WING CHOON KUNGFU - 10 Questions to Grandmaster Wong

[Daniel]

Dear all,

It´s a pleasure to announce that Sifu has kindly accepted to answer 10 questions on the art of Wing Choon Kungfu as a teaser for the next course that will be held in Barcelona on May 6th & 7th.

You´re welcome to ask questions on this topic.

More details on this course will be posted soon.

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[David Langford]

Dear Sigung,

How in your experience does the Wing Choon concept of controlling the center-line benefit the other styles in our school that do not have this specific focus, and how can it be adapted to for example the 16 combat sequences?

Many thanks!

[Kevin_B]

What a fantastic opportunity to learn about Wing Choon Kung Fu!

Thank you Sigung! Thank you Sifu Daniel!


***
Dear Sigung,

The Wooden Dummy seems synonymous with Wing Choon. Where did the Wooden Dummy originate and what benefits do Wing Choon practitioners get from training with one?

Is the Wooden Dummy (or its equivalent) found in any other style of Kung Fu?

All the best,

Kevin

[sancrica]

Another Wonderful Opportunity :-)

Dear Shaolin Wahnam Family,

First of all I would like to thank Sifu for his always infinite generosity. :-)

Sifu Daniel, thank you for starting this thread. It is another wonderful opportunity to deepen our knowledge in Kung Fu.

To be honest, I do not know much about Wing Choon Kung Fu so here goes my questions:

1) Sifu, Can you please explain the Strengths and Weaknesses of Wing Choon Kung Fu?

2) How can Wing Choon Kung Fu benefit/enhance my Taijiquan practice?

3) Are Sticky Hands the same than Pushing Hands or they have a different approach?

Sifu, thank you so much for your continuous efforts in spreading genuine Kung Fu around the world. Thank you for your passion, patience, generosity and wisdom.

With Love, Care and Shaolin Salute,

Santiago

[Matt F.]

Dear Sifu,

I was recently watching a Kungfu film that focused on Wing Choon, and one of the characters made an interesting comment regarding Sticky Hands practice. The teacher said to the student, "Do not follow your opponents movements. Follow his shadow." The teacher was telling the student to follow the opponent's intention, rather than his movements. Would you agree with this instruction for Sticky Hands? Or is this a fictional approach that was included in the movie?

I'm also curious to know if "shadow" is typically/traditionally used to mean intention - as in No Shadow Kick. Would this be a kick that is executed without any obvious intention to kick, or telegraphing the movement, thus making it difficult to block?

-Matt

[Daniel]

Dear Sifu,

Why do you think Yip Man style of Wing Chun has become so popular as an effective martial art?
And what differences this popular style comparing to the Wing Choon you teach?

Finally, I´ve noticed that many Wing Chun masters in the West, are developing their own personal "Wing Chun", often taking things from other sports/martial arts like Grappling and Boxing, and many of them are overly aggressive and arrogant, some even violent, what is your opinion on this?

[Andy]

Thanks to Sihing Daniel for mediating this thread & thanks to Sifu for answering our questions!

I'd like to ask:

Dear Sifu,

• How similar do you estimate the Choe family Wing Chun practiced in our school to be to the original style taught by Yim Wing Chun?
  
  
• If there was a modern day Yim Wing Chun (i.e. a beautiful and feminine young woman) out there wishing to take up kungfu, what would be the complete set of benefits to her from practicing Shaolin Wahnam Wing Chun?

Many thanks,

[CSwacha]

Dear Sifu,

Thank you Sifu for the opportunity to ask questions, I am really looking forward to reading your responses and learning more about Wing Choon. I have 2 questions that I would like to ask.

1. You have said that the most outstanding lesson that you have learned from Sigung Choe Hoong Choy is "Profundity in simplicity". Could you please give some examples of "Profundity in Simplicity" in Choe family Wing Choon ?
2. Has practicing Choe family Wing Choon given you any "aha" moments that furthered your understanding or allowed for break-throughs in the other styles of Kung Fu you practice ?

Another thank you to Daniel Siheng for looking after this Q&A thread.

With Shaolin Salute and best regards,
-Chris

[Daniel]

Thank you all for your questions!

Now we close the section for questions, Sifu´s wonderful answers are on the way!!!

Greetings!

[Daniel]

Finally, Sifu´s answers, here we go with the first one!:

Questions on Wing Choon Kungfu Question 1 - Part 1

Question 1

How in your experience does the Wing Choon concept of controlling the center-line benefit the other styles in our school that do not have this specific focus, and how can it be adapted to for example the 16 combat sequences?

David Langford[/I]


Answer

The center-line concept is frequently mentioned in Wing Choon Kungfu but is sometimes misunderstood. This concept is considered of great importance in many popular Wing Choon schools today, but in the style of Wing Choon Kungfu I practice, i.e. Choe Family Wing Choon, it is only one of the concepts contributing to combat efficiency. In other words, in Choe Family Wing Choon, the center-line concept is not given the same importance and emphasis as in most other Wing Choon schools.

The center-line refers to an imaginary line running from the top of the head down the mid-position of the nose, mouth, chest and stomach, through the navel and dan tian to the sex organs and anus. It usually refers to the front of the body, but may also refers to an imaginary line at the back of the body running at mid-position from the top of the head down to the anus.

Basically according to the center-line concept, when a Wing Choon practitioner strikes an opponent, he aims at targets along this center-line. In his defence he deflects an opponent’s attack from this center-line. These attack and defence movements are manifested in his solo set practice. Controlling the center-line means commanding this central space in both attack and defence.

For example, when practicing Siu Lim Tou many practitioners of other Wing Choon schools move their cup fist from their center-line outward. We also do this when practicing Siu Lin Tou in our school. This “offer wine” technique is practiced in our One-Finger Shooting Zen” sequence too.

Hoong Ka practitioners perform the “offer wine” technique differently. They do not start from their center-line at their solar plexus; they start from their waist and move their cup-fist straight out at shoulder-position, not at the center. We do this too when practicing Triple Stretch.

In performing “tan sau”, or “mirror-hand”, some Wing Choon practitioners of other schools move their palm outward from their center-line. We perform this technique differently. We move our palm outward, not directly but diagonally so that the palm will end at the shoulder position.

Many years ago when I was teaching in Australia, a Wing Choon practitioner from another school consulted me how to defend against a series of chain punches. I show him how to use a “tan sau” or mirror-hand to close both punches of an opponent. He said that his sifu forbid him to move his “tan sau” diagonally; it should be moved only forward so as to follow the principle of the center-line.

I told him that using “tan sau” the way he did was ineffective. The opponent, with a slight slanting of his body, could still piece through and strike him. Or the opponent could use his other hand to strike him, as he had not cover the opponent adequately.

[Joan]

Another wonderful thread in the Q&A series.

Thank you Sifu and Sifu Daniel.

With deepest respect,
Joan

[Daniel]

Questions on Wing Choon Kungfu Question 1 - Part 2
(Continued from Part 1)

In justifying their striking their opponent at the center-line, Wing Choon practitioners of other Wing Choon schools often use the analogy of a sand-bag. If you strike a sand-bag head-on at its center, you execute a full impact on the sand-bay. If you strike a sand-bag at its side, your punch may glide away with much less impact.

This argument is not valid in Choe Family Wing Choon. In Choe Family Wing Choon, we use internal force, not just physical impact, to injure an opponent. Even if an exponent does not have internal force, striking an opponent’s ribs with a leopard punch, or his vital point with a phoenix-eye fist can cause much damage. Leopard punch and phoenix-eye fist are frequently used in Choe Family Wing Choon, but not in other popular styles of Wing Choon.

Moreover, Wing Choon Kungfu is meant for small-sized opponents against bigger-sixed opponents. Attacking the center-line of bigger-sized opponents head-on is disadvantageous, but attacking their sides is more advantageous.

Similarly, sticking on to the center-line to deflect a powerful head-on attack from an opponent is disadvantageous. It is more advantageous to move to a side and simultaneously counter-strike the attacker with a phoenix-eye fist or a leopard punch.

The center-line concept is involved in both cases but they are used differently. In other schools of Wing Choon, the exponent remains at the center-line, and deflects an attack from the center-line. For example, if an opponent executes a right thrust punch at your solar plexus, you do not move away but deflect his attack with your right “tan sau”.

In Choe Family Wing Choon, when an opponent attacks his center-line, the exponent moves to a side and simultaneously counter-strikes. For example, if an opponent executes a right thrust punch at your solar plexus, you move diagonally to your left side, using your left palm to cover yourself, and simultaneously counter-strike his right ribs with your right leopard punch.

The center-line concept is present not only in the other styles in our school but also in the other styles in all other schools. However, it is not given special importance or emphasis as in some popular Wing Choon styles.

This center-line concept does not have this special focus not because practitioners of other styles in our school as well as in all other schools do not know its advantage when the advantage is present, but because more often than not other concepts like attacking from the side are circular movement are more advantageous, especially for the small sized against a bigger opponent.

Hence, the question of the concept of controlling the center line of some Wing Choon schools benefitting other styles in our school is irrelevant. Not only in the other styles, but even in our Choe Family Wing Choon, we do not always use this concept. In fact, in the case of the small sized against a bigger opponent, for which traditional Wing Choon Kungfu is famous, using this center-line concept is often disadvantageous.

[Daniel]

Questions on Wing Choon Kungfu Question 1 - Part 3
(Continued from Part 2)

On occasions when this concept is advantageous, like when an exponent has a lot of internal force, this center-line concept is employed. It is not a case of borrowing the center-line concept from Wing Choon Kungfu because this concept is already found in the kungfu style in question. In the Xingyiquan course at the 2013 UK Summer Camp, for example, course participants used pi-quan to control the center-line in their attack and defence, irrespective of an opponent’s moves!

There is no need to adapt the center-concept in the 16 combat sequences or in any systematic attack or defence. Indeed it would be silly to do so when it is disadvantageous, although some martial artists in their mistaken view that the center-line concept is a fantastic method might do so.

In some of the 16 combat sequences, the center-line concept is used. For example, this concept is evident in Sequences 1 and 2. But when other concepts are favourable in certain combat situations, these other concepts are used, like the side-attack in Sequence 3 and 4.

This center-line concept would be detrimental when meeting a fast opponent, like a Boxer. If a Boxer executes a left jab, for example, and a Wing Choon practitioner uses the center-line concept to ward off the left jab with his right “tan sau”, he would expose himself to the right cross of the Boxer.

It would be more advantageous for him to use his left catch-hand, as in Cham Kiew, to “close” the Boxer’s left jab, and moves into the Boxer’s left side, not his center-line, and strikes the Boxer’s ribs with his left leopard punch. Interestingly, because of their lack of exposure, those who glamorize the center-line concept may cry out that this is not Wing Choon Kungfu, although this is a typical counter from Choe Family Wing Choon.

If you want to use any of the 16 combat sequences to press into an opponent, the center-line concept would also be detrimental. Instead of striking his center-line, you should use the concept of “one against two” to adequately tame your opponent, and use the other hand to deliver a coup de grace.

[Tim]

Dear Daniel,

Congratulations on this course, it was one of my favourites and continues to live on with me since the first course on this.

Don't just think about going on this course, do it! You will not regret learning this amazing style of Wing Choon.

[David Langford]

Thank you Sigung for answering my question!!!!!