About Wing Chun
Wing chun techniques counter and strike simultaneously, keeping you always two steps ahead. Wing chun is close quarter combat, utilizing every weapon at your disposal: punches, kicks, elbows, knees, and pressure point strikes to disable opponents. Wing chun manipulates body mechanics to disrupt an opponent's balance which is practical for real life where you are likely to be faced with a bigger and stronger adversary; this is where wing chun surpasses all other martial art styles because it relies on deflection, positioning, and strategy to disable larger opponents.
Some of the benefits of training wing chun at the Dandenong wing chun academy are self-defence, fitness, stress relief, confidence, heightened awareness, and increased speed and power. Come and try a free trial class and see for yourself firsthand! For more information on mens' class times or womens' class times call us today.
History of Wing Chun
The origin of Wing Chun Kung Fu can be found in the turbulent, repressive Ching dynasty of over 300 years ago. It was a time when 90% of the Chinese race, the Hons, were ruled by the 10% minority, the Manchus. The Manchus placed a great amount of unjust law on the Hons. For instance, all the female Hon infants were made to bind their feet so that when they grew up they would be dependent upon their parents or husband. The work opportunity of the Hons was also restricted. They were unable to hold office in Government higher than a certain level. Heavy tax burdens were placed on the country so that the Manchus could have economic control of the Hon people. Kung Fu training was also banned for the Hons; however the Manchu Government was adopting the Hon culture. They respected the Shil Lim Temple as a Buddhist sanctuary.
When all weapons were outlawed by the Manchus, the Hons began training a revolutionary army in the secret art of Kung Fu. The Shil Lim Temple became the secret sanctuary for training in a classic kung-fu style which took 15 to 20 years to master. They didn't want to wait 20 years to train an army so five of China's grandmasters met to discuss the merits of each of the various forms of Kung Fu in order to develop a new form that would have a shorter training time. By choosing the most efficient techniques from each style, they developed training programs that would develop an efficient martial artist in 5 to 7 years, one third the original time. However, before they had a chance to challenge the Manchus the Shil Lim Temple was raided and burned down by the Manchus who must have spied and discovered they were training martial arts.
Ng Mui, a nun, was the only survivor of the original five grandmasters. She passed her knowledge onto a young orphan girl whom she named Wing Chun which means "hope for the future". In turn Wing Chun passed her knowledge on to her husband. Through the years the style became known as Wing Chun. Its techniques and teachings were passed onto a few, always carefully selected students.
Ng Mui, a nun, was the only survivor of the original five grandmasters. She passed her knowledge onto a young orphan girl whom she named Wing Chun. The name represented "hope for the future". In turn Wing Chun passed her knowledge on to her husband. Through the years the style became known as Wing Chun. Its techniques and teachings were passed onto a few, always carefully selected students.
Wing Chun Lineage
In 1950 Yip Man started to teach Wing Chun in Hong Kong. One of his first students was William Cheung, who is the current Grandmaster of Wing Chun. Yip Man and Cheung both trained Bruce Lee whose core art was wing chun. Master Joe Sayah began training wing chun directly under Grandmaster William Cheung at age 9 and was certified as a Master Level under him in 2001. Master Joe has taught thousands of students many of whom have gone on to be certified as instructors including: Si-fu Burim Selmani, Si-fu Mandy Sayah, Si-fu Mark Blackwell, Si-fu Jason Woodward, Si-fu Robert Lay, Si-fu Dominique Edmond, Si-fu Joslyne Jarrouje and Si-hing Seth Eisman.