Chow’s son Kwong-Yiu, as well as Kwok Fu, Chan Chi-Sun, Lun Kai, and Chow Sai. As of this writing, most of Yip Man’s early 1940s students have passed away. Kwok Fu and Lun Gai, however, still preserve his art in Foshan.
If nothing had changed, Yip Man probably would have remained in Foshan and Wing Chun would likely never have attained the fame it currently enjoys around the world.
The winds of change, however, soon swept over China in the form of Mao Zedong’s Communist Party seizing power in 1949, after the defeat of the Nationalists and their retreat to Taiwan. Under Communist rule, Yip Man lost his wealth and property and had no choice but to flee his homeland.
In late 1949, fate brought Yip Man once again to Hong Kong. No longer young or wealthy, Yip took shelter at the Restaurant Workers Association in Kowloon, to which he was introduced by his good friend Lee Man. Teaching at the association at the time was a man named Leung Sheung. Although Leung Sheung taught Choy Lay Fut, he had also been exposed to lung ying mor kiu (dragon-shape rubbing bridges style), Bak Mei pai, and the Jee Shim Wing Chun of Dong Suen. Age had not dampened Yip Mans feistiness and, according to one account, he critiqued Leungs performance rather sarcastically in front of his class. Yip’s slight build emboldened the larger Leung Sheung. Leung threw down his challenge, the end result of which saw Leung asking to become Yip Mans disciple and Yip starting his career as a professional Wing Chun teacher in Hong Kong.
Masters Wong Shun-Leung and Hawkins Cheung, two of Yip Man’s students who helped forge Wing Chun’s reputation in challenge fights.
In the spring of 1950, Yip began with just over a dozen students. A short time later another class commenced with well over two dozen students. By 1951, a third class had begun with over forty people. Wing Chun proliferated among the restaurant workers and its reputation had spread, attracting people from outside the association as well. Wing Chun was finally taught publicly after decades of secrecy.
The early years saw the rise of Yip Mans reputation as a teacher and that of Wing Chun as a fighting art. Yips students issued and accepted many challenges. Yip Man taught literally thousands of students over the years hailing from varying social classes. Among his followers were his senior disciples who helped him instruct, a group of high school students, professionals, Restaurant and Bus Driver Association members, and more affluent private pupils.
Master William Cheung is based in Australia and teaches internationally.
Some of Yip Mans early disciples included Leung Sheung (famous for his biu jee set), Lok Yiu (famous for his Wing Chun pole), Tsui Seung-Tin (famous for his siu nim tao set), and Wong Shun-Leung (famous for his application of Wing Chun in challenge matches and street fights).
Through their victories in challenge matches, Wong Shun-Leung, Cheung Chuk-Hing (William Cheung, now in Australia and teaching internationally through his World Wing Chun Kung Fu Association), Lee Siu-Lung (Bruce Lee, who more than anyone else helped popularize and spread Wing Chun and kung-fu in general around the world through his movies and teachings), Cheung HokKin (Hawkins Cheung, now teaching in Los Angeles, California), and others firmly established Wing Chun’s reputation as a fighting art in Hong Kong.
Master Hawkins Cheung shows an example of simultaneous attack and defense.
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.
