We're all just having fun, of course. But the truth is that there
have been some people who were truly serious about a link between WC and LPR Boxing, noting similarities in stance, hand position, basic punches, and some footwork.
First time I saw this theory floated was in a Black Belt Magazine article some 20 years ago or so. Stuck in my mind. Whether or not it's true is kinda irrelevant, honestly. Both are have evolved significantly different. And there's no way to tell any how. Many believe that the WC origin story about a female Monk and her disciple is, at best, somewhat exaggerated and, at worst, fiction. But it's still a great story. Personally, as if my opinion on WC's origin story matters, I think it's probably unintentionally fictionalized or exaggerated similar to the way cultural myths are passed on. I just can't see a culture as male-centric as China's having some guy think to himself, "We'll tell everyone that a chick created this art and that explains why it looks different from most other Kung Fu. It's better than admitting we swiped it from gwailo after they beat us up, even if they were men!" If you were going to invent an origin story to hide the fact that round-eyes were beating you up and you swiped some of their techs, wouldn't you create an origin story about the gods teaching you in a dream or some ancient, hidden, previously secret, lineage or something? Nope. Not buying the "better an invented chick than gwailo" theory at all.
There may or may not have been some cross-cultural borrowing. It doesn't really matter. All the speculation is really good for is 1) Having a bit of fun 2) Pissing off your WC friend who's really sensitive about the origin story (which is just variant of #1 when you think about it).
Peace favor your sword,
Kirk
