Kung Fu for Young People: The Ving Tsun System
by Russell Kozuki and Douglas Lee (Lee Moy Shan)
This was written in 1975 with 128 pages in black and white photos. Probably the rarest and least known of the early kung fu books. A small hardcover book by Sterling Publishers gives you so much conceptual bang for you philosophical buck. It also has the first cover of a woman doing Wing Chun self defense on the cover and throughout the book.
The book also shows many higher level classical techniques like Kwai Jarn (Biu Jee) and Kwun sao/Po Pai Jern. The book opens immediately with the centerline theory and what the term "kung fu" really means. It then goes into the various stances and introduces us to the triangle (front stance) stance-sam kwok mah, as well as the Hau Mah or back stance and single leg, or Golden Rooster stance. The triangle stance is used with a 50/50-weight distribution while the back stance has an uneven (70/30?) position.
The book covers various kung fu styles, names and philosophical concepts regarding each style and then compares them to Wing Chun. Paraphrased it says, "Man must be himself, He cannot fight like a praying mantis; he doesn't know what a tiger feels and thinks: he must use his intellect as nature intended."
The next chapter is on blocking hands-tan, bong fook, kwun sao and upper/lower gong sao. Followed next by a chapter on single hand, rolling hands and pak sao exercise. Almost all the techniques are done by Aimee Lee as the Wing Chun practitioner while Moy Yat disciple Cheng Moy Four does the attacking.
Attacking techniques follow, defining the center punch, Chung Kuen as "a bullet on a spring", straight and side palm strikes, lan sao usage-an obstruction and collapsing bong sao, bong sao/lop dar. Bil Sao is taught as a blocking hand, and to change the line of defense, intercepting and jamming theories with tan dar and chung kuen, the jip sao elbow breaking from Chum Kiu and the Lut Sao, Jik Chung theories as they apply to fighting.
The remainder of the book goes into various self-defense situations, Wing Chun style, against punches and grabs. Huen Sao and Jut sao are introduced here in the fighting sequences, as well as Bok Jarn (shoulder striking) Kwai Jarn and Po Pai Jern.
The final chapter covers kicking attacks and defenses using hands and feet together, intercepting techniques with kicks against kicks such as Fung gerk (think of Pak Sao with the bottom of the foot, right up the middle), bong gerk-knee in foot out, Kwai Shat-a knee break against a sweep, intercepting on a roundhouse kick and attacking the pole leg concept. The co-author Lee Moy Shan is showed doing the techniques with Cheng Moy Four. The book ends with a small history of kung fu and Yim Wing Chun.
This book is a rare gem when you consider the time period vs. general knowledge of the martial arts, as well as Wing Chun theory, history different level techniques, concepts and philosophy.
*A review by Dr. John Crescione
