What is Wing Chun

History of Wing Chun

In regards to the Wing Chun history, the story told from generation is that, there were 5 elders from the Shaolin Temple and they all fled during the war. However, we are unable to certain whether they really exist or not. Some says that the Red Boat Opera was the one who founded Wing Chun. True or false, we are not sure, because this was only a story being told then. Some even say, Wing Chun was known worldwide because of Bruce Lee. Bruce took some basic foundation from Wing Chun and turns it into his own martial art, known as Jeet Kune Do. Bruce was only the person who was able to understand Jeet Kune Do because it was totally created by him. He did not promote Jeet Kune Do or Wing Chun, but more of himself.

All of the Wing Chun system, theory, techniques that people perceive on Wing Chun is only a close quarter combat, no holding, no legs, and unstable footwork. All this are wrong because they do not understand about Wing Chun.
Wing Chun is known as a secret art during the ancient times. There was no name for this art. There are different kinds of Wing Chun, different concept, different styles, and different techniques. For example, before, there were no wooden dummy forms in Fatshan. Even though they are different but most of the techniques are quite similar. There is no comparison on the empty handed forms on whose is better. Because learning Wing Chun is like making a car. You have to start from scrap, step by step in order to build a complete car. Just like in Wing Chun, we learn from the basic foundation like the first form, Sil Nim Tao, learning the basic stance and body positioning. After that, Chum Kiu will teach us on how to move sideways, together applying the Sil Nim Tao form. Until Biu Jee, which is the highest empty handed technique, the form is more violent and deadly. The attacking is also backed by the defense. After learning all this forms, this will be combined into the Chi Sao form.
Muk Yan Jong or Wooden Dummy is the most advanced form. It is like having a sparring partner ready at all times. The techniques used and learn in wooden dummy will improved one’s combat skills.
Inside Wing Chun, there are only 2 types of weapons used, not like other types of martial arts. There is the Luk Dim Boon Kwan or 6 ½ points pole which uses 7 simple techniques and the Baat Cham Dou or Eight Cutting Broadswords which has 8 steps which focus on hand techniques including footwork too. Baat Cham Dou main purpose is to attack those using Luk Dim Boon Kwan.
Wing Chun is very easy to learn but takes time to understand and can be very skillful in it. Wing Chun is very different from other martial arts because it does not have high kicks and flowery handworks. Wing Chun steps can be applied with different styles or techniques. It is not a dead art whereby Wing Chun practitioner don’t fight force against force. And the most important thing, one must know how to apply all these techniques. There is no pure or pure Wing Chun. Everything is the same. It’s 30% techniques and 70% mental strength. A practitioner needs time to understand what is right or wrong and must know how to apply it as mentioned every time here. After a long period of time, every practitioner will have his or her own styles in using Wing Chun.

對於詠春拳源流中,各人物如至善禅師,伍枚師太,白眉,苗顯都可以在 另南派拳術源流中找到,是真而假,不重要,这是數百年的事,作為門人祇可依師承所為正.跟有另-據說,詠春拳是由紅船弟子張五(摊手五)所創,為使掩人耳 目.才立其名為詠春拳.無論如可,它都依各支流門人弘揚到世界各地.
有人說詠春拳可以弘揚世界各地,是因李小龍在外國树立中國功夫權威,这無可否認,他公開曾习詠春拳,在他自創截拳道内溶入此派心法,他製造了自我武術形像,與推祟唯美新生武術,-截拳道 这点他非常成功,達到前無古人,後無來者,但他從沒全心弘揚詠春拳派.

詠春拳的技法,有很多人或各支流詠春拳門人,一知半解的解释於詠春拳 法度过於如神技全能.或错释技法誤導,什么詠春拳属可短打!而沒有腿法!!那就特錯.它原是沒有名稱的秘密拳術,詠春拳的名稱是因為纪念祖師嚴詠春,而别 無它解释.如你沒有門派的保守,大可从稱它别的名稱如”詠誌”或”詠什么拳等等.各支流詠春,沒有那比那的历害,是因支流嫡傳掌握法度溶入個人專研,经 驗,之所以產生訓练技法各異, 但心法一致.

对於技法上,如小念頭,尋橋,標指,木人樁法,無那套比那套历害.詠 春拳附有科学舆物理学理論,就如一個產品的製造要经過各層工夫提煉,到最後功成.習詠春拳如同一致,是次据問题,如一位初学者必习小念頭开始,須必從馬 (立法)舆步(借攻)屬活動是要初学者從小基本密集一心-意练習的念頭,把手法處於子午法度上,招招清.之後寻橋之法用一尺之内致用各手法变化為肘法在配 合側身馬(借捨攻勢)舆下盤運用.到標指屬輕巧搶攻之法,運用極為狼毒標指舆下盤佩合”以攻為守或以打為消的拼命打法,當三套拳练到熟了,把三套拳法式運 用於過手黏法實战摶擊.到木人椿法, 属本門派最高深技法,借假想和敵方實战精简實用的动作組合.在加上博擊法訓练, 是给詠春門人學習如何運用詠春技法於徒手博擊中.

在詠春拳技衹有兩大兵器法,笫一為六点半棍運用七式法对勢各種兵器的 攻擊,但在这派六点半棍法, 己经溶入詠春法度. 笫二為八斬刀法,这八式斬法同手法属同-致,雙刀走步,專对附如六点半棍法的兵器,比標指更為狠毒.在加上博擊法訓练, 是给詠春門人學習如何運用詠春技法於徒手博擊中.
詠春拳技,精简易學但难精,它有另-般南派傳統武術,它不挑不格,從不力鬥,它如數學公式,定招不定式,各招是依位置, 時间,力學,的適勢以变,在運用下盤配合上盤,運用卸借捨哲理於对敵.
詠 春拳術属數百年前的武術家所经運用,實战,專研,綜合實致用各技法,在通過各嫡傳門人改良,所以各技法上增加或減少,所以談不得什么正宗無正宗,最重要純 正法度.很多時候,有些武者,大谈如何大破詠春,对我们詠春門人,-笑置之,不知詠春本属無式門派,所為三分技法,七分頭腦, 那何來大破詠春.
習技,是通過歲月研習,而要所領,也要对各門各派各缺優隙以指掌, 使能運自技跟處於優勢.


The founder of the Wing Chun Kung Fu System, JO SI Yim Wing Chun was a native of Canton [Kwangtung Province] in China. She was an intelligent and athletic young girl, upstanding and forthright. Her mother died soon after her betrothal to Leung Bok Chau, a salt merchant of Fukien. Her father, Yim Yee, was wrongfully accused of a crime and, rather than risk jail, they slipped away and finally settled down at the foot of Tai Leung Mountain near the border between Yunan and Szechuan provinces. There they earned a living by running a shop that sold bean curd.

During the reign of Emperor K'anghsi of the Ching Dynasty (1662-1722) Kung Fu became very strong in the Siu Lam [Shaolin] Monastery of Mt. Sung, in Honan Province. This aroused the fear of the Manchu government [a non-Chinese people from Manchuria in the North, who ruled China at that time], which sent troops to attack the Monastery. Although they were unsuccessful, a man named Chan Man Wai, a recently appointed civil servant seeking favor with the government, suggested a plan.

He plotted with Siu Lam monk Ma Ning Yee and others who were persuaded to betray their companions by setting fire to the monastery while soldiers attacked it from the outside. Siu Lam was burned down, and the monks and disciples scattered. Buddhist Abbess Ng Mui, Abbot Chi Shin, Abbot Pak Mei, Master Fung To Tak and Master Miu Hin escaped and went their separate ways.

Ng Mui took refuge in the White Crane Temple on Mt. Tai Leung [also known as Mt. Chai Har]. It was there she met Yim Yee and his daughter Wing Chun from whom she often bought bean curd on her way home from the market. At fifteen, with her hair bound up in the custom of those days to show she was of an age to marry, Wing Chun's beauty attracted the attention of a local bully. He tried to force Wing Chun to marry him, and his continuous threats became a source of worry to her and her father. Ng Mui learned of this and took pity on Wing Chun. She agreed to teach Wing Chun fighting techniques so she could protect herself. Wing Chun followed Ng Mui into the mountains, and began to learn Kung Fu. She trained night and day, until she mastered the techniques. Then she challenged the bully to a fight and beat him.

Ng Mui later traveled around the country, but before she left she told Wing Chun to strictly honor the Kung Fu traditions, to develop her Kung Fu after her marriage, and to help the people working to overthrow the Manchu government and restore the Ming Dynasty.

After her marriage Wing Chun taught Kung Fu to her husband Leung Bok Chau. He in turn passed these techniques on to Leung Lan Kwai. Leung Lan Kwai then passed them on to Wong Wah Bo. Wong Wah Bo was a member of an opera troupe on board a junk, known to Chinese as the Red Junk. Wong worked on the Red Junk with Leung Yee Tei. It so happened that Abbot Chi Shin, who fled from Siu Lam, had disguised himself as a cook and was then working on the Red Junk. Chi Shin taught the Six-and-a-half-point Long Pole techniques to Leung Yee Tei. Wong Wah Bo was close to Leung Yee Tei, and they shared what they knew about Kung Fu. Together they shared and improved their techniques, and thus the Six-and-a-half-point Long Pole was incorporated into Wing Chun Kung Fu. Leung Yee Tei passed his Kung Fu on to Leung Jan, a well known herbal Doctor in Fat Shan. Leung Jan grasped the innermost secrets of Wing Chun, attaining the highest level of proficiency. Many Kung Fu masters came to challenge him, but all were defeated. Leung Jan became very famous. Later he passed his Kung Fu on to Chan Wah Shan, who took me and my elder Kung Fu brothers, such as Ng Siu Lo, Ng Chung So, Chan Yu Min and Lui Yu Jai, as his students many decades ago.
先祖严咏春 氏,原籍为广东,少而聪颖,行动矫捷,磊落有丈夫气,许字福建盐商梁博俦。未几母殁。父严二事被诬,几陷于狱,因是远徒川滇边区,居于大凉山下,以卖豆腐 为活,此清代康熙年间事也。其时河南省嵩山少林派,武风甚盛,招清廷忌,派兵围捕,攻而不下。适有新科状元陈文维者,邀宠献议,设法勾通寺僧马宁儿等,四 处纵火,里应外合,少林寺被毁,僧徒四散。由是五枚法师与至善禅师、白眉禅师、冯道德、苗显等五人亦分途出走。而五枚止于大凉山(又名栖霞山)白鹤观。每 日下如市,因与严二父女贸易,渐且作稔熟。  时先师年已及笄。有当地土霸涎其姿色,恃势迫婚。父女二人日有忧色。为五枚法师洞悉其由。因怜其遇,许以传 技保身,使该土霸俟能除,梁氏婚约后始赋于归。由是即随五枚返山日悉勤修苦练。技成,乃约土霸比武,卒将土霸击倒。自此五枚云游四方,频行殷殷诫以严守宗 风,等婚后发扬武术,同佐反清复明大业。综合过去事迹,知咏春派拳术,实宗于五枚法师也。  先祖师既婚,首传技于夫婿梁博俦,其后梁博俦传梁兰桂,梁兰 桂传黄华宝。黄华宝为红船中人,与梁二娣为伍。恰至善禅师混迹红船中为“煲头”,将绝技六点半棍传与梁二娣。而华宝与二娣以共事红船之故,因得日夕观摩, 互相传习,补短截长,混成一体。从而咏春拳之有六点半棍者,盖有由也。遂至梁二娣传技于佛山名医梁赞先生,梁赞深得其奥,达于化境。远近武士慕名来请与较 者辄为败,由是声名藉起。后来梁赞传于陈华顺。而问与师兄吴小鲁、吴促素、陈汝棉、雷汝济等师事陈华顺迄今已数十年。是则吾侪之于咏春派拳术一脉相承。其 来有自数典不忘乃祖,饮水应念其源,自宜有以纪念先祖孕育之恩。抑亦所以维系我同门侪辈也,缓拟发起组织咏春堂联谊会焉。嘤其鸣矣,求其友声,想同门师友 定有同情也。我武唯扬,胥焉有赖此耶.