History or Evolution
There are several known & well-documented lineages of Wing Chun. While they all have their origins in Mainland China, many have differing views on the genesis & evolution of Wing Chun. Wing Chun’s early history exists more in fiction than in fact. Nevertheless, it is also chronologically documented that Wing Chun was instigated during the repressive Ching Dynasty. The origins are in the Siu Lam Monastery & it is also well documented that Wing Chun was a conglomerate of other disciplines. Beyond the early fables, many remarkable masters have inherited the art & passed it on to new generations. Each, doubtless, brought to the style their own unique genius & experience & thus they form the link between the Wing Chun of legend & the Wing Chun practiced around the world today.
The Wing Chun taught at Wing Chun Australia is a complete example of the art. To the uninitiated, it looks very different to the “Hong Kong” style lineages of Wing Chun. To the initiated, the differences lie in the simplicity of human movement through time & space. While hand movements & sequencing of drills may be performed identically, the differences lie in the execution of strikes from differing angles & the positioning of oneself “offline” to a single or multiple opponent scenario.
Wing Chun Kung Fu Australia has always undertaken a quest to continue to evolve the system to its highest level while continuing to make the curriculum challenging and fun for today’s student. Conscious evolution requires an uncompromising passion for the truth, not ego or self-satisfaction – truth.
The Essence of Wing Chun is to Keep Evolving
“Wing Chun was developed in a time when change was necessary & it borrowed from every available system. The essence of Wing Chun is to keep evolving, keep borrowing & developing, but not just for the sake of it, & not to delete because one cannot perform a certain task. Nevertheless, there are some elements to our training & our Schools that will never change – Honour, Respect, Humility & Integrity to name a few…”
Si-Fu Rick Spain
The question that should be asked is: “does the curriculum address violence, fear & conflict resolution in a non-regulated environment?” At the end of the day, the system of Wing Chun taught here has been extensively tested & measured in real one-on-one & multiple opponent scenarios. Put simply: “Real Skills for Real Life…No B.S.”
History
According to legend, prior to the destruction of the Shaolin & Siu Lam Monasteries where rebel activists, disguised as “monks”, were able to “secretly” train in the art of kung fu, a comprehensive advanced martial art system known as “Wing Chun” was developed. A group of 5 masters, each a specialist in their own style of kung fu, pooled their knowledge & experience, taking the most effective & devastating techniques from each of their respective styles, & created Wing Chun (“forever springtime”).
As kung fu training was banned, the Manchu’s raided & destroyed the Shaolin & Siu Lam Monasteries in an effort to stamp out any rebel “kung fu” activity. Several monks escaped & sought refuge on the Chinese “Red Boat’s” (“Hung Suen”). Here talented stage performers, accomplished in kung fu, were able to form “secret societies” & recruit members of the public as the Red Boat’s stopped to perform in towns & villages along the Chinese river system. The purpose of the system was simple – to defeat all other kung fu styles as taught to the repressive Ching Dynasty Armies, & to be mastered in a 4 to 5 year time frame. As with all advanced Siu Lam knowledge, Wing Chun was conducted under a “silent code”. This meant that in order to protect the activists & prevent abuse, it was passed down to only a few, always carefully selected disciples & was never documented.
The Wing Chun curriculum taught at Wing Chun Australia encompasses the teaching of the traditional Wing Chun forms from both the Neutral & Front stance positions. All Dummy sets are performed / taught on both the left & right sides of the apparatus. There are 25 unique sets taught through the curriculum. Traditional Wing Chun footwork is employed along with the traditional choice of weapons: Wing Chun Butterfly Sword, Dragon Pole & Butterfly Rod. Wing Chun Australia also teaches the twin short sticks, single stick double hand & the combat knife as ‘modern day’ weapons. The fundamentals of Chi Sao (touch reflex training) & Iron Palm hand conditioning are other areas addressed, along with multiple opponent sparring & the clinching, grappling & ground fighting game.
