Sunday, December 14, 2014
Monday, November 17, 2014
WING CHUN BLOG - CHINA TRIP 2015
ROOTS OF WING CHUN
CHINA TRIP 2015
It takes well over 12 months to
organize everything.
Flights, Hotels, Fast Train Travel
around China.
Coach hire for Tours from hotels in
each Country.
Organize transport and tickets for
various venues.
Organize group sightseeing.
Organize group Dinners.
And, arrive home safely.
We will visit Kenneth Cheung’s wing
chun in Singapore via the local Sifu whom is Wesley Lim. Singapore has many
places of interest for the Tourist.
After 3 days in Singapore, we will
catch a flight to Taipei, which is the capital of Taiwan.
Lo Man Kam is the nephew of the late
Grand Master Yip Man.
There are many places of interest to
see in Taiwan.
After 3 days in Taiwan, we will catch
an internal flight to Fuzhou in southern China.
Fuzhou is the capital of Fujian
Province.
Our group will visit 2 Shaolin
Temples. One in Putian and Fuqing.
There will be some sightseeing, as
well, before we catch a fast train to Shanghai.
We will be staying in central Shanghai
at the JW Marriot Hotel.
There will be a lot of shopping and
sightseeing in Shanghai. Also.
After Shanghai, we will catch another
fast train to the Capital of China, Beijing.
While in Beijing, we will visit the
Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace, Great Wall, Hutong, Drum and Bell Tower, Forbidden
City and Ming Tombs.
In 2012, the skies around Beijing were
a beautiful blue and the air was clean, believe it or not.
This will be the School’s sixth trip
to China. In 2012, we started in Beijing and headed south to Henan and northern
Shaolin Temple, then flying to Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong Province. We
travelled around Guangdong Province for several days and finished our trip in
Hong Kong, covering around 3000 kms.
This trip, we will be predominately
travelling from Australia, to Singapore, to Taiwan and then along
the East Coast from Southern China travelling north to Shanghai and Beijing.
The trip in 2015 will cover around
2000kms around China plus travelling around Taiwan and Singapore.
In the previous trips, we spent all
our time in Hong Kong and travelling around Guangdong,
visiting wing chun schools and doing demonstrations and Chi sao with the
Chinese practitioners.
After the Communists takeover of China
in 1949, a lot of martial arts practitioners fled or left China for a life of
freedom in other Countries such as Vietnam, Taiwan, Singapore and Malaysia.
The 2015 China trip will concentrate on wing chun
kung fu outside of China and predominately, outside of southern China and Hong
Kong.
Monday, September 22, 2014
SIFU GARRY’S WING CHN
BLOG
LEUNG BIK WING CHUN
In Southern China, the
Leung Bik / Yip Man Wing Chun System is classified as:
“the attack fighting
system” of wing chun.
All other wing chun
systems are classified as:
“the self defence
fighting system” of wing chun.
The Leung Bik Yip Man
wing chun system is very unique. It has 4 forms, where all other wing chun
styles have 3 forms. I might state, that some systems have only 1 form, which
is known to include the 3 forms in one.
The Leung Bik system
has the “advanced Sil Lim Tao form” unique to this wing chun style.
Chum Kiu and Biu Jee
forms are totally different than the main stream wing chun.
Dragon pole and
Butterfly sword forms are also very different in structure and dynamics.
Also, the wooden
dummy set has more footwork, different sequences and so on.
Why is this so?
Leung Jan “king of
wing chun” would not initially teach wing chun to his Son, Leung Bik. Leung Jan
thought his Son would use wing chun for illegal activity. Leung Bik was always
getting in trouble, mainly for fighting in the streets and accepting challenge
matches.
His martial skill was
very good, consisting of southern kung fu and a little bit of wing chun, from
what he picked up from his friends.
Leung Bik realized that
the wing chun of the day had many limitations in a fighting environment and
decided to use everything that “worked”, meaning, he experimented with a
variety of techniques from other systems.
Leung Bik eventually
met up with one of his Father’s teachers and learnt wing chun from him for a
couple of years. Eventually, his father, Leung Jan found out and decided to
adopt his Son as one of his disciples.
Leung Jan taught his
Son everything he knew about wing chun, even passing down some traditional wing
chun manuscripts which are still in circulation, today, in Foshan.
When Leung Bik
decided to develop his own wing chun system, he incorporated all his martial
knowledge and skill to create a very dynamic and unique form of wing chun.
Leung Bik’s wing chun
system included many more kicks kicks as well as straight line wing chun attacking
kicks. He also decided to develop kicks that covered all gates form high to
low. Obviously, from his many street fights, Leung Bik realized the limitations
of the wing chun at the time, therefore, incorporated many extra techniques not
seen in wing chun styles at the time.
After Leung Jan
retired from teaching in Foshan, he returned to his native village of Gulao,
where he taught a synthesised version of wing chun, due to his age. He called
this a 72 point system and named it Pien Sun Wing Chun. (side on wing chun).
The principles of
“side on wing chun” share many core concepts and principles with his Son’s wing
chun system.
Leung Bik Yip Man
Wing Chun system and Leung Jan’s Gulao Pien Sun Wing Chun share many core
principles and concepts, being, Central Line theory, Centre Line theory,
Parallel Leg fighting, Circular footwork, Attack and defend simultaneously and
the side on neutral stance.
Martial Arts circles
suggest that Gulao wing chun is the purest in the World due to its isolation
from the commercial world.
Considering the 2
systems share many core principles, one can assume the 2 systems have the same
origins from Yim Wing Chun and her husband, Leung Bok Chao.
Today, there is much
negative publicity concerning the authenticity of Leung Bik and his wing chun
system. A lot of people in the wing chun fraternity state that Leung Bik never
existed.
Due to my recent
roots of wing chun china trips, I have come to the conclusion that he did exist
and that Leung Bik did in fact create a unique wing chun system and passed it
down to Yip Man, whom in turn taught it to William Cheung.
My wife and I have
been fortunate enough to learn the much sought after Gulao Pien Sun Wing Chun
from a leading wing chun master from Gulao village. His name is Grand Master
Fung Keun, the son of the late legendary Fung Chun.
In Foshan, the wing
chun Masters acknowledge Leung Bik with much respect and honour. They call his
system the true attack fighting system of wing chun.
There are literal
extracts of Leung Jan and Leung Bik’s existence in the Foshan Museum.
Yip Man’s son stated
to me that his father had 3 teachers but only one Sifu, Leung Bik being one of
the teachers. I have photos of Leung Bik’s manuscripts that were given to Yip
Man.
Yip Man’s nephew, Lo
Man Kam also talks about Leung Bik, during his stay with Yip Man.
Categoric proof that
Leung Bik did exist! And that the Traditional concepts of wing chun are still
being adhered to, today.
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
Wing Chun Blog - Sifu Garry and Medical Qigong
Wing
Chun Blog
Sifu
Garry’s Post
Qigong
Healing
This
blog post will concentrate on my experiences with Qigong Master Shan Hui Xi
when healing some very difficult problems.
I
will relate my own experiences, firstly.
I
walked into class one day and expressed to my teacher that I wanted light
duties today, due to a very debilitating bout of the Flu. I mean, I was aching
all over, my nose was running profusely, my sinuses were aching, I had and
incessant cough and a nasty headache.
My
Sifu answered by saying, “go down the back and lay on the massage table”
With
that, an elderly Chinese person came down and proceeded to give me a very
painful treatment, consisting of massaging with his elbow, standing on my back
and inserting several needles into me. I was shown to do some breathing
exercises afterwards and he finished by massaging my neck and head. When I
walked out of the room, I think I floated down the hallway. I felt like I was
in Heaven.
All
my Flu symptoms had disappeared and I was back to normal again. WOW!
This
was my first experience with a Qigong Master and Qigong Healing.
It
would be approximately 10 years before I experienced my next ailment.
My
wife Sifu Linda, complained of pain in her big toe and could hardly walk on it.
So next time in class she saw the Qigong Master for a diagnosis. He stated that
Linda had 3 big spurs on her big toe and may need an operation.
After
1 treatment by the Qigong Master, Linda still experienced some pain and only
thought the worst.
On
the Thursday, Linda had another treatment. This time the Qigong Master said to
her that he would try a Buddhist Spell.
You
wouldn’t believe it, but after the second treatment all the symptoms had
completely disappeared.
The
3 bone spurs had gone and Linda functioned normally once again.
Sifu
Lind and I spent nine years with Shan Hui Xi and in that time he taught us
three Buddhist spells, Tuina Massage (deep tissue), Medical Qigong, breathing
exercises and meditation, as well as Iron Shirt Qigong (muscle and tendon
change).
Many
would say this is hocus pocus, but I have personally experienced the power of
qigong and have also used Buddhist spells to help people in dire need.
Once,
when I was being treated for a damaged knee, the Master recited some
calligraphy for about 15 minutes, while his hand was on my knee.
Out
of curiosity, I asked him what he was doing and he quoted.
“I
speak to my Sifu” and pointed to the Heavens.
By
this he meant, he was calling upon his healing teaching to come and help him to
heal his patient. In this case it was me.
I
now understand that true healers are only intermediatarys and they call upon
their personal spirit to help them. Thankyou Universe for this knowledge and
insight to understanding.
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Roots of Wing Chun from its Inception - part 2
Sifu Garry’s Blog
Development of Wing Chun
Red Boats Opera
1800’s onwards
Prior to the formation of the Red Boat Opera Troupe, wing chun was only a concept…………
After the Shaolin Temples were destroyed by the Manchu’s, the surviving Monks fled south, mainly to Canton and Foshan, in southern China.
During this priod of revolution, many secret society rebel groups were formed. The most notoriuos being the "Red Boats"
During this priod of revolution, many secret society rebel groups were formed. The most notoriuos being the "Red Boats"
The Red Boat Opera Troupe was a legendary rebel group attacking and fighting the Manchu’s, so they could rid the Qing and restore the Ming.
According to wing chun martial traditions, Red Boat duo, Wong Wah Bo and Leung Yee-Ta were chosen by Yim Wing Chun and her husband, Leung Bok Chow to teach the pair concepts and principles of wing chun kung fu.
Leung Yee Tai and Wong Wah Bo had as many as 11 peers in Wing Chun among their colleagues at the Red Boat Opera Company. For example, "Dai Fa Min" Kam, who played the role of the martial painted face, is the ancestor of the Way Yan lineage. The Yuen Kay-San and Pan Nam branches descend from both Wong Wah-Bo and "Dai Fa Min" Kam. Gao Lo Chung ("Tall" Chung) and "Hung Gun" Biu, also of the Red Boat Opera Company, both passed the art on to relatives, respectively, his son-in-law Yin Lee-Chung and the Wang family. Outside the Red Boat Opera Company, a monk who had taken the name "Dai Dong Fung" is named as its ancestor by the Pao Fa Lien lineage of Wing Chun.
In this cohort of the Red Boat Opera Company, the role of the virtuous "female" was played by Leung Yee Tai and Yik Kam, better known as "Ching-Deng" Kam because of the role he played. Cho Shun, who played the "Little Martial" role, was a student of Yik Kam. By passing the art on to his son Cho Dak-Sang, Cho Shun established the Wing Chun lineage of the Cho family of Panyu village.
Leung Jan is as far back as the lineages that descend from him Yip Man, Yiu Kai, Pan Nam, Tam Yeung.
Fung Sing can reliably verify their genealogy. He was a practitioner of traditional Chinese medicine in the city of Foshan in the 19th century. Leung Jan is said to have learned from Wong Wah Bo and Leung Yee-Tai, respectively the male and "female" martial leads of the Red Boat Opera Troupe, each of whom is said to have been an expert on different aspects of Wing Chun.
According to legends from the Yip Man lineage, Leung Yee-Tai was a poler, that is, he used a pole to steer the Red Boat away from rocks and shoals, and was therefore chosen by the legendary Shaolin master Jee Shim himself to learn the six-and-a-half point pole.
Leung Jan's students included his sons Leung Chun and Leung Bik as well as "Wooden Man" Wah and Chan Wah-Shun nicknamed "Moneychanger Wah", from whom the Yip Man, Yiu Kai, and Pan Nam lineages descend. When Leung Jan was 70 years old, he moved back to his native village of Gulao, where he taught 3 people a synthesised version of his wing chun.
In my next Blog, I will discuss Leung Jan’s influence on wing chun and his direct descendants around China.
Friday, March 15, 2013
Roots fo Wing Chun form its Inception - part 1
Sifu Garry’s Blog
“Roots of Wing Chun” China Trip
2006 - 2012
Over the years, there has been much controversy about my wing chun lineage and whether the people referred to, ever existed. Being involved with wing chun for over 27 years, I found this quite intimidating. To think that all the stories and history of the martial art system that I have dedicated my life to, were false.
I decided to find out for myself.
In 2006, I started my quest to discover the “roots of wing chun” and since then I have compiled ample information about my lineage, the history of wing chun and its grass roots.
Firstly, where does wing chun originate from. Some say the Northern Shaolin Temple and others state categorically that wing chun comes from the Southern Shaolin Temple.
Me? I believe wing chun emanated from both Temples, at different times.
It is accepted today, wing chun found its way from the Temples to the southern province of Guangdong, in China.
In the south of China, a group of Opera performers, named the Red Boat Opera Troupe, were responsible for developing a structure of wing chun still being practised today.
After the destruction of the Northern Temple, the Temple Masters found their way south to avoid persecution from the Manchu Tyrants, whom were conquering China at that time.
The principle persons were Ng Mui and Jee Shin.
Jee shin eventually made his way south and joined the Red Boats.
Ng Mui fled south and hid in mountains near Foshan. She eventually met a lady whom she taught the concepts of wing chun to. In turn, Yim Wing Chun and her Husband were instrumental in Teaching wing chun to several Red Boat members.
After the destruction of the Southern Temple, a kung fu Master named Cheung Ng, aka, Tan Sao Ng, fled to the southern province of Guangdong, and settled in Foshan. Records state that Cheung Ng also introduced the principles of wing chun, to the Red Boats, to rebel against the Manchu.
“Rid the Ching and return the Ming”
Through records and data, history suggests that certain members of the Red Boats were influenced by descendants from the Northern Temple and other factions of the Troupe were influenced by Southern Shaolin Temple Monks.
At this stage of wing chun’s development, remember, wing chun was only an idea about a new martial system. The Red Boats were responsible for creating a definitive structure.
In my next post, I will discuss Wing Chun’s direction after the Red Boats and its development.
Thursday, February 7, 2013
Sifu Garry’s Blog
“Roots of Wing Chun” China Trip
Guangzhou – Foshan - Shunde
4th Leg
After several days in Guangzhou, we were ready to move on. In Canton, we visited Chimelong Safari Park, Yuixie Park, Pearl River Cruise and visited Sifu Wong’s Wake.
The Bus trip to Foshan was very comfortable. The Bus driver had his Cousin as a Jockey, so we had a driver and a tour guide, per say. We nicknamed the two, Cheech and Chong.
The drive to Foshan was relatively quick. After checking in, we walked to the Ancestral Temple and Yip Man Tong, which were only about 300 meters from our Hotel complex. Very convenient!
Unbeknown to us, the next day of our tour would be monumental as we would be visiting Bruce Lee and Chan Wah Shun.
For Dinner that night, we all decided to eat in the Hotel’s Bistro. The food was basic but very palatable.
That night, we all split up and some went shopping while the others went partying.
The prices were again very expensive, so needless to say, I saved my money for shopping in Shenzhen.
The next day we all jumped into the Bus and headed for Shunde to see the Bruce Lee Paradise. While paying our entrance fee at the main gate, a Lady led our group away from the Paradise and headed down a narrow alleyway through an ancient village. Low and behold, we came across a small abode and on the front entrance there said a sign “Bruce Lee Ancestor House”.
WOW! Did that blow my mind! We were all in agog as this was not on the itinerary or planned in any way.
We took some group photos at the entrance then silently walked into the house. The first room we passed was the kitchen, which still had a wood stove with two Woks on top. All the walls were ornate with photos of Bruce Lee and his Family. There was a wooden dummy in one corner, so we all had a go on it, performing several moves and postures. Off to the side of the main room was a bedroom. After some time, we all reluctantly left and walked around the village and back to the Bruce Lee Paradise.
The Paradise was empty, believe it or not!
In 2010, when we arrived the place had thousands of people in attendance. It was actually a Bruce Lee Festival.
This time, in 2012, we had the whole place, about 200 acres to ourselves. What a buzz!
Just a short ride down the road we came across a restaurant surrounded by a lake, so we stopped and had a group banquet. How beautiful was that? The food was so unique. We even had boiled milk and warm Corn juice. Yummmmm!
We located Chan Wah Shun ancestral grace site with relative ease. The driver parked the Bus opposite the grave site in a little village called “Ma Tang Chun”. Walking around the village, we came across Chan Wah Shun’s Ancestral Temple. What a bonus.
The best was yet to come!
As we ambled our way through the village and back to the Coach, a little Lady appeared from nowhere and ushered our group to come and have a look at a kung fu house. She noticed the chinese writing on our club windcheaters, so invited the group to have a look.
As I walked through the front entrance, I noticed a wooden dummy leaning against a wall over to the side. The courtyard was magnificent. So ornate with beautiful flora. The lady led us inside and uttered that this was Wing Chun Grand Master Chan Wah Shun's residence. I am not sure what everyone else thought, but my wife and I were stunned, shocked and blown out.
We were actually standing in Chan Wah Shun's lounge room. Mind boggling!
The lady told us she was the resident cleaner and had been for many years.
She escorted Linda and I upstairs to peer around his private room. What an honour!
Then, to our surprise, she led us to her bedroom where she brought out Chan Wah Shun's long pole and chopper. Linda and I looked at each other in disbelief.
Linda and I gladly took them down stairs to show the group. The lady organized the wooden dummy to be mounted in the middle of the courtyard.
I was in wing chun heaven. Playing with Chan Wah Shun's wooden dummy, long pole and chopper.
Finally, we all walked through the village and crossed the road to climb the 108 steps up to Chan Wah Shun's ancestral grave site.
Walking through the village I realized many kung fu signs on front doors, which led me to believe that this village was a true wing chun village.
next post.........Foshan to Hong Kong, our last leg!
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