Remembering Mas Chee Keong Choy

I still remember the first time I met Mas Chee Keong Choy. I can’t recall the exact date, but I’m pretty sure it was sometime in early 1996. I was a white sash, and he was gold. We sparred in class, and he thumped me good with a side-thrust kick that practically cut me in half. When the class ended, he came over an introduced himself, saying “I’m Mas Choy, like bak choy”. That moment marked the beginning of a friendship that lasted nearly thirty years.

In those early days, we often met at his house, where he cooked incredible meals and we’d sit down to eat while watching kung fu films on VHS tapes. In the late ’90s, Mas Choy and I taught Kuntao together at Lewis & Clark College. He brought to the mat a rare combination of strength, precision, and serenity, and I learned so much about how to work with students from watching him. Over the next few years, he earned his brown sash and eventually became the first Kuntao Blackbelt at One With Heart.

Around 2005, Mas Choy chose to follow his passion. He left his job with Portland’s Bureau of Environmental Services to start Jalan Jalan Asia, a company that offered custom tours throughout Southeast Asia. He returned to his hometown of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and while we didn’t see each other as often, we always stayed in touch. Choy regularly sent me messages: checking in, sharing martial arts articles, or simply saying hello. He was also prolific on social media, sharing the fruits of his other passions: photography and cooking. Nearly every day Mas Choy shared his ability to capture the visual beauty of the world and a palate that savored all its flavors. And throughout the years, he never lost touch with One With Heart. Whenever he was back in Portland, he would often visit, reconnecting with his teacher, his teammates, and his school.

Mas Choy passed away on July 3rd, 2025, after a prolonged illness. His passing leaves a hole in the hearts of his teammates and friends all over the world. On the mat, his kiai could shake you to the bone. Off the mat, his giggle was pure joy and utterly contagious. Now that he has reshaped, his spirit endures. For those of us who knew and loved him, he will always be an inspiration: of strength, of kindness, and of how to live with purpose and heart.

-Pendekar Gerry

Mas Chee Keong Choy