Wing Chun is a fighting system from south China that has its roots in Foshan. It has been made most famous by the late Bruce Lee, who studied under Grandmaster Ip Man. It has be called "one of the best stand up styles ever" by the late Carlson Gracie.
It was the heart of all Bruce's theories and concepts that we see today. It is very popular throughout Europe and Asia, but mostly in Hong Kong because of its straightforward efficiency and its effectiveness in practical self defense situations. Wing Chun teaches direct, efficient, and economical motion It’s an aggressive system that relies on relaxation, angel and simultaneous attack and defense. Wing Chun insists in both principle and practicality that a person can overcome a larger opponent in a real combat situation. The study of Wing Chun can lead to a lifetime of health and self discovery.
History of Wing Chun
In the late 1600’s and early 1700’s, Kung Fu became very popular at the Siu Lam Monastery in the Hunan Province of China. When the Manchu Government attacked the Monastery and burned it to the ground, they killed many of the Monks and Disciples. It is said that five Monks, four Abbots, and one Buddhist Nun named Ng Mui all escaped the attack.
Ng Mui took refuge in the White Cane Temple in Mt. Tai Leung and it was there that she developed a new fighting style which emphasized on technique and not strength, center instead of round. Ng Mui then passed her new fighting style to Yim Wing Chun. In honor of his wife, Yim Wing Chun’s husband named the fighting system “Wing Chun”.
Wing Chun was then past from Teacher to Student throughout the years in China until Grandmaster Ip Man (of Foshan) introduced Wing Chun to Hong Kong around 1949. Wing Chun spread quickly through Hong Kong and became very famous. The legacy of the late Grandmaster Ip Man carries on today through his son Grandmaster Ip Ching.
