Wing Chun Blog Sifu Garry - Leung Jan King of Wing Chun

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King of Wing Chun – Dr. Leung Jan

Dr. Leung Jan was born in 1836 and passed away in 1901. He is regarded as the most legendary figure in Wing Chun history. Leung Jan also operated a herbal medicine store in Foshan during his reign as the King of Wing Chun. He had many, many challenge fights with no losses.

Dr. Leung Jan had two legendary teachers, being, Leung Yi Tai and Wong Wah Bo, whom were infamous Red Boat Members. History states that Wong Wah Bo and Leung Jan were responsible for creating the 3 forms of wing chun still being taught today.

Leung Jan earned the title of “Wing Chun Kuen Wong” or "King of Wing Chun Fist" over the course of his life from winning over 300 challenges in which he remained undefeated. He was also one of the first to defeat a wide range of fighters from different martial arts styles using Wing Chun.

Dr. Leung Jan was born in Gulao Village. In 1885 (or 1898, depending on the account), at the age of 73, Leung Jan retired to his native village of Gulao, Heshan county, where he taught a synthesised 72 point Wing Chun System to a few local students, such as Wong Wah Sum, Leung Bak Cheung, and Yik Ying. Again in some accounts it is said that Yim Sei also learned. It is important to note that Fung Keung, son of Fung Chun, supports the fact that there were only three students that learned from Leung Jan during this period of teaching in Gulao village, before dying at the age of 76.

Dr. Leung Jan learnt 2 distinct expressions of Wing Chun. Leung Yi Tai and Wong Wah Bo, whom were members of the infamous and legendary Red Opera Troupe.

Leung Yi Tai taught him Yim Wing Chun's version and Wong Wah Bo taught him Leung Bok Chow's version. Leung Bok Chow was Yim Wing Chun's husband. Leung Bok Chow was also proficient in Southern Shaolin Kung Fu.

Leung Jan decided not to teach his Son, Leung Bik, Wing Chun, because he thought he was not ready or worthy to learn this Elitist Martial Arts.

It is stated that when Leung Bik was eventually taught by one of his Father’s teachers, so Leung Jan had no option but to teach him. He thought if his Sifu thought Leung Bik worthy then he was ready to be taught by the Father, Leung Jan.

During Leung Jan’s teaching he gave his Son the legendary Wing Chun Chronicles which eventually was handed down to Yip Man from Leung Bik.

Yip Man met Leung Bik, the Son of Leung Jan, in Hong Kong around 1915. Yip Man left Foshan for Hong Kong to study English. Yip Man studied a very different expression of Wing Chun from Leung Bik, for 3 years.

When Yip Man returned to Foshan and divulged his experiences in Hong Kong, he was chastised and ridiculed for not adhering to Tradition by learning another style of Wing Chun. His Teacher in Foshan was Chan Wah Shun, before he died around 1910.

Leung Bik’s wing chun system was quite superior at the time. It had different footwork, different kicks, elbows and a comprehensive Dim Mak system, which was frowned upon by his peers.

Sifu Garry is privy to this unique and exclusive wing chun system and very honoured to be able to teach this system in Melbourne Australia.

Why do people around the World, especially America state that Leung Bik never existed.

During my “roots of wing chun” research, I have collected categorical proof that Leung Bik did in fact exist.

1: Wing Chun Manuscripts handed down from Leung Jan to Leung Bik to Yip Man. Property of Yip Man Tong in Foshan.

2: Foshan Museum has newspaper extract defining the lives of Leung Jan and Leung Bik.

3: Wing Chun Matsers in Foshan talk about the Leung Bik system as the

“True attack fighting system of wing chun”

4: Yip Chun, Son of Yip Man told me personally in 2012, that his Father had 3 Teachers, one being the legendary Leung Bik.

5: In 2015, Wing Chun Grand Master, Lo Man Kam, nephew of Yip Man personally told me some stories about Leung Bik. His book also has references to Leung Bik.

The Leung Bik / Yip Man Wing Chun System is alive and flourishing today, around the World and in particular Melbourne Australia.

Leung Jan also left a famous legacy in Gulao Village in southern China. Grand Master Fung Chun and his Son Fung Keun are also spreading the teachings of Pien Sun Wing Chun from Leung Jan in Gulao Village.

I am also privy to the system of wing chun and have been sanctioned by Master Fung Keun to teach this wing chun system in Melbourne Australia.

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Leung Bik / Ip Man System

Dr. Leung Zan was taught wing chun kung fu by the Red Boat Members Leung Yi Tai and Wong Wah Bo.

Leung Zan had to Sons we are aware off, Leung Chun and Leung Bik.

Wong Wah Bo and Leung Yi Tai were taught by the legendary Yim Wing Chun and her Husband Leung Bok Chow. Yim Wing Chun was taught by infamous female Abbess Ng Mui and her husband was highly skilled in Shaolin Martial Arts.

As one can see from the descendants, Leung Zan was taught and nurtured by very skilful Masters.

Leung Zan decided that his Son Leung Bik was too much of a juvenile, so he would not teach him Wing Chun. Leung Zan stated that wing chun was for helping people not hurting them.

His son, Leung Bik wanted to be a martial arts master and follow in his Father’s footsteps, so much; he would learn bits and pieces of wing chun and southern shaolin kung fu from his friend and peers. He was naturally talented, so his kung fu was still very good.

Leung Bik was a fighter. He was always getting into street altercations and accepting challenge matches to prove his martial prowess.

As time went by, Leung Bik met one of his father’s past teachers, being Wong Wah Bo.

Wong taught Leung Bik the Wing Chun System for about 12 months.

Upon hearing of this, his father, Leunh Zan, thought, if his Teacher decided it was alright to teach his Son, then his Son was ready to learn from him.

Leung Zan spent the next several years passing on his wing chun knowledge to his son, leung Bik.

In the early 1900’s, there emerged a young man by the name of Yip Man. He was studying wing chun in Foshan under Chan Wah Shun whom was a peer to Leung Bik.

Ip Man eventually went to Hong Kong around 1915 to study English.

During his stay in Hong Kong, Yip Man met a Man in an Apothecary, named Leung Bik, the son of legendary Leung Zan.

The Old Man divulged to Yip Man whom he was. As it worked out, Leung Bik and Yip Man spent the next three years together. Leung Bik taught Yip Man the wing chun system as seen through his expression and ideas.

When Yip Man returned to Foshan and demonstrated this new expression of wing chun, his Peers chastised and ridiculed him for breaking away from Tradition. His Peers slowly realized that what Yip Man had been taught in Hong Kong by Leung Bik was definitely superior in many ways to Chan Wah Shun’s Wing Chun.

Yip Man went on to teach Chan’s wing chun in Foshan to, most notably Kwok Fu and Lung Kai, apart from others.

After the Communists took over in 1948, Yip Man escaped to Hong Kong and eventually started up a wing chun school and kept teaching until his demise in 1973.

It wasn’t until the 1960’s that Yip Man finally decided to teach someone the very rare and unheard Leung Bik wing chun system. William Cheung was that person.

Due to Leung Bik’s childhood upbringing and influences from his Peers, his style of wing chun was quite unconventional for its time.

Leung Bik wing chun system incorporated high kicks, elbows to the head, with different footwork and stances. As Leung Bik was a fighter he incorporated a lot of techniques from his experiences as a Child, which broke away from the traditional mind set of wing chun at the time.

It was not until the Yip Man started to teach in Hong Kong to the general public that wing chun was still closed door, only being passed down from Father to Son or Uncle and Cousin.

Leung Zan’s much talked about wing chun manuscripts are on display at the Yip Man Tong in Foshan.

Leung Zan handed them down to his Son Leung Bik, whom in turn handed them down to Yip Man.

Leung Bik’s Traditional Wing Chun System is known in Foshan, southern China as the

“true attack fighting system of wing chun”

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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.

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“Roots of Wing Chun”

China Tour November 2012

Only one week to go before my 6th trip to China. The 2012 trip will be much different than our previous tours to China. Generally, the Jee Shin Wing Chun group start from Hong Kong, travel around southern China visiting and performing with wing chun schools in China.

This trip will be a whole new adventure for Linda and I, as we have never travelled to the north of China.

Beijing is around 5000 years old.

Starting from Beijing, we will be there for 4 nights; taking in sights and visiting the great wall, where many Emperors fought ancient battles from.

The MutianYu section of the Great Wall is about 80km from Beijing. It will take about 90 minutes travel by Coach. This section of the wall also has cable cars for your convenience.

While in Beijing my jee shin group will be going to see a kung fu show, enjoy a Rickshaw ride through ancient parts of Peking and then visit the Forbidden City and Tian an Men Square. These ancient monuments are the cultural heritidge of China epic history.

On out 5^th day, we will be travelling 800kms by fast train to the ancient City of Zhengzhou. Zhengzhou is one of the ancient cities of China, which is about 10000 years old.

While in Henan I will take the group to the Yellow River about 30 minute drive from Zhengzhou. The following day, we will travel to the Shaolin Temple, the birth place of all martial arts.

The Shaolin Temple is around 2000 years old.

Guangzhou, formerly Canton is our next destination. During our stay in Canton I will be taking the group to Wong Ni Yim’s Anniversary Party for his Father. Generally, wing chun Sifus from all over southern China attend. This function will be akin to the “night of stars” in Hollywood.

From Guangzhou we will be travelling to Foshan, the birth place of wing chun kung fu.

When the Manchu’s invaded China in 1644, the south of China was the main area of refuge. All the arts, academia, medicine, and martial arts fled to the South.

Southern China became the centre of intelligence.

There were many revolts in the south against the Qing during the 1800 to 1900’s.

An outer area of Foshan is Shunde. The legendary Bruce Lee was born in Shunde, and today, the Chinese dedicate an entire paradise in his honour, namely the Bruce Lee Paradise.

The last leg of our trip we go to Hong Kong for 4 days.

Hong Kong’s martial arts legacy is Yip Man.

Apart from sightseeing and shopping I will take our group to visit Yip Man’s grave site in the New Territories and we are very lucky to be able to visit Donald Mak and Yip Ching’s school. Ip Ching being the youngest son of Yip Man.

By the time we all get to Hong Kong, we will have travelled over 3000 miles, by train, airplane and bus.

The north will be cold and the weather will progressively become hotter as we move deeper into the South of China.

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Interview with Sifu Garry Jee Shin Wing Chun

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Interview with Sifu Garry Baniecki

Conducted by Sify Riccardo Di Vito

Today we meet Garry Baniecki, Founder of Shaolin Jee Shin Wing Chun academy of Melbourne, Australia.

Can you tell us anything about your life? 

I was born in 1954. My parents were repatriated to Australia after the second world war. A lot of Europeans were resettled in Australia in the early 50's. My father was Polish and my Mother was born in Germany. My mother was a teenager during Hitler's reign and my Father fought the War.

Growing up in the 50's and 60's with a non Australia background was very hard. Melbourne was a tough place to live, full of racism, against the Italians, Greeks and Germans.

During the seventies, I became of age to drive a vehicle, which exposed me to more of Melbourne's sub culture of gangs and violence.

In the 50's we had the Mods and Rockers. In the sixties we had Sharpies and in the seventies we had Skin Heads.

After the Vietnam war finished in 1972 for Australia, the Government repatriated the Vietnamese into our Society and Vietnamese gangs started to proliferate.

It was easy to avoid these Gangs. You just had to stay at home and not venture out. Being a teenager, I wasn't about to stay at home as there were dances to attend and girls to meet.

Being exposed to a lot of street violence led me to start martial arts at an early age.

Before I started my wing chun training, I had attempted various styles of martial arts, including, Goju Kai karate, Taekwondo, Escrima, and JKA (shotokan).

I trained these styles in the sixties and seventies.

When the eighties began, my martial arts took a back seat and in 1980, I started the first motorcycle courier business in Melbourne, which I operated for 10 years and sold the business in 1991. By 1988, my passion for wing chun started to engulf me and my absence at work was starting to take its toll. By 1989, I would leave work at 11am and return around 6pm. Wing chun was now my preoccupation.

When did you start with Martial Arts?

I started my first foray into Martial Arts when I was 12 years old. I started training in Ju Jitsu and Korean Karate. That was in the mid sixties. I trained for about 3 years, but only once per week, on the weekends.

With who did you know Wing Chun style?

In the mid sixties, the Bruce Lee mania came to Australia, and he became my Idol. Wing chun was not in Melbourne until William Cheung introduced it here.

Wing Chun made its debut in the late seventies with William Cheung, but I did not start wing chun until the mid 80's.

Who were your Masters in the past?

Rolland Dante (escrima) and Tino Cebrano (goju kai) were my teachers in the early days.

William Cheung, David Cheung, Professor Shan Hui Xu, Master Fung Keun from China.

I studied medical qigong and shaolin hard qigong with Professor Shan Hui Xu for nine years.

And now?

I own and operate an independent association, named shaolin jee shin wing chun.

At present I have an afinity with Kulo wing chun. 

 How someone can become SiFu in your association?

A student must achieve a Gold Sash (1st Dan Instructor level) under my wing chun system, plus, with the new government regulation on the martial arts industry, a Student must also study martial arts sports coaching with minimum level of certificate 111, but one can aspire to a Diploma in sports coaching or sports development.

Can you explain us the origin of your Wing Chun family?

William Cheung studied wing chun under Ip Man in Hong Kong during the 50's. William Cheung came from Hong Kong to Australia in the sixties and went to Canberra and studied Marketing. In the seventies William decided to settle in Melbourne Australia. When Ip Man passed away in 1972, William proclaimed Ip Man had taught him a "secret" system of wing chun. This different expression of wing chun became known as the Leung Bik/Ip Man system.

David Cheung studied with Wong Shun Leung in Hong Kong for 10 years. In 1982 David came to Australia and studied William Cheung's wing chun system for the next 2 years and then started teaching at the William Cheung Academy in 1984.

I started learning Pien Sun Kulo Wing Chun in 2007 under Master Fung Keun and since then I receive some instruction from Sifu Lau at Fung Chun's school in Shapin, during our stays.

I have also learnt Kulo wooden dummy practise and some Kulo wing chun forms.

Master Fung Keun sanctioned my wife and I to teach his Father's system of Pien Sun wing chun kung fu in Australia.

Grand Master Fung Chun has also adopted my wife and I into his wing chun Clan.

      

What are your thoughts on other SiFu and their methods of teaching, on others associations and Wing Chun's families?

When one starts wing chun, one will assume that all wing chun is the same. Eventually, the practitioner realizes not all wing chun is the same.

There are 7 different lineages stemming from China.

The main influences that shaped wing chun in China are;

Leung Jan - Yuan Kah San - Chan Wah Shun. Most stem from these three Masters.

Some Sifus teach hard wing chun, some teach soft wing chun, and some teach hard and soft wing chun.

The stances vary a lot from system to system.

There are many different families of wing chun around Hong Kong, China and Australia. I have touched hands with many practitioners and sifus. I have found that all wing chun schools have one thing in common; All have a very high skill of wing chun kung fu. Chi Sao among the various systems and schools are of a very high standard, as well.

Due to my trips to Kulo, I have realized that Pien Sun has many similar principles to Traditional wing chun kung fu. This leads me to believe that my lineage has its place in early wing chun ideas and concepts.

Kulo wing chun comes from Yim Wing Chun - Leung Yi Tai - Leung Jan

Traditional wing chun comes from Leung Jan - Leung Bik - Ip Man.

Can we know what are the differences between your Jee Shin Wing Chun and others interpretations?

My Jee shin wing chun originates from the Leung Bik Ip Man system. Lun Kai and Kwok fu, 2 of Ip Man's first students in Foshan, state that the Leung Bik/Ip Man system is the true "Attack fighting system of wing chun"

We have high kicks in our system and an attack entry system that I haven't seen in China or Hong Kong.

Most wing chun systems have the 3 empty hand forms but we have 4 forms. The fourth is called advanced SLT.

Our other 2 empty hand forms, chum kiu and biu gee are very different from what you see in China and Hong Kong.

Most forms are similar with slight variations, but our forms a totally different.

Our weapons forms are very different also. Our Jong form is very different as well.

The Chan Wah Shun legacy of wing chun in Shunde, China is the most unusual style of wing chun. It also differs greatly from the mainstream wing chun.

What are the fighting concepts that are focalized on into your School?

Our fighting concepts concentrate on Attack method. In Australia, due to multi culture, there are a lot of "big" people, Africans, middle Easterners and Europeans, so we spend more time on learning techniques against charging, boxer attacks, muay thai fighters, kicking and defenses against attacks with sticks and knives.

Chi Sao also plays an important role in developing close range fighting skills.

Initially the practitioner will learn all the basic skills in self defense and then the system turns to attack and control to dim mak targets.

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