(selected elements of Ving Tsun system according to Master Wong Shun Leung's martial art)
Siu Lim Tao
Introduction
Siu Lim Tao is the first form of the Ving Tsun system which is taught
right from the first training of a fresh student. It is one of three hand
forms practiced without partner within the system. Siu Lim Tao means in
English a "little idea".
The characteristic feature of every Ving Tsun hand form is
symmetry to a vertical centerline of a human body. Every motion of one
side is repeated by another side of the body. No limb is privilidged in
the learning process so. It is logically connected with the basic rule
of a frontal stance to an opponent and possibility of equivalent usage
of every limb in fighting.
Each motion has no direct reference to any real fighting situation.
The similar principle is present in other kung fu systems. Even more. Some
of Siu Lim Tao technics have no reference to real fight at all. They acquire
meaning not before practicing technics of subsequent forms which are introduced
later.
The most important is understanding of principles that rule every
technics, and comprehending of the principles linked to particular form.
Before we will come to details of particular technics contained
in any section of Siu Lim Tao, we need to get the idea of force in the
form, and particularly, what are the components of the force, and what
is a proper thinking i.e. the fundamental processes which are governed
by thinking. Those issues will be presented by using traditional kung fu
terminology and then they will be elucidated by means of the contemporary
notions.
Proper thinking
Mind is constantly active and hard working in fighting. The mind
is aimed at outside although seemingly it is completely calm. The motion
is yang and the calm is yin. Those opposites intermingle with each other
and the final effect is the union of body and mind.
Elucidating the process of thinking in practicing Siu Lim Tao,
two notions must be distinguished: the potential and the function. The
potential is connected with variety of shapes of matter. For example, a
rose flower is the form and a color is its functions. The potential inheres
in the interior of the form and the function acts toward outside. This
is the principle on which many attacks and defence technics are based.
Those technics are controlled by the mind.
Regarding martial arts, its potential comes from the form (human
body) and the proper thinking. The function is the effect of the mind that
acts towards outside through fighting technics.
The final conclusion is that the more perfect thinking is in
practicing martial art, the bigger is the potential.
The essence of the proper thinking of yi is gathering diffused
energy and leading it into one channel toward one direction by the means
of fighting technics.
The force
According to Chinese people, in order to understand general notion
of force it is necessary to distinguish two basic signs of li and jin.
Physical power is li. It grows as people physically grow and it decrease
as people grow old.
There are many kinds of a wave of jin force. The base for its
identification is an external effect of an activity e.g. opponent's reaction
to a punch. This is the external sign of jin. The internal sign of jin
is opponent's motion or the energy ascertained by touch in practice of
chi sao. Those two signs are very important in Ving Tsun kuen.
Chum Kiu
The second form in Ving Tsun system is called Chum Kiu. It means in
English "searching for a bridge". The appropriation of the form is mastering
the unity of the body in every possible situation and coordination every
technic with footwork. In short, Chum Kiu teaches how to use your body
in fighting and how to attack.
Chum Kiu is a kind of development of Siu Lim Tao technics by means
of binding together footwork with other parts of the body.
The unity of the body is the essential principle in Ving Tsun
kung fu.
The basic way of mastering the unity of the body are technics
practiced while the body is turning or moving. It teaches how to generate
power and pass it to technics through a trunk.
Although Chum Kiu hand technics are the kind of developments
of Siu Lim tao technics, they control movements that come from the first
form in practicing chi sao.
Proper eyes usage is the element which helps in Chum Kiu technics.
The technics are practiced with coordinated eyesight that follows every
technic. There are also technics in which eyesight and hands outstrip movement
of other parts of the body.
Bil Jee
The next step in developing, comprehending, and understanding
of Ving Tsun kung fu technics is Mastering Bil Jee form. Bil Jee means
in English the "punching fingers". But it has another, unofficial name
in Master Wong Shun Leung's school that was "how to leave".
Many teachers attribute this form with the special and deadly
technics assigned exclusively for few people exclusively. Actually, Bil
Jee is showed for few which means that Bil jee is for the most advanced
students only. The necessary condition to get to know this form is prior
understanding of both Siu Lim Tao and Chum Kiu forms. The other condition
is the competence in application of free chi sao technics in constant movement.
Those conditions are inevitable because although Bil Jee contains developments
of technics acquired before, they are applied to situations which contradict
the basic principles of Ving Tsun kung fu system. The reason for that was
unique and astonishing. The founders of the system wanted not to win a
fight but survive it only. Those technics are performed assuming that an
opponent managed to perform effective technics, in short, assuming already
being hit by the opponent. Sometimes the technics are practiced predicting
that you could be effectively hit by the opponent. It is the only means
to an effective defence in untypical situations.
Bil Jee form contains many technics from Siu Lim Tao and Chum
Kiu. The three forms of the system were designed to bind and intermingle
each other. Movements of any form enable you to control movements from
the earlier form. Finally they make a complete circle.
Bil Jee technics will never be effective without the knowledge
of a correct force usage and application of the principle of the unity
of the body. Practice of this form must be supplemented by both wall and
wooden dummy training.
The key difference of Bil Jee in force releasing consists in
not direct but indirect movements. Bill Jee enforces to pass the force
not from front position to outside but from outside to inside.
Mok Yan Chong
Training of martial arts with equipment has been practiced in China
for centuries. Ving Tsun kung fu system developed its own set of dummies.
There are three types of them: a wall bag filled with stones for training
of punching which is often supplemented with a heavy bag for kicking training;
san sin chong for kicking and footwork training; and mok yan chong.
I believe that mok yan chong Ving Tsun kung fu was invented in
1830-1850 in Master Leung Jan's school. Originally, it was a post sticked
in the ground. After some time its structure was developed so it became
the mobile post. Once it was fixed in floor by means of joints. Flexible
slates are used now but the design of the post remained the same.
There are mok yan chong technics on a high level of difficulty.
They force the students to proper application of the knowledge accumulated
in practicing of all forms. Lack of the proper comprehending of any of
their elements is easily seen in a practice of the dummy form. You train
not only variety of punches, hits, and kicks but footwork, and the unity
of the body as well.
The dummy technics are still alive as well as Ving Tsun kung
fu system. In 1950's Yip Man passed along mok yan chong technics to few
outstanding students. Yip Man modificated some of the technics inspired
among others by Wong Shun Leung's fighting experiences. So nowadays some
technics differ with their original versions.
The dummy helps in correcting faults in fighting. A student performs
some technics with mistake to have chance to correct them later. If you
don't understand this it would lead you into error and then you would repeat
mistakes in real fight. If that happens it is better not to practice with
this equipment at all.
Complicating of the fighting with needless movements is not the
core of the Ving Tsun kung fu. The key inside of the system is simplicity.
There are the most simply and essential technics of the dummy in two beginning
sections of the form. Once, they were taught at the end of learning of
the form. Master Chan Wah Shun, the great practician of real fights, moved
those sections at the beginning of the dummy form. And now we begin learning
of the form right from them.
Lok Dim Boon Kwun
Over the world, the pole is the oldest type of a weapon used in fight.
Lok dim boon kwun technics were adopted around 1820. They were not invented
originally by the founders of Ving Tsun kung fu.
The legendary monk called Chi Shin is credited for inventing
of the pole technics. Master Wong Wah Bo, the historical character, introduced
the technics into the system. Then those technics were developed in accordance
with the principles of Ving Tsun. That consisted in simplifying of technics
and using the most effective of them. Six and a half of technics of the
pole were invented. The pole technics in Ving Tsun kung fu convey
the key idea of the system in a very precise way, even more precise than
the keen-edged weapon which belongs the system as well.
Nowadays the pole is a useful training equipment although nobody
goes for a walk with three meter long pole in her hands. It improves a
physical condition and the chi sao technics. It enables adopting accidental
tools like a short piece of a pipe, Christmas tree from trash, or a handle
of a mop in fighting.
Bart Cham Dao
The knifes technics were probably admitted into the system around 1830-1850
because of its shape, and variety of stances and footwork.
Bart cham dao form which means the "eight methods of fighting
with the knifes" was invented. Those eight methods are the base on which
the theory of the fighting with this weapon is funded.
The basic knowledge concerns both a coordination of hand movements
in order to prevent being cut by yourself, and to coordinate the hand technics
with the other parts of the body. Likewise in other technics of the system,
every attack is accompanied with parrying or blocking, and every defence
is accompanied with a simultaneous attack.
All previous principles of the system are used in the bart Cham
dao form. But the key of those technics is shifting force from elbows to
wrists. Therefore too early training with this weapon can spoil student's
chi sao technic. There is no more jeet jin in knifes technics i.e. both
force, and principles that let using lat sao jeet jin training in real
fighting. The principle of the unity of the body and weapon - dao sao hup
jeet - is applied here as well. Footwork consists of moving forward and
back.
Bart cham dao technics serve to attack the wrists, elbows, knees,
and trunk of an opponent (neck and groin arteries). Jabbing is possible
by means of those technics as well.
It is worthwhile to note that every effective cut causes a shock
and actually an inability to proceeding fight by an opponent. Therefore
the technics are much wider than those in fight with hands. The knifes
technics exceed contour of the body. Every hit is practically deadly in
this kind of fighting.
Chi sao
Chi sao means in English the "sticky hands". Many people assume
that it is kind of sparring. They are obviously wrong. It is a technical
practice. It aims at:
- control of opponent's hands if they threaten the center line,
- ascertaining by touch a direction of opponent's force,
- unconscious reaction if an opponent uncovers her center line,
- economy and thrift of movements,
- strategy of Ving Tsun kung fu.
The most interesting element in chi sao practice is letting an
opponent herself to show us proper method of attacking her.
The experience acquired during practicing chi sao lets us to
find the most direct way of attack, with no useless complications in any
movement.
It is extremely difficult because there is no technic perfectly
performed in chi sao practice. Both partners are forced to execute their
technics with a "mistake", in order to keep hands' structure in balance.
If not, one of the students would attack all the time, and the other would
not defend herself effectively.
The correct practice of Ving Tsun kung fu forms is of extreme
importance because there are complete patterns of all technics within any
forms.
The forms and chi sao practice takes most of the time spent for
mastering Ving Tsun kuen.
Techniques of kicking
