THE TWO STYLES
HONG KONG WING CHUN & GUANGZHOU WING CHUN
Over the many years since its inception, Wing Chun has branched off into many different lineages. At Black Lion Wing Chun, we teach both the Hong Kong Style (passed down by Grandmaster Yip man) and the Guangzhou style of Wing Chun (passed down by Grandmaster Sum Nung). Our curriculum is delivered in a way that provides students with a pathway to a thorough understanding and practical ability in one or both styles.
Hong Kong Wing Chun
Grandmaster Ip Man (葉問) learned Wing Chun in his youth as a student of Chan Wah Sun (student of the famous
Leung Jan) in Foshan, Mainland China. After having trained with various other teachers in Wing Chun, in 1949, fleeing the Chinese authorities following civil war, Grandmaster Ip Man brought the style to Hong Kong.
In the early 1950s he began to teach Wing Chun publicly (as one of the first Wing Chun teachers to do so) and
opened a Wing Chun school teaching many students who would later become famous including the action star
Bruce Lee.
Due to the fame of his students and later himself (in modern times via the Ip Man film franchise, played by
Donnie Yen) Grandmaster Ip Man’s Wing Chun style has become the most widespread lineage of Wing Chun. Now
practiced all around the world, it is often characterised by its simple, practical and direct approach to fighting. Practitioners (if hardworking) often capable of handling themselves in self-defence after only a short time.
Guangzhou Wing Chun
Grandmaster Sum Nung (岑能) was founder of Guangzhou Wing Chun and sole disciple of Great-Grandmaster Yuen Kay San. He was undefeated in his lifetime and developed a fearsome reputation for his intricate knowledge and sophisticated application of the Wing Chun style.
In the late 1940s he brought the art to the city of Guangzhou from Foshan, where he coached local trade unions who often brawled in the streets due to territorial and business disputes. Later, he went on to study Traditional Chinese Medicine and was famed for his medical skills. Only ever having a handful of disciples, he passed his Wing Chun down to those he carefully selected and believed to be of good character.
Rarer than its cousins, the hallmark of this style is an enormous emphasis on foundation training which cultivates the various skills necessary to apply it to its full potential. Feeling an opponent’s force and disabling their ability to continue from the moment of engagement, this art requires much diligence but in return is devastatingly effective.
By first working through the Hong Kong style, students engrain good training practices, postures, understanding of Wing Chun's principles, and all the attributes a good martial artists should have such as speed, strength, coordination and power. Once a student demonstrates enough proficiency and knowledge, they can advance to training in the Guangzhou style, which further sophisticates the principles and theories previously taught. The Guangzhou style is more complex, more physically demanding and if the foundation is not sufficient, students would be limited in their achievements. We systematize the teachings this way to help students learn progressively and without compromising on quality.
