Wing Chun Kuen (WCK) is one of China's most famous fighting arts. This is mainly due to the success and fame of Bruce Lee, whose martial art foundation came from a few years under Yip Man in Hong Kong during the '50's as a young teenager. He was maybe a little over half way through the art when he moved to America (the equivalent perhaps of say a brown belt in today's terms). It was because he never learned the final stages of the art that he was forced to invent his art of Jet Kuen Do (way of the intercepting fist, the formless art). Although it's techniques come from an eclectic array of styles, it's principals and philosophy are mainly Wing Chun.
Some might say that the claim of "most famous Chinese Martial Art" belongs to Shao Lin Kung Fu, but there is no such thing as a single style called "Shao-Lin Kung Fu" (despite claims to the contrary from various commercial schools). Shao Lin Kuen is actually a very large collection of widely diverse styles. There were dozens and dozens of great masters hailing from the famous monastery, most of whom founded at least one or more styles. Nowadays most Chinese martial arts find it advantageous to claim ancestry from the Temple for marketing purposes. Many even claim WCK has such a background, but like most everyone else's claim, this is based more on myth than documented historical fact.
Chinese Kung Fu styles are primarily divided into two camps, internal and external (or soft and hard). Most belong to the external. The most obvious characteristics of "hard" styles is their force, power and speed. Strength is very important, so the majority of their time is spent in conditioning and building strength. Only a handful of styles are considered to be "soft" or internal, with Tai Chi, Pa Qua and Hsing I being the best known. Soft styles appear smoother, more graceful, even slower. Many hard stylists condescendingly refer to the soft styles as being for "old people", which if you think about it is not a bad thing. Those in the know consider the internal systems to probably be the "more effective", but they also take the most effort and time to learn - at least 10 or 20 years to really gain any proficiency in. This is because internal power is much harder to develop than normal physical strength. They are also the most beneficial to good health and a long life. It is internal practitioners who generally put on the displays of occult-like powers (bending swords with the throat and things like that). It is their internal powers that generally most impress people who go see the travelling Shao Lin monks as they travel the world putting on demonstrations. On the surface most would think that WCK is an external system, but it is the internal aspects that give it it's true power.
Wing Chun translates roughly as "eternal springtime" or "hope for the future" (both similar meanings). It is also claimed to be the name of a young woman who was the first to learn the system from the legendary nun Ng Mui, although the true details of the art's founding are shrouded in myth. What is known with some certainty is that the art was designed as a means of fighting an oppressive government in the 1700 and 1800's. It's earliest practitioners were members of a travelling opera troupe known as the "Red Junk Troupe" (Chinese opera is very physical, and it's performers start their training as very young children, two well known examples today from the Chinese opera schools are Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung). They travelled the country in red Junks sailing the rivers and putting on shows in the villages they passed. They were also secret revolutionaries - what would today be called "terrorists" - who in between performances would organize and train resistance cells and assassinate various government officials. Eventually the art did spread beyond the troupe and become more widely known. Some of it's most famous practitioners were law enforcement officials who made a name for themselves subduing and defeating various bandits and other riff raff. Others were often doctors of some sort (such as pharmacists or bone-setters as well as physicians).
WCK is unlike nearly every other art in the world. The closest comparison would be a cross between Aikido and Tai Chi, but only in philosophy, not appearance. It looks like no other. At it's heart lies the prerequisite that nothing be accepted at face value. The first year or two of training is probably the hardest. This is because everything you know must be thrown out and relearned. Even how you stand and breathe. We do not stand "normally". We do not walk "normally". Nothing we do is "normal", or even what most people would call natural. Even how we breathe is different - mouth closed, tongue curled backwards and pressed against the roof of the mouth. This is for two reasons, to complete the circuit of chi (energy) travelling around your body -by linking the start of the conception vessel (running down your sternum to below your genitals) to the end of the governing vessel (running up your spine and over the skull), the two primary meridians in the body - and also to prevent your jaw from being broken or tongue being bitten in the event of a blow to the jaw or face. The most obvious difference on the surface is our punch. It looks sort of like a traditional jab, but with the elbow down instead of out. But it's much stronger, faster and leaves no openings. I myself can throw nearly 5 per second (I can throw 10 in a little over 2 seconds). Of course this requires strong shoulder and elbow joints (which is why I will occasionally hyper-extend myself when I neglect to properly maintain my training). My first teacher's teacher holds the world record of 21 punches in 3.12 seconds, as well as 3 punches in .35 seconds, which he set at the age of 49.
I like to use the analogy of computer programming to describe the uniqueness of WCK.
Most martial arts are really just scripting languages. You are given a bunch of pre-made tools, designed for certain conditions and situations, with which you can then deal with specific problems. These types of arts are typified by a huge number of forms (or katas) that you learn as you progress through the system. In the 5 or so years it takes to reach black belt you will usually learn dozens of them. Each containing a number of different techniques designed for specific situations. A typical form is like a choreographed fight practiced without the attackers. At the black belt level you are basically considered a journeyman, and should have enough skills and knowledge to come up with your own solutions, although many arts still have more forms. These arts will not teach you "new" ways of using your body. They will instead use the way you already do so - the "natural" or "instinctive" methods of standing, moving and striking. Although they will usually teach you how to do so more effectively and efficiently. Memorization plays a big part in these styles (more so than understanding). I like to think of these styles as "bloatware". It was this kind of philosophy that Bruce Lee strived to break away from.
At the next level would be arts that could be likened to programming languages, such as C+ and the like. With these arts (such as Jiu Jitsu and other grappling styles) you build completely new tools, but on the existing interface - the machinery itself will not be reprogrammed. For the most part you will still do things "naturally", you will just be able to build a larger tool set. This does provide the ability to deal with more situations, and to more effectively deal with newer and unforeseen events. These systems typically have much fewer forms (if any at all), but instead focus more on various drills and training sets with partners. The underlying structure is still not really questioned, but assumed to be fine already and built upon (think of Windows still dealing with the problems of the old 8086 computers despite the many advances since then, because of each version being built on the new instead of from scratch to take advantage of the greater capabilities of modern systems). These types of styles usually concern themselves much less with dogma and tradition, and focus much more on results. They are able to evolve allot more because of this.
WCK would be the equivalent of machine language or assembly code. You write directly to the hardware, and create the most appropriate language for each machine, based on your goals. All your tools are built from scratch using new code. All assumptions are questioned. Just because everyone has always done something a certain way doesn't mean it is the best way of doing it. Even something as simple as standing still, taking a step, or throwing a punch. The goal is always to keep the code as simple and as small as possible. And to hardwire directly to the machine. The conscious mind is removed from the fight. This is not possible however if your ego has a stake in the outcome. So controlling your ego is important not just in terms of reducing evil, but for practical reasons as well - your ego can cost you the fight! The goal is to learn WCK at the neural level, to program it into your autonomic nervous system. Instead of using or building upon the "natural" or "instinctive" methods of moving you already have, we strive to replace them with new ones. I would also describe the soft styles as being like assembly language, since they too reprogram at the "machine" level, teaching new ways of moving and discarding the old and formerly "natural" methods.
Hard or Soft?
Generally speaking, a Hard stylist relies on his physical prowess for victory. The stronger and faster he becomes, the better his chances of a successful outcome in combat. The key philosophy of the soft styles is to use the opponents strength against him. To the casual observer, or to the opponent, WCK does not seem very soft, which is why it is not widely considered an internal style. It appears (to the casual, uninformed observer) that instead of relying on internal power to overcome the opponent, we use physics. We do train internal power, but it takes years to develop. In the mean time we don't believe it is necessary to wait that long to be an effective fighter. When you travel the country training freedom fighters to overthrow a tyrannical regime, you don't have a couple decades to wait for them to be of use. The overriding goal in the design of WCK was to create the best possible fighter in the shortest amount of time. While still leaving in the capabilities of internal power to eventually develop.
Realistically after 2 years the average person would be more than competent at defending them self against the average person. But for the first year or so you could actually be at a disadvantage as your "old programming" would likely still be in conflict with the new so your reflexes would be pretty much useless.
The goal of the practitioner is to become as "soft" as possible. The litmus test to determine whether you are following the principals correctly is to ask yourself "would this work for an 80 pound old lady?" We do still condition and try to become faster and stronger, because these can only help you in the long run, but at the same time we always assume the opponent will be faster and stronger, and probably not alone (the only assumption we encourage). It is only from a disadvantaged situation that you should ever be required to fight. If things are close or equal (or better) you are only fighting because you wish to. Of course this belief is relatively new, since the art was originally intended for the aggressor, which is why self-defense is stressed so much more now. The art's great masters have all been highly moral people, and the last thing any of them wanted was to set a bunch of lethal bullies loose on the world. Not that there haven't been problems, especially over the last century as more people began to actually rely on the art for their living.
For the most part, stronger, bigger people tend to have the hardest time getting a proper grasp of WCK. They have the hardest time not using their strength since it has always been to them their greatest asset. The big muscle bound types can be the easiest kind of opponent to deal with because they will give you the most to work with. But, your margin of error is much smaller, since mistakes can be allot costlier. Another reason for considering WCK to be a hard style is our reliance upon strikes to subdue the opponent. A Tai Chi or Aikido practitioner will rarely actually throw a strike at their opponent, but will instead throw the opponent to the ground (or some other immovable object). While we do rely heavily upon pounding our opponent into submission, this is only because it is easier and safer. With the soft styles, the safety of the opponent is almost more important than the safety of the defender (especially in Aikido). In WCK, the practitioners safety is always the first concern, and all actions and tactics derive from here. To be able to protect yourself without harming anyone requires a very high level of skill, and greatly increases the risk to yourself. Once the WCK practitioners have developed internal power, defense without harm becomes much easier, but that comes much later than good fighting skills.
So WCK on the surface seems like a Hard style because considerable time is spent strengthening and conditioning the body. But really most of this conditioning is actually done to reprogram your body to move and hold itself in the WCK manner. Most of the drills and exercises we do are taken straight from the forms. The health and fitness benefits are only secondary. In WCK, your body is just the tools, the real weapon is the mind, but it must be taught how to use the tools properly (but having the tools as strong and sharp as possible is always a good idea). In the long term though, the goals of WCK are the same as the internal arts. To be able to defend oneself with as little effort as possible, and with as little harm as possible to all concerned. Really then, WCK is a style which start out hard, but becomes softer as you gain experience. It's interesting to not that most internal stylists start out in a hard style and eventually (usually after mastering the external) shift to a soft style. It is very rare for anyone to start in a soft style. The notable exception would be Tai Chi, but then most people whose first martial art is Tai Chi study for health reasons, not self defense. And for such people the self defense aspects are usually negligible. This dual nature of WCK is one of it's more unique features.
WCK is unique among Martial Arts in how it is considered a "woman's art". While it is still debated as to whether or not WCK truly was founded by women, most agree it is more "feminine" than other arts. It is generally agreed that their had to be more than one founder of the art. The most prevalent legend has it that the art was first developed by the surviving 5 elders of the Shao Lin temple (including Ng Mui) after it was sacked and burned by the Manchu government for spreading dissent and subversion (basically insisting on human rights). These 5 great masters, who collectively representing one of the greatest collections of martial knowledge ever, put their heads together to design what was hoped would be one of the most effective styles ever devised. What is known today is that WCK definitely contains many elements of a number of different styles. Almost every other style existing today can be traced back to a single founder, who was usually not quite happy with what he had been taught and thought he could come up with something better. In turn nearly all martial arts (especially those from Asia) can be traced back to the original exercises taught by the Indian monk Bodhidharma, who was also responsible for spreading Buddhism outside of India. He felt that it was unhealthy to focus solely on the mind and spirit while neglecting the body. This collective development of the art helped to remove any individuals "flavour" from the mix, and to keep it more generic, or generalized.
This generic nature is most noticeable in the forms, which form the core of any art. Unlike most styles, the sets in WCK are not choreographed steps dealing with specific situations, but instead generic methods of movement which can be applicable in any and all circumstances. Specific applications are taught in various drills taken from the forms. There are three empty hand forms. Two weapons forms, one for the 8 foot staff - the Dragon Pole (which was the main tool used in moving the junks through the rivers), which is most useful in wide-open outdoor spaces, especially against multiple attackers. And the Butterfly Swords, a pair of short swords which are much easier to conceal, and useful indoors or in confined spaces (such as on a boat or in a narrow alley). Also part of the curriculum is a wooden dummy form (an opponent you cannot hurt or move) and a large collection of 2-man drills known as Chi Sao (sticky hands). That is the entire art.
The first form is called Sil Lim Tao, which mean "little idea form" and is done completely stationary. It teaches the proper posture, positioning and breathing. You will only move one arm at a time. You will learn the proper way to position and move your arm. You will also learn the key concepts of the centre and centre line. These are the key concepts in all tactics. The goal will to be to always protect your own while occupying your opponents. Generally this form will be practiced for at least two or three years before learning the next one. You will also at this point learn the first, very basic Chi Sao exercises, done with only a single hand, while stationary (or with only one or two simple steps). The focus will be on form, rhythm and balance. This form is the foundation of the art, and everything else will be built upon this. There is no arm movement not included in this very simple yet subtle 108 movement form. You can think of this form as the assembly code used to build the interface and build the programming code. Once these arm movements and postures become hardwired, that is instinctive and "natural", one is ready for the next form.
The second form is called Chum Kiu, or "bridge seeking form". In this form one learns how to move both hands together (yet independently) while also incorporating proper footwork. Kicking first appears here. The importance of angles is also introduced. At this point one will begin to train on the Mook Jong (wooden dummy). The mook jong will really emphasize the importance of having the proper angles and footwork, since it is basically attached to the floor or wall and is pretty much immovable (it will have a slight amount of play, but less than an inch). A few more simple chi sao drills are also learned here, with a bit of footwork and a basic slip or two. The "bridge seeking" in the name refers to making contact with the opponent. Contact includes everything from arm on arm to fist on face. Once a basic understanding of "seeking the bridge" is grasped, more complicated chi sao drills are taught, now using both hands, and with more slips, and trapping. Trapping is when you pin both the opponents arms using only one of your own, leaving him defenseless from your free hand (and feet). This form would be like the programming language, what you build the tools from that you use to accomplish various tasks and solve problems with.
The third and final empty hand form is the Biu Jee. Most people tranlate this as "thrusting fingers", and will claim it holds all the deadliest and most secret techniques. A more correct translation would be "finger pointing to the moon" (if you've seen Enter The Dragon", think of Bruce talking to his student in the beginning when he tells him "focus on the finger and you will miss all the heavenly glory that is beyond", a problem common to most great teachers and messages). It's only secrets are the weaknesses inherent in the rest of the art. Biu Jee frees one from the contraints and "rules" of the rest of the art. It shows how to get out of a bad situation, usually brought about by a mistake or a lack of awareness. It's techniques are ones you would prefer to not use, because they are generally all last ditch, when it's do or die time. The tactics and techniques from Chum Kiu are all safer and more effective. Think of it as a trouble-shooting, or de-bugging language, to continue with the programming analogy. If your main programming is done correctly the first time, very little debugging is needed.
At this time the rest of the dummy set and the bulk of the Chi Sao drills are learned. When it comes to application, the heart of WCK is Chi Sao. Think of it as structured fighting. A core precept of WCK is that once contact is made (in whatever form), it is not to be relinquished until the fight is over. Most fights will see contact made and broken over and over (think of a boxing match, each punch represents contact made and broken). At the Biu Jee level, one starts to practice chi sao with your eyes closed. Eventually by touching your opponent anywhere (but preferably somewhere on his forearm or near the elbow) one can sense what the rest of his entire body is doing, or about to do. Think of musicians who can identify specific notes by ear. This method of collecting info on your opponent is both quicker and more accurate than relying on your eyes, which can be tricked much easier. Again referring to Enter the Dragon, the method they fight in the tourney (back of the wrists in contact) is known as cross-arm chi sao, a more simple version learned at the chum kiu level. From this position fighting blind-folded (even against a good kicker) is really not terribly difficult.
And there you have it, my not-so-brief off-the-cuff intro to what makes Wing Chun Kuen so special. I imagine if I spent more than an afternoon on it I could have done a better job on it, but as it is I think I can live with it.
Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both. - Benjamin Franklin
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