The Wing Chun System
What is Wing Chun?
Wing Chun is a Southern Chinese Kung Fu system probably developed about 300 years ago. It has an emphasis on unarmed close-range fighting, although it includes weapon techniques and techniques suitable for various ranges.
The principles of structure, practicality, efficiency and economy of movement are utilised along with the characteristics of relaxation, control of the centreline, sensitivity, trapping and a close range. This puts Wing Chun within the grasp of anyone, regardless of size or build, who has the desire and patience to learn it. Because of the structured and methodical nature of the system it has sufficient depth to become a lifetime's study, leading to mastery of the style.
Where it all began- The Shaolin Temple, China.
- The legendary origin of Wing Chun dates to the reign of the Emperor Kangxi (1662 - 1722). After escaping the destruction of the Fujian Shaolin Monastery by Qing forces, the Abbess Ng Mui fled to the mountains.
- One day, she came upon a fight between a snake and a crane. She took the lessons she learned from observing the fight and combined them with her own knowledge of Shaolin kung fu to create a new style. Ng Mui often shopped at the tofu shop of Yim Yee. Yim Yee had a daughter named Yim Wing-Chun whom a local warlord was trying to force into marriage. Ng Mui taught her new fighting style to Wing-Chun, who used it to fend off the warlord once and for all. Wing-Chun eventually married a man she loved, Leung Bok-Chao, to whom she taught the fighting techniques that Ng Mui had passed on to her. Husband and wife in turn passed the new style on to others.
In recent history Yip Man was the first Wing Chun master to teach the art openly in Hong Kong on a school fee basis. His students and their students therefore make up the majority of the practitioners of Wing Chun today, although there are many other branches also. The full history and origins of Wing Chun have been covered in many books and websites (see Links), should you care to read further.
The Wing Chun System traditionally consists of three empty-hand forms, a wooden dummy form and two weapons forms, butterfly knifes and a tapered pole.
Supplimental to these forms is the sensitivity training exercise called Chi Sao -"sticking hands".
In order to train certain attributes other exercises include 'Structure testing', Sparring(Gor Sau), ground work, Joint locking and control(Chin Na), amongst others.
For the generation of power, maintenance of general health and fitness, energy-cultivation through breathing and stances (Qi Gong) is trained. This is also related to 'Iron Shirt' training, where body and mind are conditioned to hard physical blows.
Siu Nim Tao- "little idea" or "little imagination". The first and most important form in Wing Chun. Siu Nim Tao is the foundation or "seed" of the art from which all succeeding forms and techniques depend. Fundamental rules of balance and body structure are developed here also correct breathing.
Chum Kiu- "seeking the bridge" or "sinking bridge". The second form Chum Kiu focuses on coordinated movement of bodymass and entry techniques to "bridge the gap" between practitioner and opponent and move on to disrupt their structure and balance. Close-range attacks using the elbows and knees are also developed here. It also teaches methods of recovering position and centreline when in a compromised position where Siu Nim Tao structure has been lost. Chin Na, joint locking and catching, is also learn here.
Biu Jee- "darting fingers". The third form Biu Jee is comprised of extreme short-range and extreme long-range techniques, low kicks and sweeps, and "emergency techniques" to counter-attack when structure and centreline have been seriously compromised. As well as pivoting and stepping developed in Chum Kiu, a third degree of freedom involving more upper body and stretching is developed for more power.
Muk Yan Jong- Muk Yan Jong "wooden dummy". The Muk Yan Jong form is performed against a "wooden dummy", a thick wooden post with three arms and a leg mounted on a slightly springy frame representing a stationary human opponent. Although representative of a human opponent, the dummy is not a physical representation of a human, but an energetic one. Wooden dummy practice aims to refine a practitioner's understanding of angles, positions, footwork and to develop full body power. It is here that the open hand forms are pieced together and understood as a whole.
Weapons- Baat Jaam Do. "Butterfly Knives" - A pair of large knives, slightly smaller than short swords (Dao). Historically the knives were also referred to as Dit Ming Do ("Life-Taking Knives"). Also known as Yee Jee Seung Do "Parallel Shape Double Knives") and Baat Jaam Do (Eight Chopping/Slashing Knives").
- Luk Dim Boon Kwun. "Long Pole" - a tapered wooden pole ranging anywhere from 8 to 13 feet in length. Ususally refered to synonymously with the name of its form, Luk Dim Boon Kwun, or "Six and A Half Point Pole". Also referred to as "Dragon Pole" by some branches.
Chi Sao- Chi Sao. "Sticking hands" - a category of contact sensitivity drills used for the development of automatic reflexes upon contact. The drills are performed in pairs, with the participants facing each other with limbs touching. They can vary from pre-arranged drills to more loose or "random" drills. By default (or commonly accepted slang), Chi Sao usually refers to the Luk Sao (methods of rolling hands) format. In this drill, participants face each other with their forearms touching. They then push and "roll" their forearms against each other in a single circle while trying to remain relaxed. The aim is to feel forces, test resistances and find defensive gaps.
- Chi sao is only a drill, an exercise used to train specific attributes. It must not be confused or mistaken as a sparring equivalent.
Chin Na- Chin Na. Chin means to seize or trap, na means to lock or break, and while those actions are very often executed in that order (trap then lock), the two actions can also be performed distinctly in training and self defense. Which is to say, a trap isn't always followed by a lock or break, and a lock or break is not necessarily set up by a trap.
- Chin Na can generally be categorized (in Chinese) as:
- 1. "Fen Jin" or "Zhua Jin" (dividing the muscle/tendon, grabbing the muscle/tendon). "Fen" means "to divide", "Zhua" is "to grab" and "Jin" means "tendon, muscle, sinew". They refer to techniques which tear apart an opponent's muscles or tendons.
- 2. "Cuo Gu" (misplacing the bone). "Cuo" means "wrong, disorder" and "Gu" means "bone". Cuo Gu therefore refer to techniques which put bones in wrong positions and is usually applied to joints specifically.
- 3. "Bi Qi" (sealing the breath). "Bi" means "to close, seal or shut" and "Qi", or more specifically "Kong Qi", meaning "air". "Bi Qi" is the technique of preventing the opponent from inhaling. This differs from mere strangulation in that it may be applied not only to the windpipe directly but also to muscles surrounding the lungs, supposedly to shock the system in to a contraction which impairs breathing.
- 4. "Dian Mai" or "Dian Xue" (sealing the vein/artery or acupressue cavity). Similar to the Cantonese "Dim Mak", these are the technique of sealing or striking blood vessels and "Qi" points.
- There is overlap between chin na theory and technique with the branches of traditional Chinese medicine known as tui na as well as the use of offensive and defensive Qi gong as an adjunct of chin na training.
Attributes- Attribute training, including sparring, conditioning (warrior fitness), 'Iron Sirt' training and Qi Gong.
