History of Wing Chun ( Late 1700s - Present Day)
![Picture](/uploads/2/4/6/2/24620982/1386008976.jpg)
The style is said to have been founded in the late 1700s by an abbess of a Shaolin temple named Ng Mui who was inspired by a confrontation between a crane and a snake. She took her observations and developed the foundations of Wing Chun, which was still a nameless style at this point.
![Picture](/uploads/2/4/6/2/24620982/9005337.jpg?323)
Ng Mui passed her teachings when a 15 year old girl named Yim Wing Chun approached her and asked her to teach her martial arts. At the time, Yim Wing Chun was being forced into marriage by a local warlord and needed a method to defend herself and her freedom. After she was able to successfully defend herself, Yim Wing Chun continued to develop this style and passed her interpretations and techniques to her husband, Leung Bok-chau. After she passed away, her husband credited her with the style, naming it Wing Chun Kuen (Wing Chun's Boxing) and traveled while spreading Wing Chun.
Much of the Wing Chun history becomes vague up until the 1900s, which is the passing of techniques from Leung Bok Chau to Chan Wah Shun. The only widely accepted story during this gap is that there was a trading of techniques between Wing Chun's empty hand techniques and Six And A Half Point Pole techniques. There are many variations in stories of the individuals that proceeded with the trade and the situation with how it happened. However, it is widely accepted that this occurred because there is a pole form in Wing Chun called Six And A Half Point that exists today but Ng Mui and Yim Wing Chun only developed empty hand techniques.
|
![Picture](/uploads/2/4/6/2/24620982/3215063.jpg)
In 1906, Chan Wah Shun began teaching the young Ip Man in Foshan. However, the teaching was brief as Chan Wah Shun passed away three years later and Ip Man moved to Hong Kong. In Hong Kong, Ip Man was introduced to Leung Bik through a classmate. During their first man, Ip Man tried to prove his abilities but was quickly defeated by Leung Bik. After defeating Ip Man, Leung Bik introduced himself and told Ip Man that he was Chan Wah Shun's senior and the son of Leung Jan, Chan Wah Shun's teacher. This began Ip Man's training under Leung Bik.
At the age of 24, Ip Man returned to Foshan and became a Captain in the police force and taught Wing Chun to his subordinates and family during his free time.
In Wing Chun tradition, an instructor only accepts a few carefully selected students. However, in 1950s, Ip Man broke tradition when he opened up a public martial arts school for Wing Chun, after being forced to move back to Hong Kong due to the Communist Revolution. Here, Ip Man cultivated Wing Chun into its current style and is credited for the widespread popularity of Wing Chun.
At the age of 24, Ip Man returned to Foshan and became a Captain in the police force and taught Wing Chun to his subordinates and family during his free time.
In Wing Chun tradition, an instructor only accepts a few carefully selected students. However, in 1950s, Ip Man broke tradition when he opened up a public martial arts school for Wing Chun, after being forced to move back to Hong Kong due to the Communist Revolution. Here, Ip Man cultivated Wing Chun into its current style and is credited for the widespread popularity of Wing Chun.
![Picture](/uploads/2/4/6/2/24620982/4122814.jpg?345)
Among Ip Man's pupils was the famous action star Bruce Lee. Although Bruce Lee is most well known for his style Jeet Kune Do, he incorporated many techniques and philosophies from Wing Chun. Jeet Kune Do translates to "The Way of the Intercepting Fist" which is a fundamental concept taught in Wing Chun.
One of the most famous demonstrations by Bruce Lee is his performance of the One Inch Punch. The idea is to test the amount of power a person can generate in a punch at a distance of one inch. Bruce Lee was able to knock a person back several feet during his demonstration. The teachings and concept behind this power generation ability is based in Wing Chun.
One of the most famous demonstrations by Bruce Lee is his performance of the One Inch Punch. The idea is to test the amount of power a person can generate in a punch at a distance of one inch. Bruce Lee was able to knock a person back several feet during his demonstration. The teachings and concept behind this power generation ability is based in Wing Chun.
Today, Wing Chun has grown substantially in practitioners and in fame. Conventions and demonstrations are held worldwide