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Wing Chun (Ving Tsun) System

Using mostly hand techniques and fewer kicks, the Wing Chun system emphasizes using minimal force and economy of movement to achieve maximum efficiency and effectiveness in fighting through intercepting, trapping, redirecting and manipulating the enemy's force. Based on this concept, proper Wing Chun training will guide the practitioner to exert as little energy as possible and depend more on generating and releasing internal power rather than using brute force and muscle strength to attack, counter-attack, and defend. In addition to developing one's fighting skills, Wing Chun training will improve the overall health of the practitioner by improving and increasing the internal energy flow and bringing together the mind and body as one unit.

As with many styles of Chinese martial arts, the history of Wing Chun was primarily passed down verbally from teacher to disciple. Fortunately, Yip Man documented the history of Wing Chun as communicated to him. Following is an English translation of his personal, written account of the Origination of the Wing Chun system.

"The founder of the Ving Tsun Kungfu System, Miss Yim Ving Tsun was a native of Canton China. As a young girl, she was intelligent and athletic, upstanding and manly. She was betrothed to Leung Bok Chau, a salt merchant of Fukien. Soon after that, her mother died. Her father, Yim Yee, was wrongfully accused of a crime, and nearly went to jail. So the family moved far away, and finally settled down at the foot of Tai Leung Mountain at the Yunnan-Szechuan border. There, they earned a Living by selling tofu. All this happened during the reign of Emperor K'anghsi (1662-1722).

At the time kungfu was becoming very strong in the Siu Lam Monastery (Shaolin Monastery) of MT. Sung, Honan. This aroused fear of the Manchu government, which sent troops to attack the Monastery. They were unsuccessful. A man called Chan Man Wai was the First Placed Graduate of the Civil Service Examination that year. He was seeking favor with the government, and suggested a plan. He plotted with Siu Lam monk Ma Ning Yee and others. They set fire to the Monastery while soldiers attacked it from the outside. Siu Lam was burnt down, and the monks scattered. Buddhist Abbess Ng Mui, Abbot Chi Shin, Abbot Pak Mei, Master Fung To Tak and Master Miu Hin escaped and fled their separate ways.

Ng Mui took refuge in White Crane Temple on Mt. Tai Leung (also known as Mt. Chai Har). There she came to know Yim Yee and his daughter Yim Ving Tsun. She bought bean curds at their store. They became friends.

Ving Tsun was a young woman then and her beauty attracted the attention of a local bully. He tried to force Ving Tsun to marry him. She and her father were very worried. Ng Mui learned of this and took pity on Ving Tsun. She agreed to teach Ving Tsun fighting techniques so that she could protect herself. Then she would be able to solve the problem with the bully and marry Leung Bok Chau, her betrothed husband. So Ving Tsun followed Ng Mui into the mountains and started to learn kungfu. She trained night and day, and mastered the techniques. Then she challenged the local bully to a fight and beat him. Ng Mui set off to travel around the country, but before she left, she told Ving Tsun to strictly honor the kungfu traditions, to develop her kungfu after her marriage, and to help the people working to overthrow the Manchu government and restore the Ming Dynasty. This is how Ving Tsun kungfu was handed down by Abbess Ng Mui.

After the marriage, Ving Tsun taught her kungfu to her husband Leung Bok Chau, and he passed his kungfu techniques on to Leung Lan Kwai. Leung Lan Kwai passed it on to Wong Wah Bo. Wong Wah Bo was a member of an opera troupe on board a junk, known to the 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 now working on the Red Junk. Chi Shin taught the Six-and-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 kungfu. Together they correlated and improved their techniques, and thus the Six-and-Half-Point Long Pole Techniques were incorporated into Ving Tsun Kungfu.

Leung Yee Tei passed the kungfu on to Leung Jan, a well known herbal doctor in Fat Shan. Leung Jan grasped the innermost secrets of Ving Tsun, and attained the highest level of proficiency. Many kungfu masters came to challenge him, but all were defeated. Leung Jan became very famous. Later he passed his kungfu on to Chan Wah Shan, who took me as his student many decades ago. I studied kungfu alongside my kungfu brothers such as Ng Siu Lo, Ng Chung So, Chan Yu Min and Lui Yu Jai. Ving Tsun was thus passed down to us, and we are eternally grateful to our kungfu ancestors and teachers. We will always remember and appreciate our roots, and this shared feeling will always keep our kungfu brothers close together. This is why I am organizing the Ving Tsun Fellowship, and I hope my kungfu brothers will support me in this. This will be very important in the promotion of kungfu."

Ving Tsun Athletic Association, Genealogy of the Ving Tsun Family, Hong Kong Ving Tsun Athletic Association Ltd., Hong Kong, 1990.

The Wing Chun (Ving Tsun) system includes three hand forms, one training apparatus form and two weapon forms.

This form is the basic yet most profound form of the Wing Chun system. Siu Lim Tau is comprised of three sections that cover the basic movements of Wing Chun in addition to developing control. In fact, a lot of high level Wing Chun self defense techniques are hidden in this form.

This form teaches neutralization of the opponent's force and releasing one's own force by pivoting and using footwork to close the gap.

This is an advanced level form which teaches long and short-range interception and attack as well as recovery in an life threatening situation.

This form originated from the Shaolin Temple Wooden Dummy Alley. The wooden dummy simulates the opponent and teaches the practitioner correct angle and entry for optimal execution of techniques.

"Six-and-a-half point pole" - Half of the 13 major movements of long pole. This form further develops one's hand-striking power.

After development of the arms with the Long Pole, the practitioner moves on to advanced weapon training with the butterfly knives.

Wing Chun has many training exercises and drills designed for developing sensitivity, timing, attack, counter-attack, and defense. Following are a few of those constantly used.

A training exercise unique to Wing Chun is Chi Sau (Sticky Hands). Chi Sau develops the ability to control opponents by increasing sensitivity in the practitioner. The Wing Chun practiitioner uses this control to deal with multiple attackers.

A two person drill where both are using a single arm to feel when the other will strike. At this level attacks and defense are limited to set repetition.

In this exercise the practitioners engage both arms and apply the hand techniques and footwork learned in the forms. Attacks are random and defense is used to gain advantage for counter attacks.

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