Complete Wing Chun. Robert Chu
Yip Man also passed along his art to his family members, including his nephew, Lo Man-Kam (now in Taipei, Taiwan) and his sons Yip Chun and Yip Ching when they later left Foshan for Hong Kong in 1962.
Other Wing Chun practitioners from Yip Mans lineage who were responsible for spreading the art include Wang Kiu in Europe, Kan Wah-Chit (Victor Kan) in the United Kingdom, Leung Ting teaching around the world through his International Wing Tsun Martial Arts Association, Lee Shing in England, Ho Kam Ming teaching in Macao and Canada, Fung Hon (Stewart Fung) in Canada, Chan Shing (Chris Chan) in San Francisco, Moy Yat in New York, Leung Siu-Hung (Duncan Leung) in Virginia, Fong Chi-Wing (Augustine Fong) in Arizona, Chung Man-Lin (Ken Chung) in San Francisco, Chong Yin-Cheung (Eddie Chong) in Sacramento, Yeung Biu (Robert Yeung) in Hawaii, and many, many others.
Master Leung Ting is the leader of the International Wing Tsun Martial Arts Association.
In 1972, after having passed along his Wing Chun to thousands of students, and seeing the art spread around the globe, Grandmaster Yip Man passed away as a result of complications from throat cancer.
Although at times politics, rivalry, controversy, and some infamy have surrounded Yip Man’s art, the style itself has made great strides forward. It is hoped that remaining differences will be resolved and that the Yip Man family will continue on in harmony, proudly claiming its place as one of the most popular forms of Chinese martial arts practiced around the world.
Five instructors of wing Chun in the Los Angeles area: (left to right) Jim Lau, Hawkins Cheung, Robert Chu, Gary Lam, Jerry McKinley.
BASIC MOVEMENTS
Yip Mans Wing Chun basics stress the fundamental structure with the yee jee kim yeung ma and the three essentials of tan sao, bong sao, and fook sao.
The yee jee kim yeung ma (goat clamping stance), also known as the “inward rotation abduction stance,” trains stability, force redirection and projection, and is the basic stance and structure of the system. Structure refers to the positioning and form of the body, stance, waist, and hands in order to connect the body and maximize power to the limbs. In Yip Man Wing Chun, the waist and pelvis push forward upon receiving pressure. If the waist and pelvis are not pushed forward, the upper torso will collapse when pressure is received, thereby breaking the structure. Weight is distributed evenly between both legs and the buttocks are ahead of the rear heel. Yee jee kim yeung ma is also the root of the other stances and steps in the system, including bik ma (pressing step), chum kiu ma (seeking bridge horse, the sideways facing stance from the second set), kao bo (hooking step), sam gwok ma (triangle step), gwok ma (angle step), and juen ma (turning step). In general, these stances emphasize a 50/50 weight distribution, although some Yip Man Wing Chun instructors vary this in their teachings. During bik ma stepping or in the juen ma turning stance, when pushed, the rear leg has the feeling of being pushed into the ground and when pulled, the forward leg has a feeling of being pulled into the ground. This gives the practitioner the sense of being firmly rooted to the earth.
In recent years, there has been some disagreement over the nature and form of footwork in Yip Man Wing Chun, becoming a noted source of controversy. However, it is known that Yip Man taught his students various methods of stepping while either dragging or picking up the feet, in both fixed and relaxed stances.
Tan sao (spread-out hand) is the basic configuration from which the other arm shapes are derived. Tan sao faces ninety-degrees perpendicular to the body and its height is determined by facing the opponent or by the “bridge” (extended arm) it comes in contact with. The hand is straightened out and the wrist is bent naturally. Tan sao also trains the hei (qi, internal energy) circulation and force projection. An old Wing Chun saying holds that “under heaven the tan sao is invincible,” and it is known that when Yip Man practiced the first set, siu nim tao, he would spend at least an hour on the tan sao section.
Master Koo Sang practices a movement from the baat jaam dao.
Gaun Gwun from the luk dim boon gwun techniques is demonstrated by Master Koo Sang.
Bong sao (wing arm) is probably the trademark of Wing Chun, so unique and outstanding is its shape. In the bong sao, the forearm indicates a gradual dip and the shoulder is kept relaxed. It is the only core Wing Chun hand position in which the elbow flies outward. The technique varies in height according to the opponents attacking bridge and its variations include high, middle, and low positions. Bong sao can only be executed when there is a force sufficient to create its need. When used, it can be employed as a shield, as a transitional move, or to slow or drag an opponent’s attack. The dual nature and multidimensional aspects of the technique allow for vast differences in its interpretation. The traditional saying that “bong sao does not remain” serves to remind the practitioner that this technique must be used only in the moment of its need, then changed immediately.
Fook sao (subduing hand) is so-named after its design, which makes it ideal for subduing the force of an opponents arm upon contact. Etymologically, the Chinese character for fook signifies a dog held down by a person, and this is exactly what the fook sao does through control of an opponent’s leverage point. Fook sao, like tan sao, is also held perpendicular to the body. Its difference lies in that fook sao is an on-top-of-the-bridge position, whereas tan sao is a relatively underneath-the-bridge position. Fook sao arguably has the most transition positions and can lead into lop sao (grabbing hand), gum sao (pinning hand), pak sao (slapping hand), jut sao (choking hand), and other techniques (Figs. 1–3).
Master Hawkins Cheung squares off with his opponent (Fig. 1). As the opponent punches, Cheung Sifu moves in quickly, intercepting with his forearm (Fig. 2) and flowing straight into a counter strike (Fig. 3).
Tan sao, bong sao, and fook sao are the most important hand maneuvers in Wing Chun and are often thought of as fixed techniques. In actuality, however, they are very much alive and adaptable. The names are merely convenient terms for the ideal positions of the bridge arms in relation to an opponent. Since their feeling is alive, they only exist when in contact with an opponent and only for the time it takes to actually perform them in transition.
FORMS AND TRAINING
Yip Mans Wing Chun contains three empty hand forms that capture the core skills that define the art of Wing Chun.
It is interesting to note that while different branches of Yip Man Wing Chun all teach forms that follow the same basic principles, there is a great deal of variation in the sequences themselves. Perhaps Yip Man learned different variations from his different instructors, continuously strove to refine and improve his art throughout his teaching career, taught the sections with emphasis on conceptual points rather than fixed sequences, tailored the sets to suit each individual student, or the sets have simply been changed by current-day instructors to fit their own needs. Of course, mistakes, misunderstanding, and misinterpretation may have also led to such variation. In the end, it is not important which variation of the set is the “original,” but rather that these sets give the practitioner a feel for the systems