History and Origins of Wing Chun

The origins of the Wing Chun Kung Fu system are still uncertain to this day. This is particularly due to the lack of written records about Wing Chun in the past, and much of what we know today has only been passed down by word of mouth. Nevertheless, there is a generally excepted version of events. The myths surrounding who designed the system only serve to heighten the mystery and history of Kung Fu.

In the late 1600's and early 1700's Kung Fu became very popular at the Siu Lam (Shaolin) monastery in Honan Province, China. The Kung Fu exercises were designed to help keep the monks and abbots awake during long periods of mental training and meditation. By exercising their bodies as well as their minds they developed even further in their spiritual training. The Manchu (non-Chinese) government in the North at the time were deeply suspicious of such activities, believing the monastery to be training an army.

Wing Chun was a beautiful teenager who had attracted the unwanted attention of a local man. Ng Moi liked Wing Chun and agreed to teach her Kung Fu to defend herself.
After training Wing Chun eventually challenged her persistent admirer and beat him in a fight.
Wing Chun carried on training in Kung Fu and taught her husband when she married - Leung Bok Chau. He named the system after his wife and passed it on to Leung Lan Kwai. Leung LAN Kwai in turn passed the Kung Fu techniques to Wong Wah Bo who taught a man named Leung Yee Tai. Leung Yee Tai had already learnt a pole form from escaped Abbot Chi Shin, and thus the pole form was incorporated into the system. Leung Yee Tai passed the system to Leung Jan, a doctor of Fatshan, China. Leung Jan became an absolute Master of Wing Chun and defeated many challengers from other styles of Kung Fu. He taught everything he knew to Chan Wah Shun.

1950's and Yip Man to the present day