Wing Chun Masters and the Development of Wing Chun

I. Leung Jan

• ​​Main Entry​​: Leung Jan (Martial Artist)
• ​​Basic Information​​: Leung Jan (1826 – 1901), originally named Leung Tak – wing, was from Gualou, Heshan, Guangdong Province and lived to the age of 75.
• ​​Reputation in Hong Kong​​: After Ip Man came to Hong Kong in the 1950s, the martial – arts novel “Mr. Chan of Foshan” was serialized in Hong Kong newspapers. “Mr. Chan” was revered as the “King of Wing Chun”. One of his well – known disciples was Chan Wah – shun, nicknamed “Cha Chien Wah”.
• ​​Life and Teaching​​:
  • ​​Family Background​​: Leung Tak – wing, from Gualou, Heshan, was born there. He took over his father’s traditional Chinese medicine and bone – setting clinic on Chopstick Street in Foshan and renamed it “Wing Sang Tong”. The names “Hang Ji Tong” and “Chan Sang Tong” were created by Chen Jing.
  • ​​Martial Arts Learning​​: At the age of 18, Leung Jan first learned Qinzhou Snake – style Hung Gar from Leung Yee – tai, a member of the Red Boat opera troupe. Later, Leung Yee – tai introduced Leung Jan to Wong Wah – bo, his master and friend. Wong Wah – bo, also from Heshan and a fellow townsman of Leung Jan, secretly taught Leung Jan Wing Chun and warned him not to spread it publicly, otherwise it would go against the ancestors’ will.
  • ​​Teaching Period​​: Around 1870 – 1890, Leung Jan (Mr. Chan) accepted disciples and taught boxing at Wing Sang Tong. He reorganized all the knowledge he had learned in his life, laying a solid foundation for Wing Chun.
  • ​​Succession​​: After reaching the age of 60, due to the early death of his eldest son, Leung Chun, his second son, Leung Bik, became the successor of his medical and martial arts skills. At that time, Leung Bik had left Foshan for Hong Kong to work in a cloth shop and could not take over his father’s business. So, he entrusted Wing Sang Tong to Chan Wah – shun and returned to Gualou after retiring. Since Shun was from Xingtan, the author of the novel “Mr. Chan of Foshan” also called the clinic “Hang Ji Tong” at this time.
  • ​​Leung Bik​​: Born in 1845 and died in 1911, Leung Bik started learning boxing from his father at a young age (more than 20 years earlier than Chan Wah – shun). Later, he went to Hong Kong to run a silk shop with friends. From 1909 to 1911, he passed on his skills to Ip Man. He was probably the disciple who best understood the history of Wing Chun and his father’s boxing and sword techniques, and had the greatest influence on Ip Man in the future.

II. Chan Wah – shun

• ​​Main Entry​​: Chan Wah – shun
• ​​Basic Information​​: Chan Wah – shun (1849 – 1913), lived to the age of 64. He was from Ma Ning, Xingtan, Shunde, born in Shunde and later lived in Foshan. His nickname “Cha Chien Wah” came from his job of “exchanging silver money” (getting change). He was tall and had amazing arm strength.
• ​​Learning Wing Chun​​: Knowing about Leung Jan’s (Mr. Chan of Foshan) combat feats, he often learned by peeping through the door crack on his own. Finally, at the age of 39, he followed 62 – year – old Leung Jan to learn Wing Chun. After Leung Jan passed away, Chan Wah – shun started teaching Wing Chun at a pottery store on Linwa Street in 1904. Around the age of 61 (around 1907), he accepted Ip Man as his disciple.
• ​​Teaching Period​​: From 1904 to 1910, Chan Wah – shun taught boxing, with a total of 16 disciples, including senior disciples such as Wu Siu – lo, Wu Chung – suk, Ho Hon – leoi, Lui Yu – zai, Chan Yu – kam, and the last – closed – door disciple Ip Man.
• ​​After Stroke​​: After having a stroke in 1910, Chan Wah – shun retired to Ma Ning, Xingtan, Shunde. The bone – setting clinic in Foshan was then taken over by Chan Yu – min.

Chan Wah – shun’s Disciples

1. Chan Yu – min

• Born in 1884 and died in 1942, Chan Yu – min was the only son of Chan Wah – shun. His father started teaching him Wing Chun when he was 8 – 9 years old. Because Chan Yu – min had a bad temper when he was 13 – 14 years old and often fought with others over trivial matters, he was nicknamed “Pik Kau Min” (Pik Kau means naughty). Chan Yu – min married Lai Ho (Miu Hin), the daughter of Lai Sam – hing, an old Hung Gar coach in Changjiao Township of the neighboring village. When Chan Wah – shun had a stroke in his later years and returned to his hometown in Shunde, the bone – setting clinic in Foshan was taken over by Chan Yu – min.
• Chan Yu – min had three sons, namely Chan Ka – san, Chan Ka – lim, and Chan Ka – cai. In addition to learning the boxing techniques from the paternal side, they also learned techniques such as Da Jin Sau, Yat Zi Kum, and Seung Do Cip Gwun from the maternal side (Hung family skills). Among his disciples, besides his three sons, more well – known ones included Chiu Ka – wo from Nanhai and Kam Siu – choi.
• In 1932, Chan Yu – min moved to Wuzhou, Guangxi, and set up a school named “Fo Zhen Chan Guan”, teaching “Shaolin Wing Chun”. He passed away in 1942.

2. Wu Chung – suk

• Wu Chung – suk’s father opened a pottery store in Foshan. Due to work needs for currency exchange, he became friends with Chan Wah – shun. Later (around 1904), he handed over the pottery store to Chan Wah – shun and entrusted his two sons, Chung – suk and Siu – lo, to Chan Wah – shun. So, Wu Chung – suk was called the second senior disciple. At that time, Chan Wah – shun officially started teaching disciples in the store.
• Two years later (around 1906), he followed Chan Wah – shun to rent the Ye Clan Ancestral Hall to set up a clinic and teach disciples. Until about three years later (around 1909), when Chan Wah – shun had a mild stroke and felt old, he returned to his hometown for medical treatment.
• Wu Chung – suk moved to Po Kwan Hui Sin Heung Street to set up a clinic and teach disciples. Many rich young masters, such as Ho Siu – choi of Yau Kei Blind Man’s Cake, Li Chi – ho of Lee Chung Shing Tong, and Leung Fuk – choi, the treasurer of Ying Ju Restaurant, also came to learn from him.
• In the 1930s, the Yiu family’s opium den hired Yuon Kai – wan to be in charge of security. His younger brother Yuon Kei – saan and the opium den’s “prince” Yiu Choi had the opportunity to learn his Snake – style martial arts for nearly 10 years. Before the Japanese imperial army advanced southward during World War II, Yuon Kai – wan went to Vietnam in 1939, and the opium den was taken over by the Wu family. Yuon Kei – saan and Yiu Choi then had the opportunity to learn Wing Chun. Later, Wu Chung – suk went to Hong Kong, and Yiu Choi even invited his grand – master Kwok Po – chuen to Foshan for guidance twice.
• It is said that Wu Chung – suk once set up a school in Shau Kei Wan, Hong Kong during the war, but it was very short – lived. After the war, he returned to Foshan and was supported by his former disciples such as the Yiu brothers.

3. Ip Man

• ​​Basic Information​​: Ip Man (1893 – 1972) was originally a member of a Foshan gentry family and later learned martial arts from Chan Wah – shun. In 1950, he promoted Wing Chun in Hong Kong.
• ​​Disciples​​: His disciples included Leung Seung (whose disciples included Jiang Keung [his first master was Lok Yiu and then studied under Leung Seung], Zheng Chuen – fan, Kwok Keung (a traditional Chinese medicine doctor), Leung Kam – tong, Po Kin – wa, Ng Wah – sam, Chan Chun – bou, and Leung Gun, etc.), Lok Yiu, Yu Kau – wui, Tsui Sheung – tin, Gu Sang, Chiu Wan, Wong Chun – leung, Leung Ting, Tong Cho – chi, Ho Kam – ming (from Macau), Lo Man – kam (from Taiwan), Bruce Lee (from the United States), Mui Bing – wa (also known as Yu Yiu – hin, from the United States), Mui Yat (from the United States), his eldest son Ip Chun, and his second son Ip Ching. They all followed his will and spread Wing Chun to every corner of the world. Among them, Bruce Lee used Wing Chun as the foundation of martial arts and developed Jeet Kune Do.
• ​​Teaching Venues​​: Since Leung Pok – chow, Leung Lan – kwai, and Wong Wah – bo did not have the habit of setting up martial – arts schools, Leung Jan taught in the clinic, Chan Wah – shun taught in the pottery store, and Wu Chung – suk taught in a club.

III. Wing Chun Athletic Association

• ​​Initiation by Ip Man​​: In 1966, Ip Man proposed that his disciples form the Wing Chun Fraternal Association (later renamed the Wing Chun Athletic Association). With the financial support of Detective Inspector Tang Sang, colleagues Peng Kam – faat, and Lam Hin – faat, it was established on Nathan Road. In 1968, it was registered as an association with the Hong Kong Police Force and became the earliest registered traditional Chinese martial – arts group. The first training class was presided over by Leung Ting. Later, the Wing Chun Fraternal Association moved to its own premises on Shui Kui Tao in Mong Kok. In 1974, it was officially registered as a non – profit limited company under the name of Wing Chun Athletic Association.
• ​​Ip Man’s Sons’ Association​​: Before Ip Man passed away a few months later, his two sons set up the Ip Man Sports Association.

IV. Other Information about Wing Chun Instructors

• From Leung Pok – chow, Leung Lan – kwai, and Wong Wah – bo, none of them had the habit of setting up martial – arts schools. Leung Jan taught in the clinic, Chan Wah – shun taught in the pottery store, and Wu Chung – suk taught in a club.