Ip Man’s Wing Chun : recent history, first students, and principles

Article par Aymeric G

Wing Chun is a martial art originating from southern China. There are different branches of this Kung Fu (mainland Chinese, Vietnamese, etc.), but the Wing Chun most widely practiced today comes from the Grandmaster Ip Man (葉問).

Ip Man’s first class in 1950 : Lok Yiu and Leung Sheung were the only ones to stay; the others dropped out.

1950

Arrival of Wing Chun in Hong Kong

Since Wing Chun was unknown in Hong Kong before Ip Man’s arrival, local masters issued numerous challenges to this new school.
These challenges were successfully met by Lok Yiu and Leung Sheung. These victories formed the foundation of Ip Man’s school’s reputation. They helped the style secure a prominent place and attract many students. For example, one day, seeing Lok Yiu win a fight with astonishing ease, a young man asked him the name of his Sifu in order to learn Wing Chun. That young man was Wong Shun Leung. [2]
Accepted as a student by Ip Man, he became a famous fighter and was Bruce Lee’s teacher. With him concluded the first generation of Ip Man’s students (Leung Sheung, Lok Yiu, Chu Shong Tin, Wang Kiu, and Wong Shun Leung).

ip-man-passeport-1-768x616-1 — *Ip Man’s passport. Source: Ip Man Memorial Museum, Foshan.*

Wing Chun clan — *Ip Man posing with his friends and instructors; around him are Lok Yiu, Leung Sheung, Chu Shong Tin, as well as Kwong and Sang, sons of Lok Yiu.*

Ip Man’s inner circle

The first students

Ip Man’s main students were each given nicknames based on their mastery of certain aspects of the style. Among them were :

Chu Shong Tin, “The King of Siu Lim Tao” (1st form)
Lok Yiu, “The King of Chum Kiu” (2nd form) and “The King of the Long Pole” (Luk Dim Bun Gwan)
Leung Sheung, “The King of Biu Jee” (the 3rd empty-hand form).
Wong Shun Leung, “The King of Talking Hands” (Gong Sau Wong, referring to his many victorious duels).

When Ip Man opened a new class, the lessons were taught by Lok Yiu and Leung Sheung, later joined by Chu Shong Tin upon the encouragement of his two Sihing (senior Kung Fu brothers).
The second generation of students learned from this trio, in the presence of Ip Man [5], who did not teach group classes. However, it should not be said that Ip Man never corrected students. As Lok Yiu recalls, Ip Man did not always correct everyone, and not necessarily all the time. It depended on their dedication and the fondness Ip Man had for them.

Lok Yiu

Lok Yiu lived with his Sifu Ip Man for seven years, training an average of four hours a day. Their training sessions generally took place from 4 to 6 p.m. and then from 8 to 10 p.m. After dinner and attending to their activities, they would return home together around 2 a.m. to discuss Wing Chun theories and applications until dawn. [3]
Preferring to live by night, Ip Man’s Todai Lok Yiu adopted the same lifestyle. They remained very close throughout Ip Man’s life. For example, the Grandmaster had the habit of coming to Lok Yiu’s place in the evenings to train with him, indulge in his passion (Mah-Jong [4]), and observe Lok Yiu’s students.

Ip Man’s Wing Chun

Among Ip Man’s first students, Wing Chun is characterized by significant work on structure and body conditioning. Special attention is given to solo exercises, which are essential for developing relaxation, precision, and coordination. For example, Chu Shong Tin spent several hours a day practicing the “three Buddha blessings” of Siu Lim Tao (Fok, Tan, Wu).

Relaxation, balance, and flow

In practice, the emphasis quickly shifts to working in a state of relaxation. This is essential to become aware of one’s balance and to successfully develop sensitivity, speed, and power.
Since this Kung Fu is practiced at close range, the goal is neither to box nor to execute techniques from a fixed repertoire. Instead, the focus is on sensing the opponent’s imbalances and structural weaknesses to exploit them without compromising oneself, thereby maximizing the effectiveness of each action.
In the absence of weaknesses in the opponent, some techniques (pak sao, lap sao) may be used to create openings. However, these are not automatically the most direct way to proceed.
Les réactions dépendent des sensations que perçoit le pratiquant, il n’y a pas de techniques prédéterminées. Une fois le contact établi, le pratiquant s’adapte à la force reçue. Il peut ensuite contre-attaquer. C’est l’application de deux des principes fondamentaux du style : Loi Lau Hoi Sung, Lat Sau Jik Chung. Chacun, selon son niveau, s’adapte donc de la façon qui lui semble la meilleure sur le moment.
Solo training, while central, is not sufficient on its own. Wing Chun includes four main partner exercises, each of which can be explored through various themes. These exercises are :

Dan Chi Sao / Chi Dan Sao

Lap Sao

Chi Sao

Go sao (travail libre)

Exercices

Chi Sao

The most famous exercise in Wing Chun is undoubtedly Chi Sao, commonly translated into French as "mains collantes" (“sticky hands”). The original term is always singular, as it refers to a specific and well-defined exercise.
At its initial stage, this exercise aims to train the body. It also develops sensitivity, allowing the practitioner to adapt to the partner’s force—while keeping active in the body the ideas cultivated through the forms (especially Siu Lim Tao). Through Chi Sao, the goal is to develop qualities such as relaxation under pressure, stability, and flow—not to accumulate a catalogue of techniques.
If we rely on the previously stated principles (Loi Lau Hoi Sung, Lat Sau Jik Chung), it becomes clear that a high-level *Chi Sao* is essential to be able to use Wing Chun effectively.
However, Chi Sao is not a sparring or confrontational exercise—unlike Go Sao.
It’s not uncommon to see confusion between Chi Sao and Go Sao. This may be partly due to the fact that Go Sao can sometimes begin from the Chi Sao position, making it easier to transition into free exchanges. There is also, at times, a simple theoretical misunderstanding about the nature and purpose of each exercise.