Li Feng Shan – “The Chinese Giant”
Posted: December 3rd, 2015 | 5 Comments »Just how much of this story is true I do not know…but here’s what legend says:
Li Feng (Fen) Shan, “Tiny”, was born in a village in Shantung province (Shandong)
In about 1922 or thereabouts he suddenly started growing, a lot, and got to be nearly eight feet tall and strong with it at 350 pounds – doctors who later examined him said it was due to a glandular issue.
He got a job as the Keeper of the Temple Gate at a temple in a village close by the Hoang Ho (Yellow) River in Shantung. However there were a lot of bandits around that area in the 1920s always looking to loot the temple and they threatened his life. Tiny lit out for Shanghai.
In Shanghai he got a job with the Shanghai Municipal Police and was apparently quite an effective force breaking up riots. He also escorted wages vans to various factories and when potential robbers saw the size of him they invariably back off.
He then decided to quit the SMP in 1930 when he was offered a job with an Australian circus. He sailed to Sydney via Yokohama and joined a travelling circus where he was exhibited wearing the temple gowns with filigree and satins he’d worn in Shantung. He will billed as “The Giant of China”.
And that’s all I know…..
Hi Paul, I recently acquired a photo album of a Russian who headed the SMP armory during the late 1920s. Included in the album is a group photo of SMP policemen. Prominent in the photo is a huge, huge guy, with Asian features. This must be the guy. If you would be interested, I will take a picture of the photo and forward. Regards, Roy Delbyck
Fascinating – would that be Solntseff, Nikolai Pavlovich by any chance? I would love to see it – the whole album actually!! Sounds like Li Feng Shan – Paul
Hi Paul, sorry for late reply but I didn’t see your message of Dec. 8th. Yes, it is Solntseff’s
album. I am not in HK. When I return I will forward the picture of Mr. Big. He is unbelievably huge. Perhaps when you are next in HK, you can stop by to see the album and other stuff in the collection. A number of months ago, I had sent you some images of collection items. Regards, Roy
Paul, my reply is really late this time but in my very lame defense I didn’t go to the site to review your reply of Dec. 2015 and then I forgot that I was to send you pictures. Anyway, the album is Soltsneff’s. I want to forward to you images from the album of Li Feng Shan and Fairbarn of Defendu fame firing into an SMP comrade to try out a bulletproof vest that I believe was manufactured by the armory, among other pics. I also want to send you images related to the Chinese Labour Corps: cover of a Chinese grammar book written by Major Purdon and what amounts to an HR manual, dated 6th August 1917, for British officers dealing with the CLC. Please send me your email address. Regards, Roy
All fantastic – paul@chinarhyming.com