Wing Chun (aka ving tsun, wingtsun,weng chun, yong chun, wing tjun etc) is a pragmatic, close quarter fighting system with its roots in the Southern Chinese Shaolin (Siu Lam) Temple and later Foshan & more recently Hong Kong, America, Europe, Australia and the world over.
It caries the discipline and moral code of ancient martial skills into the modern world, addressing the needs of today's self-defence approach by its close range methodology. Wing Chun is a cleverly designed conceptual art and has few techniques/concepts to learn but what it does contain can be extremely effective and has no flashy movements - although effective skills can be learnt in only a short diligent time of practice, to master Wing Chun, as any art may take a lifetime of study and practice, if at all anyone ever does master it.
Most lineages of Wing Chun Kung Fu contain within their practice 3 Empty hand Forms - Siu Nim/Lim Tau (little/young idea) - Chum Kiu (seeking the bridge) - and Biu Jee (thrusting/darting/pointing fingers) a Form utilising a Wooden Practice Dummy called 'Muk Yan Jong' and 2 weapons forms, a long, heavy pole 'Luk Dim Boon Gwun' (six and a half point pole) and the 'Baat Jaam Dao' (eight cutting broadsword techniques) - practice involves partner training sets of San Sau (separate hands), common form applications and a unique training practice called 'Chi Sau' or sticking/clinging arms) to develop close range sensitivity and contact reflexes to enable a practitioner to feel the direction and intent of his opponent upon contact and nullify or deflect the attacks with needing to see them - at an advanced level, Chi Sau is practiced blindfolded!
(*some older/alternative lineage versions from mainland China also have differing syllabus, forms, weapons and two person practice sets - Wing Chun Kuen, Saam Bai Fut, Sup Yee Sik, Jong Kuen, Yee Jee Dit Ming Dao...and many others...)
More importantly Wing Chun is a conceptual system of close quarter combat comprised of striking and defensive methods, guiding principles, internal and external force flow energy development, compact footwork..with each piece of the puzzle supporting each other as a complete system.
Shaolin (Siu Lam) Era:
Wing Chun is said to have been named after its first student, a girl named 'Yim Wing Chun' or Beautiful/Everlasting Springtime who was taught a new combat system by the Buddhist Nun 'Ng Mui' to repel an unwanted suitor - though this tale may well be folklore as certain lineages of the art attribute the birth and development of Wing Chun in the early 1700's by a Monk named 'Yat Chum Daai Si' or 'Speck of Dust' Monk) a 22nd generation Shaolin Grandmaster who was pivotal in the creation of the style, he was said to have taught soldiers the essence of the art in a small secret area of the Southern Shaolin Temple named the 'Wing Chun Tong' or 'Always Spring Hall'.
Yat Chum Daai Si was said to only have one disciple, a famous Chinese Opera performer named Cheung Ng, who had taken refuge in the temple to escape capture and certain death by the Manchurians who sought Ng out in the north of China where he was known for making anti -political speeches after his performances. Cheung Ng fled south to the temple and was said to be taken under the wing of Yat Chum where he was taught the life saving skills he may have needed in the future.
Red Boat (Hung Suen) Era:
Cheung Ng founded and managed the 'Hung Fa Yi Goon' or 'Red Flower Opera Union' and organised the 'Hung Suen' ('Red Junk') opera performers, and passed on traditional Chinese opera and martial arts to the performers, among whom were Wong Wah Bo, Dai Fa Min Kam and Leung Yee Tai who taught the separate skills of Wing Chun to a famous Foshan Herbal Dr Leung Jan.
In other lines of Wing Chun development a Siu Lam monk named Chi Sim was said to have fled the temple and went into hiding, disguising himself by working on one of the Red Junk vessels as a cook where he passed on his Siu Lam Weng Chun to Wong Wah Bo and Dai Fa Min Kam (painted face kam)...who in turn taught Foshan based Leung Jan and imperial constable/bounty hunter Fung Siu Ching who completed his training and was said to be very competent pole fighter as well as highly proficient in Wing Chun's Kum Na (seizing and holding) (*more information on this lineage by researching following students Fok Bo-Chuen - Yuen Kay San - Sum Nung*)
Fatsan (foshan) era:
It is noted in historical records that Dr Leung Jan was a famous fighter and won many challenge matches (Bei Mo) in Foshan - as Dr Leung got older he began to take on students in the fear the style would be lost. At first Master Leung taught his sons Leung Bik and Leung Chun (traditionally kung fu was kept within the family or taught to only one trusted disciple per generation in order to keep the style pure)
The local Bank Cashier 'Chan Wah Shun' sought tuition from Leung Jan after spotting him one day teaching the art to his sons after work. After much deliberation Chan Wah Shun was taught Wing Chun though being a largely built man and not well educated did not appreciate some of the finer skills of the system and he used his strength rather than technique when practising.
When Leung Jan retired to the Gulo Village - he passed on a 40 point system to locals there which concentrated on separate applications and not forms practice, to perhaps further refine and simplify Wing Chun practice??
In time Master Leung Jan and his eldest son Leung Chun passed away and Chan Wah Shun being a bold, brash character wrongfully claimed himself the new 'Grandmaster' of Wing Chun.
Leung Jan's surviving son, losing face, left Foshan for Hong Kong to start a new life.
In the early 1900's a young boy came to Chan with 'Thirty Taels of Silver' a small fortune in those days, and asked to learn Wing Chun.
Chan, at first refused thinking the boy had stolen the money and escorted him home to his parents house where they confirmed that the young 'Ip Man' (pictured) had saved the money himself to learn Kung Fu. This impressed Sifu Chan and took him on as his disciple.
Sifu Chan was very old when Ip Man began his studies and died shortly after, leaving Sifu Chan's top student 'Ng Jung So' to complete Ip Man's Wing Chun tuition and in time 'Ip' became the pride of the Wing Chun School.
Ip Man taught a handful of students in Fatsan at this time, among who Kwok Fu and Lun Gai are the most noted...research suggests that Ip Man may not have learnt any wing chun knife training and perhaps also no pole form at this point, but this is largely speculation although interviews with Lun Gai which he admitted this are common knowledge
Hong Kong Era:
A chance meeting with Master Leung Jan's surviving son 'Leung Bik' whilst Ip Man was studying English at Stanley University in Hong Kong turned into a blessing in disguise as Ip Man was left red faced after crossing hands with Leung Bik and having his every move controlled and countered - Ip Man studied under Leung Bik from this point learning the complete methods of Wing Chun and finer points of the system .
(* Recent research indicates there may have been more to this story than first accounts relate - a Wing Chun Grandmaster by the name of Wai Yan, in the spirit of wanting to create a clear concise system to pass on the art and skills took it upon himself to use one of his trading houses in the market area which sold poultry and named Dai Dak Lan to operate as a developmental cooking pot of Wing Chun by inviting well know masters to exchange and practice skills away from the public eye. The first being Grandmaster Chu Chung Man from Macau, who in their initial exchange with Wai Yan got the better of him and was appointed chief instructor...also invited were the masters Lo Chi Woon, Tam Kong (a master of Kum Na) and Tang Yik.
Sometime during the 1950's Ip Man visited the Dai Dak Lan research project and was said to have been beaten in a fight with Chu Chung Man - from this time Ip Man began to be taught and be influenced by the five masters of Dai Dak Lan who helped refine his thinking and skills*)
Grandmaster Chu Chung Man
Grandmaster Tang Yik
Modern Era:
Ip Man is recognised today as one of the main Grandmasters of the Wing Chun style, passing the skills to hundreds of students including his sons 'Ip Chun' and 'Ip Ching', Leung Sheung, Tsui Sheung Tin, Lok Yiu and Wong Shun Leung among many others and most famously the late martial artist and film star 'Bruce Lee' and is responsible for the structure of its modern day development of 'Popular Wing Chun' as its known in the west as he was the first well known master to teach publicly - although it is worthy of note that there are many branches and lineages of Wing Chun and many different representations of this fascinating Martial Art.
A detailed historical research overview can be found via Sifu Sergio Iadarola videos on Youtube or via his online articles and many other online sources now have good information for those students with an extra enquiring mind.
Today we see a big surge of popularity in Mixed Martial Arts which has swayed to some degree peoples views on traditional kung fu practice and whether Wing Chun requires addition or a particular focus.
What we also see is a large amount of politics and infighting, internet experts and closed minds over whose Wing Chun is more functional, whose is more direct, who chases hands and who chases centre...too much Chi Sau..not enough Chi Sau, too fast, too slow etc etc etc...many feel they have the pot of gold when it comes to answers (or their Sifu/coach/lineage does)
Wing Chun Kuen is open to interpretation, the concepts and theories are guidelines to be followed and can be applied in many ways - Ip Man himself changed what he practised and taught over the years (as I feel we all do)..so 1950's students learnt differently to 1960's and again the same for 1970's students...they are all correct (and maybe incorrect) to some degree...its all Wing Chun
For me, I feel at this point in my understanding and development at least that Wing Chun still offers many things to many people - if a student or sifu wants to become a technical master at forms and drills and play chi sau (in whatever form or intensity) and it makes them happy...so be it..
If you want to test your skills you can up the ante from a Chi Sau or free sparring platform, even to the point of gloving up and pressure testing the concepts semi or full contact with like minded classmates...you can even take it one step further as many are doing like Alan Orr and Mark Hobbs in the UK?abroad and develop a team of Wing Chun MMA fighters (who yes ALL Chi Sau alot as part of their overall system)...testing it at street level hopefully isnt high on your list unless serving time in prison is also in your plans..but a functional skill set and mindset should be present to some degree in your martial training for that isolated chance of needing it for REAL
However you approach the system, do so with intent to improve and develop yourself and your partners, stay open minded, train hard and regularly - avoid where possible the arguments and politics
and enjoy the process of keeping YOUR Wing Chun skills alive.
"LOI LAU - HOI SUNG - LAT SAU JIK CHUNG"
"RECEIVE/MEET WHAT COMES - FOLLOW/ESCORT WHAT LEAVES - UPON LOSS OF CONTACT GO TO THE CENTRE"
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