This thread got lost for no reason, so I am reposting.
Wing Chun is a martial art developed by a woman, so this art is suitable for both women and children. Men also can learn it. In Chinese, Wing Chun is called Yong Chun (the restaurant in Singapore also called Yong Chun). This art emphasizes on close range fighting and weapons are preferably not used. They do, however, have weapons and this art can also be used for any range of fighting to make this a complete art.
History
This art is believed to originate from the Qing Dynasty, from an abbess named Ng Mui. During the destruction of Henan Shaolin Monastary, Ng Mui managed to escape and fled to Daliang Mountains. There, 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. Yim Yee had a daughter named Yim Wing-Chun 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, 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 is commonly known as Yip Man 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, a disciple at the Fujian Shaolin Temple who avoids persecution by fleeing with his daughter to Guangxi. Wing-Chun learned the Fujian 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 — a Shaolin disciple just like Wing-Chun's father — 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 Province in 1815, settling in the city of Zhaoqing. This is commonly known as Yiu Kai Wing Chun.
Nobody knows which version is true, as Wing Chun is passed down orally. Practioners of Wing Chun usually don't write down things, they memorize it, so it could get misinterpreted half-way through.
The martial art, Jeet Kune Do, developed by Bruce Lee, has Wing Chun principles incorporated into it.
Thus, if you have practised Wing Chun and Jeet Kune Do, you will notice some fundamental similarities in them.
By the way, Bruce Lee himself is a practioner of Wing Chun.
Forms
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.
Please note that Wing Chun forms are different from routine forms. Wing Chun is not meant to be a contemporary art either.
Empty Hand
Siu Nim Tao:
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:
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:
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
1) "Butterfly Swords" - small double Chinese broadswords (Dao)
2) "Six-and-a-half Point Pole" or "Dragon Pole" - an eight-foot wooden pole
Wooden dummy
Muk Yan Jong:
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 or "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 drills of 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.
Principles of Wing Chun
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 (tan sau), wing arm (bong sau), slapping hand (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, body structure and 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 centerline. The 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
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.
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 provides greater power but also results in speed penalties and potential openings. Wing Chun practitioners believe that such trade-offs are not advantageous to the overall combat situation.
Balance is related to structure because a well-balanced body recovers quicker from stalled attacks and structure is maintained.
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 bong sau should be kept high so as to deflect punches upwards and to the side. The 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.
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 training can be misused if too much force is used.
1) 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.
2) Unnecessary tension wastes energy, causing fatigue. This can be critical in an extended engagement.
3) Tension stiffens the arms, making them less sensitive in chi sao and reduces ability to sense and react to an opponent's intentions.
4) 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.
Characteristics
Centerline
The following should not be considered an authoritative work, Center Line Theory is not something that found from reading about it, one should discover their own center line under the guidence of a qualiied sifu.
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.
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).
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.
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.)
The Wing Chun punch
All kicks are kept below the waist for speed and to avoid being grabbed by an opponent's faster hands.
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.
Wing Chun favors the vertical punch for the following reasons:
1) 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 sacrifices power for speed and directness. Wing Chun mitigates this disadvantage by training the practitioner to generate power with alternate methods. The resultant power developed without 'loading' the fist can be significant, as exemplified by Bruce Lee's "one inch punch". The body may or may not be turned to add power to the punch, but this is not an option when "chain punching" -- a flow of repeated punches that are directed over the wrist and back under -- as the constant back-and-forth turning would be considered slow and structurally unsound according to Wing Chun theory.
2) 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. This also aids in generating power by use of the entire body stucture rather than only the arm to strike.
3) 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.
Characteristics
Uncommitted techniques
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.
Feints are discouraged as these are seen as opening up your body to attack, with no possibility of hitting your opponent in return.
Trapping Skills and Sensitivity
Wing Chun's close range means that there is little 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 opponentÂ’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 opponentÂ’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.
