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To help eliminate confusion, the glossary at the end of the book will present Cantonese and pinyin romanizations, traditional Chinese characters, and English translations.

CHAPTER 1

Yip Man Wing Chun

葉問詠春拳

Yip Man Wing Chun, the first system of Wing Chun kuen to be taught publicly has become one of the most popular Chinese martial arts in the world today. The modern history of Wing Chun (also commonly romanized as Ving Tsun and Wing Tsun by many of Yip Mans descendants), began with the changes wrought by the Communist takeover in 1949. With his property and wealth taken from him under the communist regime, Grandmaster Yip Man fled China and came to Hong Kong. Yip Mans misfortune, however, became the free worlds blessing, for soon after arriving in Hong Kong he began his career as a professional martial arts instructor.

HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT

The legend of Wing Chun begins in the Qing dynasty with the Siu Lam Jee (Shaolinsi or Young Forest Temple). The Siu Lam Temple offered not only religious sanctuary but also a safe house from the military hunting for anti-Qing revolutionaries. It was only a matter of time, however, before the Manchurians made the decision to eradicate this source of rebellious activity. With the treacherous aid of Siu Lam insiders such as Ma Ning-Yee, the Qing troops laid siege to the temple from without, while the temple was burned from within. Siu Lam was laid to waste. Out of the conflagration, the ng jo (five elders) of Siu Lam fled and went into hiding. The five elders consisted of Jee Shim Sim Si (Jee Shim, Chan Buddhist Teacher), Fung Dao-Duk, Miu Hin, Bak Mei Dao Yan (White Eyebrows, Taoist), and Ng Mui Si Tai (Five Plums, Nun). Ng Mui (Wu Mei) fled to the Bak Hok Jee (Baihesi or White Crane Temple) on the slopes of the Daliang Mountains. There, on the border of Sichuan and Yunnan province, legend states Ng Mui witnessed a fight between a crane and a snake. Inspired by the encounters, she combined the animals movements with her own Siu Lam boxing and created the principles of a new, as yet unnamed, martial art.