The late Grandmaster Chu Shong Tin - 1933-2014
To begin, here is a brief description of who Chu Shong Tin was and his life's work developing and teaching his Wing Chun method.
Much information can be found online in these modern times to gain a more insightful historical account of this mans approach, practice and teaching of Wing Chun but as a brief overview, Chu Shong Tin (abbreviated herein as CST) began his Wing Chun learning under Grandmaster Yip (Ip) Man as a 19 year old in January 1951, he was one of the original Hong Kong based students alongside famous others such as Lok Yiu, Leung Sheung and Wong Shun Leung.
CST took to his Wing Chun practice diligently often spending around 10 hours per day on the development of his skills, of particular focus was the first practice form in Wing Chun, Siu Nim Tau (little idea) as well as focused concentration on leading all the actions from the mind intent (Yi in Cantonese) and on the direct advice of Ip Man "to use no force".
During many hours of daily Chi Sau with his peers CST chose to work on his defence often letting his partners strike at will and aiming to nullify the incoming force and seek only to control his own balance as well as affecting his partners in the process (as students of Ip Man also report that they were always off balance and he never needed to resort to striking).
CST also spent around 5 years of his 21 years training time actually living with Ip Man and being a closed door student as well as a senior instructor within Ip Man's classes.
Following the passing of Ip Man in 1972, CST continued to honour his Sifu's art passing it on with a passion to retain the original simplicity and true essence that was passed to him by Ip Man.
A short breakdown and overview can also be found in this link https://www.sungwingchun-sheffield.com/chu-shong-tin.html
Some other great resources and clips can be found on YouTube including "Mindful Wing Chun" by Sifu Nima King and Sifu John Kaufman Wing Chun and of course the "Sung Wing Chun" channel...but I stress this looks very different to how it feels. Like all Wing Chun when you feel it..you know what real and whats not.
"Sung Wing Chun" - Sheffield; Daniel Parr - Mark Ho - Jon Jones
After 22 years to date in Wing Chun practice for myself and exposure to around 7 lineages of our art and forever open minded to all approaches of practice, i've recently found my interest has piqued enough to explore the internal side that seems to be a big talking point in modern day Wing Chun.
Sifu Sergio Iadarola is having huge success spreading his IWKA worldwide and has some fantastic research into the practice and development of Wing Chun that long pre-date the common Ip Man method recognised today. I was also aware within the Ip Man line that Chu Shong Tin had a very internal and holistic focused methodology in passing on the system, so via some Googling and a few online conversations found the instructors at "Sung Wing Chun" Sheffield UK.
I had a couple of free days so arranged to travel up there this February 13th/14th 2018 to learn both privately with Mark Ho and Dan Parr and attend one of their classes while I was there also to have some immersion in the Chu Shong Tin method that they teach.
I arrived in a cold Sheffield city centre at 12.30pm after almost 5 hours on the train and took a taxi to Marks house where he welcomed me into his home with hot Chinese tea and a smile. Mark made me feel at ease immediately and spent time to explain how his Sigung taught and the key breakdown of the system is practised and approached. There is far too much that wont be understood prior to feeling the method but in brief, most Wing Chun is highly external in nature, punching, kicking, mobility, partner drills, scenarios, sparring and is very direct and effective. The internal methods concern more along the lines of holistic self development, learn to correct and release tension in the body for balance and synchronicity of the skeletal frame and how the subconscious mind may be tapped into to control any actions we perform and there is a process of change and pathway to follow to make the most of this understanding and develop the skills required for realistic use if needed of the Wing Chun system of Chu Shong Tin.
I guess I was part expecting some form of esoteric mumbling's about soft magical force and Qi (Chi) power or autosuggestion that gets you to act in a certain way to sell the method...but nothing could be further from the truth, Mark demonstrated their handling of given force in comparison to how most (read..me) do it ..or the reliance of speed and muscular power, bracing or fast footwork and lightening fast hands...when in fact once contact was made and he asked me to do 'anything' I wanted...I was totally unable to punch, kick, trap, grab, breakaway...I couldn't even keep balance..and he wasn't trying or needing to move or strike me to do so..just smiled back as I was caught in his web..if anything he made me stick to him!! He indicated though that he could have struck me at will at any point but there was no need as we both knew this....
Mark led me through some basic force related exercises and tests (pushes/pulling/pressure) so I could feel where I was holding tension and how to release that as well as how being aware of my postural integrity and thought process could positively affect my ability to release and withstand increasing force given and how to join our body mass into the equation as well as the relationship of this practice to the Wing Chun forms, Chi Sau, dummy and weapons.
The core actions in Wing Chun are well known as Taan (lay-out/disperse) Bong (wing-arc) and Fook (nullify/cover) - these actions are often angular in most Wing Chun branches, yet circular in nature in the CST method and involve free joint rotation instead of jamming elbows in and relying solely on structure and action/reaction force.
We covered the core CST method of Standing Practice and its relationship to the methods effectiveness as without balance, relaxation and control paired with awareness of our self, how can we possibly attack or defend against an external resistance.
When Ip Man learnt and taught initially the traditional method was to focus on the basic stance only for the first few months to a year at least, perhaps some form practice and wallbag punching to be added in before commencing the Chi Sau training, Ip was forced to add more variety and mobility in the training as he relied on the income from teaching to live and most wouldn't commit to this form of mainly static practice so deviated slightly from how he was taught. Chu Shong Tin in his last 10 years documented that this was crucial to the development of his Wing Chun methodology to retain this original nature and approach to Wing Chun.
Mark mentioned in his time learning directly from his Sigung he would often spend 6 hours standing every night (5pm to 11pm) in his classes (I have just begun with 30-45 mins daily and this is arduous enough being new to this method)
I left Marks, booked into my B&B and took a walk for a coffee and to write up notes from my lesson still shaking my head in relative disbelief.
Mark Ho teaching how to receive incoming force
A few hours later Daniel Parr, one of the three "Sung Wing Chun" instructors picked me up for the evening class. I was interested to see how the class was structured and how the students took to this method of practice which is clearly in direct contrast to most Wing Chun schools. There I also met the third instructor they have, Jon Jones (not the MMA legend)... they share the hands on teaching and avoid the titles and certificates and bowing of many western Wing Chun schools.
The class began with standing practice, easier said than done and there is much going on inside your body and head despite what it may look like to an outsider...this was followed by individual form practice and concentrating on the "Sung" (relaxed/settled) state and the mind leading the body. Immediately I realised how much tension I had been holding in my shoulders and hips and calves and thighs and back...this began to dissipate I noticed with attention to it during a slow first form run through lasting around 20-25 mins.
We then paired up and were given a force exercise/test to run through in accepting the pressure within the body, release any tension without collapsing inward or moving, dissipate the force and connect our body mass as the pressure increased. Fascinating and frustrating all at once!
Lastly we moved onto their practice of Daan Chi Sau (single sticking hands) which doesn't follow any set prescribed routine or drill (there are no drills in fact) but the exchange of pressures and forces and the use of the Taan/Bong/Fook joint rotations with steps/shifting only there if required..I trained with instructors, experienced students and almost total novices with less than a year Wing Chun and regardless they handled me with ease and a smile and left me unbalanced and in total awe of the effortless skill and ability to hit me anytime they wanted without any speed or muscular force being used at all. Very impressed is an understatement.
Daniel Parr - Chu Shong Tin
After a great nights sleep in my comfortable en suite room I headed round to Dan Parr for a private lesson with him before my journey home, Dan initially learnt Wing Chun for 12 years under Sifu William Lai, a Chu Shong Tin disciple in the 70's and Dan is the only student under William I believe to be certified to teach under him. Dan went onto learn directly in Chu Shong Tin's school in Hong Kong in his last years and learnt the method they currently teach now.
Another very hands on lesson followed and Dan built on what Mark had showed me and presented it in a different way but the result was the same...he effortlessly controlled my centre and attempts to do anything without really trying but explained the whole time what he was doing and how I could follow suit, lets just say I had some glimpses into whats possible as he led me through aspects of Siu Nim Tau and Chum Kiu and Chi Sau and how what he teaches is all encompassing as far as dealing with any type or direction of attack that may come in from punching to kicking and grappling and not merely Wing Chun vs Wing Chun lines of attack, the core concepts came out naturally, if I attempted to break away he ate up my space, if I sped up my response my balance was compromised quicker and always had an immediate striking opportunity available that he didn't need to be set up or search for ..he was there...like some jedi wizard :-)
On my journey home I continued to write up the 15 pages of notes from my experiences and know deep down this is worth investing time in and committing to for the long run, I also strangely felt like I have returned a better person in some way and view Wing Chun in a much different light to its true power and potential.
I will return very soon for another input, possibly in the form of attending their long weekend gathering in April in Derbyshire and in the meantime focus on my own internal wing chun development and practice and begin to drip feed some of the ideas into my current classes until I have a better skill and understanding to pass it on accurately.
I have also suggested that we arrange for them to come down to Suffolk to hold a workshop/seminar on the Chu Shong Tin method sometime later this year as it needs to be felt first hand by our students to be fully appreciated.
Lastly I'd like to thank Mark, Dan and Jon for being so open and welcoming without agenda as well as the the Sung Wing Chun students who gave me an initial feel for this unique and very special genuine Kung Fu skill.
See you all very soon. Paul
