Wing Chun is a style based on human biomechanics rather than animal movements, using primarily straight line, fast, direct strikes and sophisticated simultanous blocking and striking techniques, redirecting the force of an opponent rather than attempting to meet such possibly greater force directly.
The origin of Wing Chun can be found in the turbulent, repressive Ching Dynasty which flourished over 270 years ago. It was a time when 90 percent of the Chinese people, the Hons, were ruled by the 10 percent minority, the Manchus. When all weapons were outlawed by the Manchus, the Hans began training a revolutionary army in the art of kung fu. The Sil Lum temple became the secret sanctuary for preparatory trainings of a classical style which took between 15 to 20 years for each person to master. To develop a new form, one which would have shorter training time, five of China's grandmasters met to discuss the merits of each of the various forms of Kung Fu. By choosing the most efficient techniques from each style, they developed training programs that would develop an efficient martial artist in 5 to 7 years, one third the original time. However before this new form could be put into practice, the Shil Lim Temple was raided and burned by the Manchus. Ng Mui, a nun, was the only survivor of the original five grandmasters. She passed her knowledge onto a young orphan girl whom she named Wing Chun. The name represented "hope for the future". In turn Wing Chun passed her knowledge on to her husband. Through the years the style became known as Wing Chun. Its techniques and teachings were passed onto a few, always carefully selected students. In 1950 Yip Man started to teach Wing Chun in Hong Kong. One of his first students was the new Grandmaster, William Cheung, head of the World Wing Chun Kung Fu Association.

See Kung Fu

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