style="font-size:15px;"> Baat jaam dao (eight slash knives) provides training in mobility and further enhances precision in movement. It is also excellent for training the waist to lead the body. The baat jaam dao is often considered the most advanced form in the Wing Chun system. It was, and still is, treated as such a secret that to this day only a few dedicated students are taught the knife set, if at all. It is a practical form devoid of fancy moves like flipping the knives backwards or twirling about in circles, and it stresses the footwork required in the Wing Chun system. It is said in Wing Chun circles that “dao mo seung faat,” which means the moves of the knives are not repeated. Imagine that a Wing Chun practitioner can injure or kill an opponent in one move, attack and defend simultaneously, and efficiently economize his motion. If one can picture that, one can have an idea of how the baat jaam dao streamlines the Wing Chun practitioner’s ability and skill.
Lou suei gwun, flowing water staff.
There are several opinions as to why the double knife set is called the baat jaam dao. Some state that there are eight special slashes which include: jut (downward slice), pek (chopping), jaam (slashing), waat (sliding), biu (stabbing), lao (stirring), chai (stamping), and huen (circling), that comprise the set. Others hold that there are eight sections to the form. It is said that originally the Wing Chun knives were called the yee jee seung dao, owing to the fact that each section closed with a movement in which the parallel positioning of the knives made it look like the Chinese character for yee and that it was Yip Man himself who renamed the techniques “baat jaam dao” togive them a more conceptual label.
Fook gwun, subduing staff.
Some sharpen the skills of the knives on the wooden dummy. One must also sharpen the knife skills while striking objects. The knives are overall very simple in their application; as they touch, they injure. The baat jaam do train the armed application of Wing Chun principles, develop the bridge for breaking the centerline, train footwork, move to the outside gate, develop power, and develop the “butcher mind set” (an analogy of unrelenting cruelty to the opponent) (Figs. 20–31).
Lan gwun, the obstructing pole.
As Yip Man preferred to teach the practical, rather than have students memorize numerous keywords, he taught the essentials of his system through various basic partner exercises.
Pak sao (slapping hand) is the main defense against a fast strike. Pak sao is used to check the opponent’s incoming blow and as a basis for follow-up to “capture the timing” of the opponents movement and to initiate a counter-attack. Two partners train the exercise in yee jee kim yeung ma, with one partner doing lien wan chui (chain punches) and the other defending with pak sao. The eyes must follow the incoming blows, and particular attention must be paid to the torso and stance. With this exercise, a practitioner develops timing, hand and eye coordination, balance, and forward power with the pak sao and chung chui (thrusting punch).
Lop da (grab and strike) is important in teaching the student the use of the bong sao as a detaining technique, and the use of a grab and strike as a follow up. It is practiced with two partners in yee jee kim yeung ma, with one partner beginning the cycle with a chung chui and the other receiving with a bong sao. The bong sao is then followed with a lop sao chung chui combination which the first partner receives with a bong sao. The cycle is then continued numerous times and one may switch sides. There are many variations of bong sao lop da. A practitioner may vary the exercise with a push with bong sao, a step back and pull with lop sao, or changes with the attacking “weapon.” With this exercise, one develops the “jerking power” to knock an opponent off balance, timing, coordination, the feeling of sticking to an opponent, how to follow up when an opening is made, and the hands to assist and follow each other.
The low sup jee dao movement in the opening of the 8 slash knives set.
Upper crossed knives movement.
Chit dao, slicing knife.
Biu dao, darting knife.
Yee jee dao, parallel obstructing knives.
Tan Jaam Dao, dispersing and slashing maneuver.
Bong dao, wing knife.
Kwun dao, a combination of tan and bong knife.
Gaun dao, cultivating knife.
Tan dao/wang chit, dispersing knife and horizontal slash.
Jaam dao, slashing knives.
Biu dao, darting knife.
Dan chi sao (single sticking hands) is a basic exercise which teaches the changes of tan sao, bong sao, and fook sao. This exercise can be varied with the positions of running up and down the bridge of the opponent. Dan chi sao makes defenses strong; develops proper positioning of tan sao, bong sao, and fook sao; develops timing while sticking; develops stance and structure; and develops proper elementary defense for chi sao.
Luk sao (rolling hands) is a maneuver designed to develop a student’s sensitivity. Luk sao is the backbone of chi sao. Students learn to maintain the structure and stance during the luk sao exercise and vary the pressure (i.e., light vs. heavy), and the “running” of the hands. Mastery of running of the hands is important in learning how to cross the bridges. Luk sao develops the four major gate positions, which allow partners to create a bridge and the feeling of intention in the bridges. One develops proper coordination between tan sao, bong sao, fook sao, and the clean flow of techniques.
Seung chi sao (double sticking hands) is a drill in which the elements of Wing Chun are taught in a living laboratory or clinic. Through luk sao, students can learn to apply the movements taught in the three empty-hand sets and the wooden man set. It is known that when Yip Man taught chi sao, his students would always be gently falling backwards or forwards and unable to control their center of gravity. Yip Man would constantly have the students up on their heels or on the balls of
