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 all know 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. It teaches one not to clash
force against force, but to redirect and “borrow“ the opponents “energy”, while
insinuating oneself inside the opponent's defenses. Wing Chun is a system
that teaches direct, efficient, and economical motion that gives a decisive
result in a real world situation. It’s an aggressive system that
emphasizes position, relaxation 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 no matter their size,
strength, stature, or age, all the while improving one's overall health.
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 Buddhsit 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 two sons Grandmaster Ip
Ching and Ip Chun.