THE ORIGIN OF WING CHUN In contrast to other martial arts styles, Wing Chun has a short but colorful history. It was founded some three hundred years ago during the Qing dynasty by a Buddhist monk named Ng Mui. Ng Mui was one of the five great masters of the Shao Lin Temple ( Siu Lam ) in Honan’s Shung Mountains. The other four teachers were Jee Seen, Bak Mei, Fung Do Duck and Miao Hin. Jee Seen was a professor and founder of Gwoon Hung Hai Hung. He also founded another style called Evergreen.” In fact, most of the styles practiced in the South today were influenced by JeeSeen. He also introduced the long staff techniques of the Siu Lam Temple to the Wing Chun style. Bak Mei founded a style called White Eyebrow Style.” He hailed from the Aw Mei Sze Chuan mountains. Fung Do Duck was a Taoist and an expert in internal systems. He was from the Dong Mo north mountains. Miao Hin became famous for his style of combat originating in the Buddhist mountains of Bai Pai from Kweng Si. The Ching Emperor ordered the destruction of the Temple out of fear of its martial artists, who went against his rules. His efforts to raze the Temple forced the inhabitants of the region to flee for their lives. It was for that reason that Ng Mui traversed three states and finally settled near the border between Yunan and Kwei Chow. Although she was extremely upset by the Emperor’s actions, she never uttered a negative word against the Emperor, eventually setting in a place called Bak Hok Gwoon in the Chai Mountain, and finding tranquility and peace of mind. As part of her routine that became a habit, Ng Mui walked every day around the Chai Ha mountain, usually at the end of her period of meditation and Gung Fu practice. One day while enjoying her nature walk, she saw a fight between a snake and a crane. Ng Mui came silently and stood aside, inspired by the fight between snake and crane. With a clear mind, she came to understand the crane’s serenity, softness, and sense of balance, taking advantage of the snake’s movements to mount a straight-on attack. Though she had derived great benefit and understanding from the struggle, Ng Mui believed that it was futile to fight as animals, because we are people. Applying the animal concepts and theories of fighting to the human body, she was able to enhance her strength and mitigate her weaknesses. She combined the old style of Gung Fu with her new theories and concepts, organized in three forms, a form of 108 movements with a wooden dummy and another with double knives. Then came a girl named Yim Wing Chun, whose name means Praise the Beautiful Springtime.” Ng Mui learned that the girl was being molested and that she would be forced to marry the leader of a band. The nun rescued Yim Wing Chun and the girl became her first disciple in the system. Ng Mui taught the girl the new Gung Fu system, which still had no name. Later, it became known as Wing Chun, because Yim Wing Chun was the first to learn it. Some time later, Yim Wing Chun married Leung Bok, a merchant called Chau. In turn, Leung Bok Chau taught the art to a friend named Leung Lan Gwai. During this time a ship called The Red Boat travelled from port to port, and was the residence of a group that operated while constantly traveling. Leung Lan Gwai was wealthy and had many friends in this Red Boat troupe. Among them was Wong Wah Bo, who was his best friend. Leung Lan Gwai taught the art to his friend Wong Wah Bo, the same art he had learned from Yim Wing Chun’s husband, Leung Bok Chau. One of the five great masters, Jee Seen, occupied a place in the kitchen of the Red Boat. Within this troupe was a sailor named Leung Yee Tai whose fortune it was to become friends with cook. After an observation period, Jee Seen decided to teach him the long staff techniques from Siu Lam Monastery, also known as Lok Dim Boon Gwun. In the old days, it was common for two expert Gung Fu practitioners within the arts to share their knowledge and techniques, and so it was with Leung Yee Tai and Wong Wah Bo. Through their exchange of techniques, the Siu Lam long staff came to be introduced as part of the Wing Chun system. Wong Wah Bo taught and exchanged his knowledge of Wing Chun with a member of the troupe of the ship, the aforementioned Leung Yee Tai, who was very skillful in the long staff techniques taught by Jee Seen. Meanwhile, the Red Boat was traveling its route. Finally the boat with the troupe arrived and anchored in the province of Fat Shan, Canton. It was there that Leung Yee Tai fell ill and was presented to Dr. Leung Jan who had a great reputation as a doctor. Dr. Leung Jan was also a fan of the art of Gung Fu. Soon they became friends and Leung Yee Tai taught Leung Jan the entire Wing Chun system, including its specialty, the art of the long staff. Once Leung Jan had mastered the techniques and theories of the system, he challenged many teachers and some of them would rise to the challenge. This was long before the names of Wing Chun and Leung Jan became famous. Even today in some places Wing Chun is known as the Fist of Fat Shan. Later, Leung Jan decided to teach only selected people who were very skilled. Among these people were his two sons Leung Bik and Leung Chun, a good friend called Fung Wah, another called Chu Yuk Gwai and an acquaintance who had a business called Exchange Chan Wah Shun, also known as Chin Wah Jow. Among all these people, the most dedicated was Chan Wah Shun. When the Doctor Leung Jan died, Chan Wah Shun became responsible for putting forward the art he had learned. He was the heir of Wing Chun. In time, an eager boy came to Chan Wah Shun to learn the art of Wing Chun. The boy‘s name was Yip Man. Yip Man was only nine years old when he began to study under the guidance of Chan Wah Shun. After four years, Chan died. Yip Man continued studying with his superiors, especially one called Ng Jung So, who helped him greatly in understanding what he knew of this art. At 16, Yip Man left Fat Chan for Hong Kong to study English and business-related matters. He enrolled in Sanit Etevens College, where, despite being only a teenager, he proved that he was the best fighter in the College. This happened during a historical period when the British applied much pressure to their colony, so that tensions between English and Chinese youth were sometimes quite dangerous. While Yip Man was in Hong Kong, the oldest son of Leung Jan, Leung Bik, was doing some business in that city. Leung Bik later discovered a great aptitude for fighting, through a family member. Leung Bik requested a meeting with Yip Man. Leung Bik accused Yip Man of being a troublemaker, especially when he was out of the house. Leung Bik decided to test Yip Man and told him his Gung Fu was still far from good. Naturally young Yip Man, who was excitable, was angered by this statement. He challenged Leung Bik, who accepted. For three consecutive times, Yip Man fell when he tried to touch Leung Bik. He experienced the first and only loss of his lifetime. Yip Man then realized he had a lot to learn yet. Along with this, Yip Man had the opportunity to study under the guidance of many good Wing Chun teachers. With help from Leung Bik, Yip Man was responsible for extending the Wing Chun system while he edged closer to perfecting the art. At the outbreak of World War II, both returned to Fat Shan, but Yip Man did little in that province, although some of his Si-Hing were teaching the art to live and others did so out of respect and loyalty. Yip Man did not need to do it for money because his family was wealthy. For a time he worked as Chief Detective for the Police Station, and Fat Shan became well known for his ability to apprehend criminals and lawless people. Yip Man returned to Hong Kong in the winter of 1949. Although not overly young, Yip Man began a new life with the aim of bringing the art of Wing Chun to Hong Kong. For the first time, it was publicly taught outside China. Remember that Hong Kong was English at the time. In a short period of thirty years, the Wing Chun system became the most influential, not only in Hong Kong but throughout the world. Without the dedication of Yip Man, Wing Chun, with all its value as a method of combat and martial art, might have remained behind the Bamboo Curtain, lost to the rest of the world. Yip Man had many students, such as William Cheung, Wong Shun Leung, Hawkins Cheung, Bruce Lee, etc.. Wing Chun’s Grandmaster Yip Man died on December 1, 1972 at the age of 81. information as an open source on the web, this is just one of many historys of wing chun ; Sigung
Posted on: Sun, 09 Mar 2014 15:07:43 +0000
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