Conceptual Thinking in Wing Chun

Whatever style, lineage or method of Wing Chun/Ving Tsun you come from, have you taken time to consider exactly what it means by saying Wing Chun is a conceptual art?
What concepts?..or ideas?..how is it concept base?..more importantly..why?
I see and hear and have experienced many approaches to the system and until I began some research into the methodology of the Wong Shun Leung interpretation I admit my knowledge of concepts was basic to say the least...

If asked this question 5 years ago i would have confidently replied something along the lines of Wing Chun being about the centreline and economy of motion as well as defending and attacking together where possible...which, to be fair is correct but doesn't really begin to scratch the surface of conceptual Wing Chun..

Back in those days I was taught Wing Chun based solely around set drills, endless footwork drilling without a partner, and a huge variety of how my new found ''techniques'' could be used with a compliant partner who kindly left his slow, out of range punch floating in mid air for me to pull or slap out of the way so I could develop?..my speed and accuracy without response and leave class feeling fulfilled and untouchable...blindly being led towards a collection of techniques and form movements that I only half understood..of course in hindsight this time wasnt all wasted as I was also developing my teaching style and skills and learning an enjoyable martial art...I did find however that I still had many questions...how I was being taught didnt seem to align with the multitude of Wing Chun conceptual ideas id read about in many articles and publications..but at the time i was too busy chasing the completion of the system to remove my blinkers

(pictured ABMVT students)


Now when im teaching Wing Chun if I take a simple concept out of Siu Nim Tau like the ''Taan Sau' concept (to disperse) I can explain it and explore it with a variety of tools; the shape or action itself, the basic punch, the chopping hand, palm strikes, Bong and Paak Sau even..all to ''disperse'' an incoming energy or bridge in contact in order to open up an attack line so I can return to a more simple action of attacking and cutting off my opponent in a direct manner, sometimes I may need the use of another concept such as Fook Sau (to subdue) in the same manner..should these ''concepts'' get countered or jammed or equally dispersed - I can explore why and begin to remedy it and often its a case of another concept not being applied as efficiently as it could be..maybe my facing (chiu ying) is out, or distance is outside Wing Chun bent elbow range for that moment - or intent is lacking, or not following the Loi Lau Hoi Sung - Lat sau Jik Chung concept (receive what comes, escort what goes - hand free go forward) etc etc...also the Taan sau ''shape'' can employ the Fook Sau concept and vice versa..so an understanding is required at least to an elementary level

My Wing Chun now is NOT about this technique is used for this attack and if that doesn't work then there is this technique and so on..I also don't need to ramp up the speed and dynamics to demonstrate this.. speed is an element of course but we shouldn't need to rely on it....especially as a mask to our knowledge as im there to coach..not impress and show off...drills are generally ''free'' so that exploration can take place and in turn understanding of that piece of the puzzle...the actions found in the forms help us also train attributes, encourage natural movement, structural integrity and a direct, no nonsense mindset..this is turn develops more functionality in your Wing Chun..with a string of ideas and attributes tied in with assertive intent stands you in a better place to deal with a violent street confrontation, should it happen...an over reliance on technique and wishful thinking can quickly lead to a great deal of pain and suffering when faced with real aggression...where a base idea of simply attacking the attack is easier to follow once the adrenaline flood takes away the use of your legs..

  
The concepts of Wing Chun are vast and deep yet the most young, simple idea (concept) is often enough to cover a wide range of situations once understood a little better..you then begin to shockingly realise that the good stuff isn't at the end of the system but in fact right at the beginning and runs as a vein throughout the entire journey and can be applied in many ways..and the concepts ARE the good stuff..they ARE the method..and dictate through them how good Wing Chun can be applied..without concept exploration all you have is a technique based system based around something that looks a bit like Wing Chun

So if you step into your training hall and your teacher begins to explain that Taan Sau is simply ''Palm Up Block'' - question how it works with the example given and how that relates to the entire system..should they not know, or explain Wing chun is a concept based art and then teach it as a technique based art, it may be time to reassess your path in Wing Chun.

Alan Gibson Chum Kiu Seminar Report

On Sunday 10th July 2011, Alan Gibson (seated) and his student Sean Collison (bottom row far left) visited our Next Level Wing Chun Academy club in Bury St Edmunds to hold yet another seminar on the WSLVT methods...this time covering their version of Chum Kiu (seeking the bridge)

Alan proceeded to discuss and explain the salient concepts of the form with his usual array of supplementary drills to further understand each aspect and cover any questions on the whys and hows along the way.

Sean began by demonstrating the form with Alan giving commentary, then mainly focused on explaining the use and purpose of waist power and more importantly waist and stance combined (Yiu Ma Hap Yat) as well as illustrating in this version there are 3 specific "Bong Sau" actions - one in each section, namely;

Section 1: Yi Bong - Shifting - in contact to open an attack line that has been jammed and its transition to and from Laan at close quarters
Section 2: Paau Bong - Throwing - generally out of contact though action can and is used in contact when needed
Section 3: Dai Bong - Low action - when pulled by opponent, force redirected through Dai Bong to close, executed off same leg as arm being pulled to maintain stance and facing

The Dai Bong off the rear leg could be used to defend the lower gates to a low thrusting attack if hands were down but accepted as a low action Paau Bong.

These 3 Bong sau situations illustrate the ONLY times Bong Sau MAY be needed in the WSL approach due to the fact that Bong is a primarily defensive action and doesn't provide an elbow driven attack option.
Initial bridging with Bong Sau as some schools teach is frowned upon for this very reason simply due to lack of efficiency and simplicity, defending a single punch with Bong, Laap Fak Sau for example is 3 actions to deal with 1 attack...however it is important to point out that the Laap sau fak sau response can apply should your initial straight interception attack should get jammed and forced off centre, calling for a possible Yi or Paau Bong response...even then, often a Laap is surplus to requirements if a simple punch within Wing Chun range (bent elbow distance) can be employed upon creation of an open attack line :-)
A full understanding of the Taan sau and Fook sau concept punches from the Siu Nim Tau level illustrates this perfectly.

(Tony Poynton and Neil Turner drilling Yi Bong to Laan transitions)


Alan also emphasised throughout the importance of stance and footwork to supplement the hand actions in whatever drill we trained as well as highlighting the form to be an extension of the Siu Nim Tau ideas in movement.
Three students also attended from an outside association from the Bristol area who requested to attend in advance and to see their faces light up in near disbelief when such depth was shown and explained in full to supplement their current understanding of Wing Chun and its ideas. I would like to thank the students present for making them feel so welcome and helping them better understand this approach.

As I say on a regular basis, I myself am not a Wong Shun Leung Ving Tsun coach but I am enjoying the exploratory look at the system over the last 2-3 years and incorporating some of the ideas into my practice and teaching and thank Alan Gibson and his students wholeheartedly for their genuine help in trying to improve our Wing Chun skills and understanding. The more time I apply these ideas I feel my Wing Chun improving and becoming more simple, direct and efficient - three words that exemplify the Wong Shun Leung system more than any other method I have encountered to date.

If you are reading this and happen to not have met Alan Gibson or any others from this lineage, I cannot recommend you do so highly enough. Alans website is www.wingchun.org.uk and other coaches can be sought through there also.