The Legends, History, and Lineage of Wing Chun Kung Fu - Martial Journal
- Thread starter Xue Sheng
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windwalker099
Master Black Belt
Interesting article
The origin history I've always heard about growing up.
A style developed by a nun for a woman...
Considering some of the later teachers I was aware of, it seems like the emphasis shifted.
Or was it just the teacher's preference?"
"Most of the first section of Wing Chun's Mook Yan Jong In this rare clip of Grandmaster Chris Chan, first generation student of Ip Man. Chris Chan still teaches in San Francisco."
Once watched Chris working out on the mok jung, impressive at the time.
OP
OP
Xue Sheng
All weight is underside
even Yip Chun doubts the legendary origin story based on one of his books
Interesting article
The origin history I've always heard about growing up.
A style developed by a nun for a woman...
Considering some of the later teachers I was aware of, it seems like the emphasis shifted.
Or was it just the teacher's preference?"
"Most of the first section of Wing Chun's Mook Yan Jong In this rare clip of Grandmaster Chris Chan, first generation student of Ip Man. Chris Chan still teaches in San Francisco."
isshinryuronin
Senior Master
"The origins of Wing Chun are steeped in myth and folklore. According to legend, the art was developed during the late Ming and early Qing dynasties by Ng Mui, one of the Five Elders of the Shaolin Temple. Ng Mui, a nun skilled in martial arts, fled after the Qing government destroyed the Shaolin Temple. Seeking refuge in the White Crane Temple, she began devising a new system of combat that focused on efficiency, precision, and the use of natural body mechanics over brute strength."
The italicized is from Xue Sheng's referenced article. In the version I know, the woman's name was Feng Qiniang who with her father, Zhonggong, fled south to Fukian province. But she couldn't have fled to the White Crane Temple since she had not invented White Crane yet!
"...inspiration allegedly came from observing a fight between a crane and a snake." There are a few other versions, all involving a white crane sans snake. Her revelations in each were the same, however.
"...according to the tale, used this system to defend herself against an aggressive warlord who sought to force her into marriage. Demonstrating remarkable skill and ingenuity, she defeated him. The version I know, this guy was Zeng Chisu and he did end up taking her as his wife as well as Chuan Fa master. From there, the Okinawan karate Crane lineage continues:
Zeng > Wang Faodang > Lin Shixian > Pan Yuba (creator of whooping crane) > Ryu Ryu Ko > Okinawan Te masters Arigake Seisho and Higashionna Kanryo. This stream supplied about 1/3 of what was to become karate.
Wing Chun and Okinawan karate are distant cousins, probably diverging after Wang who had many students. They are also linked by fighting doctrine:
"Simultaneous Attack and Defense: Wing Chun techniques often combine defensive and offensive actions into a single motion, maximizing efficiency and minimizing vulnerability.
Close-Range Combat: Unlike many martial arts, Wing Chun specializes in close-quarters fighting. Its techniques are designed to neutralize threats quickly and effectively."
TMA has many interconnections, crisscrossing among a variety of styles and regions. An interesting history that can shed some light on what we have today. I think it's pretty cool.
The italicized is from Xue Sheng's referenced article. In the version I know, the woman's name was Feng Qiniang who with her father, Zhonggong, fled south to Fukian province. But she couldn't have fled to the White Crane Temple since she had not invented White Crane yet!
"...inspiration allegedly came from observing a fight between a crane and a snake." There are a few other versions, all involving a white crane sans snake. Her revelations in each were the same, however.
"...according to the tale, used this system to defend herself against an aggressive warlord who sought to force her into marriage. Demonstrating remarkable skill and ingenuity, she defeated him. The version I know, this guy was Zeng Chisu and he did end up taking her as his wife as well as Chuan Fa master. From there, the Okinawan karate Crane lineage continues:
Zeng > Wang Faodang > Lin Shixian > Pan Yuba (creator of whooping crane) > Ryu Ryu Ko > Okinawan Te masters Arigake Seisho and Higashionna Kanryo. This stream supplied about 1/3 of what was to become karate.
Wing Chun and Okinawan karate are distant cousins, probably diverging after Wang who had many students. They are also linked by fighting doctrine:
"Simultaneous Attack and Defense: Wing Chun techniques often combine defensive and offensive actions into a single motion, maximizing efficiency and minimizing vulnerability.
Close-Range Combat: Unlike many martial arts, Wing Chun specializes in close-quarters fighting. Its techniques are designed to neutralize threats quickly and effectively."
TMA has many interconnections, crisscrossing among a variety of styles and regions. An interesting history that can shed some light on what we have today. I think it's pretty cool.
windwalker099
Master Black Belt
Donno
Just something I had heard growing up...Had a friend who's uncle taught Wing Chun different branch.
much softer...As I would expect of something developed according to the history for a woman...
Same Trick
Brown Belt
Wing Tsun has striking similarities of history with Taijiquan and White Crane(Bai He) of Fujian/Fukien-Province.
Wing Tsun and White Crane where both founded by women with focus on method of the weaker can defeat the stronger, just as is the core concept of Taiji.
The founder of Wing Tsun learned from a Shaolin nun who developed her martial art from an observation of a fight between a snake and a crane, similar to how Zhang Sanfeng who had resided at the Shaolin temple also come to develop TJQ from an observation of a snake vs crane fight.
The legendary founder of White Crane gongfu settled in a village called Yong Chun and her style of gongfu came to be known as YongChun BaiHequan , “Yong Chun” in Cantonese would be Wing Chun. This is interesting since the nun Ng Mui settled in a temple called “white crane”.
I recall reading in the big book “Wing Tsun Kuen” by Leung Ting the story of Leung Jan(a legendary historic figure in Wing Tsun) initially learned from spying on his teacher, when he was found out and tested he became a disciple student, as for profession Leung Jan was a herbal medicine doctor. This is remarkable similar to the story of Yang Luchan the founder of Yang-TJQ, Yang Luchan as a young apprentice at a herbal medicine store came to follow the store owner to his home village - the Chen village, while there Yang Luchan spied on the group that was practicing the village gongfu, when found out and tested he became a disciple student.
It would seem that perhaps there was an ancient core tale told all over and it was adopted and slightly altered to fit the tale of different martial arts traditions history ??
Wing Tsun and White Crane where both founded by women with focus on method of the weaker can defeat the stronger, just as is the core concept of Taiji.
The founder of Wing Tsun learned from a Shaolin nun who developed her martial art from an observation of a fight between a snake and a crane, similar to how Zhang Sanfeng who had resided at the Shaolin temple also come to develop TJQ from an observation of a snake vs crane fight.
The legendary founder of White Crane gongfu settled in a village called Yong Chun and her style of gongfu came to be known as YongChun BaiHequan , “Yong Chun” in Cantonese would be Wing Chun. This is interesting since the nun Ng Mui settled in a temple called “white crane”.
I recall reading in the big book “Wing Tsun Kuen” by Leung Ting the story of Leung Jan(a legendary historic figure in Wing Tsun) initially learned from spying on his teacher, when he was found out and tested he became a disciple student, as for profession Leung Jan was a herbal medicine doctor. This is remarkable similar to the story of Yang Luchan the founder of Yang-TJQ, Yang Luchan as a young apprentice at a herbal medicine store came to follow the store owner to his home village - the Chen village, while there Yang Luchan spied on the group that was practicing the village gongfu, when found out and tested he became a disciple student.
It would seem that perhaps there was an ancient core tale told all over and it was adopted and slightly altered to fit the tale of different martial arts traditions history ??
It is largely due to the Chinese genre of Wuxia novels, which blurred the lines between fact and fiction.
windwalker099
Master Black Belt
Story telling something all cultures do passing down traditions and values based on the heros of their time
windwalker099
Master Black Belt
OP
OP
Xue Sheng
All weight is underside
Never been in one, not good enough to be in one, never even seen one, so I have no opinion at this time
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