My Wing Chun Journey

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My Wing Chun Journey

I have been "meddling" with Wing Chun for about twenty years, researching into the origin and different types of Wing Chun. Up till now no neutral, impartial researchers can come up with a conclusive findings.


Whenever I met somebody who ask me about my lineage, I actually "frown" inside me, can't help wondering how much the questioner understand about Wing Chun. But it is natural that if anybody is affiliated  with a certain lineage, they will be automatically "loyal" to that lineage, protecting, defending and promoting their vested self-interest. Sometimes people failed to realize the Truth..... and may not want to acknowledge it.


There are many unscrupulous martial artists getting affiliated with so called "Grand masters" just to exploit the popularity of Wing Chun. Equally unscrupulous are the so called "Grand masters", appointing their representatives with just a few seminars. These are the disheartening true happening in every part of the world. These so called and some self-proclaimed "Grand masters"normally are quite superficial in the understanding of the Art, will usually try to justify what they think certain concepts and principles should be or quote some authoritative, influential figures of the Wing Chun community. Looking at so much "intellectual" arguments in the Wing Chun Forum, reflect the depth of their understandings and cohesiveness of the practitioners of the Art. 


My Wing Chun journey started 20+ years ago. All in all I trained in three different styles of Wing Chun and of three different lineages besides researching into other styles, like the Vietnamese Wing Chun and others. Taking the essence from the three different styles (the typical Ip Man style, Foshan style and the Long Form style of the Opera boat), I combined the three styles into one Form . To avoid any "political" issues, the lineages and the Sifus of each styles are intentionally not mentioned.


Martial arts, regardless of styles, origins or regions, should have the same objectives of refining, cultivating and enriching the individuals. Some "cult-like" groups have mislead this ideology into egoistic, separatist and obsessive clan-like identification. Normally these are due to inferiority, inadequacy and lack of in-depth understanding of their own martial art system. Invariably, it is also natural that there are different levels of martial arts, and each martial art system has their strength and weaknesses, due to different specialization, origination, and the intention of the founders.


Anyway, it is more important to be your "Truth Self", conscientiously upholding the "Wu De" (Martial ethics). Many people are misled about martial arts and fighting. The wisdom of the ancient warriors are misinterpreted and misused. Many people think by learning some martial arts they would be able to defend themselves. In most cases, it is a big NO! Unless you have ample reality-based training physically, mentally and psychologically, you are no better than an untrained person. Are you willing to "invest" time and effort? For Wing Chun, when I started, we train at least 5 days a week. My Sifu conducted the class even when there was only one or two students turning up. I remembered in my early teen when I were training Shaolin Kung Fu, we trained 6 days a week. Normally, Sunday morning we will do our own conditioning. The simple truth is "what you put in, is what you will get". there is no secret to be good. just practise, practise and practise.



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