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Master Wong, also known by his aliases “Ming-Fu” and “Lok-Yung”, was born in Taishan, Guangdong in 1924. Master Wong was first exposed to Chinese calligraphy at the age of 10. The elders in his village spotted Master Wong’s talent and interests, and gave him a special privilege to practice his calligraphic skills on the walls of the village communal hall where famous scripts and paintings were displayed.

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In 1941, Master Wong came to Hong Kong for his secondary education in Pui Ying Middle School, but his study was interrupted by the war, and he immediately took safe passage to Guangdong.  After the war, he returned to study at the Northcote College of Education in Hong Kong. After graduating in 1949, he joined the HK Education Department, serving as school inspector and later as headmaster of several Hong Kong government schools. Master Wong was a pioneer in continuing education and was given the task by the head of the Education Department to establish an adult learning section and later served as headmaster of several secondary schools for adults. Over the years, Master Wong wrote numerous books and publications on Chinese Education in Hong Kong which have been standard text for courses for Education degrees in Hong Kong’s Universities. He was a prolific writer and published numerous books of short proses, poems and calligraphy. His major works include “The Poems and Chinese Calligraphy of Wong Chai Lok” and “Selected Works of Wong Chai Lok – His first 80 Years”. He gave numerous lectures on a variety of subjects including School Administration, Moral Education and Calligraphy.

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Master Wong both served in and chaired numerous societies and foundations, including as President of the “Hong Kong Lan Ting Society” and “Lok Tian Chinese Calligraphy Society”, which he founded. These two distinguished organizations whose motto is to promote the practice and appreciation of the art of Chinese art and calligraphy have large followings and member students.  Master Wong’s alias “Lok Yung” was well known, which means “Happy Old Man” and recognized for his unique and accomplished styles of calligraphy and his active promotion of the study of Chinese calligraphy and culture. Living by the motto “One Life One Art”, he advocated that everyone could ignite the passion of art at any stage of one’s life. He himself practiced Chinese calligraphy for nearly 90 years and had never lost that passion in striving to improve his technique to the next level.

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Master Wong received many recognitions for his lifelong contribution to education in Hong Kong. Amongst the honours and awards bestowed on him were the Queen’s medal of Honour in 1995, the Medal of Honour by the Government of the HKSAR in 2009 and Honorary Fellow by HKUSPACE in 2018, as well as three distinguished teaching awards by HKUSPACE and HK Teachers Association. As a true patriot of China, he focused on educating the needy children from less well provided areas within China. He established the “Wong Chai Lok Mai Po Hope Primary School” in 2006 and also contributed to the rebuilding of 2 primary schools in Guangdong province, “Fook Wai Chai Lok Primary School” and “Hong Kong Senior Education Workers’ Association-16 Town Chai Lok Primary School” in 2007. In 2012, Master Wong was invited by the Cornell University East Asia Program to give a talk and demonstration on Chinese calligraphy. During his visit in the Ithaca campus, he established the “Wong Chai Lok Chinese Calligraphy Fellowship Endowment” to promote future exchange of Chinese calligraphists with Cornell University. “Lok Yung” was immensely grateful to have been given a healthy long life and the opportunity of serving the society and nurturing the next generation to continue his work, from which he derived his true happiness.    

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Master Wong is survived by his wife of 66 years, Wong Lo-Fong, his three children, Vivien, Virginia and Alexander, and his five grandchildren.