Complete Wing Chun: The Definitive Guide to Wing Chun's History and Traditions

INTRODUCTION

前言

When Bruce Lee first exploded on television and into the movies, he captured the imagination and hearts of people all over the world. With the fame of Bruce Lee, the conditions in Hong Kong, and the hard work and effort of many of his classmates, the Wing Chun of his teacher, Yip Man, became one of the most well-known and popular Chinese martial arts in the world. Although this gave Wing Chun international recognition, it also led to a lot of misconceptions. Due to a lack of authentic information, many mistakenly came to assume that the renowned Yip Man was the sole inheritor of the style and that his Wing Chun was the lone version of the art.

In fact, there are several different and distinct systems of Wing Chun. Unfortunately, over the years most of these systems have remained unseen or unreported to all but a few. From where then do these misconceptions come?

Over time, Wing Chun’s history has become a mishmash of factual accounts and fictionalized stories. Early secrecy and modern marketing did much to create and fuel the confusion. Legendary figures like Ng Mui and Yim Wing-Chun are believed to be the sole founders of the art and a single lineage through Leung Bok-Chao, Leung Lan-Kwai, Wong Wah-Bo, and Leung Yee-Tai to Leung Jan has become accepted as the only branch.

The doors of Wing Chun, however, were never this closed, nor the line this limited. Over the generations, many highly skilled masters of the past have learned the art, contributed enormously to its development, and passed along their knowledge. Yet, masters such as Cheung Tan Sao Ng and many of the Red Junk actors like Dai Fa Min Kam, Gao Lo Chung, Hung Gan Biu and their descendants have disappeared entirely from all but a very few records.

As Wing Chun’s origins and development have remained relatively unknown, so has its true breadth. Inside the Bamboo Curtain of the People’s Republic of China, however, many branches including the Yuen Kay-San, Gu Lao, Pao Fa Lien, Jee Shim, Pan Nam, Hung Suen, Pien San, and even the early Foshan students of Yip Man survived the rise of communism and the Cultural Revolution. While the Yip Man style was brought to Hong Kong around 1950, the Yuen Kay-San, Pao Fa Lien, Pien San, and Jee Shim styles followed soon thereafter. Beyond China, Wing Chun spread into Southeast Asia over half a century ago and today many unique versions of the art can be found in Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, and surrounding areas.

Thus, it has been very difficult to find real information on the Wing Chun family of styles, especially in the western world.

Complete Wing Chun, presents, for the first time, seldom seen information on over a dozen branches of the Wing Chun art. It is hoped that this volume will serve as a helpful resource for the interested newcomer and as a valuable reference for the long-time enthusiast.

NOTES ON GENEALOGY

Wing Chun kuen, while a relatively young style by Chinese martial arts standards, is one which has grown much since the mid-1900s, and one which has, unfortunately, been plagued by more then its share of controversy. Thus, the history of Wing Chun’s founding (who created the style) and development (who passed the art along to whom) presented in this book is not, and cannot, be exact.

Over the generations, due to errors, omissions, mix-ups, padding, filling, and modification, many different genealogies have come to exist for the same style or individual. In addition, since some practitioners had more then one teacher, and some also studied with grand-teachers, senior classmates, friends, and so on, the lines and stories are sometimes quite muddled, with different branches recording different aspects.

For the purposes of this book and out of respect for the various branches, the following chapters present the history of the different arts as their masters orally transmit them. While some of these accounts may appear similar and in some cases repetitive, it is necessary in order to properly present the history and traditions of each branch.

It is not our goal to promote one style over another and while we do present our own thoughts in the conclusion, we encourage the readers to consider them all, and to decide for themselves. In our humble opinion, each holds but a piece of the puzzle.

NOTES ON LANGUAGE

The modern origins of Wing Chun kuen can be traced back to the Guangdong province of southern China. Guangdonghua (Cantonese), the language spoken there, is the mother tongue of Wing Chun and hence the dialect in which we present the historical and technical names in this book. Names of places are given in the official People’s Republic of China dialect and romanization, Mandarin pinyin, since that is how they are rendered on most modern maps.

While Mandarin has the increasingly popular pinyin method of romanization, there is no such standard for Guangdonghua. Due to this fact, over the years, many different English spellings have been devised to render the terms of Wing Chun. To simplify things for this book, we have explored many of the different popular romanizations, and chosen those we felt best rendered the sounds involved.

To help eliminate confusion, the glossary at the end of the book will present Cantonese and pinyin romanizations, traditional Chinese characters, and English translations.

CHAPTER 1

Yip Man Wing Chun

葉問詠春拳

Yip Man Wing Chun, the first system of Wing Chun kuen to be taught publicly has become one of the most popular Chinese martial arts in the world today. The modern history of Wing Chun (also commonly romanized as Ving Tsun and Wing Tsun by many of Yip Mans descendants), began with the changes wrought by the Communist takeover in 1949. With his property and wealth taken from him under the communist regime, Grandmaster Yip Man fled China and came to Hong Kong. Yip Mans misfortune, however, became the free worlds blessing, for soon after arriving in Hong Kong he began his career as a professional martial arts instructor.

HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT

The legend of Wing Chun begins in the Qing dynasty with the Siu Lam Jee (Shaolinsi or Young Forest Temple). The Siu Lam Temple offered not only religious sanctuary but also a safe house from the military hunting for anti-Qing revolutionaries. It was only a matter of time, however, before the Manchurians made the decision to eradicate this source of rebellious activity. With the treacherous aid of Siu Lam insiders such as Ma Ning-Yee, the Qing troops laid siege to the temple from without, while the temple was burned from within. Siu Lam was laid to waste. Out of the conflagration, the ng jo (five elders) of Siu Lam fled and went into hiding. The five elders consisted of Jee Shim Sim Si (Jee Shim, Chan Buddhist Teacher), Fung Dao-Duk, Miu Hin, Bak Mei Dao Yan (White Eyebrows, Taoist), and Ng Mui Si Tai (Five Plums, Nun). Ng Mui (Wu Mei) fled to the Bak Hok Jee (Baihesi or White Crane Temple) on the slopes of the Daliang Mountains. There, on the border of Sichuan and Yunnan province, legend states Ng Mui witnessed a fight between a crane and a snake. Inspired by the encounters, she combined the animals movements with her own Siu Lam boxing and created the principles of a new, as yet unnamed, martial art.

Since the art was intended only for those loyal to the Ming throne, it was taught in secrecy and to just a few carefully selected students. Ng Mui eventually took on a female disciple, Yim Wing-Chun and taught her this unnamed system. Yim was known for her beauty and cunning and was desired by a local ruffian who tried to force her into marriage. Using the art taught to her by Ng Mui, Wing-Chun challenged and defeated her unwelcome suitor, driving him from the area and firmly establishing her reputation as a fighter.

Yim Wing-Chun later married her betrothed; a salt merchant named Leung Bok-Chao. Yim passed the martial art of Ng Mui on to her husband, who named it Wing Chun kuen (Wing-Chuns Boxing) in her honor. From Leung Bok-Chao the style passed on to Hung Suen (Red Boat) Opera member, Leung Lan-Kwai (although some legends state that Leung was a wealthy scholar or Chinese herbalist). Leung Lan-Kwai passed the art to Wong Wah-Bo and Leung Yee-Tai, also of the Red Boat Opera.

A picture of Grandmaster Yip Man seen in many of the schools descending from his teachings.

Legends hold that Leung Yee-Tai was a poler for the Chinese Opera troop, whose job it was to steer the boat away from rocks or shallow water by pushing off with a long pole. On the boat, Leung befriended a cook who was really Jee Shim, the former abbot of the Siu Lam Temple in hiding. Jee Shim decided to teach Leung the famous six-and-a-half point pole set and its applications. Leung soon mastered the techniques and later he met another martial artist named Wong Wah-Bo, a master of Wing Chun kuen. They became close friends and discussed the principles of their martial arts. The two decided to trade and share their knowledge. After much refinement, the six-and-a-half point pole was incorporated into the Wing Chun curriculum.

The Vlng Tsun Athletic Association, the nexus for Yip Man’s art in Hong Kong.

Both Wong Wah-Bo and Leung Yee-Tai taught the notable Dr. Leung Jan of Foshan who brought fame to Wing Chun through his exploits, many of which have since been romanticized into stories and movies.

Dr. Leung Jan, a noted local herbalist, was known both as Jan Sin-Sang (Mr. Jan) for his professional and gentle nature and also as Wing Chun Wong (King of Wing Chun) for his fighting prowess and fierce reputation in challenge matches. Leung Jan taught at his store Jan Sang Tong (Mr. Jan’s Hall) on Fai Jee Street in Foshan and had a number of students, among them his own sons Leung Chun and Leung Bik, and his disciple, Chan Wah-Shun.

Chan Wah-Shun, often called Jiao-Chin Wah (Moneychanger Wah) due to his profession as a currency converter, proved himself outstanding in the practice of Wing Chun. A large and powerful man, Chan carried on his teachers reputation in challenge matches, and enhanced Wing Chuns reputation in Foshan with his victories.

Among Chan Wah-Shun’s disciples (said to have numbered sixteen in all) were his son, Chan Yiu-Min, and students Ng Siu-Lo, Ng Jung-So, Lui Yiu-Chai, Lai Hip-Chi, and Yip Man, among others.

It was Yip Man, Chan Wah-Shun’s final disciple, who went on to change the history of Wing Chun forever. Born in the mid-1890s to a wealthy family in Foshan, at roughly the age of thirteen (although some accounts suggest earlier) Yip Man approached Chan Wah-Shun, who taught on the Yip family’s property, and sought instruction. Chan, at first, thought the young Yip Man was too scholarly and gentle for the martial arts. Hoping to dissuade the young man, Chan asked Yip for a substantial tuition. Yip’s desire was so great, however, that he returned immediately with his life’s savings, intent on pursuing lessons. Yip Man’s dedication won over Chan and he accepted Yip as his last disciple. A short time later, when the old moneychanger passed away, Yip Man continued his lessons under Ng Jung-So, one of Chan’s most senior and talented disciples.

One account holds that Yip Man came to learn Wing Chun again while in Hong Kong attending school at St. Stephen’s college during the 1910s. Through a classmate, Yip was introduced to an old man who was said to be skilled in the martial arts. Yip, known for his brash and feisty character, challenged the old timer. According to some accounts, Yip charged at the old man, missed, and fell into the water at the pier where the match was taking place. Yip Man later found out the old man was, in fact, Leung Bik, the son of Leung Jan and his own sibak (martial arts uncle). Suitably impressed, Yip followed Leung Bik for the next few years, polishing his Wing Chun before making his way back to Foshan.

In those days, it was not uncommon for practitioners of Wing Chun to keep their knowledge secret, and simply not teach at all. So it was that, at first, Yip Man himself did not teach and practiced only with his good friends and martial arts peers. During the Japanese occupation, conditions changed. Life grew more difficult and Yip saw his wealth and prosperity dwindle. In 1941, to repay the kindness of Chow Chen-Chung, Yip Man taught some students in the nearby village of Yongan. These pupils included Chow’s son Kwong-Yiu, as well as Kwok Fu, Chan Chi-Sun, Lun Kai, and Chow Sai. As of this writing, most of Yip Man’s early 1940s students have passed away. Kwok Fu and Lun Gai, however, still preserve his art in Foshan.

If nothing had changed, Yip Man probably would have remained in Foshan and Wing Chun would likely never have attained the fame it currently enjoys around the world.

The winds of change, however, soon swept over China in the form of Mao Zedong’s Communist Party seizing power in 1949, after the defeat of the Nationalists and their retreat to Taiwan. Under