The Wing Tzun Family Tree

The Buddhist nun Ng Mui

The Buddhist nun and Kung Fu expert Ng Mui was the only woman in the monastery at Shaolin and the eldest among the so-called five elders. Her attitude towards the Manchu government was not quite so disapproving as that of her Kung Fu brothers and their hotheaded students, although she did not completely hold back from bodily violence if it was a question of standing up for justice.
The history of Yip Man Style. (part 2) After the destruction of the monastery Ng Mui wandered through the country determined never again to worry about worldly things. Eventually she settled in the White Crane Temple on the Tai Leung mountain (also called Chai Ha mountain) a sparsely inhabited mountain between the provinces of Szechwan and Yunnan. There she was able to concentrate undisturbed on martial arts and Zen, a Buddhist movement which arose during the northern and southern dynasties through Bodhidharma. Ng Mui was, no less than her Kung Fu brothers from whom she was now separated, unable to forget the bad experience of the burning down of the monastery and of the deception of the treacherous monks. In any case she had yet a further worry, how to protect herself in the future from the likewise in Shaolin Kung Fu style trained traitors and the Manchus? It would be difficult to defeat the traitors who had in years-long training mastered most of the techniques of the Shaolin. She was still superior to them in her ability, in the theory however she was no longer ahead of them so she had to fear the day on which she would be too old to be able to resist the strength of the younger traitors. She saw only one way out, she had to develop a new method of fighting which could defeat the existing Shaolin techniques. But what kind of system could that be? And how could she devise such a superior system?

The nun Ng Mui The new system however got the name Fox Kung Fu or Crane Kung Fu which is in no way usual elsewhere in Kung Fu. In fact Ng Mui took over only the concept of these animals and had to work hard in changing the techniques and adapting them to the human body. In Ng Mui's opinion the Shaolin Kung Fu with its laid down (dead) movements was too cumbersome and impracticable. Her own newly developed system differed considerably because its movements were extremely simple and adaptable. The usual ten forms of the Shaolin Kung Fu (Siulam Kung Fu) were only a little different and above all in the sequence of the movements offered only stereotypical and unimaginative practice exercises. The new system of Ng Mui managed to do with only three boxing forms (Japanese Kata) and a wooden marionette form. Also the Shaolin Kung Fu arose from a great number of movements, which although they seemed impressive and had attractive names (i.e. dragon and phoenix dance, wand of the Taoist master, lion stepping from the heights, was in reality practically unusable. The new system of Ng Mui, on the other hand, was not suitable for performances and demonstrations, for it did not have a single movement which only had to look good and give pleasure. All the movements which Ng Mui developed were directly connected to the practice of fighting. As a result there was no longer any imaginative, decorative naming of movements. The names for the movements now described functionally the reason for or the carrying out of each movement. So, for example, in Ng Mui's system there was a so-called hand palm upward arm movement, which described precisely and simply the exact way in which the hands and arm should be held. A further difference between the Shaolin Kung Fu and Ng Mui's new system lay in the over-emphasis on the strength aspect which was particularly cultivated in the Shaolin. Thus, a Shaolin student hat to practice from two to three years exclusively the deep standing position typical for this style before he was allowed to learn the first movement sequences. Ng Mui's system aimed at defeating the stronger opponent with method rather than strength. Without doubt there was also in her method a place for a specific strength training, it was for her essentially a question of making the opponent harmless through cunning by making his measures and reactions fit as if tailor-made the action of the other.

For this purpose the user of this new Kung Fu system brings into play adaptable hand techniques, a flexible standing position as well as free and fast strides, while the Shaolin stylist relied on his strong arm bridge, his firm stance and heavy paces. That means that the Shaolin Kung Fu used long bridges and deep stances in the fight whilst the new system with short pursuit steps and close to the body fighting techniques was able to ruin these long arm bridges and deep stances. In the Shaolin style the most frequently taken-up fighting position was front bow and back arrow (2), which was called in English Short Front Stance in the Karate Zenkutsu-Dachi (position with main weight on the front foot). In the new fighting system on the other hand the Front Arrow and Back Bow (in English named Short Back Stance - position with the weight on the back foot) predominated. Front however does not correspond to the Japanese Kokotsu-Dachi which leaves the genitals uncovered. The Wing Tzun Back Stance allowed the user to kick against the kneecap of the opponent standing in the front stance without a telltale transference of weight of for example to bring his front leg (without any weight on it) into safety if it was attacked.

Yim Wing Tzun

The Beautiful Yim Wing Tzun

The girl Yim Wing Tzun was born in Kwantung province and lived, since the death of her mother, alone with her father, Yim Lee, a student of the Shaolin monastery. As a small child she had been promised to the young Leung Bok Chau, a salt trader from the province Fukien. Yim Lee who had learned certain fight techniques of the Shaolin style took care of justice in his area, if it proved to be necessary. Thereby, he became unfortunately involved in a legal case. To avoid being arrested, he fled with his daughter to the border of the provinces Szechwan and Yunan, settled at the foot of the Tai Leung Mountain and earned his living with a stales stand for tofu and other foods. With time Wing Tzun developed into a lively and pretty girl. Her beauty and friendly manner were, however, to become the cause of difficult problem. In the village there was a notorious thug named Wong, who was always looking for trouble. But the villagers could not get at him, because he was a Kung Fu expert and belonged to a secret society. Furthermore, the arm of the law did not reach into his border village at the back of beyond. Attracted by Wing Tzun's beauty, he sent a messenger to ask for  Wing Tzun's hand in marriage but with the threat of a time limit and violence if she refused him. She herself was too weak to offer resistance to him and her father had become in the meantime too old to protect her.

From that day on, father and daughter became very worried about the future. But at this time The Buddhist nun Ng Mui lived in the Temple of the White Crane on the Tai Leung Mountain and was accustomed many times in the month to visit the market place of the previously mentioned village to do her necessary shopping. It happened that she became a regular customer of Yim Lee and they often talked to each other. One day she recognized in the manner and looks of Wing Tzun and her father that they were beset with worries. When questioned by her they told her everything. Ng Mui had a marked sense of justice and decided to help Wing Tzun but not by defeating the evil doer herself (which she certainly would have done earlier). For one thing she did not want to give up her disguised identity and for another a fight between her, the famous master of a respected Kung Fu style and an unknown village thug would be unequal and unfair and without honor. Therefore, she wanted to solve Wing Tzun's problem by teaching her the art of fighting. Martial art as such was not foreign to Ng Mui because her father had been a Kung Fu Fighter earlier. Yin Wing Tzun herself had never in any case seen the need earlier to have to learn a system for self protection. But now under the direction of master Ng Mui, she had an aim in view so that she mastered the methods shown to her after approximately only years private tuition. Ng Mui sent her back again to her father after the completion of her training in the Temple of the White Crane. Wing Tzun had hardly come down from the Tai Leung mountain when the thug again forced his attentions on her. This time Wing Tzun did not run away from him but challenged him to a fight. The hooligan was very pleased because he was convinced of his victory and was looking forward to having the beautiful girl at last. But he was deceiving himself for Wing Tzun threw him to the floor where he lay so helpless that he never again felt the urge to bother her again. After Wing Tzun had defeated the thug she continued her fight training. Ng Mui, however, bored by the monotonous life on Tai Leung decided to travel on again and look around the country. First, however, she advised Wing Tzun to find a worthy follower and to instruct only the right students.

Leung Bok-Cho (Liang Bochou), also rendered as Leung Bok-Lao (Liang Boliu) was the husband of Yim Wing-Chun and is generally credited with bringing the Wing Chun Kuen system out into the world. There are several different accounts about how Leung Bok-Cho learned Wing Chun Kuen and came to pass it along. A popular folk story holds Leung Bok-Cho was a native of Zhaoqing, Guangdong where he had learned the Choy family boxing from Choy Gao-Yee. After losing a fight to Choy's youngest son, Choy Biu, he travelled to Guangxi province in search of a new teacher. Short on funds, he took shelter at a local hotel which adjoined the Yim family tofu shop. One night, his slumber was disturbed by sounds he recognized as the training of martial arts. Investigating, he was startled to see Yim Wing-Chun practicing the martial arts beneath the light of the moon. He immediately fell in love with her skill and beauty. Wanting to learn the style, Leung convinced Yim Yee to teach him their martial arts. Yim Yee provided him with a place to stay and eventually arranged for Leung to marry his daughter. A few years later, in the early 1800s, when Yim Yee passed away, Leung Bok-Cho was said to have learned the rest of the style from his wife (after having been soundly defeated by her in a friendly test of skills). Leung eventually left and traveled to Foshan to pass on the art. Meeting a scholar named Leung Lan-Kwai, he exchanged with Lan-Kwai and Lan-Kwai's teacher, Wong Wah-Bo, and classmate, Dai Fa Min Kam, his Wing Chun Boxing for their Jee Shim based Weng Chun pole work. Leung later left Foshan to journey north of the river and continue passing on Wing Chun.

In the Yip Man system, its said that Yim Wing-Chun's mother died soon after her betrothal to Leung Bok-Cho, a salt merchant from Fujian. After their marriage Yim Wing-Chun taught martial arts to her husband Leung Bok-Cho who in turn passed these techniques on to Leung Lan-Kwai. Another account, from the Sum Nung system, suggests that following the death of Yim Wing-Chun, Leung Bok-Lao named his martial arts Wing-Chun Kuen (Wing-Chun's boxing) in honor and memory of his wife. While in Guangzhou, Guangdong, Leung Bok-Lao went on to teach Wing Chun Kuen to the disciples of the Pear Garden, Wong Wah-Bo, Leung Yee-Tai, Dai Fa Min Kam, and others. The Yiu Kai system has a slightly different version. They maintain that Leung Bok-Lao was a merchant from Shangxi named who had been a student of the Henan Shaolin Temple. In 1810, he came to relax in a hotel. By chance, one day under the light of the moon he saw Yim Yee and his daughter Wing-Chun practicing martial arts beside the tofu grinders. He thought Wing-Chun was beautiful and had excellent technique. He fell in love with her. He stayed and passed by many times to talk with them about martial arts. His first wife had died, and he though Wing-Chun had excellent fighting skills, so he wanted to marry her. He had a friend ask, but Wing-Chun was too embarassed to answer. Yim Yee thought Leung was good-looking, and was a fellow Shaolin follower, so he agreed for his daughter and they were married. After a few years, Yim Yee died and they moved to Shangxi but due to the constant fighting of bandits and soliders, they moved again to north Guangdong (Anhongyuan village). They opened a small business and taught "Wing Chun Kuen" to some students. In about 1815, they moved the school to Zhaoqing and continued teaching. The Red Junk Opera Company would often travel between Zhaoqing and Foshan. Wong Wah-Bo (Mo-Sang), Leung Yee-Tai (Mo-Deng), Ah one named) Kam (Dai Fa Min), and Siu Fook (Siu-Sang) met them and learned Wing Chun.

An final version reports that Leung Bok-Cho was from Jiangxi and had studied at the Jiangxi Shaolin temple, becoming a revolutionary and fleeing arrest at the hands of the Qing. In Guangxi, due to their similiar backgrounds, he was taken in by Yim Yee of the Yim Family Tofu Shop, who arranged his marriage to his daughter, Yim Wing-Chun. Following Yim Yee's death, they moved around for a while before finally settling in Zhaoqing, Guangdong. There, Leung Bok-Cho attended a show of the Red Junk Opera. Impressed by the skill of the performers, especially the pole techniques of Wong Wah-Bo in the role of General Kwan, Leung arranged an introduction. Forming a close friendship
with several of the troupe, Leung Bo-Cho and Yim Wing-Chun went on to teach Wing Chun Kuen to Wong Wah-Bo, Leung Yee-Tai, Dai Fa Min Kam, and others.

One outlandish entry in a French martial arts encyclopedia suggested that Leung Bok-Cho was, in fact, Hung Ga Kuen founder Hung Hei-Goon, who changed his name and his aboard the Red Junks to escape arrest.  From the many accounts it is clear that Leung Bok-Cho, whether a real person or an alias used as a cover, is credited in the Wing Chun Kuen creation myths as the who first spread the art (primarily to the Red Junk Opera members.)

Leung Lan-Kwai (Liang Langui) was said in some stories to have been a wealthy scholar from Guangzhou and in other's an osteopath from the Foshan or Zhaoqing region. Although he is absent from tales of other branches, the Yip Man system maintains he learned Wing Chun Kuen from Leung Bok-Cho (in some accounts in Guangxi, in others in Guangdong) and taught the art to Red Junk
Opera actor Wong Wah-Bo.

In another story, Leung Lan-Kwai was a Red Junk actor himself and Weng Chun Kuen student of Wong Wah-Bo who exchanged with Leung Bok-Cho for knowledge of the Wing Chun Kuen system and later introduced Leung Bok-Cho his fellow performers.

Wong Wah-Bo (Huang Huabao) was said to have been a Gulao, Heshan native and the senior-most Wing Chun Kuen practitioner of the Red Junk Opera in the mid-1800s. In the opera, he reportedly played the role of Mo-Sang, or the male martial lead. This part would have required extensive knowledge of the martial arts in general, especially the more dynamic fist and weapon routines.

In addition to his opera role, which would have required extensive knowledge of the more dynamic fist and weapon routines of Northern Opera, Wong reportedly studied the Wing Chun Kuen system under the fabled Leung Bok-Cho (and sometimes under Yim Wing-Chun as well.)

In some accounts, Wong had previous knowledge of Jee Shim's Weng Chun Kuen system (and sometimes was said to have traded knowledge of it with Leung Lan-Kwai for Wing Chun Kuen).

In some stories, Wong Wah-Bo reportedly taught Weng Chun Kuen to Dai Fa Ming Kam and
Wing Chun Kuen to Leung Yee-Tai (in exchange for Weng Chun Kuen pole methods) and other Opera performers.

In the 1860s, Wong Wah-Bo retired to Foshan for a time where he taught fellow Gulao native, Leung Jan (sometimes said to have been in conjunction with classmate Leung Yee-Tai) as well as Fok Bo-Chuen (sometimes in conjunction with Dai Fa Min Kam) before returning to the opera in the 1870s.

Notes: Compiled from oral and written accounts of Yip Man and Sum Nung Wing Chun Kuen, and Jee Shim and Pan Nam Weng Chun Kuen.

Leung Yee Tai (Liang Erdi) was the stage name of a member of the Red Junk Opera in the mid-1800s. In some accounts, Leung was a poler (someone who used a long pole to help push and direct the boat when in narrow waters) and/or part-time prop-master while in others he was a full member who played the role of Mo-Deng, or the "female" martial ar lead (since females were not permitted in the opera at the time, males would play their roles in "drag".)
In addition to his opera role, which would have required extensive knowledge of the more dynamic fist and weapon routines of Northern Opera, Leung was said to have learned the Weng Chun Kuen of Jee Shim. Later, Leung reportedly studied the Wing Chun Kuen system under Leung Bok-Cho (becoming his second student, according to the Cho Wing Chun system.) In some accounts, Leung Yee-Tai also studied under Yim Wing-Chun as well. In accounts of the Yip Man system, he was said to have learned from Wong Wah-Bo instead, trading his knowledge of the six-and-a-half point pole for knowledge of Wing Chun Kuen.

When he left the opera, Leung Yee-Tai settled in Foshan and taught his knowledge to Leung Jan (either by himself or in conjunction with Wong Wah-Bo).

Leung Jan (Liang Zan), said in the Gulao Wing Chun system to have been originally named Leung Dak-Wing* (Liang Derong), was born in 1826, the second son of a Foshan herbalist and took over the family pharmacy (known variously as Wing Sang Tong, Jan Sang Tong, ang Hong Sang Tong in different accounts over the years) on Kuaizi street after his father passed away. Because of his occupation (in some accounts because of the name of his shop) he came to be called Jan Sin Sang (Zan Xiansheng, Mr. Jan) or more simply rendered, Jan Sang (Zan Sheng) by the locals.

Leung Jan began learning Wing Chun during the 1850s under Red Junk Opera performer/poler Leung Yee-Tai and later continued under Wong Wah-Bo (or in accounts of the Pan Nam system, beginning with Wong and continuing with Leung when Wong went back to the opera.) In one account of the Yip Man family, he also exchanged pole techniques with Fung Siu-Ching at a local smoke-house.

Leung Jan gained great fame in the last quarter of the 19th century for his fighting ability, and remained popular well into the 20th century when pulp novels and later movies began to circulate, spreading the name of the Wing Chun Wong (Yongchun Wang, King of Wing Chun) and vaulting him into folk-hero status among the local populace.

Accounts of Leung Jan's family vary greatly. In some, he had one son who died in an accident at a young age. In most versions, he was said to have had two sons, Leung Bik and Leung Chun.
In others, he had three sons (with the addition of Leung Suen), or even up to five sons (with the addition of Leung Jee, Leung Yuen, and Leung Ko). Their learning of Wing Chun Kuen also varies greatly amongst the differing accounts, from none to all of them gaining some degree of proficiency.

Leung Jan's most well known student was Chan Wah-Shun who carried on his classes and reputation
in Foshan. His other students consisted mainly of the wealthy owners of local businesses and inclued Leung Kay (Lao Man Kay, Rascal Kay), Leung Wah (Muk Yan Wah, Wooden Man Wah), Lo Kwai (Chu Yuk Kwai, Butcher Kwai, sometimes rendered as Chan Kwai), Fung Wah, and pharmacy employee Ngau Shu (San Dai Shu, Big Mountain Shu), among others.

At the age of 73, Leung Jan retired back to his native village of Gulao, Heshan county, where he taught Wing Chun Kuen to a few local students, such as Wong Sum-Wah, Yik Ying, Leung Bak-Cheung, and Yim Sei before passing away at the age of 76.

Notes: There are differing explinations for the change in Leung Jan's name. In one, he chose the name Jan, thinking it sounded more professional for an osteopath. In another, the hand-written sign for 'Wing' on his shop was so often misread as 'Jan' that he eventually began to answer to that name.

Compiled from oral and written accounts of Yip Man & Gulao Wing Chun Kuen, Pan Nam Weng Chun Kuen, Foshan Jing Wu Association, and New Martial Hero & Leung's Publishing.

Chan Wah-Shun (Chen Huashun) originally worked as a moneychanger (someone licensed to convert currency denominations) and was hence known by the nickname Jiao Chin Wah (Zhaoqian Hua, Moneychanger Wah). His stall was located in the marketplace close to Leung Jan's pharmacy and from time to time he would catch glimpses of the famous doctor teaching Wing Chun Kuen. Eventually, Chan Wah-Shun was able to secure training under Leung Jan and went on to become one of his most prized students, winning many challenge fights, earning the nickname Ngau Ching Wah (Niujing Hua, Bull Wah).  Chan Wah-Shun later gave up the money changing business to work as an osteopath. He was said to have begun teaching Wing Chun in the late 1800s, in some accounts as early as 1877 (the pulp novel, Martial World Orthodox Systems: Wing Chun suggesting that when Leung Jan passed away, Chan Wah-Shun carried on the instruction of junior students such as Ng Siu-Lo and Ng Jung-So) and by the 1910s, he was, according to Yip Man traditions, reportedly teaching out of the Ancestral Temple of the Yip family in Foshan's Song Yuan (Mulberry Gardens).

During his career, which according to Yip traditions spanned 36 years, he reportedly trained 16 disciples. The earliest of these disciples included the Ng brothers, Siu-Lo and Chung-So, as well as Lui Yiu-Chai, Ngau Hong, and his own son, Chan Yiu-Min (and Yiu-Min's wife Lai Miu-Hin, although whether or not she was formally counted as one of the disciples is unknown). Other students were said to include Ho Han-Lui (in alternate accounts listed as a student of Leung Jan), Lee Jit-Man, Ngau Jaw-Ting, Lai Hao-Po (in alternate accounts listed as a student of Fung Siu-Ching), Chan Hung-Dai, Chan Sik-Hao and sometimes Yiu Choi (more often listed as a student of Ng Jung-So). Shortly before his retirement, Chan Wah-Shun accepted his final disciples, Lai Hip-Chi and Yip Man.

In 1911, Chan Wah-Shun, known by then as Wah Gung (Hua Gong, Grandfather Wah) retired from teaching (according to Pan Nam system accounts, suffering a stroke and becoming partially paralyzed) and returned to his home village in Shunde county where he passed away two years later.

Notes: Compiled from oral and written accounts of Yip Man and Ng Jung-So Wing Chun Kuen and Chan Yiu-Min (incl. Pan Nam) Weng Chun Kuen, Foshan Jing Wu Association, and New Martial Hero and Leung's Publications.

Grand Master Yip Man
In Wing Tzun style, the late Yip Man was a Grand Master in the kung-fu world of his time. Having an unusual temperament and self-respect, Grand Master Yip paid little attention to the mundane vanities of life, viz fame and fortune, nor did he have the rude and scornful attitude of some kung-fu people. Upon meeting the man one found no pretense. He had the gift of placing one at ease. His sincerity, warmth and hospitality were evident in many ways. A true gentleman and scholar, he represented serenity and refinement. His conversations, in the accent of the Fatshan dialect, revealed his carefree and yet friendly character.

GM Yip Man Playing the wooden dummy form

Born of a respectable family, the wealthy owner of a large farm and houses along the whole length of one street, he should have been a young nobleman leading a sheltered and protected life, never even allowing his hands to get wet with the warm water of spring. Yet, to the surprise of all, he showed a special liking for the art of fighting. So, at the age of thirteen, he received tuition in kung-fu from Chan Wah Shun, whose nickname was "Wah the money-changer", a favorite disciple of Grand Master Leung Jan of the town of Fatshan in the Kwangtung Province. As Wah the money-changer had to rent private premises for teaching his followers since he did not have a permanent site for his gymnasium, the father of Yip Man was kind enough to allow him to make use of the Ancestral Temple of the Yip clansmen. However, the high amount of the tuition fees imposed on his disciples, usually as much as three taels of silver a month, had resulted in a small number of students in his gymnasium. Yip Man, being the son of the owner of the premises, became closely associated with Wah. Attracted by Wah1s kung-fu techniques, Yip Man eventually decided to follow him in the pursuit of the art of fighting. So one day, to Wah1s surprise, Yip Man, bringing with him three taels of silver, requested that Wah admit him as a student. This aroused Wah1s suspicion on how Yip Man had obtained the money. Upon inquiring into the matter from Yip1s father, Wah found that Yip man had gotten the money by breaking his own savings pot to pay for tuition fees. Touched by Yip Man1s eagerness and firm decision to learn kung-fu, Wah finally accepted him as a student, but did not teach him with much enthusiasm, as he regarded Yip Man as a young gentleman, too delicate for the fighting art. Nevertheless Yip man strove to learn much, using his own intelligence and the help of his elder kung-fu brothers (si-hings). This finally removed Wah1s prejudice against him. He then began to adopt a serious attitude in teaching Yip Man the art of kung-fu. During Wah1s thirty-six years of teaching, he had taught, in all, sixteen disciples, including his own son Chan Yu Min. Among these disciples of his, Yip Man was the youngest to have followed him and continued to do so until his death. Yip man was sixteen when his master Wah the money-changer died of a disease. In the same year he left Fatshan and went to Hong Kong to continue his education at St. Stephen1s College.

GM Yip Man & Bruce Lee

During the years when Yip man was attending school, there was one incident, which he would never forget - an experience of a failure which turned out to be a blessing in disguise. It was a defeat in a fight that resulted in his obtaining the highest accomplishment in his kung-fu career. Being an active teenager, he was well involved with a group of youngsters from the school, who where all more or less the same age and were fond of quarreling with their European schoolmates. Having received tuition in the art of fighting, Yip man very often defeated his European opponents in fights, even though he was smaller in size. He admitted in his reminiscences some time later that he was too proud of himself in those days.

One day a classmate of Yip man, surnamed Lai, said to him, "There is a kung-fu practitioner in our trading company, a friend of my father, in his fifties. Would you dare to fight a few movements with him?" Yip Man, being an arrogant youngster who had never experienced failure, feared no one at that time, and so he promised to meet this middle-aged man. On the arranged day, Yip man, led by his classmate, went to meet the elderly man in a silk company in Hong Kong1s Jerboas street. After greeting him Yip Man told him about his intentions. The man, introduced to Yip man as Mr. Leung, replied with a smile, "So you are the disciple of the revered Master Chan Wah Shun of Fatshan. You are young. What have you learned from your Si-fu? Have you learned the Chum-Kiu?" Yip man was then so eager to have a fight that he did not listen to the man and only uttered a few irrelevant words in return, while at the same time taking off his large-lapelled garment, getting himself ready for a fight.

At this moment the elderly man smilingly told Yip man that he was allowed to attack any part of his body by any means, and that he himself would only discharge these attacks and would not render any counter attacks, nor would he hurt Yip man in any way. This only added fuel to Yip Man1s fury. Nevertheless, Yip man managed to fight with care and calmness. He launched fierce attacks on the man, who discharged them with ease and leisure, and finally floored him, not just once, but repeatedly. Every time Yip man lay flat on the floor he rose again and rendered a new attack, only to find he had to leave in the end, defeated. It was later discovered that this elderly man was Mr. Leung Bik, the eldest son of Grand Master Leung Jan of Fatshan, the paternal teacher (si-fu) of Chan Wah Shun, the money-changer who had taught Yip Man. From then on Yip man followed Leung Bik for years and learned all the secrets of Wing Tzun Kuen. At the age of twenty-four, Yip man returned to his native town of Fatshan, having achieved competence in his art.

During the last few decades, Yip man was highly rated in the art of fighting by the people of Fatshan, but he never had the slightest thought of teaching his skills to anyone, always keeping the commandment of Wing Tzun that to spread it is in contrast to the wishes of the founder. He never intended to pass on his skills to anyone, not even his own son. This is why he never imagined that he would eventually become an instructor of his art.

In 1949, through the help of Lee Man, Yip Man was offered the post of kung-fu instructor of the Association of Restaurant Workers of Hong Kong. After a great deal of persuasion, he accepted. After two years of serving as the instructor Yip Man founded his own gymnasium in the district of Yaumatei in Kowloon and began to accept students other than restaurant workers. Later, when more and more students came to him he had to move his gymnasium to a larger site. Yip Man's fame and the practical value of Wing Tzun were especially admired by members of the police force, of which more and more attended his gym.

As his last effort towards the promotion of Wing Tzun Kuen before retiring from teaching he founded, in 1967, the Hong Kong Ving Tsun Athletic Association. In May 1970, when the classes in his gymnasium were firmly established, he decided to retire from teaching to enjoy a quiet life, having first passed all the affairs of his gymnasium and the teaching to his favorite disciple, Leung Ting.

Great Grandmaster Yip Man & Grandmaster Leung Ting

 

Lee Siu-Lung (Li Xiaolong), born Bruce Lee Jun-Fan in 1940 in San Fransico returned with his family to Hong Kong in 1941. In 1954, Bruce Lee began studying Wing Tzun Kuen under Yip Man and Yip Man's senior students, most notably Wong Shun-Leung and William Cheung. Alongside his friends, like Wong, Cheung, Hawkins Cheung, etc. Bruce Lee helped spread Wing Tzun's fame through challenge fights. In 1959, Lee moved back to the USA. In some accounts, Lee continued his Wing Tzun instruction there under Yeung Fook, a former opera classmate of his father's. Lee soon began teaching the martial arts, using the name Jun Fan Gung-Fu for his blend of basic Wing Chun, Mantis, and other styles. In 1966, Lee won the role of Kato in the television series "The Green Hornet" which eventually led to his first role in HK cinema in "The Big Boss". Lee followed up the enormous success of his first movie with several others, culminating with "Enter the Dragon", the movie which won him international mega-star status, released just after his death in 1973. Bruce Lee's exploration of the martial arts eventually caused him to focus on the concept of Jeet Kune Do (Intercepting Fist Way). Among his more well known students were/are Jesse Glover, Ted Wong, James Lee, Dan Inosanto, Daniel Lee, Richard Bustillo, Taki Kamura, etc. and celebrities

Leung Ting (Liang Ting) began training in the late 1950's. He either began under or
was introduced by his two maternal uncles, Cheng Fook and Cheng Pak, who were students of Leung Sheung, and continued under Leung Sheung. In the late 1960s,
Leung Ting received some private instruction from Yip Man. Leung Ting went on to form the International Wing Tsun Martial-Art Association, and has also served time on the board of the Ving Tsun Athletic Association. The International Wing Tsun Martial-Art Association has become the largest Chinese martial arts organization in the world, with branches in about 50 countries and somewhere in the neighborhood of 100,000 members. Amoung Leung Ting's students are Cheng Chuen-Fun of Hong Kong, Allan Fong of New York, Tam Hun-Fan of New Zealand, and Keith Kernspecht of Germany (head of the European Wing Tsun Organization.)
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Keith R. Kernspecht was born in 1945, took his high-school examinations in evening classes and went on to study modern and classical languages, philosophy, theology and jurisprudence. He first worked as an interpreter, then became a police officer. Some time later he spent eight years teaching in a commercial college. He gained additional teaching experience by working at a penal institution and for NATO. For several years, he was a lecturer of English at the university of Kiel.

At the end of the fifties he began to study various Western and Eastern martial arts, including freestyle wrestling, catching, Jiu-Jitsu, Judo, Kempo, Shaolin Kung Fu, Shotokan and Wado Ryu-Karate, Kobudo (weapons), Tae-Kwon-Do, Aikido, Escrima (Philippine sword, stick and knife-fighting). For a short time he worked as a professional wrestler. He was awarded the 3rd instructor grade in Escrima and the second in Kempo. His friend S. Supasturpong introduced him to the Thai martial arts. In 1967 Kernspecht established the Budo-Zirkel e.V. in Kiel, Germany, which in addition to Kempo, Shotokan-Karate and Ko-Budo was probably the first German martial arts club to teach authentic Chinese Kung Fu. In the Chinese quarters of different European cities (in England, among others) he came into contact with various Wing Chun styles. In 1975 Kernspecht invited the highest Chinese WingTsun (WT) master, Leung Ting, to Germany. Since that time, Kernspecht has received private instruction from Leung Ting for several months a year, and is now the head and chief instructor of the Chinese WT association's German and European section. As a holder of the 9th master grade, Kernspecht is one of the two highest graduated WingTsun (WT) masters in the world. International martial arts publications have called Kernspecht the "father of WingTsun in Europe" and the "Kaiser of Kung Fu" (Black Belt, USA) in recognition of his success. In order to round off his knowledge, Kernspecht studied the teachings of Bruce Lee (later called Jeet Kun Do) in Germany and the USA from 1979 to 1981, training with Bruce Lee's two first and most skilled students. As WT
chief instructor for Europe, and at the instigation of his teacher, Grand Master Leung Ting, K. Kernspecht and his instructors have established national WT organisations in all European countries. In Germany alone there are now about 1,500 WT training schools.

Their members are supported by regular training courses, newsletters and the organisations own journal, WingTsun World. Although Kernspecht himself still gives instruction for four to six hours a day, six days a week, he nevertheless finds the time to lecture at foreign universities as a visiting Professor, and to further the cause of both WingTsun and the martial arts in general on an international level.

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Master Emin Boztepe has been studying martial arts since 1976. He has trained in many styles and holds an impressive martial arts resume:

* Tae Kwon Do
* Shotokan Karate
* Muay Thai
* Turkish freestyle wrestling
* Western boxing
* Wing Tzun system
* Latosa Escrima system

Currently Emin devotes his time to teaching Wing Tzun Kung Fu and Latosa Escrima under his newly founded Emin Boztepe Martial Arts System (EBMAS).

Early Days

Emin's early days in Germany were not easy due to his Turkish heritage. He was a constant target for racial insults, and more often than not, verbal abuse would swiftly turn into physical abuse. Martial arts became something of a necessity. His father urged him to begin training, and thus at age 14 Emin's Martial arts career began. His training quickly developed into a passion that he carries to this day.

True Martial Artist

Due to Emin's preference for effective self-defense techniques, he now views himself as a true Martial Artist and not a "Sportsman". It was this same preference that originally attracted him to Wing Tzun when he saw a demonstration in Germany. This led him to seeking instruction from Keith Kernspecht, noted European Wing Tzun master and senior student of Grandmaster Leung Ting. 20+ years of training in the Wing Tzun system have now passed for Emin. He is thoroughly convinced
that the self defense techniques and philosophy of Wing Tzun are second to none.

Sifu Milan Jevic
2nd Level TG
Sifu Milan Jevic was born in Czechoslovakia (now Slovak Republic). He began his Wing Tzun training under Sifu Maday Norbert in Hungary, then under Sifu Oliver Koenig in Austria. He and his friends often traveled far for their training, as Wing Tzun in their native Slovakia was still in its infancy. Wing Tzun helped Milan overcome health problems he had been born with that kept him scrawny and weak. And at age 17 he began teaching Wing Tzun, quickly gaining a large number of students.

At age 19, Milan came to New York. In 1997, he took over the teaching responsibilities of Wing Tzun New York. Since that time, Wing Tzun New York has grown into one of the most successful branches of EBMAS, and Sifu Milan has become known as one of its friendliest and most skilled instructors.

He currently holds the Second Technician Grade in Wing Tzun, and Student Grade 10 in Escrima.

Sifu Edgar Rotger is a 2nd Technician Level in Wing Tzun Kung-Fu and a 2nd Technician Level in Latosa Escrima, Under GM Rene Latosa & Dai-Sifu Emin Boztepe Founder of EBMAS.
(Technician levels are comparable to black belts in other styles.)

Sifu Edgar was born in 1959 in Lincoln, Nebraska, and has been involved in the martial arts since 1969. He was first introduced to martial arts by his father, who was an instructor of (Mas) Oyama Kyokushin Karate, Golden Dragon Kung Fu, and Qi Gong. In 1974 he studied Grand Master Jhoon Rhee Tae Kwon Do under Sergio Colon in Puerto Rico and open-class western boxing.

In 1997 he began training in Wing Tzun under Sifu Emin Boztepe and Latosa Escrima under Grand Master Rene Latosa. Edgar is now the Head Instructor in New York for the Wing Tzun and Latosa Escrima Schools at the Brooklyn, NY (Park Slope).