A BRIEF HISTORY OF WING CHUN

The origin of Wing Chun Kung Fu can be found in the turbulent, repressive Chin dynasty of over 250 years ago. It was a time when 90% of the Chinese races, the Hons, were ruled by the 10% minority, the Manchus. The Manchus placed a great amount of unjust law on the Hons. All female infants were made to bind their feet so that when they grew up they would be dependent upon their parents or husband. The work opportunities of the Hons were restricted. They were unable to hold office in Government higher than a certain level. Heavy tax burdens were placed on the country so that the Manchu’s could have economic control of the Hon people.

Kung Fu training was also banned for the Hons; however the Manchu Government was adopting the Hon culture. They respected the legendary Shaolin Temple as a Buddhist sanctuary.

When the Manchu’s outlawed all weapons, the Hons began training a revolutionary army in secret. The Shaolin Temple gave sanctuary to the Rebels and eventually took a leadership role in the revolt. Shaolin’s Grandmasters abandoned the classical martial arts based on the movements of animals (and took 15 to 20 years to master), and developed a new boxing system. This new system would have a shorter training time and keep only the most effective techniques, principles and strategies from the classical styles. In three to five years, Shaolin would have a trained army of rebels ready to fight the Manchus.

However, before this new form could be put into practice, a senior monk betrayed the temple and informed the Manchus. The Shaolin Temple was quickly raided and burned. The temple was destroyed and most of the monks were killed.

Ng Mui, a nun, was one of the only surviving Grandmasters. She passed her knowledge of this new system onto a young orphan girl whom she named Wing Chun. The name represented "hope for the future". In turn Wing Chun passed her knowledge on to her husband. Through the years, the style became known as Wing Chun. Its techniques and teachings were passed onto a few, always carefully selected students.

In 1950 Grandmaster Yip Man began teaching Wing Chun in Hong Kong. One of his first students is now the current Grandmaster of the art, William Cheung.

Another prominent student of Yip Man—and William Cheung—was Lee Jun Fan; aka, “Bruce Lee.”