Author’s Note: For those “in the know” in the world
of ving tsun gung-fu (or wing chun gung-fu, the spelling variant by
which this combat system is better known), the late Wong sifu
is famous (or at least deserves to be) for two very good
reasons, especially in Hong Kong where he was based until his
death in January of 1997. The first reason is due to his
formidable reputation as an unbeaten participant in dozens of
“no-holds-barred” tests of skill (beimo) in the Hong Kong of
the ‘50s and ‘60s, against practitioners of a myriad of Chinese
and other fighting disciplines. He became known as Gong Sau
Wong, “King of Talking With the Hands”, quite literally putting
the previously unknown ving tsun system of the late grandmaster
Yip Man on the martial arts map. The second reason, for which I hasten
to add that he never personally claimed credit, was that Wong sifu
was the late Bruce Lee’s most influential instructor prior to
his departure to fame and glory in the United States. It is
well known that Lee was a student of the Yip Man school, but it
was in fact under the direct instruction of Wong Shun Leung
that he learnt his most valuable lessons, and it was Wong’s
philosophy of combat that steered Lee in his quest for martial
arts perfection. Bruce Lee’s own original student in the USA, sifu
Jesse Glover, maintains that if it were not for Wong Shun Leung and his
influence, the world would never have seen the greatness that
was Bruce Lee. With Wong sifu’s passing, the world has
certainly lost one of the great warriors and teachers of the
20th century, a man who was as brilliant an instructor, as he
was a fighter, something most would agree is a rarity. His
pragmatic approach to combat was honed in the real world, not
in the relative safety of the kwoon, dojo or dojang, and as
such, his interpretation of the ving tsun system truly reflects the
reality of what personal combat is all about. With respect to
him, the spelling “ving tsun” that he preferred, has been used
throughout this article. He coined this spelling way back in
the early 60s when he became annoyed that rival styles, jealous
of his successes in the challenge fights, started referring to
WC as “toilet fist”, so he chose to use the less phonetically
less accurate VT spelling, which he liked to say stood for
“victory fist”. I hope that the reader will enjoy this
introduction to his the legacy he has left us with.
The
Wong Shun Leung (WSL) ving tsun system
of Chinese gung-fu is not a style for robots, nor is it a form
of martial arts practiced purely for its visual appeal. It is
the thinking person’s fighting art, perfectly suited to today’s
high-tech environment where quick results and practicality are
the chief requirements of any activity. This is not to say
that
WSL ving tsun is beyond the reach of the “average” person, nor does it suggest that
WSL ving tsun is an “ugly” martial art. On the contrary,
WSL ving tsun has an inherent beauty all its own – it is
simple,
direct and
efficient, and offers a no-nonsense approach to combat.
To learn and make use of
WSL ving tsun, one doesn’t (and
should not) have to concern oneself with the drilling of
endless combinations of techniques to deal with endless
possible situations.
WSL ving tsun is not a system which
requires the rote learning of set sequences of movement.
Instead, it makes use of a handful of concepts, coupled with a small
repertoire of techniques (which are all derived from just six
basics – taan sau, bong sau, fook sau, the basic vertical punch
(yat ji jik kuen), basic stance (yi ji kim yeung ma), and the
dang geuk, or basic “ascending heel kick”) to deal with any
situation. These concepts and techniques are taught within the
three basic forms (or “empty-hand” training patterns) and are
collectively trained via a series of reflex drills, the most
famous of which is chi sau, or “sticking hands” technique.
The road to proficiency in
WSL ving tsun begins with the first form –
siu nim tau, or “young idea” form – which lays the foundation for all which follows.
siu nim tau exposes the student of
WSL ving tsun to all the basic concepts, such as the
Centreline Theory and the principle of
Economy of Motion, and the cultivation of constant forward force (
lat sau jik chung),
the most basic essential requirement of the ving tsun system.
It guides the student through the various hand techniques which
form the basis of chi sau practice, and also offers some practical
solutions to many of the typical grappling-type attacks that
can occur in combat, such as wrist grabs, arm-locks, bear hugs,
and so on.
Although the
siu nim tau form contains no movement of the feet or stance, it provides the basis of
all
stepping and kicking techniques in the guise of the basic
“goat-gripping” stance (yi ji kim yeung ma). This is
not
a “fighting form” like those of other systems, where the
practitioner goes through the motions of fighting one or more
opponents. In fact, in
WSL ving tsun, none of the training
patterns could be regarded as “fighting forms” – they are
more like “moving textbooks” of theory and technique, set out
in a logical and very structured fashion.
siu nim tau form is
practised in a stationary position, from beginning to end, the
ving tsun approach being to train the concepts without motion
first so as to perfect positioning and structure, and to
prevent the ving tsun fighter from over using or over-relying
on footwork, as well as developing stability, balance and a
“power base” for all techniques.
Stance-shifting and stepping is only used when necessary, in response
to the opponent’s actions, and it is not introduced formally
until the second form,
Cham kiu, in which kicking is
also seen (although both stepping and kicking are normally
taught separately prior to learning
Cham kiu). In this second form, the concepts of motion and angles are explored, adding to the knowledge already developed in
siu nim tau.
Likewise, chi sau is also practiced in a stationary position
first, footwork only being added when arm positions and
efficiency of technique have been developed to the point where
the addition of footwork is both necessary and applicable.
Like
siu nim tau, the chi sau exercise begins with one hand,
then two in unison, and finally the independent use of both
hands, often with one hand performing several movements in
sequence. Chi sau is really the
siu nim tau form with a
partner, each person either acting on, or reacting to, their
partner’s techniques, competing for control of the
Centreline.
Footwork is used sparingly, and where necessary, to achieve
the most favourable angles or positions for the concepts and
techniques of
siu nim tau to be applied.
The
siu nim tau form can be thought of as the “alphabet”, the “primary school” stage of learning in
WSL ving tsun. It provides the student with the building blocks, the basic “letters” and “words” of the
WSL ving tsun “language”.
Cham kiu
form helps the student to understand and exploit subtle variations
that can occur to the “words” and “expressions” of the
first form. Where
siu nim tau is very “one-dimensional”
in its concept of the “target”, like shooting at a stationary
target from a stationary position,
Cham kiu is
“multi-dimensional” in its approach, in that it considers the
complex reality of hitting a moving target while oneself also
in motion. Like a kind of “middle/secondary school” stage,
Cham kiu allows the
WSL ving tsun
student to practice the more complex “combinations of words”
while at the same time adding some “new expressions” to the
student’s “vocabulary”. Finally, chi sau acts as the
“university” stage, allowing the
WSL ving tsun
practitioner to explore and perfect the use of the “language”
in a free-flowing exercise in which anything can, and does,
take place.
This then is the very practical stage where the students are exposed
to an ever-changing, unpredictable environment and must learn,
by trial and error, to express themselves in a natural,
free-flowing and efficient manner, making use of all that the
previous stages have made available to them. By constantly
drilling their skills against partners whose techniques are as
efficient as their own,
WSL ving tsun practitioners are able to
fine-tune their skills and reflexes to the point where they
will react instinctively, without conscious thought, to counter
their opponent’s attack with a superior attack, and
not
to engage in unnecessary defensive actions, the so-called
“chasing the hands” syndrome common in many interpretations of
this style. They learn to become the master of the system,
making it serve them, instead of impeding their progress with
too much thought and analysis. The “what ifs” that plague and
over-complicate other interpretations of ving tsun, play no role in
WSL ving tsun because students are trained to only react
to “what is”, always putting reality and substance ahead of
style and appearance.
At the
Cham kiu/chi sau stage of learning, the muk yan jong (“wooden dummy”) form is usually commenced. The jong provides the
WSL ving tsun
student with someone to practice with when there isn’t a “live”
training partner available, or when something more dangerous needs to
be drilled with full power and intensity. More importantly, it
also provides one with a training partner who will never become
bored with endless repetitions of one or more movements. The
jong allows for techniques from all three “empty-hand” forms to
be trained, as well as many variations of the basic kicking
technique. Correct distancing, timing, application of force,
striking and trapping techniques can all be drilled with this
training apparatus.
Ving tsun’s third form,
biu ji, offers the student a collection of practical solutions for situations where the techniques from
siu nim tau and
Cham kiu have been mis-used or countered, or in instances where the
WSL ving tsun fighter has been injured, overpowered or otherwise caught out of position. In other words,
biu ji
is a “problem-solving” form, its purpose being to look at ving
tsun from “outside” the system to see what could go wrong, and
to provide, or else inspire, a solution which may, or may not,
require the “bending of the rules” in order to regain control
of the situation, or at the very least, survive and escape it.
The late
Wong Shun Leung sifu, founder of and inspiration behind this approach to ving tsun, likened the theory of
biu ji
to a smart modern businessman’s attempts to survive an
impending financial crisis – in other words, it provides one
with strategies and/or methods for “cutting one’s losses” in
order to escape relatively unscathed.
Wong sifu was always quick to add, when speaking about this form, that if the occasion arose where
biu ji
concepts needed to be applied, one had better realise that the
situation was already quite serious, and that there was a very
real chance of sustaining injury –
WSL ving tsun practitioners therefore always hope that they will not need to make use of the techniques or concepts of the
biu ji
form as these do not guarantee victory, but rather only really
offer some hope of survival under extreme circumstances.
Formal training in
WSL ving tsun ends with the learning of the two weapons of the system. These are of course the
luk dim boon gwan (“6½-point pole” form) and
the baat jaam do
(“eight-slash knives” form). Few people reach this stage of
training, even fewer ending up mastering these weapons. The
basic principles of directness and logic still apply, however,
and any differences in technical application are readily explainable
once the extra length and/or weight and physical characteristics
of the weapons are taken into account. There is also the
important fact that these forms were designed to counter an
enemy who is also armed, hence the strategies of distance,
stepping and so on may differ from the “empty-hands” forms, but
the underlying principles remain the same.
Although there are those people who claim that traditional weapons
have no place in modern martial arts, the usefulness in
learning the ving tsun weapons should not be underestimated.
The concepts contained within the weapons forms are just as
applicable to “empty-hand” training, and lay a foundation which
can be applied to many objects commonly at hand which would
enable them to be utilised in combat with great efficiency and
effect. These factors aside, there is still the very obvious benefit
to the health and well-being as the weight and size of these
weapons forces one to train much harder, developing strength
and stamina as a result. Both weapons are especially valuable
in developing strong wrists (from where much of the power in
the hand techniques is derived) as well as strong, yet nimble
footwork.
Progress in
WSL ving tsun is of course up to the student and
his or her teacher. The teacher must keep an open mind and
really understand the theory of the system, while the student
must work hard, making the most of each opportunity to train.
It is important to realise that there are no “right” or “wrong”
techniques in the system, only more or less efficient ones. In
WSL ving tsun, the angle of the arm is never as
important as the concept behind the movement, so long as logic
and commonsense is always applied. One has to make the system work for
them, to be the
master of ving tsun, not its
slave!
Too many people are bound-up by
this technique or
that
technique, and in doing so, fail to see the simplicity and
logic of the ving tsun concepts. Far too many people place
barriers in front of their own development as martial artists
by dismissing another person’s approach as “not ving tsun” when
what they ought to be concerned with is the practicality and
efficiency of what they have observed. After all, it is the end result
that should be of the highest priority, that is, the defeat of
the opponent. In simple terms, as far as
WSL ving tsun is concerned, the “golden rule” of combat is to
strike the nearest target with the closest available weapon, regardless of whether or not that means adhering to “classical/traditional” ving tsun techniques!
As the ving tsun system is one built on concepts rather than specific
techniques, there are bound to be variations amongst its many
practitioners. Surely this is to the betterment of the system
for it indicates that the skills are being adapted to the
changing needs of the practitioners, that it is being
used rather than just
copied. As stated at the beginning of this article,
WSL ving tsun is
not
a style for robots, but for people who can think for
themselves and who wish to express themselves through their
chosen martial art. It was with this kind of thinking, and with
the inspiration of his teacher and senior ving tsun brother
Wong Shun Leung sifu, that the late
Bruce Lee
reached such an outstanding level of expertise through his art
of jeet kune do, which was very simply his personal expression
of the ving tsun concepts. This has been confirmed many times
by his friend and original student,
sifu Jesse Glover, who refutes all claims made by latter-day students and others that
Lee ever “gave up” his beloved ving tsun.
As far as
WSL ving tsun is concerned, students and teachers
alike should keep two sayings in mind at all times so as to
approach their training in the most positive and realistic way.
The first, a paraphrase of the words of
Confucius, the celebrated Chinese philosopher and teacher who lived over two thousand years ago, goes as follows: “
One can learn for a lifetime and still not master all knowledge”. That is to say, there is
always
something to learn or improve, and someone from whom one can
learn, regardless of age, status, sex or experience. Put more
simply, you never stop learning and should strive to keep an
open mind to ensure that you don’t. The second is a quote from
Wong sifu, who said many times, “
It doesn’t matter how senior you are, but how good you are. You need to study hard”.
The message here is loud and clear. To sum up, as long as the
teacher teaches the student to understand the concepts of the
system and encourages the student to train hard, the necessary skills
will be there when called upon, and the student and teacher alike
will improve their skills as each day goes by. This is the
most valuable lesson given to us by one who truly lived this
philosophy throughout his lifetime, and who left us such a
brilliant legacy in the form of his very pragmatic approach to
combat.
Wong Shun Leung sifu, who preferred to call his interpretation of the system ‘
Ving Tsun Kuen Hok’, or the “
Science of Ving Tsun Gung-fu”,
encouraged his followers to always “look beyond his pointing
finger”, to take the knowledge that he gave us and train it,
test it, prove or disprove it, and where necessary, discard it,
refine or improve upon it, so as to reach our own potential
through the system, and not to merely mimic him like cheap copies of an
original work of art. For this reason, we his followers will be
forever grateful to him for opening our eyes to both our own
potential, and that of the system. It is also for this reason
that we openly and unselfishly strive to share this knowledge
with all ving tsun devotees around the world, just as he openly
and generously shared it with us over the years that we were
fortunate to learn from him. As a means of recognising and
celebrating his gift to us, we proudly promote what we have chosen to
name
Wong Shun Leung Ving Tsun Gung-fu in his honour. Hopefully, you the reader may perhaps soon become a convert to the “
WSL Way”,
or at least open your mind to ideas that will enhance your own
personal development as a martial artist, regardless of your
background, lineage or chosen style.
*** Published 'Fight Times' (formerly 'Australasian Martial Arts' magazine - NZ), October 2001 ***
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