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WING CHUN KUNG FU - JAN STYLE
My name is Chung Yuk Kwai, I am a Sifu of Jan Wing Chun Kung Fu.
This Style of Kung Fu is based on Shaolin Nun Ng Mui Style who
took the Snake and Crane Styles of the Shaolin Temple and combined them into an overall fighting system.The history of this
style originated at the Shaolin Temple where Kung fu began.
Wing Chun History and Lineage -
By the start of the 17th century there was great turmoil brewing in the country and there was also unrest between the 5 elders at Shaolin.
In (1644), the Manchus invaded China and ruled it with an iron fist for nearly 300 years. The Manchus were well aware of the skills of the Shaolin monks and their sympathy for refugees. The 5 elders (were Taoist and Buddhists monks) of the Shaolin temple around this period were:
Abbot Jee Shin - Shaolin Iron Cloth - (Iron Head Qi Gong master, Kung Fu expert, wooden dummy expert and weapons expert)
Bai Mei - Golden Bell Iron Body - (Iron Body Qi Gong master) was the founder of White Eyebrow Kung Fu.
Fong Sai Yuk, (famous swordsman) was the founder of White Tiger Kung Fu.
Miu Hin, (was not an ordained monk, but was a Kung Fu elder) was the founder of Five Shape boxing and helped in developing Wing Chun
Ng Mui, (buddhist nun, Bil Gee master and Dim Mak expert) helped develop the practical aspects of Wing Chun Kung Fu, founded Dragon shape boxing and Wu Mei boxing.
One of the 5 elders, Bai Mei, left the temple because of his mistreatment and sought revenge. He offered his services to the Ching and then taught them the Shaolin way of fighting.
The monks decided to pick the best fighting qualities from the 5 Shaolin systems being taught at the temple, eliminate all the unnecessary moves which were for demonstrative purposes and create an efficient killing art. This system became known as Wing Chun.
Before the practical aspects of this new system could be completed, Bai Mei and the Manchus invaded the Shaolin temple and razed it to the ground. Of the 1000 or so monks residing at the temple, only about 30 or 40 escaped. The rest were killed, jailed and tortured. The remaining 4 elders also escaped and fled south.
Abbot Jee Shin relocated at Fujian Shaolin temple, which was also destroyed. After this, Jee Shin escaped and roamed the countryside spreading the word of Shaolin Kung Fu to " kill the ching and restore the ming". He finally joined the Red Junk Opera troupe as a cook.
Ng Mui went south and developed Wing Chun on Tai Lang mountain with Yim Wing Chun. Yim Wing Chun and the infamous Red Junk Opera troupe were to later meet up and develop Wing Chun Kung Fu further.
Miu Hin returned to civilization in Guangdong Province.
Fong Sai Yuk fled and took refuge on Wu Dang Mountain in the Hubei Province. Originally, the Wing Chun Kung Fu system consisted of butterfly swords, dart knives and Dim Mak (pressure point killing). The dragon pole, and the classical forms as we know them today were introduced into the system during the infamous Red Junk Opera period. The opera troupe's famous trio were Wong Wah Bo (dragon pole), Leung lan Kwai and Leung Yee Tai.
Leung Yee Tai's successor was the famous herbalist Dr. Leung Jan who had 2 sons. One of his sons, Leung Bik passed on the traditional aspects of the Wing Chun system to Grandmaster Yip Man.
Yip Man's first teacher was Chan Wa Shun. Yip fled to Hong Kong after the Communist takeover where he met Leung Bik. Yip Man was the first person to really teach Wing Chun Kung Fu to the Asian general public in Hong Kong. His most famous student was Bruce Lee.
I was taught the Wing Chun Style under Chung Mei at the age of 16. Chung Mei was a student of Leung Jan’s son Leung Chun. I have seen many styles of Wing Chun under different lineages but in my opinion the version of Leung Jan’s Wing Chun seems very practical for common attack situations.
Leung Jan went on to teach His version of Wing Chun in Gu lao village when he retired. I have taught
Wing Chun in Manhattan since 1974 on Canal street, 2 blocks away from my restaurant called Peking house.
I have one daughter and one son Stephen who I have also taught the Wing Chun Style as well
Also many other students who I have certified as instructors under my Wing Chun Lineage-
Sifu Stephen Chung, my son- Who teaches at Seaview park in New York on Sundays at 3pm.He now
An occupational therapist woking full time As well.
Sifu Todd Shawn Tei- Who teaches in California at his school full time,
California Academy of Martial Arts.
Sifu Jose Ramos- who teaches at the Wing Chun Jan kwoon in Newark New Jersey.
Sifu Davis Jarros- Who teaches Wing Chun at Kingsborough Community College in Brooklyn N.Y.
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