Wing Chun History… 400 years of sacrifice
(this article can not be copied or used on any other site, permission only to share link) Techniques, drills, proper body mechanics, forms, and fighting combinations come from multiple life times of sacrifice and training. They are passed from one Master to another down every generation line with each practitioner training to improve their own understanding while increasing their street defense capabilities. Martial arts combat, understanding and training how to practically use your style in a life threatening situation, takes dedication and deep research. No one man or woman can claim they have it all. Take five practitioners in the same style, place them in different areas of the country and world, give them thirty to sixty years in the system and you will see at the end they are all the same but all different. Their experiences using and applying the techniques they were taught will change their perspective. This will also change their teaching style and their students. Now take one practitioner and have them travel to each one of these practitioners and gain their thirty to sixty years of understanding, training and perspective. A perspective that has been driven in practicality and real use for the chaos of an assault.
Wing Chun History was made from 5,000 years of Chinese martial war with almost everyone including themselves. After 5,000 years of martial training these Shaolin Monks created a new system using their mastery of the southern Shaolin kung fu systems which is the beginning of Wing Chun History.
During the Qing/Ching Dynasty, the Japanese Occupation and Communism many Chinese freedoms such as the ability to trained openly and without oppression were taken away. From the early 1700’s Wing Chun went underground. Master instructors hid and train only family members or very close and dedicated students that could be trusted to honor and uplift the art. These men and women had to sacrifice and train in silence to pass down the knowledge and information we have today.
Today we have men and woman who have come from the Modern founder, Ip Man. Ip Man was a man who was once wealthy. This was taken from him by Japanese occupation and after this occupation ceased and communism arose he escaped to Hong Kong. Ip Man was the instructor of Bruce Lee, Wong Shun Leung, Simon Lau, Moy Yat, Ip Ching, Ip Chun,and now the great grandmaster of millions across the world. His understanding spread to these great first generation instructors and as their understanding has grown we have seen Wing Chun flourish. Instead of limiting our lineage lines to one perspective I have chosen to take the path of seeking out and trying to understand and gain the skills from each of these great Master’s and Grandmaster’s.
Wing Chun History was made to shut down the Ching/Qing Dynasty of 1636 – 1911. In brief, the Ching/Qing Dynasty overthrew the Ming Dynasty of 1368 – 1644. The Ming Dynasty was a large proponent of Chinese wealth, freedom and a large contributor to the Shaolin Temples. The Ming Dynasty believed that politicians, soldiers and generals should be trained from youth within the Shaolin Temples to become stronger, better leaders. After taking over the Ming, the Wing Chun history/Qing Dynasties ruling empire outlawed and banned the practice of kung fu and martial arts. Training had to go underground or be hidden. During this time Ming rebels fought against the Ching Dynasty using the Shaolin Temples as a safe haven to attack from. This problem was rectified by the Ching/Qing Dynasty when they brought troops to assault and burn the Shaolin Temples killing almost all of the monks at the time. This is the time of guns, cannons and regimented troops using advanced modern weaponry and warfare. During this time the Sil Lum Shaolin Temple nun Ng Miu Master of Dragon Style, White Crane and Five Pattern Hung Kuen, and four others monks; Gee Sin Master of Chan (Zen), Bak Mei a White Eyebrowed Taoist and Master of Bak Mei, Master Fung To-Tak and Miu Hin an “unshaved” (lay) Shaolin Disciple created a new style, one that could be used and taught in a quarter of the time. This style would be their attempt to uplift and empower the Chinese and would be used for assassination of generals and politicians. The practitioner’s would hide on the Red Boat Opera troupe painting their faces and traveling different provinces to disrupt and unravel the Ching/Qing’s hold on the Chinese people.
Any teacher or instructor can tell you that you have learned the entire system of Wing Chun and Wing Chun History. Though you will only know if you have or haven’t by going with humbleness and humility to other Grandmaster’s and Master’s in your system and finding out if you truly do. What you may find is that you know what you know, but you don’t know what you have yet to know. You can only think you are a Master unless you have proven to others from differing lineages of the same martial style that you have attained what you attempted to achieve.
Through generations of sacrifice and hardship the Wing Chun system has made it out secrecy during Manchurian Rule, The Japanese Occupation and Communism. Wing Chun masters and practitioners sought to escape this suppression and hold its knowledge true towards the betterment of the next generation. These men and woman and every practitioner, Master and Grandmaster seeking to know the entire truth, skill and ability behind the complete system deserves to be commended and respected.
For training in the direct instruction and complete martial art of Ip Man’s Wing Chun and for a better understanding of Wing Chun History contact us today; https://sifuochwingchun.com/contact-sifu-och/
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