Origins of Wing Chun
Wing Chun was named after a beautiful young women named Yim Wing Chun. Supremely dazzling, she sold bean curds for a living and was nicknamed Dofu Xishi after Xishi, one of the four legendary maidens of ancient China. Accordint to tradition, Wing Chun's orgin dates back approximately two hundred and fifty years ago during the reign of Emperor Qing Long (1736-1795).
Wu Mei, a Shaolin nun, took Yim Wing Chun under her protection, teaching her Shaolin Kung Fu, in order to fend off the advance of an unwelcomed suitor. Subsequently, Yim Wing Chun had a vision in the garden as she observed a white crane and snake fighting. Yim's epiphany inspired Wu Mei to found a new and revolutionary martial art, which she named after its originator: Wing Chun Kung Fu.
The new system was practiced in secret and passed down from generation to generation to a handful of chosen disciples. It remained relatively unknown until it reached Foshan, a city west of Guangzhou, when Liang Zan, Grandmaster of the Fourth Generation, established its reputation by triumping in numerous fights against opponents skilled in convential systems of Kung Fu.
It was Yip Man, the grand disciple of Liang Zan, who introduced it to Hong Long in 1949 when he escaped from Communist China. He was controversially (Liang Bi, son of Liang Zan, taught Yip Man in Hong Kong) considered to be the founder of Wing Chun Kung Fu in Hong Kong.
Finally, Li Xialong, known to the world as Bruce Lee, made Wing Chun famous in the 1960s and 1970s through his movies.
Shadowhand Wing Chun Family Tree
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
All material is Copyright © 2004-2006 Shadowhand Productions and cannot be used without written permission.
Website design is Copyright © 2006 Dustan Carroll and cannot be used without written permission.
