Wing Chun History - part 2
Yim Wing Chun continued to study under Ng Mui, and later married Leung Bok Chau. During the years to come, she used the principles of the style that she had learned from Ng Mui and commenced to improve and simplify the art. After refining the art significantly, Yim Wing Chun began to teach it to her husband. Leung Bok Chau was already rather adept in other styles of the martial arts. Impressed by Yim Wing Chun's knowledge and ability, he studied her style diligently and learned it quickly. Thus, although Ng Mui founded the art, it bears Yim Wing Chun's name owing to her improvements.Leung Bok Chau taught the style to his uncle Leung Lan Qui. Leung Lan Qui started Wong Wah Bo and Leung Ye Tai in their Wing Chun instruction Wong Wah Bo worked on the Red Boat, the Chinese Opera. Throughout the generations from Leung Bok Chau to Wong Wah Bo, the Wing Chun system was getting more streamlined. Leung Ye Tai was also a Chinese Opera member. Leung Ye Tai was a male actor who played female roles in the Opera. His Wing Chun was softer. It is also during the so-called "Red Boat Years" that weapons came into the system.
Wong Wah Bo taught Leung Ye Tai the the six-and-a-half point pole and Leung Ye Tai taught the butterfly swords to Wong Wah Bo. Leung Jan was an herbal doctor. He was taught by both Wong Wah Bo and Leung Ye Tai. Leung Jan was able to put the hard and soft elements back together. Leung Jan's taught Chan Wa Shun who was Yip Man's first teacher. Unfortunately Chan Wa Soon died at a young age and Yip Man did not finish his instruction. As a young man, Yip Man studied English at the St. Steven's Catholic School in Hong Kong. It was during this time that Yip Man met Leung Bik who was the son of Leung Jon. Yip Man challenged Leung Bik and was beaten. When Yip Man found out who Leung Bik was, Yip Man asked to become one of Leung Bik's students.
Grandmaster Yip Man is generally regarded as the father of modern day Wing Chun Kung Fu. He was born on October 14th 1893 in the Ching Dynasty (Kand Shoui - September 5th in the Chinese calendar) in Fut Shan town Kwong Tung province.
In July 1950, Grandmaster Yip Man started teaching in Dai Lam Street, Kowloon Hong Kong. The first Wing Chun Kung Fu class was for the Restaurant Workers Association. Later on he moved the school to Lee Tat Street, Yao Ma Tei in Kowloon where among his students there was Wong Shun Leung and Lee Siu Lung (Bruce Lee).
Yip Man’s Ving Tsun Athletic Association, was the first martial arts society to be officially registered with the Hong Kong government. Grandmaster Yip Man passed away at his home on Tung Choi Street on the 1st December 1972.
The Wing Chun Legacy lives on.