spoke about politics – and yet there are numerous utterances that somehow you mysteriously always managed to align with their (often nefarious) viewpoints. The far-left kept its distance from you – viewing you as a product of bourgeois excess – how wrong they were! My father was NOT religious – but you WERE spiritual. Quite a contradiction for the small-minded. Whatever the case, you fought against the capitalists on my behalf when I was a child, a youth, and an adult. I stood with you when I grew-up and was able. I know continue this fight.

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