Grand Master Ip Man
Grandmaster Ip Man was originally called Ip Gai-Man. He was born in Foshan
(China) in 1893 to a wealthy merchant family and lived to the age of 79, passing
away at his home in Hong Kong in December 1972.
He began learning Wing Chun sometime after 1906 under Chan Wah-Shun who
was said to have been teaching out of the Ip Family Ancestral Temple at the time.
Ip Man became Chan Wah-Shun's youngest and last student, as Chan was old
and nearing the end of his teaching. Around 1908 Chan suffered a stroke and
retired, leaving Ip Man's kung fu instruction to be continued by his senior kung fu
brothers such as Ng Jung-So.
After Chan Wah-Shun's death in 1911, Ip Man went to attend St. Stephan's
College Hong Kong. Here he met his kung fu uncle, Leung Bik, who was the
second son of Leung Jan. Ip Man apprenticed himself to Leung Bik learning Wing
Chun for another 3 to 7 years and polishing his skills to the most advanced level.
Ip Chun (Ip Mans son) quotes his father as having said that he got a good
foundation from Grandmaster Chan Wah Shun, but learnt sophisticated
techniques from Mister Leung Bik.
Grandmaster Chan Wah Shun and Mister Leung Bik were both doing two different
variations of Wing Chun. Through learning from both, Ip Man acquired complete
mastery of Wing Chun.
Ip Man returned to China and developed an extraordinary reputation for his great
Wing Chun skill. He even joined the Chinese army for a time. He did not however
teach for many years. In 1942 his resources became severely depleted under the
Japanese occupation of China and he took on some students in Yongan.
In 1949, Yip fled the Communist rise in China eventually arriving in Hong Kong.
Where in 1950, he began teaching his Wing Chun for a living.
In Hong Kong he accepted his first batch of disciples in on a professional basis.
Over his long teaching career in Hong Kong Ip Man taught many outstanding and
famous students. The most recognized name being that of Bruce Lee whom Ip
Man taught for 5 years before Bruce went to America.
Ip Man taught all of his students differently, depending on their natural ability,
personality, understanding, how he felt Wing Chun would best suit them and the
level of trust that he had with them. Hence all the Wing Chun's being taught
around the world today vary from each other depending on which branch of the
Wing Chun family tree you are learning from.
What is apparent though is that all Wing Chun's learnt from Ip Man are variations
of the two versions of Wing Chun that Ip Man himself originally learnt (One from
Grandmaster Chan Wah Shun and one from Mister Leung Bik). These two
versions are often called traditional and modified (or advanced) Wing Chun.
Wing Chun as taught by Grandmaster Ip Man has three empty-hand forms, a
wooden dummy form, and two weapons forms. Integrated into drills and sticky
hands practice, the motions of the forms are the Wing Chun practitioners selfdefense and fighting skills. Allot of Ip Man's students including his sons and
nephew, have gone on to teach new generations of excellent wing Chun
practitioners, spreading Wing Chun into what has become the fastest growing
martial art in the world.
Grandmaster Ip Man spent his whole life as champion of the cause of Wing Chun
Kung Fu. He taught that Wing Chun is not for sale, but students may apply for
lessons. He promoted honesty and respect and almost all the Wing Chun being
taught in the world today traces its lineage back to him. He was responsible for
advancing Wing Chun Kung Fu to the high point that it is at today, and we are
thankful to him and his family for the opportunity we all have to learn and know
such an amazing art.
Wing Chun Teaching System
The Wing Chun system is taught in a structured curriculum with grades and
sashes, so that students learn and develop all aspects of Wing Chun properly. The
structured curriculum is like building a house and you start with the foundations.
Students are taught information in the right order so they can acquire the skills
and experience needed to learn and understand each new level of their training.
There are four levels, Beginner (Siu Lim Tao), Intermediate (Chum Kiu),
Advanced (Biu Gee) and Mook yang jong/luk dim boon/Bart jom doa. People of
different levels are in different classes for concentration.
In the Siu lim Tao Beginners, the emphasis is learning how to fight when
attacked. You learn to control of your body which in turn gives you control over
your opponent. It specifies on learning how to control first, and then power
second; Instead of a major physical workout without control. Students are given
attention without pressure and classes are setup with no intimidation. The aim is
to start with low impact with immense output choice.
Chum Kiu or Intermediate students do a lot more action in one night due to their
skill level, and experience . This is the level where students start to learn how to
detor and fight multiple opponents with footwork and how Wing Chun verses
Wing Chuns non stop attacking.
Biu Gee or Advanced students are taught specific but universal keys making Wing
Chun so easy you can fight doing it with your eyes closed to controlling your
opponent
with
a
touch.
Wooden Dummy/man forms are next and weapons complete the system.