What is WingChun?

Even though WingChun got very popular in recent years with a film series "Ip Man" which is based on our late Grandmaster’s life who was an important figure for the system and his world-famous student Bruce Lee, it's a traditional Kung-Fu style born in Southern China about 300 years ago. According to the legend that is known the most, it was developed by a Buddhist nun Ng Mui and named after her first student and contributor, a young woman Yim WingChun. 

Ng Mui is rumoured to have developed the style inspired by the fight between crane and fox (crane and snake according to some sources). This fight helped improve the ideas already in Ng Mui’s mind. Styles imitating animal figures are already very widespread in Chinese martial arts but WingChun is completely designed for human body and does not host techniques opposing human physiology.

WingChun is a direct, simple, and effective martial arts approach, based on some important principles, such as, simultaneous defence and counter-attacking, economy of motion, central line etc. and unique body mechanics and power generation method in order to react quick and accurate, if the situation requires.

WingChun philosophy advices to be peaceful always and keep away from conflicts and violence. However, it gives the required self-defense tools and realistic perspective for the unavoidable situations.

A WingChun practitioner learns how to effectively use and self-defend against punch, kick, knee and elbow strikes at different distances. Doing these, he/she works on keystones of the system like balance, timing, distance, explosiveness, coordination etc. He/she learns in which conditions to use these and with what kind of strategy and tactic.

WingChun is a system that anyone at any age and any body type can learn easily. WingChun responds with a well-built structure, angles, timing and flexible power against brute force.

There is No Secret!

The “SECRET” of WingChun is hidden in putting the system into the muscle memory by frequently repeating them with the same concepts and principles; namely working out..!

FORMS:
WingChun system teaches three unarmed forms (Siu Nim Tao, Chum Kiu, Biu Tze), one wooden dummy form (Mook Yan Jong) and two weapon forms (Luk Dim Boon Kwan and Bart Cham Dao) are constructed on each other but they are independent.

Forms do not consist of fancy moves. WingChun focuses on effectivenss and practicality rather than aesthetics. Meanwhile, the forms are very crucial for the students in order to verify the techniques and perceive their formula.


Attainments by WingChun

• Knowledge of self-defence
• Self-confidence
• Analyzing people and environment, perception
• General condition and power
• Flexible muscular power and reflexes
• Balance and coordination
• Inner discipline
• Stress elimination
• Health
• Main concepts to potentially influence all life
• Friendships to last for life 


"We are sharing the most-known legend with you narrated by Ip Man, the Grandmaster of our system who was also narrated by his masters, albeit there are a few different thoughts and sources about WingChun Kung Fu and the story of its release. Below, you will read the story of WingChun written by the Grandmaster Ip Man."


The History of WingChun

Ms Yim WingChun
She was a clever, athletic, honoured, virtuous, honest and straightforward young girl. Her mother passed away in a short while after she engaged to Leung Bok Chau who was a salt trader from Fukien. Her father Yim Yee was blamed wrongfully for murder and they had to run away from there because of his sentence. Eventually, they settled at the foot of Tai Leung Mountain between Yunnan and Szechaun lives selling fresh curd.

Shaolin Monastery Under Attack
According to the legend, Ng Mui was abbess at the Shaolin Monastery in Sung Mountain in Honan State. During Emperor K’hangi Ching’ ruling (1622-1722) the martial arts taught at this monastery was very sought-after and the monastery became very strong. This situation scared Manchurians’ Manchu government and caused sending soldiers to attack against the monastery.

Monastery is on Fire
After a few failed attempts of attack, Chan Man Wai who was a local government man charged there and trying to cringe to the government offered a plan. According to this plan they would seize the monastery, by the help of a priest named Ma Ning Ye and his friends who were persuaded to betray the others arsoning the monastery while the other soldiers attacking from the outside. They succeeded it. The monastery burned, the priests and students straggled. Ng Mui, Jee Shim, Bak Mei, Fung Do-Dak and Miu Hin escaped and went on their ways.

The Duel
Ng Mui sheltered the White Crane Temple at Tai Leung Mountain (also known as Chaitlar Mountain). She encountered Yim Yee and her daughter WingChun from whom she used to buy curd cheese on the way home from the market place. Beauty of WingChun who was fifteen years old, whose hair was gathered together showing she’s at the age of marriage according to the traditions of those days attracted the hector of that location. He started pushing her to marry him and his endless threats annoyed her and her family. Ng Mui became sorry and pitied on her when she heard about it. She decided to teach her fighting techniques so that she could protect herself. WingChun followed Ng Mui going to the mountains and started learning Kung Fu. She practiced day and night to excel in the techniques.

Later on, WingChun who challenged the hector invited him for a duel and beat him. Then Ng Mui went to a nation-wide trip but told her to fully honour the techniques, continue developing her Kung Fu after marriage and help people struggling to overthrow Manchu government to re-establish Ming Dynasty.

Chin Shin and Pole techniques
WingChun taught Kung Fu her husband Leung Bok Chau after marriage. He narrated these techniques to Leung Lan Kwai in successively. Then he (Leung Lan Kwai) narrated them to Wong Wah Bo. Wong Wah Bo was a member of an opera community known as Red Junk Opera. Wong worked with Leung Yee Tei at Red Junk Opera. Meanwhile, he encountered Abbot Chi Shin working as a cook at Red Junk who disguised himself after escaping from Siulam. Chi Shin taught Leung Yee Tei long pole techniques. Wong Wah was close to Leung Yee Tei, they were friends and shared what they learned about Kung Fu. They both shared and developed each other and progressed. Thus, long pole techniques were concatenated to Kung Fu. Leung Jan perceived the deep secrets of WingChun reaching the highest point mof mastership. Various Kung Fu masters challenged him but all experienced defeat. Leung Jan became very famous.

Then he narrated his Kung Fu to Shan Wah who embraced me, my Kung Fu elder siblings including Ng Siu Lo, Ng Chung So, Chan Yu Min and Lui Yu Jai decades ago. Because of this, WingChun system could be mentioned to be directly narrated to us since its origins.

I am writing this story of WingChun system to the respectable dear memories of my old masters. I will be appreciating them forever fort he traits they taught me. A person must think the source of the water everytime when drinking it. This is exactly the the emotion of sharing keeping us together. Isn’t it the way reflecting our country’s light and introducing Kung Fu?

Written by GM Ip Man

Edited by:
Cemil Uylukcu



Ip Man (1893-1972)

Ip Man (葉問) [October 1893 - December 2, 1972] was the first martial arts master to teach the Chinese martial art of Wing Chun openly. He had several students who later became martial arts teachers in their own right.

Ip Man was the last Wing Chun student of Chan Wah-shun when he was 70 years old. Ip Man was thirteen years old he started learning Wing Chun from Chan Wah-shun (陳華順). Because of his sifu's old age, Ip Man had to learn much of his skills and techniques from his master's second eldest disciple Ng Chung-sok (吳仲素). Three years into Ip Man’s training Chan Wah-shun died. One of his dying wishes was to have Ng continue training Ip. At the age of 15 Ip man moved to Hong Kong. At age sixteen, Ip Man attended school at St. Stephen's College in Hong Kong. It was a secondary school for wealthy families and foreigners who lived in Hong Kong. According to Ip Man's two sons, while at St. Stephen's Ip Man met an old man who was his master's elder fellow-disciple (and so, by Chinese tradition Ip Man's martial uncle Si-pak), Leung Bik (梁璧), son of his master's master (Si-gung) Leung Jan (梁贊). After that encounter, Ip Man continued his training lessons from Leung Bik. By the age of 24, Ip Man had returned to Foshan, his Wing Chun skills tremendously improved.

In Foshan, Ip Man became a policeman. At the end of 1949, after the Communist party won the Chinese civil war, being an officer of the Kuomintang, he decided to escape to Hong Kong when the communists had come to Foshan.

In Hong Kong, he opened a martial arts school. He moved his school twice, to Hoi Tan Street (海壇街) in Sham Shui Po, and then to Lee Tat Street (利達街) in Yau Ma Tei. By then, some of his students were skilled enough that they were able to start their own schools. Among the first were Leung Sheung, Lok Yiu, and Chu Shong-tin.

In 1967, Ip Man and some of his students established the Hong Kong Ving Tsun Athletic Association (香港詠春拳體育會). In 1972, Ip Man suffered throat cancer and subsequently died on the 2nd of December that same year.

During his 30-year career in Hong Kong, the Grandmaster Ip Man guided and inspired many students. WingChun spreaded all around the world by him and his students followed him.


A Chronicle Life of Grandmaster Ip Man

1899 – 1905 (Ip Man 6 to 12 years old) Foshan
Studied Wing Chun kungfu with Chan Wah Shun (Money Changer Wah) at Ip's family hall, Main Street of Foshan (Song Yuen Dai Gai)
At that time studying together with Ip Man were Lui Yui Chai, Ng Chung So, Chan Yui Min, Ng Siu Lo and others.

1905 (Ip Man 12 years old) Foshan
Chan Wah Shun died, but before he died he asked Ng Chung So to help Ip Man to complete the system. Chan Wah Shun's body was taken by his kung fu disciples to Chan village in Shunde for burial.

1905 – 1907 (Ip Man 12 to 14 years old) Foshan
Ip Man followed the last words of his teacher to study with Ng Chung So's school situated in Sin Heung Street of Foshan.

1908 (Ip Man 15 years old) Hong Kong
With the sponsorship of his relative, Pong Wai Ting, Ip came to Hong Kong to study in St Stephen College. Ip lived at Craine Road , Hong Kong Island .

1909 – 1913 (Ip Man 16 to 21 years old) Hong Kong
Ip knew Leung Bik, the second son of late Grandmaster Leung Jan, through his classmate and studied with him for four years.

1914 – 1937 (Ip Man 21 to 44 years old) Hong Kong – Japan – Foshan
In 1914, with the help of Ip's brother, Ip Gai Gak, he originally planned to further his study in Kobe , Japan but this plan was spoiled for some reasons.
During this 20 years, Ip's job was mainly in the army and police force. He married Cheung Wing Sing and had four children, sons Ip Hok Chun (Ip Chun), Ip Hok Ching (Ip Ching) and daughters Ip Ar Sum and Ip Ar Woon.
When Ip was not working, he liked to get together with other martial artists to practice and exchange kung fu ideas with his wing chun schoolmates in his house. Ip installed a wooden dummy in the corner of his living room. Practicing at that time with Ip Man were Yuan Kay Shan, Yiu Choi, Ip Chung Hong, Lai Hip Chi, Tong Gai and others. He became famous among the martial arts community of southern China .

1937 (Ip Man 44 years old) Foshan
The Japanese invaded China.

1937 – 1945 (Ip Man 44 to 52 years old) Foshan
China was occupied by Japan . Ip Man swore not to be used by the puppet Japanese government so he became very poor. Luckily his good friend, Chow Ching Chuen gave him financial support from time to time. In order to repay his friend's kindness, Ip accepted his son, Chow Kong Yiu as student. From 1941 – 1943, he taught Wing Chun Kuen in Luen Cheung Cotton Mill at Wing On Road. Other than Chow Kong Yiu, Kwok Fu, Chan Chi Sun, Ng Ying, Lun Kai, Chow Sai and others. These were the first batch of Ip Man's students. Kwok Fu and Lun Kai are still alive and teaching Wing Chun Kuen in Foshan today.

1945 (Ip Man 52 years old) Foshan
Japan surrendered.

1945 – 1949 (Ip Man 54 to 56 years old) Guangzhou, Foshan
This period was the busiest period at work of Ip Man. Ip even had to leave his beloved Wing Chun Kuen for a time. In spite of Ip's busy work, Ip still coached Pang Nam on the Wing Chun forms in Sheung Sha Chung Yee Athletic Association because of his good friend Tong Gai and Pang Nam 's sincere request.

1949 (Ip Man 56 years old) Macau, Hong Kong
Ip Man went through Macau to Hong Kong . Ip had stayed 2 weeks at Cho Dui Street with friends who owned a bird shop..

1950 – 1953 (Ip Man 57 to 60 years old) Hong Kong
In July 1950, through Lee Man's introduction, Ip Man started teaching in Tai Lam Street , Shamshuipo, Kowloon . The first Wing Chun class was for the Restaurant Workers Association. There were only people including Leung Sheung, Lok Yiu in the first class. Later, the class was joined by Tsui Sheung Tin, Ip Bo Ching, Chiu Wan, Lee See Wing, Law Ping, Man Siu Hung and others. This period of time was called the forefront of the Restaurant Workers Association. Ip Man also taught in the Restaurant Workers Union Headquarters, Sheung Wan in Hong Kong Island . Students there included Lee Wing, Yue Mei King, Lee Ngan Foon and others.

1953 – 1954 (Ip Man 60 to 61 years old) Hong Kong
The school was moved to Hoi Tan Street . Students at that time were Wong Shun Leung, Wong Kiu, Wong Chok, Ng Chan and others. Ip Man also taught private lessons at Three Princes Temple on Yui Chow Street , Shamshuipo. Students were Lee Hon and others.

1954 – 1955 (Ip Man 61 to 62 years old) Hong Kong
The school was moved back to Restaurant Workers Union Headquarters, Sheung Wan. This period is called the later stage of the Restaurant Workers Association. At this time, Ip was joined by Lee Kam Sing, Kan Wah Jeet (Victor Kan), Lo Man Kam, Cheung Cheuk Hing (William Cheung) and others.

1955 – 1957 (Ip Man 62 to 64 years old) Hong Kong
Ip Man moved the school to Lee Tat Street , Yaumatei, Kowloon . Students like Chow Tze Chuen, Lee Siu Lung (Bruce Lee), Chan Shing, Cheung Hok Kin (Hawkins Cheung), Siu Yuk Man, Poon Ping Lid, Pang Kam Fat and others joined by that time.

1957 – 1962 (Ip Man 64 to 69 years old) Hong Kong
Ip Man moved the school to Li Cheng Uk Estate. At this time, students were Chow Tze Chuen, Ng Chan, Wong Chok, Mak Po, Yeung Hei, Moy Yat and Ho Kam Ming. Most of Ip Man's private lessons were taught during this period of time. They were :
• Shun Kei Pottery Shop, Shaukeiwan. Students were Wong Bak Yee, Wong Wing, Yeung Chung Hon, Wong Kwok Yau and others.
• Po Lak Hong, Tsimshatsui. Students were Tong Cho Chi, Lee Wai Chi, Chan Tak Chiu, Tam Lai and others.
• Tai Po Road . Students were Chung Kam Chuen and Chung Wing Hong.

1962 – 1963 (Ip Man 69 to 70 years old) Hong Kong
School was moved to Hing Ip Building , 61 Tai Po Road , Shamshuipo. Students were Cheung Yiu Wing, Ho Luen, Cheung Ching On, Chan Luen Lam, Chan Tai Yim and Kwok See Yan. Private lessons were taught at Yee Wah Tailor Shop at Tsimshatsui. Students were Peter Cheung and old students of Po Lak Hong.

1963 – 1965 (Ip Man 70 to 72 years old) Hong Kong
The school was moved to the top floor of the Tai Sang Restaurant on Fook Chuen Street , Taikoktsui. Originally, this had been the storeroom and owned by Ho Luen who let Ip Man use the place. Most of the people from the school at Hing Ip Building also moved there. Added to Ho Luen, there were also Yeung Chung Hon, Wat Yung Sang, Pang Kam Fat, Cheung Ching On, Lee Yan Wing, Yau Hak So and others. During this period, Ip Man also taught students, mainly from the police, privately on Hin Hing Street , San Po Kong. These included Tang Sang, Nam Yin Fat, Yuen Chi Kong, Lee Yiu Fai, Wong Kwok and others.

1965 – 1972 (Ip Man 72 to 79 years old) Hong Kong
The school at the Tai Sang Restaurant finished and Ip Man lived in his apartment on Tung Choi Street. Because of his advanced age, Ip Man was partly retired. Despite this, he was still teaching one to one private tuition. Going to Ip Man's home during this period of time were Wong Chung Wah, Wong Hei, Hon Chak Chuen and others. He also went out teaching to three places.
• The Ving Tsun Athletic Association, which in 1967, was the first martial arts society to be officially registered with the government. The Association then decided to open Wing Chun classes at VTAA. The classes were in charge by Ip Man. Assisting him were Chung Ching On, Fung Hon, Wong Hon Chung and others. However, this was only for about 3 months.
• Chan Kai Hong's home on Waterloo Road . Learning here were Chan Kai Hong, Siu Lung brothers, Wong Tze On, Chan Kam Ming, Chung Yau, Lau Ying Kau, Man Yim Kong and othrs.
• Tze Yau Road . When Chan Kai Hong could not continue offered the place at Waterloo Road , Ip Man moved to the roof top of Lau Ying Lam's home. Joining here were Wong Chi Ming and a female student called Ng Yuet Dor.
• Siu Fai Toi at Ip Sing Cheuk's home. Ip Sing Cheuk was a solicitor. Apart from him, the rest of students were also mostly solicitor. This was the last place that Ip Man taught Wing Chun.
Ip Man passed away at his home on Tong Choi Street on December 2nd 1972 . He had 79 years of life. His tomb is now situated in Fanling.

Source of Information:
“Grandmaster Ip Man Centenary Birth” published by Ving Tsun Athletic Association.



The Ancestors of WingChun from Ng Mui to GM Ip Man

We are told that a big fire had occured at the Shaolin monastery occupied by the troops of Manchu government during the Ying-Cheng’s ruling (1723-1736) of Ching Dynasty. According to what was told, Ma Ning Yee who was dismissed by this monastery was one of the arsonists who wanted to revenge, and the information narrated so far is four monks an done nun survived after this event.

Those five survivors then hid, organized and worked for dethroning the Ching Dynast.

Another story is telling there were more than five survivors and they had nothing to do with this organization. We will keep going with that one we are told by the masters.

As told above, the fire broke out because of betrayal. Most monks died burning or were killed by Manchu troops. The masters called “The Five Elders” (the leaders of five main systems of Shaolin) were among survivors. The oldest one was Buddhist nun Ng Mui and Master Chi Shin, Master Pak Mei, Master Fung To Tak and Master Miu Hin survived with a few students besides them.

Ng Mui:
The Five Elders spread to different regions. Chi Shin disguised as a cook for a touring theatre named Red Junk. The others took refuge with Miao and Yao tribes. These tribes were from Sichuan and Yunnan regions. But after all, the masters took trips around the country which led to many legends.

Ng Mui, the oldest one traveled lonely. Eventually she decided to settle down at the White Crane Temple. It was located at Tai Leung Mountain. She concentrated on Zen Buddhism after the events she lived, and spent time practicing martial arts.

On the other hand, she was still concerned about how to protect themselves against the attacks of Manchu Government. She was aware that the attackers against Shaolin mastered most of the techniques of Shaolin Kung-fu. That meant beating defeating the enemy would be harder day by day. Because she was concerned getting weak compared to the enemy.

She visioned to create a new combat system was the only way to defeat them, and this new way had to surpass these existing Shaolin techniques. But she managed to find no way out of this situation for a while until she witnessed the fight of a fox and a crane (Some sources tell it was between a crane and snake, while some tell crane and monkey).


Yim WingChun:
Yim WingChun was a native of Kwangtung. After her mother’s death she lived with her father who was a student of Shaolin Monastery. She was engaged at a very early age to Leung Bok Chau who was a salt trader from Fukien.

Her father was running a store selling curd around the foots of Tai Leung Mountain. Wong, who was known as a layabout by his bad behaviours, proposed to Yim WingChun via intervention. But this proposal meant, “If you do not accept it, we will marry on the date I will tell”. This carried her and her old father into a hard situation.

Meanwhile, nun Ng Mui used to visit the marketplace and get her needs. She saw Yim WingChun and her father’s hard situation and offered them help. Yim WingChun took lessons from Ng Mui for three years (also different ideas exist about this). She returned his father by the decision of her teacher and challenged Wong when they encountered. Yim WingChun won the fight and Wong had no longer courage to disturb her.


Leung Bok Chau:
Yim WingChun married her fiance Leung Bok Chau. Leung Bok Chau was also interested in martial arts before marriage and used to practice in spare times. Yim WingChun talked to him about martial arts theories frequently but he seemed not to be interested in. In his opinion, Yim WingChun was a weak woman. But then, she had opportunity to work out martial arts with her husband and surpassed him several times.

Thus, Leung Bok Chau watched his wife’s techniques admiringly realizing she is a talented Kung-fu master on the contrary she is weak; and he began learning from her. At the same time, he called his wife’s Kung-fu systen “WingChun Kuen”.

Then Leung Bok Chau taught WingChun Kuen techniques to a herbalist named Leung Kwan Kwai.


Leung Lan Kwai:
Even the closest relatives of Leung Lan Kwai were unaware he was practicing WingChun Kuen because he knew he was the only student of Leung Bok Chau. This secret would have revealed when a group of fighters attacked him in front of public.

But he always kept his master’s advice in mind telling “Avoid showing WingChun Kuen in front of the others”. He always avoided exhibiting techniques.


Wong Wah Bo and Leung Yee Tei:
Leung Lan Kwai did not want to have a student. But having a character believing in justice, he accepted Wong Wah Bo, an actor playing at the Red Junk Opera, as his student.

Meanwhile, Master Chi Shin, one of the Five Elders, was working at Red Junk Opera and hiding his identity. He was teaching Shaolin System everyone against Manchu Government. The captain of the junk Leung Yee Tei was also in the team, and the master Chi Shin liked him very much and taught him long pole techniques.

Actor Wong Wah Bo watched the long pole techniques and admired it. He taught him WingChun Kuen and learned long pole and butterfly sword techniques from him.

Thus WingChun style was added Luk Dim Boon Kwan (long pole) and Bart Cham Do (butterfly swords) weapon systems.

They improved each other a lot and gained massive progress contributing WingChun concepts to long pole techniques. Then trying Chi Sao practice method with sticks, they developed a new work out technique named Chi Kwan; and they changed the steps of pole stance by decreasing the distance between hands for using the pole more effective.


Leung Jan:
At later ages, Leung Yee Tei taught Leung Jan, a pharmacist from Foshan, the art of WingChun Kuen, long pole and sword techniques.

Leung Jan who was highly-trusted in his job and reputable used to show interest in martial arts time-to-time. But he was in search of a logical and practical style rather than might-requiring or hard-to-practice ones. He met Leung Yee Tei and became his student.

Leung Jan was called “The King of WingChun” thanks to his success and unbeatability at rooftop fights known as Beimo. Because of his fame, lots of ambitious and enthusiastic people challenged him but all of them were defeated. Whenever people heard his name, they all remembered his title and how he defeated all his rivals.


Wah "the Wooden Man", Leung Bik, Leung Chun and Wah "the Money-Changer":
Leung Jan did not handle WingChun as a bankable commodity. But he had strong desire to bring up a few students because of his deep interest in martial arts. Two of these were his sons Leung Chun and Leung Bik. He used to teach them WingChun everyday after closing his drugstore.

One of his students were nicknamed Wah “the Wooden Man”. The reason why he gained a such nickname was he was hard and strong as log and even usually breaking the arms of wooden dummy. Wah "the Wooden Man" used to teach his students under control of his teacher Leung Jan.

The money exchange office of Chan Wah Shun was adjacent to Leung Jans’s drugstore. People used to call him Wah “the Money-Changer”.

Wah "the Money-Changer" had an everlasting interest in Kung-Fu and learning from a well-known teacher. He was a bit shy telling his neighbor Leung Jan he wants to be his student. Because Leung Jan was coming from a very noble family and a rich shop owner but he was a humble trader. He was not sure whether he would accept him as student.

But as his passion for learning Kung-Fu overwhelmed, he summed up his courage and asked him his offer. But as expected, Leung Jan gently turned him down. Wah, being sad but not feeling desperate, contemplated a different way to achieve his goal.


One day, Wah "the Wooden Man", brought a strong man to the drugstore when Leung Jan was absent. Leung Chun (his elder son). It would later be clear that this man was Wah "the Money-Changer" who learned WingChun peeping the workouts.

Leung Chun decided to try to find out how much WingChun he knows. Leung Chun who did not practice as hard as Wah "the Wooden Man", the assistant of Leung Jan ended up sitting at his father’s seat, his foot broken thanks to a palm strike yet very strong, practicing Chi-Sao with Wah "the Money-Changer", Chan Wah Shun.

Leung Jan called Wah "the Wooden Man" as soon as he heard the event, and learned Wah "the Wooden Man" also taught Wah "the Money-Changer". Leung Jan told Wah "the Wooden Man" to come with his friend.

Wah "the Wooden Man" realized his mistake and learned he should not have taught anybody else without his teacher informed. But Leung Jan saw Wah "the Money-Changer" (Chan Wah Shun) was talented and accepted him as his student.


Wah "the Money-Changer" (Chan Wah Shun) and his 16 students:
Because Wah "the Money-Changer" was passionate about fighting, he became very well-known in a short while, and his fame was heard by Manchu Government as well. They made him the chief instructor of their weakened army. But Wah did not find this respectable and went on teaching the public at his school like his teacher, quitting to teach the army more. He had sixteen students during his thirty six years of teaching.

Chan Wah Shun rented a mansion inherited by Ip family to teach WingChun Kung-Fu.

There he accepted his sixteenth and last student Ip Man who was 13 and consigned him to his second student and assistant Ng Chung So.


Ip Man (Go to the pervious tab to read about GM Ip Man)


Edited by:
Berat Uylukcu


You will see the "WingChun Grading System" in proWES below:

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I expect about your lessons and schools?
You will be cheered asking questions to perceive better. Knowing what you learned and why, and understanding principles behind workouts or techniques and formulae are crucial. You should evaluate your progress observing your own situtation, not any others’, and you will be able to develop friendships that could everlast.

Am I Supposed to Already Have Any Martial Arts Background?
Absolutely no. It is not a necessity for beginning, albeit useful for some kinds of situations.

Should I Be Fit and Ready For Beginning Lessons?
No. Required condition level will be provided gradually and progressively at the lessons. Although fitness is not our primary aim, the student attending the lessons steadily will notice the change on his/her shape and muscular condition. Besides all, martial arts are also entertaining and perfect exercises mentally at least as much as physically.

When you begin a lesson, your instructor will keep the level suitable for your condition level. You will notice the considerable change on your condition and power as the time goes by. We even have students who achieved their weight-loss goals attending the classes steadily.

We would like to remind again that this is not a fitness, aerobic or gymnastic class. Being fit and getting good shape is deeply related to both your physical activity and sticking with healthy eating. What we want to emphasize here is practicing martial arts can give you the boost and motivation to keep a fitness lifestyle and eat a healthy diet as you go further practicing it.

Are WingChun Classes Suitable for Women?
Yes. WingChun is a wonderful system for women. According to the most-known legend, WingChun system was developed by a woman, and the first student was also a woman named Yim WingChun.

WingChun is ideal for woman so that it lets the force flow rather resisting it if the rival is strong and advices to attack simultaneosly, and hosts lots of similar principles.

What Should I Wear for my First Lesson?
You can join the lesson wearing plain white and unimprinted t-shirt, dark (black, dark blue), sportswear pants (or shorts) and clean-soled sports shoes.

Are proWES Uniforms Available so that I can Wear at the Lessons?
Yes. However, this is not a rule! But our uniforms are available for students demanding for highly affordable prices.

What is Studied at a Typical Lesson?
Basically at a lesson, WingChun forms, basic exercises (basic drills, condition, coordination, footwork, balancing etc.) WingChun singular workouts, partnered workouts (Chi-sao, Lat-sao, applications), ground fighting, theoretical issues etc. are studied.

Will I be able to Learn Self-Defence?
Yes. The classes are mostly based on self-defence applications.

Can I get a Free Trial Lesson?
Yes, for sure! You can join as an audience or attend a lesson at any of our schools and ask your question to our instructors. Please get in touch with the instructor near your region from our “schools” section. Good luck!


WingChun Grading System in proWES

© copyright 2023 | proWES
all rights reserved

AI Website Software