Form Opening Differences

[Marnetmar]

Why is it that some styles of Wing Chun (I.E Leung Sheung, Chow Tse Chuen) fold their arms downward after crossing and up before chambering their fists while others (I.E Chan Wah Shun, Yip Man and most of his other students) simply bring them straight up?

Being in the Leung Sheung camp, I was surprised when I found out that most other styles open their forms differently.

 

[Kwan Sau]

Yeah, not surprised at all actually. Considering there is a vast difference in all of Yip's students from forms to drills, interpretations, application, etc.
The piece you speak of, IMHO, is simply a letter of the WC alphabet placed in different areas of each Masters' "dictionary". For example, the idea behind that motion is seeded in my first form, but not fully expressed until third form, etc.
I don't think it matters really where it is in the forms...so long as it is there for a student to learn and apply when/where needed.
Good observation and topic Marnetmar!

 

[futsaowingchun]

Yeah, not surprised at all actually. Considering there is a vast difference in all of Yip's students from forms to drills, interpretations, application, etc.
The piece you speak of, IMHO, is simply a letter of the WC alphabet placed in different areas of each Masters' "dictionary". For example, the idea behind that motion is seeded in my first form, but not fully expressed until third form, etc.
I don't think it matters really where it is in the forms...so long as it is there for a student to learn and apply when/where needed.
Good observation and topic Marnetmar!

One of the reasons this is done,although I can't say this was the actually reason but alot of Chinese masters will change there forms slightly to what they call " Chinese copy write it" meaning to protect there art. I do this also. What I show in public is a little different then what I teach in private.So if someone learns all my forms drills etc and says he leaned from me I or any of my students can easly see he stole my art without my permission.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

One of the reasons this is done,although I can't say this was the actually reason but alot of Chinese masters will change there forms slightly to what they call " Chinese copy write it" meaning to protect there art. I do this also. What I show in public is a little different then what I teach in private.So if someone learns all my forms drills etc and says he leaned from me I or any of my students can easly see he stole my art without my permission.

This is so true. Besides using different opening every time, you may even remove 1 or 2 moves out of the form. Old saying said, "If you don't know how to do that, you are still just a student."