Wing Chun: Difference between revisions

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{{short description|Chinese martial art}}

:''For the 1994 Hong Kong film, see ''[[Wing Chun (film)]]'''

{{Other uses}}

{{Distinguish|Weng Chun}}

{{Missing information|Wing Chun organizations like VTAA and EWTO|date=January 2023}}

{{Infobox martial art

| image = [[File:The age of 18 Bruce Lee and Ye Wen.jpg|300px]]

| imagecaption = [[Ip Man]] and [[Bruce Lee]] practicing "{{lang|zh|双黐手}}" (Seung Chi Sau), meaning "double sticky hands"

| name = Wing Chun

| focus = [[Strike (attack)|Striking]], [[Grappling#Stand-up grappling|grappling]], [[Clinch fighting#Trapping techniques|trapping]]

| country = [[Foshan]], China

| creator = No definitive founder has been identified; there are eight distinct lineages with different stories regarding its conception.<ref name=Chu1/><ref name="ReferenceA"/>{{page needed|date=January 2023}}<br>''For further information, see [[Branches of Wing Chun]]''

| parenthood = [[Shaolin Kung Fu]] / [[Nanquan (martial art)|Nanquan]]<ref name="ReferenceA">Benjamin N. Judkins & Jon Nielson 2015</ref>{{page needed|date=January 2023}}

| descendant arts = [[Jeet Kune Do]],<ref name="Crudelli316" /> [[German Jujutsu]]{{efn|name="GermanJujutsu"|Wing Chun techniques were added to the German Jujutsu curriculum in 2000. Prior to that, German Jujutsu did not contain Wing Chun techniques.}}<ref>Braun, Christian (2004). Ju-Jutsu – Effektives Training. Das Prüfungsprogramm vom Gelb- und Orangegurt. Aachen, Germany: Meyer & Meyer Verlag. {{ISBN|3-89899-011-7}}.</ref>

| famous_pract = (see [[#Notable practitioners|notable practitioners]])

| olympic =

}}

{{Infobox Chinese

| title = Wing Chun

| l = "singing spring"<ref name="meaning N" /><ref name="meaning W" />

| t = {{linktext|詠春}}

| s = {{linktext|咏春}}

| j = Wing6 ceon1

| p = Yǒngchūn

| mi = {{IPAc-cmn|yong|3|.|zh|un|1}}

| ci = {{IPAc-yue|w|ing|6|.|c|eon|1}}

}}

{{Chinese martial arts}}

'''Wing Chun''' ([[Cantonese]]) or '''Yong Chun''' ([[Mandarin Chinese|Mandarin]]) ({{zh|t=[[wikt:詠春|詠春]]|s=[[wikt:咏春|咏春]]|first=t}}, lit. "singing spring")<ref>See Etymology</ref> is a concept-based martial art{{what|date=August 2025}}, a form of [[Nanquan (martial art)|Southern Chinese kung fu]], and a close-quarters system of [[self-defense]]. It is a martial arts style characterized by its focus on close-quarters hand-to-hand combat, rapid-fire punches, and straightforward efficiency. It has a philosophy that emphasizes capturing and sticking to an opponent's centerline. This is accomplished using simultaneous attack and defense, tactile sensitivity, and using an opponent's force against them.

Wing Chun has various spellings in the West, but "Wing Chun" is the most common.<ref>« As the art grows in popularity, many different Romanizations for the Chinese character "Wing Chun" continue to be created, often as a result of the local dialect and pronunciation. This results in the ability to determine a lineage, student/teacher family tree, or origin, by the spelling alone. The most common spelling is "wing chun", which applies generally to all families. » - Wayne Belonoha, The Wing Chun Compendium, p.20</ref>{{Full citation needed|date=January 2023}}<ref name="mil.news.sina.com.cn">{{cite web |url= https://mil.news.sina.com.cn/china/2020-11-23/doc-iiznezxs3243149.shtml|title= Why traditional martial arts lose to hand-to-hand combat – US military hand-to-hand combat trainer who teaches Wing Chun sees it this way.|author= |date= November 23, 2020|website= sina.com.cn.|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210514080001/https://mil.news.sina.com.cn/china/2020-11-23/doc-iiznezxs3243149.shtml|language= Chinese|access-date=14 May 2021|archive-date= May 14, 2021}}</ref>{{additional citation needed|date=January 2023}} The origins of Wing Chun are uncertain, but it is generally attributed to the development of Southern Chinese martial arts. There are at least eight distinct lineages, of which the [[Ip Man]] and [[Yuen Kay-shan]] lineages are the most prolific.

'''Wing Chun''' ({{zh-cp|c=&#35424;&#26149;|p=yǒng chūn}}; [[Yale_Romanization#Cantonese|Yale Cantonese]]: wing2 cheun1), also [[romanized]] '''Ving Tsun''', is a system of [[Chinese martial arts]] with an emphasis on unarmed close-range fighting, although its curriculum includes weapons and techniques suitable for various ranges.

The martial art was brought to Hong Kong and then the rest of the world by Ip Man, with [[Bruce Lee]] being his most famous student. The Ving Tsun Athletic Association, founded in 1967 by Ip Man and his students, helped spread Wing Chun globally. Traditionally taught within a family system, modern Wing Chun lessons have taken on a more academic and commercial character.

== History ==

The history of most martial arts, including Wing Chun, has historically been passed from teacher to student [[Oral history|verbally]] rather than by text, making it difficult to confirm or clarify the differing accounts of Wing Chun's creation, which has long been a subject of debate.

Since students are usually more focused on learning the art itself rather than its history, historical fact easily becomes lost as these stories become romanticised and mythologized.

Such legends nevertheless shape every practitioner's idea of what the art is and are therefore worth studying in their own right; for example, the traditions of many of its branches maintain that Wing Chun was designed for women and fighters of lighter build in general.

Wing Chun gained popularity in the 2010s due to the [[Ip Man (film series)|''Ip Man'' film series]] starring [[Donnie Yen]] and has been featured in video games like [[Tekken 7]]. Notable practitioners include Bruce Lee, Donnie Yen, Samuel Kwok, and Carlos Deleon.

Theories have been proposed that apply the methods of [[higher criticism]] to the oral histories of Wing Chun and other [[Chinese martial art]]s or discern the origins of Wing Chun by determining the specific purpose of its techniques.

Wing Chun starts to appear in independent third-party documentation during the era of the Wing Chun master [[Leung Jan]], making the subsequent history of Wing Chun more amenable to documentary verification.

=== OralEtymology histories ===

In Chinese, this martial art is referred to as {{lang|zh|咏春拳}} (simplified script) or {{lang|zh|詠春拳}} (traditional script). Though it is written in an almost identical way in traditional and simplified, it is not pronounced and transcribed in the same way according to the regions and their dialects: '''Yǒngchūn quán''' in [[Mandarin pinyin]], '''Wing-Chun keen''' in [[Cantonese]] [[Wade–Giles]]. It is made up of two terms: {{lang|zh|拳}} (quan/kuen) which means "fist, boxing" and the term {{lang|zh|詠春}} (wing-chun, in Cantonese) meaning "singing spring". The full name is thus translated as "singing spring boxing".<ref name="meaning N">{{cite book|title=Mantis fist in Wing Chun|date=2016|first=Neskorodev |last=Semyon |page=4|quote=The origin... One of them states, that this style was created by five masters of Southern Shaolin, who made this work in the Hall of Praising Spring. Other legend says, that the style was elaborated by [[Yim Wing Chun|the women Wing Chun]] (Singing Spring), the daughter of novice of Southern Shaolin}}{{Self-published source|reason=CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform|date=January 2023}}</ref><ref name="meaning W">{{cite book|title=Sport as Symbol: Images of the Athlete in Art, Literature and Song|date=2003|first=Mari |last=Womack|page=93|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=RJPuAAAAMAAJ&q=sing+spring|publisher=McFarland & Company|isbn= 978-0-7864-1579-3|quote=village girl named [[Yim Wing Chun]], which means to sing spring}}</ref>

In its short designation, the martial art is simply designated by these two sinograms:

==== Yip Man Wing Chun ====

* the sinogram {{lang|zh|詠}} yǒng/wing: "to sing, to sing..."

The oral history of the [[Yip Man]] branch of Wing Chun dates its creation to the reign of the [[Emperor Kangxi]] ([[1662]]&ndash;[[1722]]).

* the sinogram {{lang|zh|春}} chūn/chun: "spring, vitality..."

After escaping the destruction of the [[Henan]] [[Shaolin Monastery]] by [[Qing]] forces, the Abbess [[Ng Mui]] fled to the distant Daliang mountains (大涼山) on the border between [[Yunnan]] and [[Sichuan]].

One day, she came upon a fight between a snake and a crane.

She took the lessons she learned from observing the fight between the two animals and combined them with her own knowledge of [[Shaolin kung fu]] to create a new style.

Ng Mui often bought her bean curd at the tofu shop of Yim Yee (嚴二).

Yim Yee had a daughter named [[Yim Wing-Chun]] (嚴詠春){{ref|嚴詠春}} whom a local warlord was trying to force into marriage.

Ng Mui taught her new fighting style to Wing-Chun, which the girl used to fend off the warlord once and for all.

Wing-Chun eventually married a man she loved, Leung Bok-Chao (梁博儔), to whom she taught the fighting techniques that Ng Mui had passed on to her.

Husband and wife in turn passed the new style on to others.

This martial art is sometimes referred to by {{lang|zh|永春}}, characters different from {{lang|zh|詠春}}, but pronounced and transcribed in the same way: They are literally translated as "eternal spring", the character {{lang|zh|永}} meaning "eternal, endless". These characters also designate the Yongchun region near the city of Quanzhou (Fujian).

==== Yiu Kai Wing Chun ====

The oral history of the Yiu Kai lineage dates the creation of Wing Chun roughly a century later, to the early [[19th century]], and names Wing-Chun's father as Yim Sei (嚴四), a disciple at the [[Fujian]] [[Shaolin Temple]] who avoids persecution by fleeing with his daughter to [[Guangxi]].

Wing-Chun learned the [[Fujian]] [[Shaolin (martial arts)|Shaolin arts]] from her father and, from their raw material, created a new style after being inspired by a fight between a snake and a crane.

She eventually married Leung Bok-Chao (梁博儔)&mdash;a Shaolin disciple just like Wing-Chun's father&mdash;and taught her fighting style to her new husband.

The young couple began teaching Wing Chun's fighting style to others after moving to [[Guangdong|Guangdong Province]] in 1815, settling in the city of [[Zhaoqing]].

If the use of {{lang|zh|詠春}} seems privileged today for Wing Chun styles, {{lang|zh|永春}} still appears in the name of other Southern Chinese martial arts (with {{lang|zh|永春}} often transcribed '''Weng Chun'''); for example [[Weng Chun|jee shim weng chun]] and [[Fujian White Crane|Yǒng Chūn Bái Hè Quán]] ({{lang|zh|永春白鶴拳}}).<ref>Use of {{lang|zh|永春}} by several branches, including [[Pan Nam]] himself, attested by [[Leung Ting]] in ''Roots and Branches of Wing Tsun'' and by the authors of ''Complete Wing Chun'' . See also http://weng-chun.com and http://www.yongchunbaihechuen.com</ref>{{additional citation needed|date=January 2023}}

Numerous variations on this story abound.

=== TheoriesRomanization ===

Other origins for Wing Chun have been suggested, typically involving connections to the [[Triads]], [[revolutionary|revolutionary groups]], or the [[Hakka]] people of southern [[China]].

Almost all extant lineages of Wing Chun, with the exception of the Pao Fa Lien (刨花蓮) branch, claim descent from the members of the mid-[[19th century]] cohort of the Red Boat Opera Company (紅船戲班).

In the West, the name of this martial art has been transcribed variably due to the use of different or personal Chinese language romanization methods, and differences in pronunciation between Chinese languages (but Cantonese was often preferred) or according to Western languages. In addition, some Wing Chun masters voluntarily created their own terms, in order to dissociate their personal teaching from traditional teachings. For example, [[Yip Man]]'s Ving Tsun or [[Leung Ting]]'s Wing Tsun.

==== Espionage and assassination ====

According to one proposed explanation, opponents of the [[Qing Dynasty]] used the Red Boat Opera Company as a cover to disguise themselves as troupe of travelling entertainers.

Their identities as [[Chinese opera]] performers provided a cover for martial arts training; however, the flashy moves of opera style martial arts ware not suited to the activities of espionage and [[assassination]], which required specialized skills.

Even though assassinations themselves would be carried out using [[poison]] or [[knife|knives]], their targets were usually protected by bodyguards who, on discovery of an intruder, would seize the person, call for help, and disable the person to be held for interrogation.

Therefore, according to this hypothesis, Wing Chun was designed to deal with an opponent who seized rather than struck and to silence that opponent immediately.

This would explain certain technical aspects of Wing Chun, such as its emphasis on close-range combat and its many strikes to the throat and [[diaphragm (anatomy)|diaphragm]].

{{blockquote|The consequence is the ability to determine a lineage, a student-teacher family tree, just by spelling.|Wayne Belonoha<ref>The Wing Chun compendium</ref>{{Full citation needed|date=January 2023}}}}

==== Wing Chun City ====

Also of note is the existence of a city called Yongchun (永春){{ref|永春}} in [[Fujian|Fujian Province]], China.

In Mandarin, the pronunciation of the martial art and the pronunciation of the town are identical: Yǒngchūn.

In Cantonese, the pronunciations are not identical, but nonetheless similar: wing2 cheun1 (martial art) vs wing5 cheun1 (municipality).

The name of the town is written with the character yǒng/wing "永" meaning "always," whereas the lineages of Wing Chun that descend from [[Yip Man]], Yiu Kai, [[Yuen Kay-San]], the Cho family, Tam Yeung, Fung Sang, Yeung Fook, and Leung Kwok-Keung write the name of their martial art using the character yǒng/wing "詠" meaning "sing."

However, the lineages of Wing Chun that descend from Pan Nam, Nguyễn Tế-Công, Way Yan, the Wang family of Saiquan, and Pao Fa Lien use the yǒng/wing "永" character, making the name of their martial art identical with the name of the town.

Both yǒng/wing "永" and yǒng/wing "詠" share the radical shuǐ/seoi "水".

Finally, this martial art is pronounced quite identically in the West but is written with many spellings: Ving Tsun, Wing Tsun, Wing Tsung, Yong Chun, Weng Chun, Wyng Tjun, Ving Tjun, Wing Tzun, Wing Tschun. Wing Chun is the most common form, used to apply to all lineages of this martial art.<ref>« As the art grows in popularity, many different romanizations for the Chinese character "wing chun" continue to be created, often as a result of the local dialect and pronunciation. This results in the ability to determine a lineage, student/teacher family tree, or origin, by the spelling alone. The most common spelling is "wing chun", which applies generally to all families. » - Wayne Belonoha, The Wing Chun compendium, p.20</ref>{{Full citation needed|date=January 2023}}<ref name="mil.news.sina.com.cn" />{{additional citation needed|date=January 2023}}

Several other Chinese martial arts come from Yongchun and the surrounding area, most notably the [[Fujian White Crane|Fujianese style of White Crane]], one branch of which is even called Wing Chun Bak Hok Kuen (永春白鶴拳),{{ref|永春白鶴拳}} or Wing Chun White Crane boxing.

Li Wenmao (李文茂), a historically verifiable opera performer and leader in the [[1854]]&ndash;[[1855]] Red Turban Rebellion in [[Foshan]], is said to have been a Wing Chun White Crane practitioner.

=== Context ===

There is a story that White Crane was created by Ng Mui after she was inspired by a fight between a snake and a crane, as in the Yip Man oral history of Wing Chun.

Context of the name Wing Chun varies between various [[branches of Wing Chun]]. Common legend is that the name is derived from [[Yim Wing-chun]], the mythical progenator of the martial art, who was a student of the legendary Abbess [[Ng Mui]].<ref>Chu, Ritchie & Wu 2015, pp. 4–27</ref><ref name="Ritchie2007">Ritchie, R. (''c.'' 2007): [https://web.archive.org/web/20061112065319/http://www.wingchunkuen.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=4 What's in a name?] Retrieved on 9 May 2010.</ref><ref name="Crudelli_122">{{cite book|author=Chris Crudelli|title=The Way of the Warrior|year=2008|publisher=Dorling Kindersley Ltd|page=122|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QlI0fxSm1vgC|isbn=978-1-4053-3750-2}}</ref>

Another White Crane legend states that the art was created by a young woman who combined her observation of cranes with the martial arts she learned from her father&mdash;in some versions a refugee from the destruction of the Fujian Shaolin Temple&mdash;and later taught her art to her husband, as in the Yiu Kai oral history of Wing Chun.

Most stories name this young woman as Fong Chut-Neung (方七娘),{{ref|方七娘}} to use the Cantonese pronunciation, but other stories name her Fong Wing-Chun (方詠春){{ref|方詠春}} and the Shaolin disciple she marries as Hung Hei-Gun (洪熙官), to whom she teaches her Crane style which he combines with his [[Tiger Kung Fu|Tiger style]] to create the famous [[Hung Gar|Hung Family]] Tiger Crane style.

According to the Hung Suen / Hung Gu Biu lineage, the Ng Mui / Yim Wing Chun legend was conceived to protect the identity of Cheung Ng, a Shaolin monk who survived the Manchurian massacres and took refuge at Red Boat Opera. The "Yim Wing Chun" name was chosen for specific reasons, as Yim could be understood as the word for "Secret" or "Protected", and "Wing Chun" refers to Siu Lam Wing Chun Tong (the Always Spring Hall). With "Yim Wing Chun" being a secret code for "the secret art of Siu Lam Wing Chun Hall."<ref>Chu, Ritchie & Wu 2015, pp. 83–89</ref>

Oral history aside, the technical similarities of Wing Chun and Fujian White Crane suggest that the two are related.

As Yip Man's student Leung Ting put it, "Wing Tsun System is derived from the Fukien System of kung-fu, which is related to the [[Hakka Kuen|Hakka System]]. Their common features are that during fights, pugilists of these systems prefer short steps and close fighting, with their arms placed close to the chest, their elbows lowered and kept close to the flanks to offer it protection. Another characteristic of these two systems of kung-fu is, unlike those of Kwangtung Province and Northern China, their boxing forms are rather simple" (Leung, 1978, p. 30).

Fujian White Crane and Okinawan [[Karate]] are indisputably related and [[Guangdong]] is much closer to [[Fujian]] than [[Okinawa]].

In the [[Pan Nam]] lineage, the "Wing" in Wing Chun comes from Chan Wing-wah, one of the founders of [[Hongmen]].<ref>Chu, Ritchie & Wu 2015, pp. 69–77</ref> According to the Pao Fa Lien lineage, the name Wing Chun is a shortened form of the revolutionary motto, "Wing yun chi jee; Mo mong Hon Juk; Dai dei wu chun." A secret code that allowed the [[Anti-Qing sentiment|anti-Qing]] revolutionaries to recognize each other. Eventually, the codeword was shortened to Wing Chun (Always Spring.)<ref>Chu 2015, pg.78</ref>

=== The origins of Wing Chun's branches ===

[[Leung Jan]] (梁贊){{ref|梁贊}} is as far back as the lineages that descend from him&mdash;Yip Man, Yiu Kai, Pan Nam, Tam Yeung, Fung Sing&mdash;can reliably verify their genealogy.

He was a practitioner of [[traditional Chinese medicine]] in the city of [[Foshan]] in the [[19th century]].

Leung Jan is said to have learned from [[Wong Wah-Bo]] (黃華寶){{ref|黃華寶}} and [[Leung Yee-Tai]] (梁二娣),{{ref|梁二娣}} respectively the male and "female" martial leads of the Red Boat Opera Company, each of whom is said to have been an expert on different aspects of Wing Chun.

According to legends from the Yip Man lineage, Leung Yee-Tai was a poler, that is, he used a pole to steer the Red Boat away from rocks and shoals, and was therefore chosen by the legendary Shaolin master [[Jee Shim]] himself to learn the six-and-a-half point pole.

Leung Jan's students included his sons [[Leung Chun]] (梁春){{ref|梁春}} and [[Leung Bik]] (梁壁){{ref|梁壁}} as well as "Wooden Man" Wah (木人華) and [[Chan Wah-Shun]] (陳華順){{ref|陳華順}} nicknamed "Moneychanger Wah" (找錢華), from whom the Yip Man, Yiu Kai, and Pan Nam lineages descend.

== Origins ==

However, the Leung Jan lineage is not the only branch of the art.

{{For|Wing Chun branches, their history and features|Branches of Wing Chun}}

According to the traditions of the Cho family, Wong Wah-Bo and Leung Yee-Tai had as many as 11 peers in Wing Chun among their colleagues at the Red Boat Opera Company.

For example, "Dai Fa Min" Kam (大花面錦),{{ref|大花面錦}} who played the role of the martial painted face, is the ancestor of the Way Yan lineage.

The [[Yuen Kay-San]] and Pan Nam branches claim descent from both Wong Wah-Bo and "Dai Fa Min" Kam.

Gao Lo Chung ("Tall" Chung) and "Hung Gun" Biu (紅巾彪),{{ref|紅巾彪}} also of the Red Boat Opera Company, both passed the art on to relatives, respectively, his son-in-law Yin Lee-Chung and the Wang (王) family.

Outside the Red Boat Opera Company, a monk who had taken the name "Dai Dong Fung" (大東風){{ref|大東風}} is named as its ancestor by the Pao Fa Lien (刨花蓮){{ref|刨花蓮}} lineage of Wing Chun.

The definitive origin of Wing Chun remains unknown and is attributed to the development of [[Nanquan (martial art)|Southern Chinese martial arts]].<ref name=" Benjamin N. Judkins & Jon Nielson 2015">{{cite book|author=Benjamin N. Judkins & Jon Nielson|title=The Creation of Wing Chun: A Social History of the Southern Chinese Martial Arts|year=2015|publisher=SUNY Press|isbn=978-1-4384-5695-9|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=H7s0CgAAQBAJ}}</ref> Complications in the history and documentation of Wing Chun are attributed to the art being passed from teacher to student orally, rather than in writing. Another reason is the secrecy of its development, due to its connections to anti-Qing rebellious movements.<ref>Chu 2015, pg. 1-2, 106-108</ref>

In this cohort of the Red Boat Opera Company, the role of the virtuous "female" was played by Yik Kam{{ref|翼金}} (翼金), better known as "Ching-Deng" Kam because of the role he played.

Cho Shun (曹順),{{ref|曹順}} who played the "Little Martial" (小武) role, was a student of Yik Kam.

By passing the art on to his son Cho Dak-Sang (曹德生),{{ref|曹德生}} Cho Shun established the Wing Chun lineage of the Cho family of Panyu village.

There are at least eight different distinct lineages of Wing Chun, each having its own history of origin. Additionally, there are competing genealogies within the same branch or about the same individual teacher. The eight distinct lineages of Wing Chun which have been identified are:

=== Recent History ===

{{div col|colwidth=20em}}

Events within living memory can be pinned down with a little more certainty. Nonetheless, conflicting accounts remain.

* [[Ip Man]]<ref name=Chu2 />

* [[Yuen Kay-shan]]<ref name=Chu3 /><ref>Leung Ting, pg.238</ref>

* Gu Lao Village<ref name=Chu4 /><ref>Leung Ting, page 289 & 290</ref>

* Nanyang / Cao Dean<ref name=Chu8 />

* [[Pan Nam]]<ref name=Chu5 />

* Pao Fa Lien<ref name=Chu6 />

* Hung Suen / Hung Gu Biu<ref name=Chu7 />

* [[Jee Shim]]<ref name=Chu9 /> / [[Weng Chun]]<ref>Leung, Ting (2000). Roots and Branches of Wing Tsun, Second edition (January 1, 2000). Leung Ting Co ,Hong Kong. ISBN 9627284238, pg. 53, 90-99</ref>

{{div col end}}

Regardless of the origins espoused by various Wing Chun branches and lineages, there is much third-party controversy and [[Speculative reason|speculative]] theorizing regarding the true origins of Wing Chun. In the West, Wing Chun's history has become a mix of fact and fiction due to the impacts of early secrecy and modern marketing.<ref name=Chu1 />

[[Yip Man]] was the first Wing Chun master to teach the art openly in Hong Kong on a school fee basis. His students and their students therefore make up the majority of the practitioners of Wing Chun today (see his article for the outline of a family tree). Yip Man died in 1972.

== Modern Wing Chun ==

One of the last students of Yip Man, [[Leung Ting]], formed a branch called [[WingTsun]] (rather than his master's Ving Tsun) as an international franchise. This organization has spread to Europe and spawned several offshoots.

<!-- Ip Chun began his serious study of WC after Leung Ting did, IIRC ---- [[User:Chalst|Charles Stewart]] 01:29, 24 Feb 2005 (UTC) -->

Of the eight Wing Chun lineages,<ref>see [[#Origins|Origins]]</ref> the [[Ip Man]] and [[Yuen Kay-shan]] lineages are the most prolific branches of Wing Chun worldwide.<ref>Leung Ting, Roots and Branches of Wing Tsun, ISBN 9627284239</ref><ref>{{cite book|author = David Peterson |title = Look Beyond the Pointing Finger: The Combat Philosophy of Wong Shun Leung|date = 2001| publisher=Melbourne Chinese Martial Arts Club |isbn = 0-9579570-0-9}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|author = Jan P. Hintelmann |title = Westliche Sinnfindung durch östliche Kampfkunst? |language = German |date = 2005 |publisher = IKO – Verlag für Interkulturelle Kommunikation |isbn = 978-3-88939-774-4}}</ref> The other lineages are pretty much unknown outside of China, except for the [[Pan Nam]] line, which survives in the USA<ref name="Valley news">{{cite journal|last1=Peyton |first1=James |title=Pocket area Wing Chun school preserves rare martial arts tradition |url=http://www.valcomnews.com/wp-content/PDFs/Pocket/PN1605.pdf |access-date=12 December 2020 |journal=Pocket News |issue=Print |publisher=Valley Community Newspapers | date=3 March 2016 |ref=Valley news}}</ref><ref name="Plum Publications">{{cite web|last1=Plum Staff |title=The Open Gate to the Garden of Chinese Martial Arts |url= https://www.plumpub.com/kaimen/2009/wing-chun-pan-nam-style/ |website=plumpub.com |date=8 December 2009 |publisher=Plum Publications |access-date=12 December 2020 |ref=Plum Publications}}</ref> and the [[Branches of Wing Chun#Jee Shim / Weng Chun|Jee Shim]] / [[Weng Chun]] line with a strong presence in [[Germany]].<ref>Andreas Hoffmann, Nadine Poerschke: Weng Chun Kung Fu. Budo International Publ. Co., Madrid 2011, ISBN 978-3-86836-183-4.</ref><ref>Chu 2015, page 94</ref>

More recently, beginning in 1970, [[Bruce Lee]], who trained primarily in Wing Chun but also some other arts, incorporated some of its techniques and ideas into his own [[Jeet Kune Do]].

The [[Yuen Chai Wan]] form of Wing Chun{{efn|name="YuenChaiWan1"|Chu, Ritchie and Wu consider this a derivative of his brother's, Yuen Kay-shan's Wing Chun. With Leung Ting also seeing this as a niche system.}} has a notable presence in [[Vietnam]], with this lineage having earned the moniker of "[[Branches of Wing Chun#Yuen Chai Wan / Nguyen Te Cong / Vietnamese Wing Chun|Vietnamese Wing Chun]]".<ref name="YuenWC_A">{{cite book |last1=Ritchie |first1=Rene |title=Yuen Kay-San Wing Chun Kuen |date=31 March 2000 |publisher=Action Pursuit Group |isbn=1-892515-03-2 |pages=142 |edition=Paperback}}</ref><ref name=24H>{{cite news |title=Sư tổ võ Vịnh Xuân Việt Nam là "đại ca" Diệp Vấn |url=https://www.24h.com.vn/the-thao/su-to-vo-vinh-xuan-viet-nam-la-dai-ca-diep-van-c101a768050.html |access-date=2 January 2021 |work=24H |issue=Online |publisher=Công ty Cổ phần Quảng cáo Trực tuyến 24H |date=4 February 2016 |ref=24H}}</ref><ref name="Kien Thuc">{{cite news |last1=Nam |first1=Khanh |title=Những truyền kỳ về sư tổ phái Vịnh Xuân Việt Nam |url=https://kienthuc.net.vn/tham-cung/nhung-truyen-ky-ve-su-to-phai-vinh-xuan-viet-nam-336432.html |access-date=2 January 2021 |work=Kien Thuc |issue=Online |ref=Kien Thuc}}</ref><ref name="Dansaigon">{{cite news |title=Vietnamese Wing Chun Master Nguyen Te Cong |url=http://dansaigon.com/su-to-vinh-xuan-viet-nam-nguyen-te-cong/ |access-date=2 January 2021 |work=Dan Saigon |issue=Online |publisher=Dansaigon |date=24 March 2019 |ref=Dansaigon}}</ref><ref name="SOHA">{{cite news |last1=Mã |first1=Tiểu |title=Bậc thầy võ Việt làm Diệp Vấn, Lý Tiểu Long phải phục |url=https://soha.vn/bac-thay-vo-viet-lam-diep-van-ly-tieu-long-phai-phuc-20161005082128826.htm |access-date=2 January 2021 |work=SOHA The Thao |issue=Online |publisher=SOHA |date=6 October 2016 |ref=SOHA}}</ref>

His fame led to international interest in Wing Chun.

In 1949, [[Ip Man]], considered the most important grandmaster of modern Wing Chun, brought the style from China to [[Hong Kong]] and eventually to the rest of the world.<ref name=Chu2 /><ref>{{cite book |last=Rawcliffe |first=Shaun |date= 2012|title= Wing Chun Kung Fu: The Wooden Dummy|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fZh8AwAAQBAJ|publisher= Crowood|page= |quote=Wing Chun Kung Fu has a long history but it has only been taught openly since the 1950s when Grandmaster Yip Man revealed the secrets of the art and began to teach large numbers of students in Hong Kong.|isbn=978-1-84797-507-2}}</ref><ref>{{citation|url = http://www.foshanmuseum.com/ymt/ymt.htm |title = Ip Man Tong virtual tour |website = foshanmuseum.com| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20111128031909/http://www.foshanmuseum.com/ymt/ymt.htm|archive-date = November 28, 2011|date = November 2011 | language = }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.kwokwingchun.com/about-wing-chun/ip-mans-wing-chun/interview--with-grandmaster-yip-man/| title = An Interview with Grandmaster Yip Man| date = January 22, 2014|website = www.kwokwingchun.com|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20191029214756/http://www.kwokwingchun.com/about-wing-chun/ip-mans-wing-chun/interview--with-grandmaster-yip-man/ |archive-date = October 29, 2019|access-date= 2019-01-25}}</ref> Yip Man's most famous student was [[Bruce Lee]], who had studied under Yip Man before he moved to the United States.{{efn|name="Lee"|Lee was mainly taught Wing Chun by [[Wong Shun-leung]], a senior student of Ip Man.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--not stated-->|date= 25 July 2018|title= Who taught Bruce Lee kung fu? He was born to be a fighter, but the martial arts superstar also trained with the best |url= https://www.scmp.com/culture/film-tv/article/2156574/who-taught-bruce-lee-kung-fu-he-was-born-be-fighter-martial-arts|work= South China Morning Post|quote=Although Lee studied wing chun at Ip's school, he was mainly taught by Wong Shun-Leung, as Ip himself only taught advanced students, not beginners. Lee quickly became devoted to Wing Chun and practised diligently.|access-date=February 14, 2023}}</ref>

Though he never started a school himself, [[Yuen Kay-San]]'s lineage of Wing Chun was continued by his student [[Sum Nung]] and the subsequent generations of students that descend from him.

}}<ref>Complete Wing Chun: The Definitive Guide to Wing Chun's History and Traditions, Robert Chu, Rene Ritchie, Y. Wu, page 9, Tuttle Publishing; 1st edition (20 June 1998). ISBN 0-8048-3141-6, ISBN 978-0-8048-3141-3.</ref> Lee is also credited for popularizing Wing Chun internationally,<ref>{{cite book |last= Ing |first= Ken|date= 2010|title= Wing Chun Warrior: The True Tales of Wing Chun Kung Fu Master Duncan Leung, Bruce Lee's Fighting Companion|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=Ecw2I-gDXR4C|publisher= Blacksmith Books|page= 21|quote= Finally, Li Xiaolong (李小龍), known to the world as Bruce Lee, made Wing Chun famous in the 1960s and 1970s through his movies.|isbn=9789881774224}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last= Thomas|first= Bruce|date= 1994|title= Bruce Lee: Fighting Spirit|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=yE1HsGFasGYC|publisher=Frog Books |page= 308|quote=[William Cheung] joined the school and brought along the pupil who was to become wing chun's most famous exponent, Bruce Lee|isbn=978-1-883319-25-0}}</ref> although he would later develop his own martial arts philosophies (namely [[Jeet Kune Do]]) that contain many Wing Chun influences.<ref name=Crudelli316>{{cite book|author=Chris Crudelli|title=The Way of the Warrior|year=2008|publisher=Dorling Kindersley Ltd|page=316|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QlI0fxSm1vgC|isbn=978-1-4053-3750-2}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Rafiq |first1=Fiaz |others=Foreword by [[Diana Lee Inosanto]] |year=2020 |title=Bruce Lee: The Life of a Legend |publisher=Birlinn |isbn=978-1-78885-330-9}}</ref> Some masters changed the way of teaching only 1 loyal student because it was a tradition that came because of Qing dynasty's influence and destruction of Southern Shaolin, in order to preserve the style, ancient masters taught only 1 loyal student.{{citation needed|date=October 2024}}

=== The Ving Tsun Athletic Association ===

=== Notes ===

The Ving Tsun Athletic Association was founded in 1967 by Cantonese master Ip Man and seven of his senior students so they could teach Wing Chun together and Ip Man would not take on all the work himself.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vingtsun.org.hk |title=詠春體育會 - Ving Tsun Athletic Association |website=vingtsun.org.hk |language=zh, en |date=2019-11-27}}</ref> The first public demonstration of the Wing Chun fighting system, according to Ip Man, took place in Hong Kong at an official exhibition fight in the winter of 1969 at what was then the Baptist College (now the [[Hong Kong Baptist University]]). [[Leung Ting]], a student of Ip Man, invited his master and some well-known representatives of the martial arts scene of the time to the college and conducted the exhibition fights in front of a specialist audience. The Association helped Wing Chun to spread to the rest of the world.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vingtsun.org.hk/developmentofVTAA.htm |title=詠春體育會發展簡介 - Kurzer Überblick zur Entwicklung des Ving Tsun Athletic Association |website=vingtsun.org.hk |language=zh |date=2019-11-27}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.vingtsun.org.hk/Development_1961-70.HTM |title=The Development of Ving Tsun Kung Fu in Hong Kong (1961–1970) – 香港詠春體育會發展 (1961–1970) |website=vingtsun.org.hk |language=zh, en |date=2019-11-27}}</ref>

{|border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="3"

!style="background-color:#CCCCCC; width:175px;"| &nbsp; !!style="background-color:#CCCCCC; width:65px;"| [[Chinese language|Chinese]] !!style="background-color:#CCCCCC; width:119px;"| [[Pinyin]] !!style="background-color:#CCCCCC; width:189px;"| [[Yale_Romanization#Cantonese|Yale Cantonese]] !!style="background-color:#CCCCCC; "| &nbsp;

|-

!{{note|嚴詠春}}[[Yim Wing-Chun]]

|align=center| 嚴詠春 ||align=center| yán yǒngchūn ||align=center| yim4 wing2 cheun1 ||

|-

!{{note|永春}}Yongchun

|align=center| 永春 ||align=center| yǒngchūn ||align=center| wing5 cheun1 || literally "Always Spring," the name of a town and its surrounding county in the prefecture of [[Quanzhou]], [[Fujian Province]] known for its White Crane boxing

|-

!{{note|永春白鶴拳}}Wing Chun Bak Hok Kuen

|align=center| 永春白鶴拳 ||align=center| yǒngchūn báihèquán ||align=center| wing5 cheun1 baak6 hok6 kyun4 || the style of White Crane boxing associated with the town of Yongchun, Fujian

|-

!{{note|方七娘}}Fong Chut-Neung

|align=center| 方七娘 ||align=center| fāng qīniáng ||align=center| fong1 chat1 neung4 || [[Minnan]]: hng1 chhit1 nia5

|-

!{{note|方詠春}}Fong Wing-Chun

|align=center| 方詠春 ||align=center| fāng yǒngchūn ||align=center| fong1 wing2 cheun1 ||

|-

!{{note|梁贊}}[[Leung Jan]]

|align=center| 梁贊 ||align=center| liáng zàn ||align=center| leung4 jaan3 ||

|-

!{{note|黃華寶}}[[Wong Wah-Bo]]

|align=center| 黃華寶 ||align=center| huáng huábǎo ||align=center| wong4 wa4 bou2 ||

|-

!{{note|梁二娣}}[[Leung Yee-Tai]]

|align=center| 梁二娣 ||align=center| liáng èrtì ||align=center| leung4 yi6 tai5 ||

|-

!{{note|梁春}}[[Leung Chun]]

|align=center| 梁春 ||align=center| liáng chūn ||align=center| leung4 cheun1 ||

|-

!{{note|梁壁}}[[Leung Bik]]

|align=center| 梁壁 ||align=center| liáng bì ||align=center| leung4 bik1 ||

|-

!{{note|陳華順}}[[Chan Wah-Shun]]

|align=center| 陳華順 ||align=center| chén huáshùn ||align=center| chan4 wa4 seun6 || nicknamed "Moneychanger Wah" (找錢華)

|-

!{{note|大花面錦}}"Dai Fa Min" Kam

|align=center| 大花面錦 ||align=center| dàhuāmiàn jǐn ||align=center| daai6 fa1 min6 gam2 || "Painted Face" Kam

|-

!{{note|紅巾彪}}"Hung Gun" Biu

|align=center| 紅巾彪 ||align=center| hóngjīn biāo ||align=center| hung4 gan1 biu1 || "Red Bandanna" Biu or "Red Turban" Biu; the red turban, or red bandanna, was initially a symbol of opposition to the rule of the Mongol Yuan Dynasty that was revived by opponents of the Manchu Qing Dynasty

|-

!{{note|大東風}}"Dai Dong Fung"

|align=center| 大東風 ||align=center| dàdōngfēng ||align=center| daai6 dung1 fung1 || "Great East Wind"

|-

!{{note|刨花蓮}}Pao Fa Lien

|align=center| 刨花蓮 ||align=center| pàohuā lián ||align=center| paau4 fa1 lin4 || "Wood-Planer Lien"

|-

!{{note|翼金}}Yik Kam

|align=center| 翼金 ||align=center| yì jīn ||align=center| &nbsp; || better known as "Ching-Deng" Kam (??金; [[pinyin]]: "qingdan" jīn) because he played the role of the virtuous "female"

|-

!{{note|曹順}}Cho Shun

|align=center| 曹順 ||align=center| cáo shùn ||align=center| &nbsp; ||

|-

!{{note|曹德生}}Cho Dak-Sang

|align=center| 曹德生 ||align=center| cáo déshēng ||align=center| chou4 dak1 saang1 ||

|}

=== Organizational structure in modern Europe ===

== Curriculum ==

There is no uniform umbrella organization in Europe under which Wing Chun practitioners are grouped, but rather numerous, sometimes competing and divided associations, schools, and individual teachers. Most associations do not appear in the legal form of associations that have voluntarily merged to form an association, but as commercial organizations in which associated schools are integrated, which are authorized and certified by the association. Some of the associations are organized in a franchise system.{{citation needed|date=October 2024}}

=== International Wing Chun Organization (IWCO) ===

=== Forms ===

The International Wing Chun Organization (IWCO)<ref>{{Cite web |title=International Wing Chun Organization HQs – One World, One Family |url=http://iwco.online/ |access-date=2025-01-04 |language=en-GB}}</ref> was founded by Grandmaster Donald Mak<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-12-30 |title=Mästare Donald Mak |url=https://iwco.se/index.php/mastare-donald-mak/ |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=International Wing Chun Organization Sweden |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Donald Mak 麥廣權 {{!}} eWingChun |url=https://www.ewingchun.com/sifus/donald-mak-%E9%BA%A5%E5%BB%A3%E6%AC%8A-0 |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=www.ewingchun.com}}</ref> in 1997,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Donald Mak Books from the Chow Tze Chuen lineage of Wing Chun Kung Fu. |url=https://www.everythingwingchun.com/donald-mak-wing-chun-books-downloads-s/419.htm |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=www.everythingwingchun.com}}</ref> a respected Wing Chun practitioner and instructor who studied under the Great Grandmaster [[Chow Tze Chueng]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Chow Tze Chuen 鄒子傳 {{!}} eWingChun |url=https://www.ewingchun.com/sifus/chow-tze-chuen-%E9%84%92%E5%AD%90%E5%82%B3 |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=www.ewingchun.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-12-30 |title=Mästare Chow Tze Chuen |url=https://iwco.se/index.php/mastare-chow-tze-chuen/ |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=International Wing Chun Organization Sweden |language=en-US}}</ref>

In some associations, based on the family system that was used in the past, obedience and obligations towards the master and his teacher are emphasized, although these are rarely directly related to their training students.{{citation needed|date=October 2024}}

Forms are a meditative, solitary exercise which develop self-awareness, balance and sensitivity. Forms also train the practitioner in the fundamental movements of Wing Chun. It is from the forms that all Wing Chun techniques are derived.

Conventional Wing Chun comprises six forms: three empty hand forms, two weapons forms and one "wooden dummy" form.

'''Empty Hand'''

*[[Siu Nim Tao]] (小念頭; [[pinyin]]: xiǎo niàn tóu; [[Yale_Romanization#Cantonese|Yale Cantonese]]: siu2 nim6 tau4; "little idea" or "little imagination")

The first and most important form in Wing Chun. Siu Nim Tao is the foundation or "seed" of the art from which all succeeding forms and techniques depend. Fundamental rules of balance and body structure are developed here.

*[[Chum Kiu]] (尋橋; [[pinyin]]: xún qiáo; [[Yale_Romanization#Cantonese|Yale Cantonese]]: cham4 kiu4; "seeking the bridge" or "sinking bridge")

The second form Chum Kiu focuses on advanced footwork and entry techniques to "bridge the gap" between practitioner and opponent and disrupt their structure and balance. Close-range attacks using the elbows and knees are also developed here.

*[[Biu Jee]] (鏢指; [[pinyin]]: biāo zhǐ; [[Yale_Romanization#Cantonese|Yale Cantonese]]: biu1 ji2; "darting fingers")

The third form Biu Jee is comprised of extreme short-range and extreme long-range techniques, low kicks and sweeps, and "emergency techniques" to counter-attack when structure and centreline have been compromised, such as when the practitioner is seriously injured.

Note:

Both the Way Yan and Nguyễn Tế-Công branches use different curricula of empty hand forms.

The Tam Yeung and Fung Sang lineages both trace their origins to Leung Jan's retirement to his native village of Gu Lao, where he taught a curriculum consisting of dozens of short drills rather than conventional long routines.

The Siu Nim Tao of Cho Ga Wing Chun includes the movements that, in other branches, comprise Chum Kiu and Biu Jee. The other 2 major forms of the style are Sui Da ("Random Hitting") and Jui Da ("Chase Hitting").

'''Weapons'''

* "Six-and-a-half Point [[Gun (staff)|Pole]]" or "Dragon Pole" - an eight-foot wooden pole

* "[[Butterfly Sword|Butterfly Swords]]" - small double Chinese broadswords ([[Dao (sword)|Dao]])

Although initially developed as an unarmed form of combat, the Wing Chun system incorporated the use of the [[Gun (staff)|pole]] and the [[butterfly sword]]s during its evolution.

Such training is considered advanced and only taught at that level. Because it develops physical conditioning and precision, weapons training has a beneficial effect on the performance of empty-hand techniques.

The weapons curriculum of the Vietnamese style includes the [[jian]] and the Pao Fa Lien lineage trains more weapons still.

''' "Wooden dummy"'''

* [[Muk Yan Jong]] (木人樁; [[pinyin]]: mùrénzhuāng; [[Yale_Romanization#Cantonese|Yale Cantonese]]: muk6 yan4 jong1; "wooden dummy")

The Muk Yan Jong form is performed with a "[[wooden dummy]]", a contraption made from several wooden posts, representing a human opponent. The wooden dummy is used to refine angle, position, and footwork.

===Chi Sao, "sticking hands"===

Central to Wing Chun training is the chi sao or "sticking hands" drill. During chi sao, two participants face each other with their forearms touching. The participants then "roll" and push their forearms against each other, the aim being to probe and test for gaps in each other's defense. Chi sao develops contact sensitivity and trapping skill, crucial elements to Wing Chun. Chi sao is often compared with the [[Pushing_hands|pushing hands]] drills of [[Tai_Chi_Chuan| Taijiquan]] in terms of appearance and principles. There are also pre-arranged chi sao and "chi gerk" (sticking legs) drills used to practise basic techniques. In training Chi Sao can be executed blindfolded to develop sensitivity of the forearms.

=== Wing Chun Kuen Kuit ===

Some Wing Chun schools use [[wing chun kuen kuit]] in teaching the art. These are short, often sing-song, sayings or rhymes that encapsulate principles, strategies or combat responses. Their meanings are often derived from local slang. Some sayings may appear simple but gain greater lucidity and meaning during training.

==Principles==

The tenets of Wing Chun are practicality, efficiency and economy of movement. This core philosophy becomes a useful guide to practitioners when modifying or refining the art. New techniques which do not conform to these principles are often discouraged and discarded.

=== Practicality ===

Wing Chun was designed purely for fighting rather than artistic or sport applications. As such, its techniques emphasise practicality and effectiveness over aesthetic or athletic value. Most strikes are fatal and target vulnerable areas of the body such as the throat, groin, eyes and lower torso.

Following this utilitarian approach, the names of Wing Chun techniques are purely descriptive. For example - palm-up hand ([[wing chun terms|tan sau]]), wing arm ([[wing chun terms|bong sau]]), slapping hand ([[wing chun terms|pak sau]]). Wing Chun terminology is traditionally rendered in the Cantonese dialect of Chinese.

=== Efficiency ===

Wing Chun believes in using the least amount of required force in any fighting situation because it is a more efficient use of the body's energy. Wasted or unnecessary movement which does not produce a combat advantage is discouraged.

Wing Chun believes that small movements, properly timed and correctly positioned, can and should be used to defeat large movements. This is achieved through [[#Balance and Structure|balance]], [[#Balance and Structure|body structure]] and [[#Relaxation|relaxation]]. The famous Chinese "8 taels to move 1000 catties" (referring to an old Chinese measurement system) is appropriate here in describing how a small amount of force, precisely applied, can repel large attacks.

Strictly speaking, there are no blocks in Wing Chun because they are believed to be inefficient. It is better to deflect the force (as opposed to meeting it head-on) and counter-attack at the same time. The practitioner uses parries to deflect the incoming strikes and offset the attacker. A parry usually requires a very small amount of energy when compared to harder block. A parry can be used to deflect the strike of the opponent and launch a counter-attack at the same time. Also there exits an idea to offset the striker's balance and attack vulnerable points.

===Economy of Movement===

Wing Chun believes that the shortest path between two points is a straight line. Thus, most Wing Chun movements are linear and initiated along an imaginary line of attack, or the [[#Centreline|centerline]]. The [[#The_Wing_Chun_punch|Wing Chun punch]], for example, is delivered centrally from the practitioner's chest rather than diagonally from the shoulders in the first two forms. This helps teach the centerline concept, but in later forms the punch is delivered from the practitioner's shoulder to the centerline, because the distance is shorter than bringing the hand from the shoulder to the center of the chest, and then to travel down the centerline at your opponent. Also, as an expression of one's skill and experience, the punch is delivered from any starting point in time and space, to a specific finishing point in space where both the centerline and your opponent meet. This is achieved through successful negotiation of the centerline through any weakness found in your opponent's pressure.

Wing Chun uses all four limbs in fighting because this offers the practitioner more options in selecting the best limb for the task.

== Characteristics ==

=== General ===

Wing Chun puts emphasis on economic movement and encourages its practitioners to "feel" through their opponents' defenses and to utilize the incoming attacks with parrying, deflection, rapid punches, and finger pokes. Slapping and defensive maneuvers are used to distract the opponent to make them shift their defenses away from their centerline.<ref name="Crudelli_122" />

Wing Chun favors a relatively high, narrow stance with the elbows close to the body. Within the stance, arms are generally positioned across the vital points of the centerline with hands in a vertical "wu sau" ("protecting hand" position).<ref>{{Cite news |date=2016-09-07 |title=How to Wu Sau Correctly – Technique is Everything {{!}} Sifu Och Wing Chun |language=en-US |work=Sifu Och Wing Chun |url=http://sifuochwingchun.com/how-to-wu-sau-correctly/ |access-date=2017-03-08}}</ref> This puts the practitioner in a position to make readily placed blocks and fast-moving blows to vital striking points down the center of the body, i.e. the neck, chest, belly, and groin. Shifting or turning within a stance is done on the heels, balls, or middle (K1 or Kidney point 1) of the foot, depending on the lineage. Some Wing Chun styles discourage the use of high kicks because this risks counter-attacks to the groin. The practice of "settling" one's opponent to brace them more effectively against the ground helps one deliver as much force as possible.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Rediscovering the Roots of Wing Chun |work=[[Kung Fu Magazine]] |url=http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/magazine/article.php?article=141 |access-date=2010-02-06}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last1=McKnight |first1=David |last2=Kwok Chow |first2=Sifu Chung |title=Integrative Wing Chun |work=[[Kung Fu Magazine]] |url=http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/magazine/article.php?article=249 |url-status=dead |access-date=2010-02-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130314194204/http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/magazine/article.php?article=249 |archive-date=2013-03-14}}</ref>

=== Balance and Structure ===

Wing Chun practitioners believe that the person with better balance and body structure will win. A correct Wing Chun stance is like a piece of bamboo, firm but flexible, anchored but yielding. This structure is used to either deflect external forces or redirect them into the ground.

=== Relaxation ===

Wing Chun favours a high, narrow stance with the toes pointed inwards and the elbows kept close to the body. All attacks and counter-attacks are initiated from this firm, stable base. Structure is never compromised for more powerful attacks because this creates defense flaws which an opponent may exploit. For example, a Wing Chun practitioner will not lean sideways to throw a high kick to an opponent's head. Moving your body's center of gravity in such a manner results in speed penalties, aside from opening your groin to attack and your foot to grabbing.

[[Hard and soft (martial arts)|Softness]] (via relaxation) and performance of techniques in a relaxed and controlled manner By training the physical, mental, breathing, energy, and force in a relaxed manner a "soft wholesome force"<ref>{{Cite web |last=Roselando |first=Jim |date=2011-01-28 |title=One Wing Chun Kung Fu Family – W1NG : Coaching From The Ancestors |url=http://www.w1ng.com/coaching-from-the-ancestors/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110128221338/http://www.w1ng.com/coaching-from-the-ancestors/ |archive-date=2011-01-28 |access-date=2019-01-19}}</ref> known as Chi is develop which is fundamental to Wing Chun.<ref name="Crudelli_122" /> On "softness" in Wing Chun, Ip Man said during an interview:

{{blockquote|Wing Chun is in some sense a "soft" school of martial arts. However, if one equates that word as weak or without strength, then they are dead wrong. Chi Sau in Wing Chun is to maintain one's flexibility and softness, all the while keeping in the strength to fight back, much like the flexible nature of bamboo".<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |date=2013-07-11 |title=An Interview With Grandmaster Yip Man from 1972 |language=en-US |work=My Way of Wing Chun |url=https://mywayofwingchun.com/2013/07/10/interview-with-wing-chun-grandmaster-yip-man-1972/ |access-date=2018-02-10}}</ref> }}

Balance is related to structure because a well-balanced body recovers quicker from stalled attacks and structure is maintained.

=== Teaching structure in the past ===

Proper positioning of the arms will close holes in one's defense, allowing less room for an opponent to strike. For example, the forearm in the [[wing chun terms|bong sau]] should be kept high so as to deflect punches upwards and to the side. The [[wing chun terms|bong sau]] forearm is also kept forward because having it too far back weakens the leverage of the triceps and allows the forearm to be pushed back.

In ancient China, Wing Chun, like all other martial arts or craft guilds, was traditionally passed on in a familiar way, from master to student. The master, who had personal responsibility for the entire training of the student (apprentice), was addressed as [[Sifu]] (master). The lessons often took place in the master's house, where a personal bond would develop between the master and his family and the student (apprentice), with certain mutual obligations. The first public martial arts schools were established in Hong Kong. Since then, Wing Chun's lessons have taken on a more modern, academic, and commercial character.{{citation needed|date=October 2024}}

In some schools, however, the family system was still maintained. Lo Man-Kam, a nephew of Ip Man, still teaches his students in his home in Taipei. Selected long-term students are accepted into the inner circle of the Wing Chun family by the Sifu in the traditional way, through a master-student tea ceremony.{{citation needed|date=October 2024}}

===Relaxation===

Softness (via relaxation) is fundamental to Wing Chun and essential to defeating an opponent's power. Some say that while it is possible to use Wing Chun while tense, such an unsophisticated approach is easily defeated by a skilled Wing Chun practitioner. Wing Chun techniques are performed in a relaxed manner, during both training and in actual combat. Even [[#Chi_Sao,_"sticky_hands"|chi sao]] training can be misused if too much force is used.

== Forms ==

* Muscles act in pairs in opposition to each other (e.g. biceps and triceps). If the arm is tensed, maximum punching speed cannot be achieved as the biceps will be opposing the extension of the arm. A tensed arm must first relax before beginning the punching motion. When relaxed at the onset, the punch may begin at any time. This saves time.

=== Most common forms ===

[[File:Butterfly Swords.png|thumb|Butterfly swords]]

The most common system of forms in Wing Chun consists of three empty hand forms, two weapon forms: the Dragon pole and Butterfly swords, and a wooden dummy form.<ref name="Wing Chun Forms">{{Cite web|url=https://blackbeltwiki.com/wing-chun-forms|title=Wing Chun Forms}}</ref>

==== [[Hand-to-hand combat|Empty hand]] ====

* Unnecessary tension wastes energy, causing fatigue. This can be critical in an extended engagement.

{{See also|Glossary of Wing Chun terms}}

===== Siu nim tau =====

* Tension stiffens the arms, making them less sensitive in [[Chi Sao|chi sao]] and reduces ability to sense and react to an opponent's intentions.

The first and most important form in Wing Chun, '''siu nim tau''' ({{Lang-zh|t=小念頭|s=小念头|p=xiǎo niàn tou|j=siu2 nim6 tau4|l=little idea for beginning}}{{refn|"Nim Lik (念力)" is literally translated as "Idea Power" in CHU's 2011 book<ref name="TBOWC">{{cite book |last1=CHU |first1=Shong Tin |last2=CHAN |first2=Eddie |title=The Book of Wing Chun |date=May 2011 |publisher=The [[Hong Kong]] Social Sciences Press |isbn=978-0-8234-1474-1 |page=54 |url=https://www.everythingwingchun.com/BOOK-Chu-Shong-Tin-Book-of-Wing-Chun-1-p/book-cst01p.htm |access-date=13 July 2019}}</ref>}}), is practiced throughout the practitioner's lifetime.<ref name="wingchunkungfu.eu">{{Cite web|url=https://wingchunkungfu.eu/ip%20chun/siu-lim-tao-full-by-ip-chun|title=SIU NIM TAO: The first form of Wing Chun|date=2022-11-10|access-date=2022-11-10}}</ref> It is the foundation or "seed" of the art, on which all succeeding forms and techniques are based.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Michel Boulet |title=The Simple Basics of a Complex Art |url=http://www.wcarchive.com/articles/michel-boulet-simple-basics.htm |access-date=2013-02-10 |publisher=the Wing Chun Archive}}</ref> Fundamental rules of balance and body structure are developed here. Using a car analogy; for some branches this would provide the chassis<ref>{{Cite web |last=Jim Fung |date=2009-02-23 |title=Wing Chun Stance |url=http://wingchun.com.au/media/wing-chun-articles/wing-chun-kung-fu-articles-essays-theory/wing-chun-stance-article-guide-how-to-grandmaster-jim-fung |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140319184812/http://www.wingchun.edu.au:80/media/wing-chun-articles/jim-fung/wing-chun-stance |archive-date=2014-03-19 |access-date=2013-02-10 |website=International wing Chun academy |publisher=Wingchun.com.au}}</ref> and for others, this is the engine.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-05-22 |title=The Hidden Power of Siu Nim Tau by Tsui Sheung Tin |url=http://www.tstvingtsun.bc.ca/HiddenPowerOfSNT_remix.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170522102424/http://www.tstvingtsun.bc.ca/HiddenPowerOfSNT_remix.html |archive-date=2017-05-22 |access-date=2018-11-23}}</ref> It serves as the basic alphabet of the system. Some branches view the symmetrical stance as the fundamental fighting stance, while others see it as a training stance used in developing technique.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sifu Cogar |title=An Overview of Wing Chun |url=http://www.richhealthandwellness.com/martialarts2.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100203231318/http://www.richhealthandwellness.com/martialarts2.html |archive-date=2010-02-03 |access-date=2007-05-04 |website=richhealthandwellness.com}}</ref>

Although many of the movements are similar, siu nim tau varies significantly between the different branches of Wing Chun. In [[Ip Man]]'s Wing Chun, the first section of the form is done by training the basic power for the hand techniques by tensing and relaxing the arms.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.kwokwingchun.com/about-wing-chun/the-wing-chun-forms/sil-lim-tao/|title=Sil Lim Tao the first form|last=Knight|first=Dan|date=March 13, 2014|website=kwokwingchun.com|language=en|access-date=2019-01-23}}</ref> In [[Moy Yat]]'s Wing Chun, the first section of the form is done without muscle tension and slowly in a meditative, calm, and being "in the moment" way.<ref name="wingchunkungfu.eu" /> In 1972, weeks before he died, Ip Man demonstrated Siu Nim Tau (also known as Siu Lim Tau) on film, showing how the form is to be performed.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://wingchunkungfu.eu/documentary/video-ip-man-record-wing-chun-forms | title=Ip Man performs Wing Chun Forms }}</ref>

* A stiff limb provides an easy handle for an opponent to push or pull with, whereas a relaxed limb provides an opponent less to work with.

===Centerline== Chum kiu =====

The second form, '''chum kiu''' {{Lang-zh|t=尋橋|s=寻桥|p=xún qiáo|j=cham4 kiu4|l=seeking the bridge}}, focuses on coordinated movement of body mass and entry techniques to "bridge the gap" between practitioner and opponent, and move in to disrupt their structure and balance.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Forms of Wing Chun Kuen Kung Fu &#124; Reading Academy Wing Chun & Kali |url=http://www.teamwingchun.co.uk/forms.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120501000049/http://www.teamwingchun.co.uk/forms.php |archive-date=2012-05-01 |access-date=2013-02-10 |publisher=Teamwingchun.co.uk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Ving Tsun Martial Arts Studio&nbsp;– Training |url=http://www.tstvingtsun.bc.ca/Training.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130628121302/http://www.tstvingtsun.bc.ca/Training.html |archive-date=2013-06-28 |access-date=2013-02-10 |publisher=Tstvingtsun.bc.ca}}</ref> Close-range attacks using the elbows and knees are also developed here. It also teaches methods of recovering position and centerline when in a compromised position where Siu Nim Tau structure has been lost. For some branches, bodyweight in striking is a central theme, either from pivoting (rotational) or stepping (translational). Likewise, for some branches, this form provides the engine to the car. For branches that use the "sinking bridge" interpretation, the form has more emphasis on "uprooting", adding multi-dimensional movement and spiraling to the already developed engine.

Wing Chun emphasizes attack and defense along an imaginary horizontal line drawn from the center of the practioner's chest to the center of the enemy's chest. The human body's prime striking targets are considered to be on or near this line.

===== Biu jee =====

A Wing Chun practitioner will strive to protect his centerline and attack his opponent's. Footwork is used to offset you from your enemy's centerline while keeping your enemy in yours. Most hand techniques place one hand close to the chest, to ward off punches that manage to get past the lead hand. The elbows are kept low, to protect your vulnerable spots on body, and keep your structure strong (elbows should be a fists distance from the body).

The third and last form, '''biu jee''' {{Lang-zh|t=镖指|s=镖指|p=biāo zhǐ|j=biu1 ji2|l=darting fingers}}, is composed of extreme short-range and extreme long-range techniques, low kicks and sweeps, and "emergency techniques" to counter-attack when structure and centerline have been seriously compromised, such as when the practitioner is seriously injured.,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.cebridge.com.au/wongwebsite/kwoon/BiuJi.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090415165829/http://www.cebridge.com.au/wongwebsite/kwoon/BiuJi.htm|url-status=dead|title=City Wing Chun&nbsp;– Training Notes|archive-date=April 15, 2009}}</ref> As well as the pivoting and stepping developed in Chum Kiu, a third degree of freedom, involves more upper body, and stretching is developed for more power. Such movements include close-range elbow strikes and finger thrusts to the throat. For some branches, this is the turbo-charger of the car; for others, it can be seen as a "pit stop" kit that should never come into play, recovering your "engine" when it has been lost. Still, other branches view this form as imparting deadly "killing" and maiming techniques that should never be used without good reason. A common Wing Chun saying is, "Biu jee doesn't go out the door". Some interpret this to mean the form should be kept secret; others interpret it as meaning it should never be used if you can help it.

==== Wooden dummy ====

Wing Chun techniques are "closed", the limbs drawn in to protect the centerline and also to maintain balance. Generally, the hands do not move beyond the vertical circle that is described by swinging the arms in front, with the hands crossed at the wrists. To reach outside this area, footwork is used.

[[File:Muk Yan Jong-wooden doomy kung fu 2.JPG|thumb]]

[[Mu ren zhuang]] ({{Lang-zh|t=木人樁|s=木人桩|p=mù rén zhuāng|j=muk6 yan4 jong1|l=wooden dummy}}) is performed on a wooden dummy, which serves as a training tool to teach the student the use of Wing Chun Kuen's 108 movements against a live opponent.<ref name="Crudelli_122" /> There are many versions of this form which come from a variety of Wing Chun Kung Fu lineages.{{citation needed|date=February 2023}}

=== Other forms ===

One subtle advantage of attacking the centerline is force redirection, or rather the lack of it. Hitting someone on the side (for example the shoulder) will cause the recipient's body to twist, harmlessly dissipating a portion of the attacking energy. Hitting someone in the center causes more of the energy to be transmitted to the body. (The closer the line of force is to the center of mass, the less torque, and thus less rotation, result.)

San Sik (Chinese: {{lang|zh|散式}}; Cantonese Yale: Sáan Sīk; pinyin: Sǎn Shì; 'Separate forms'), along with the other three forms, is the basis of all Wing Chun techniques. They are compact in structure, and can be loosely grouped into three broad categories: (1) Focus on building body structure through basic punching, standing, turning, and stepping drills; (2) Fundamental arm cycles and changes, firmly ingraining the cardinal tools for interception and adaptation; (3) Sensitivity training and combination techniques.<ref>{{cite book|title=World of Martial Arts !|last1=Hill|first1=Robert|publisher=Lulu.com|year=2010|chapter=Ch5-Wing Chun|pages=|isbn=978-0-557-01663-1|url={{Google books|plainurl=yes|id=1Ze0-x2ROuQC|page=}}}}{{self-published source|date=February 2023}}</ref>

===The= WingWeapons Chun punch====

The [[Yuen Kay Shan]] / [[Sum Nung]] branch also historically trained to throw darts (Biu).<ref name="El Español">{{cite news |last1=Javier |first1=Zaballos |title=Uno de los mejores tres maestros de kung fu en la historia de China fue Latino |url= |access-date= |work=EL Español |issue=National print edition |publisher=El Español |date=9 November 2021 |ref=El Español}}</ref>

Wing Chun values speed over power. A weak, fast punch that is likely to connect is better than a strong, slow punch with a higher chance of being dodged or deflected.

== In film and popular culture ==

Kicks are generally discouraged in Wing Chun because they compromise body structure and balance. All kicks are kept below the waist for speed and to avoid being grabbed by an opponent's faster hands.

[[Sammo Hung]] directed two films about Wing Chun practitioner [[Leung Jan]]: ''[[Warriors Two]]'' (1978), in which Leung is played Sammo Hung himself, and ''[[The Prodigal Son (1981 film)|The Prodigal Son]]'' (1981), in which Leung is played by [[Yuen Biao]].

[[Donnie Yen]] played the role of Wing Chun Grandmaster Ip Man in the 2008 movie ''[[Ip Man (film)|Ip Man]]'', and in its sequels ''[[Ip Man 2]]'', ''[[Ip Man 3]],'' and ''[[Ip Man 4]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2008 Chinese Box Office records |url=http://www.boxofficemojo.com/intl/china/?yr=2008&wk=50&p=.htm |access-date=2013-02-10 |publisher=Box Office Mojo}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=IP Man 4 Teaser Trailer Pits Donnie Yen Against Scott Adkins |url=https://comicbook.com/movies/2019/03/18/ip-man-4-trailer-teaser/ |access-date=2019-03-20 |website=Movies |date=18 March 2019 |language=en}}</ref> The Ip Man series of movies is credited for reviving interest in the martial art in the 2010s and the Ip Man trilogy received critical acclaim in the box office. Ip Man was [[Bruce Lee]]'s master, which made the trilogy so popular. Lee was largely responsible for launching the "[[kung fu]] craze" of the 1970s.<ref name="Desser">{{cite book |last1=Desser |first1=David |title=The Cinema of Hong Kong: History, Arts, Identity |date=2002 |publisher=[[Cambridge University Press]] |isbn=978-0-521-77602-8 |editor-last1=Fu |editor-first1=Poshek |pages=19–43 |chapter=The Kung Fu Craze: Hong Kong Cinema's First American Reception |access-date=June 10, 2020 |editor-last2=Desser |editor-first2=David |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sELZJ5vihJUC&pg=PA19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200608071604/https://books.google.com/books?id=sELZJ5vihJUC&pg=PA19 |archive-date=June 8, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title= Bureaucracy may be wing chun kung fu master's biggest foe |url=https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1589448/bureaucracy-may-be-wing-chun-kung-fu-masters-biggest-foe|access-date=September 23, 2022|date=September 11, 2014 |publisher=South China Morning Post|quote=Action star Donnie Yen helped reawaken interest in wing chun with his film Ip Man.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://people.com/movies/why-rogue-one-star-donnie-yen-performed-all-of-his-amazing-fight-scenes-blind/|title=Why Rogue One Star Donnie Yen Performed All of His Amazing Fight Scenes 'Blind'|last=Mike|first=Miller|date=2016-12-12|work=PEOPLE.com|access-date=2017-11-26|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.china.org.cn/arts/2016-12/01/content_39828464.htm|title=Donnie Yen leaves hand and foot prints in Hollywood- China.org.cn|last=Zhang|first=Rui|date=December 1, 2016|website=china.org.cn|access-date=2017-11-26}}</ref><ref>[http://wghot.wwwwang.com/content/200910/167376.shtml 甄子丹对《叶问》票房无信心 耍咏春拳赚口碑 |网网网络] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120328162538/http://wghot.wwwwang.com/content/200910/167376.shtml |date=28 March 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://ent.people.com.cn/GB/8222/86596/195994/195995/12017243.html |title=《叶问前传》首映 叶准改口赞甄子丹学咏春很快Ip Chun says Yen learns Wing Chun Fast &#124; 人民网 People's news |work=People's Daily |access-date=17 December 2011}}</ref>

Punches are thrown with the elbow down and in front of the body. The fist is held vertical and the contact points are the bottom three knuckles. In some lineages of Wing Chun, the fist is swiveled on point of impact so that the bottom three knuckles are thrust forward adding power to the punch while it is at maximum extension.

For the 2008 American action thriller film [[Bangkok Dangerous (2008 film)|''Bangkok Dangerous'']], actor [[Nicolas Cage]] trained in Wing Chun extensively. A particular scene in the film shows Cage's skills whilst drilling moves with another Wing Chun practitioner (played by Thai actor [[Shahkrit Yamnam]]).<ref>{{cite book |title= Mixed Martial Arts' Most Wanted – The Top 10 book of Crazy Combat, Great Grappling, and Sick Submissions|last=Heath |first=Adam |author2=Hudson, David |year=2012 |publisher=Potomac Books Inc |isbn=978-1-59797-549-0 |page= 141|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bLFgkHHOkb4C&dq=Bangkok+Dangerous+wing+chun&pg=PT141 }}</ref>

Wing Chun favors the vertical punch for the following reasons:

In December 2019, a new Wing Chun fighter named Leroy Smith was introduced to the [[fighting game]] ''[[Tekken 7]]'' roster as [[downloadable content]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/tekken-7-gets-a-brand-new-character-called-leroy-smith |title= Tekken 7 gets a brand new character called Leroy Smith |last= Yin-Poole |first= Wesley|date= August 5, 2019 |website= [[Eurogamer]] |publisher= |access-date= March 3, 2023|quote=Bandai Namco has announced season three of Tekken 7 – and it adds a brand new character. Leroy Smith is described as a "seasoned master of martial arts" who, 50 years ago, lost his family and home in New York as part of a gang conflict. He's back – and he's bringing his Wing Chun with him.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= https://kotaku.com/new-tekken-7-character-s-dog-sidekick-is-good-and-pure-1840393709|title=New Tekken 7 Character's Dog Sidekick Is Good And Pure |last=Walker |first=Ian |date= December 12, 2019|website= Kotaku |publisher= |access-date= March 3, 2023|quote=After previously being revealed at Evo back in August, Tekken 7 newcomer Leroy Smith is finally playable via an update released earlier in the week. This elderly Wing Chun master proved popular in the fighting game community before release thanks to his unique mixture of American and Chinese fashion...}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.tilt.fi/uutiset/tekken-7n-kolmas-kausi-tuo-muassaan-taysin-uuden-hahmon-tallainen-on-leroy-smith/ |title=Tekken 7:n kolmas kausi tuo muassaan täysin uuden hahmon – tällainen on Leroy Smith |trans-title=The third season of Tekken 7 brings, among other things, a completely new character – this is what Leroy Smith is like |language= Finnish|last= Herranen |first=Jaakko |date= August 5, 2019 |website= [[Tilt (Finnish TV series)|Tilt.fi]] |publisher= |access-date= March 3, 2023 |quote=Täysin uutena tuttavuutena rautanyrkkikarkeloihin liittyy kokenut kamppailulajien taitaja Leroy Smith. 50 vuotta sitten perheensä menettänyt veteraani hallitsee legendaarisen Wing Chun -taistelulajin. Smith liittyy hahmorepertuaariin ennen vuoden loppua.<br />Translation: ''Experienced martial arts expert Leroy Smith joins the iron fists as a completely new acquaintance. A veteran who lost his family 50 years ago commands the legendary martial art of Wing Chun. Smith will join the cast before the end of the year.''}}</ref> When creating characters to represent real-world martial arts, the [[Bandai-Namco|developers]] wanted to introduce a new fighter utilizing Wing Chun. The developers consulted a student of Ip Man's nephew, who provided [[motion capture]] for the character.<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 27, 2020 |title=TEKKEN 7 – Dev Diary: Leroy Smith & Fahkumram |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BiCRBcl1IFM |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/BiCRBcl1IFM| archive-date=2021-12-11 |url-status=live|access-date=2020-01-29 |website=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

* Speed. Because the fist is not loaded by first pulling the elbow behind the body, the vertical punch is faster than a conventional roundhouse punch. This speed is gained at the expense of loading power. The waist may or may not be twisted to add power to the punch, but this is not an option when chain punching (see below) as the twisting would be too slow. Nevertheless, the power developed without loading the fist can be significant, as demonstrated by Bruce Lee's "one inch punch".

== Notable practitioners ==

* Protection. Keeping the elbow low and forward protects the front midsection of the body whereas pulling the elbow back would expose it. The unconventional elbow position makes it more difficult for an opponent to execute an elbow lock/break. Again, protection is gained at the expense of loading power.

<!--Avoid vanity edits, as they quallify as COI. Category suffices beyond short list-->

<!--No fictional examples here-->

{{for|practitioners of Wing Chun|Category:Wing Chun practitioners}}

== See also ==

* Alignment & Structure. The vertical punch allows a practitioner to absorb the rebound of the punch by directing it through the elbows and into the stance. In contrast, the rebound of the horizontal punch creates torque in the puncher's body. Like many Chinese martial arts, Wing Chun favors the usage of stances; the vertical punch is thus more suitable. As the vertical punch is believed to be structurally safer, practitioners feel no need to tape their wrists.

* [[Chinese martial arts]]

* [[Wing Chun terms]]

* [[Wushu (sport)|Wushu]]

* [[List of films featuring Wing Chun]]

== Bibliography ==

The last item above can be easily tested. Hold your fist vertically, in front of you, your elbow pointing down, one foot behind the other. Make sure your elbow is in your centerline. Then ask a friend to push into your fist while you attempt to resist.

{{refbegin}}

You will feel the push pressuring your legs and stance. Repeat with a horizontal fist, elbow at shoulder height and to the side. You will feel the incoming push twisting you sideways.

* {{cite book|title=The Definitive Guide to Wing Chun's History and Tradition|last1=Chu|first1=Robert|last2=Ritchie|first2=Rene|last3=Wu|first3=Y.|publisher=Tuttle Publishing|year=2015|isbn=978-1-4629-1753-2|url={{Google books|plainurl=yes|id=Ux0NCwAAQBAJ}}}}

* {{cite book|title=Roots and Branches of Wing Tsun, Second edition (January 1, 2000)|last1=Leung|first1=Ting|publisher=Leung Ting Co ,Hong Kong|year=2000|isbn=962-7284-23-8|url= https://www.scribd.com/document/159561680/Roots-of-Wing-Tsun}}

* {{cite book|author=Benjamin N. Judkins & Jon Nielson|title=The Creation of Wing Chun: A Social History of the Southern Chinese Martial Arts|year=2015|publisher=SUNY Press|isbn=978-1-4384-5695-9|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ub00CgAAQBAJ}}

{{refend}}

== Notes ==

The vertical punch is the basis for Wing Chun chain punching or "straight blast" - a fast flurry of alternating left and right vertical punches. Wing Chun students are often taught that when in doubt as to which technique to use, they should opt for the chain punch.

{{notelist}}

== External links ==

===Uncommitted techniques===

* {{Commons category-inline}}

Wing Chun techniques are ''uncommitted''. This means that if the technique fails to connect, the practitioner's position or balance is not compromised. If the attack fails, the practitioner should be able to "flow" easily into a following attack. All Wing Chun techniques permit this. Any punch or kick can be strung together to form a "chain" or combination attack.

*[https://wingchunhospitalet.es/en/glossary-of-wing-chun-techniques-and-movements/ List of Wing Chun techniques]

== References ==

Feints are discouraged as these are seen as opening up your body to attack, with no possibility of hitting your opponent in return.

{{Reflist|refs=

<ref name=Chu1>{{Harvnb|Chu|Ritchie|Wu|2015|pp=1–2}}</ref>

<ref name=Chu2>{{Harvnb|Chu|Ritchie|Wu|2015|pp=4–27}}</ref>

<ref name=Chu3>{{Harvnb|Chu|Ritchie|Wu|2015|pp=28–44}}</ref>

<ref name=Chu4>{{Harvnb|Chu|Ritchie|Wu|2015|pp=45–52}}</ref>

<ref name=Chu5>{{Harvnb|Chu|Ritchie|Wu|2015|pp=69–77}}</ref>

<ref name=Chu6>{{Harvnb|Chu|Ritchie|Wu|2015|pp=78–82}}</ref>

<ref name=Chu7>{{Harvnb|Chu|Ritchie|Wu|2015|pp=83–89}}</ref>

<ref name=Chu8>{{Harvnb|Chu|Ritchie|Wu|2015|pp=53–68}}</ref>

<ref name=Chu9>{{Harvnb|Chu|Ritchie|Wu|2015|pp=90–99}}</ref>

}}

{{Ip Man}}

===Trapping Skills and Sensitivity===

{{Bruce Lee}}

{{martial arts}}

{{Guangdong topics}}

{{Authority control}}

Wing Chun's close range means that there is little [[reaction time|time to react]] to visual stimuli. The practitioner depends on reflexes, "feeling" force and probing for holes in the opponent's defense through touching.

Wing Chun is famous for its trapping hands. Control over an opponent is maintained by making contact, either through a block or a strike, and sticking to and sensing the opponent’s intentions. Whatever energy the opponent may supply at the moment of contact is sensed and controlled. At the moment a punch is deflected, rather than letting go, contact is maintained, so that when the opponent attempts to withdraw or redirect the hand, this is sensed and the motion is used to either facilitate a trap or a strike. If the opponent again reacts and is sensed, the energy is again used to facilitate another trap or strike. A good Wing Chun practitioner can trap a strong opponent and continue to use the opponent’s energetic attempts to defend or counter to add to the effectiveness of his own close range attacks.

A common Wing Chun saying is "greet what arrives, escort what leaves and rush upon loss of contact", regarding the importance of trapping incoming force and advancing quickly when an opening is sensed.

===Close Range===

Wing Chun is one of the few styles that emphasizes non-grappling close range fighting. Ideal Wing Chun fighting distance is fist range. "Emergency" techniques also permit Wing Chun practitioners to fight at closer ranges using elbows. While the Wing Chun forward kick can be considered a long range technique, Wing Chun practitioners concentrate on "entry techniques" - getting past an opponent's kicks and punches to bring him within range of Wing Chun's rich close range repertoire.

Other styles reason that you should aim to strike at maximum range - which means kicking. This is because if you do not, your opponent will be able to hit you before you can hit him.

Wing Chun teaches that it is desirable to get past an opponent's long range technique and close in to fight on Wing Chun's terms. A kick can be jammed before full extension, before it develops full power. A kick can also be jammed while it is being withdrawn. A Wing Chun practitioner will rush in during these times, using quick footwork to close the distance.

Wing Chun's reputation as a style suitable for smaller sized people arises partly from the advantages close range fighting gives to the smaller person. At close range, a smaller person will still be able to develop full power in punches and kicks, as long as there is sufficient space to fully extend his limbs. A longer-limbed opponent at the same distance may be crowded, unable to extend fully and develop full power, though techniques are available to overcome this difficulty.

==Branches==

''Main article: [[Branches of Wing Chun]]''

== See also ==

* [[Cantonese opera]]

* [[Ng Mui]]

* [[Jee Sin Sim See]]

== References ==

* {{Book reference | Author=Chu, Robert; Ritchie, Rene; & Wu, Y. | Title=Complete Wing Chun: The Definitive Guide to Wing Chun's History and Traditions | Publisher=Boston: Tuttle Publishing | Year=1998 | ID=ISBN 0-8048-3141-6}}

* {{Book reference | Author=Leung Ting | Title=Wing Tsun Kuen | Publisher=Hong Kong: Leung's Publications | Year=1978 | ID=ISBN 962-7284-01-7}}

* Rene Ritchie, Robert Chu and Hendrik Santo. {{Web reference | title=Wing Chun Kuen and the Red Junk Opera | url=http://www.wingchunkuen.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=9 | date=August 14 | year=2005 }}

* Rene Ritchie, Robert Chu and Hendrik Santo. {{Web reference | title=Wing Chun Kuen and the Secret Societies | url=http://www.wingchunkuen.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=10 | date=August 14 | year=2005 }}

==External links==

* [http://www.wingchun.org/ Wing Chun World]

* [http://www.wcarchive.com/ the Wing Chun Archive: Preserving the Media of Wing Chun Kung Fu]

* [http://www.wingchunkuen.com/ Wingchun Archives: Preserving the History & Methods of Wing Chun Kung Fu]

* [http://www.vtmusem.org/ Ving Tsun Museum: Preserving the History of Ving Tsun Kung Fu]

* [http://www.wushu.ca/pccksf/articles/dec2503henry.htm A Chinese page with details of Wing Chun branches other than the Yip Man lineage]

* [http://www.vingtsun.com.hk/Origin.htm Yip Man on the origin of Wing Chun]

* [http://www.wingchun.com/yipchron.shtml A Chronicle of the Life of Yip Man]

* [http://www.vtkf.nl The original Ving Tsun system explained (Dutch)]

*[http://wingtsuncentral.tripod.com Wing Tsun]

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