3/16/2016

BlackBeltYipMan:WingChunLegendandBruceLeesFormalTeacherPrintBlackBelt

BlackBelthttp://www.blackbeltmag.com

YipMan:WingChunLegendandBruceLeesFormalTeacher
PostedByAtinaHartunianOnAugust12,2013@4:00amInWingChun|CommentsDisabled

Bakmei(whiteeyebrow)kungfu[1] masterLeungSheungproudlydemonstratedanotherself
defensetechniquetohisclass:sidekick,grab,punch.LeungSheungexecutedthemovements
withasmuchfluencyandprecisionaswouldbeexpectedfromany20yearveteranofthefighting
arts.Thestudentsthenimitatedtheperfectionofhisform.Inthebackoftheroom,theoldman
quicklyturnedhisheadawayandbitdownonhistongue,swallowinghislaughter.
Sidekick!Grab!Punch!Theoldmanleanedagainstthewallforsupport.Nowhisbodyshuddered
ashestruggledtoconcealhisamusement.Suddenly,hiseffortsfailed,andhissilentchuckles
grewintoloudroarsoflaughter.
Download7FREEBruceLeeEBooks!
TheFREEBruceLeeEBookCollection[2]
LeungSheungstoppedhisclass,hisfaceredwithanger.Hey,oldman!hesnapped.Whatare
youlaughingat?
Oh,nothing,hereplied.Pleasecontinue.Illtrynottodisturbyoufurther.
LeungSheungtookadeepbreathandpacedacrosstheroom.Hewasstillfurious.Look,oldman,
afewmonthsagowefoundyoulivingoutofgarbagecansinMacao,hesaid.Webroughtyou
heretotheUnionHall.Wegaveyouaplacetosleepandfoodtoeat.Theleastyoucoulddois
showalittlerespectwhenImteaching.
Theoldmanperkedupanear.Hadheheardthemansayrespect?
Thentheleastyoucoulddoisshowalittlerespectfortheartthatyouteach,theoldman
growledback.Allyoudoishaveyourstudentspunchair.HequicklymovedthroughLeung
Sheungstechnique:sidekick,grab,punch.Buttheairdoesnthitback.Whathappenswhenyou
faceanenemywhowill?
Theoldmanshookhishead.Ifyouaregoingtopracticekungfu,hesaid,youshoulddoso
seriouslyornotatall!
Look,oldman,bellowedmasterLeungSheung,ifyouthinkyouknowsomething,whydont
youcomeuphereandteachme?
WiththischallengefromLeungSheungonthatdayin1952,YipManofficiallyopenedthedoors
onhis20yearcareerasamartialartsinstructorandpatriarchofwingchun.[3] Standingonly5
feettallandweighing120pounds,YipManproceededtothrowthe6foot,200poundbakmei
masteraroundtheroomwithalmostnoeffort.NomatterhowLeungSheungattacked,healways
foundhimselfcarefullydepositedonthefloor.
Whenallwassaidanddone,LeungSheunghadsurrenderedhiskungfuclassattheRestaurant
WorkersUnionHalltoYipManandhadbecomeYipMansfirstdisciple.
TheMastersPast
YipMandidnothappilyaccepthisnewroleinlife.BeforeWorldWarII,hehadbeenamemberof
awealthymerchantfamilyinthesouthernChinesetownofFatshan,inKwangtungprovince.He
hadownedalargemanorhouse,aprosperousbusinessandafarm,andhehadenjoyedalifeof
relativeeasewithhiswifeandfamily.
http://www.blackbeltmag.com/daily/traditionalmartialartstraining/wingchun/yipmanwingchunlegendandbruceleesformalteacher/print/

1/5

3/16/2016

BlackBeltYipMan:WingChunLegendandBruceLeesFormalTeacherPrintBlackBelt

Between1937and1941,YipManservedinthearmyduringChinasvaliantefforttorepelthe
Japaneseinvasion.HereturnedtohisfamilyinFatshanduringtheyearsoftheJapanese
occupation.Timeswerehard.Hisfarmwasruined,andhiswifebecameill.
Theendofthewarbroughtlittleimprovement.Chinaneededtorebuilditsravagedcitiesand
townsbutfounditselfembroiledincivilwarinstead.ThenationalistChinesegovernmentrecruited
YipMantothepostofcaptainofthepolicepatrolsforNamhoiCounty.Althoughthegovernment
appointmenthelpedthelivingconditionsoftheYipManhomestead,itdidnotcomeintimeto
preventthedeathofYipManswifefromextendedillness.
AftertheCommunisttriumphin1949,YipManlefthistwogrownsonsinFatshanandfledto
HongKong.Ifhehadremained,hispositionaspolicecaptainwouldhavemeantalmostcertain
deathatthehandsoftheCommunists.Thus,attheageof51,YipManwasforcedtostartan
entirelynewlifefromscratch.
WhentheCommuniststookover,helostallhismajortangibleassets,explains
WilliamCheung[4] ,oneofYipMansmostseniordisciples.Buthestillhadwhatever
hecouldcarry:money,goldbars,etc.ButFatshanwasaverysmalltowncompared
withHongKongandMacao.Therewerealotofshrewdoperatorsinthecity.Sohe
immediatelylostsomeofhismoneythroughpeoplecheatinghim.
Thentheheartbreakoflosinghishomeandhiswifeandbeingseparatedfromhis
familycaughtupwithhim.Hebecamedisillusionedandperhapsbegantopity
himself.Soon,theChinesenoblemanfoundhimselfdestitute.
ThenLeungSheungandachapcalledChengKaofoundhimwanderingaroundat
thepierofMacao.Heseemedtobehomeless.Theydidntknowthathewasa
martialartist.Theywerejustbeingkind.Theywouldhavehelpedanyonetheycould.
SotheytookhimbacktothepremisesoftheRestaurantWorkersUnionHall.They
lethimstaythere.WhenYipManstartedteachingattheRestaurantUnion,hefirst
taughtLeungSheung,LokYiuandChengKao.Thentherewereafewothers,like
TsuiSungTing.Ofcourse,LeungSheung,beingakungfumasteralreadybeforehe
studiedwingchun,progressedmuchfasterthantherest.
Afewmonthslater,therestofusturnedup.
YipManquicklyprovedtobeamostunusualinstructor.Forexample,WilliamCheungrecallsthat
duringthesevenyearshespentwithhisteacher,heneveroncesawYipManactuallyteacha
wingchunclass.YipManwasusuallypresentinthebackoftheroom,supervisingtheassistant
instructorsandcorrectinghisfavoritestudents,buttheactualtasksofinstructionwereleftto
LeungSheung,LokYiu,TsuiSungTing,WongShunLeungandWilliamCheung.
Takeyourwingchuntrainingtothenextlevel
withWilliamCheungandhisdisciple,EricOram,inthisFREEdownload!
10WingChunKungFuTrainingPrinciplesAnyMartialArtistCanUse[5]
Henevertaughtclasseshimself,WilliamCheungsays.Well,onlyinsomesituationswiththe
bigclients,theoneswhocouldpayveryheavilyforaprivatesession.Atthosetimes,hewould
oftentakemealong.Then,supposehewasgoingtoteachawoodendummytechnique,hewould
showthetechniqueonce.Afterthat,Iwouldhelptheperson.YipMansregularclassesgenerally
consistedofformspractice,chisao[6] (trappinghands)drills,woodendummytechniques[7] and
freesparring.Therewasnosetpatterntothesessions.Eachassistantinstructorwasallowedto
exercisesomepersonaldiscretion.
Atraretimes,thegrandmastermighttouchhandswithoneofhisfavoritestudentsinchisao
practice.Butthoseoccasionswouldlastonlyforafewsecondsatatime.YipManfearedthatby
doingchisaowithajunior,hisowntechniquewoulddeteriorate.Hewouldhavetoslowdownto
createopeningsforhim.
YipManhadasoftspokenstylethattaughtmorebyexampleandsuggestionthanbythespoken
word.Heurgedhisstudentsnottobullypeopleortoactinarudeorarrogantmanner.Andhe
http://www.blackbeltmag.com/daily/traditionalmartialartstraining/wingchun/yipmanwingchunlegendandbruceleesformalteacher/print/

2/5

3/16/2016

BlackBeltYipMan:WingChunLegendandBruceLeesFormalTeacherPrintBlackBelt

triedtokeepthemfromfightinginthestreetgangsofHongKong,thoughhedidencourage
organizedcompetition.
BruceLeesMemories
InBruceLee:TheManOnlyIKnew(WarnerBooks,1975),LindaLeeCadwell[8] quotesfroman
essaywrittenbyherhusband,BruceLee[9] ,forfreshmanEnglishin1961.Theessayclearly
illustratesthesubtletacticsYipManwouldusetoinfluencehisstudents:
Afterfouryearsofhardtrainingintheartofgungfu[10] (kungfu),Ibeganto
understandandfelttheprincipleofgentlenesstheartofneutralizingtheeffectof
theopponentseffortandminimizingexpenditureofonesenergy.Allthismustbe
doneincalmnessandwithoutstriving.Itsoundedsimple,butinactualapplicationit
wasdifficult.ThemomentIengagedincombatwithanopponent,mymindwas
completelyperturbedandunstable.Especiallyafteraseriesofexchangingblowsand
kicks,allmytheoryofgentlenesswasgone.Myonlythoughtleftwassomehowor
anotherImustbeathimandwin.
Myinstructor,ProfessorYipMan,headofthewingchunschool,wouldcomeupto
meandsay:Relaxandcalmyourmind.Forgetaboutyourselfandfollowyour
opponentsmovement.Letyourmind,thebasicreality,dothecountermovement
withoutanyinterferingdeliberation.Aboveall,learntheartofdetachment.
Thatwasit!Imustrelax.However,righthereIhadalreadydonesomething
contradictory,againstmywill.WhenIsaidImustrelax,thedemandforeffortin
mustwasalreadyinconsistentwiththeeffortlessnessinrelax.Whenmyacute
selfconsciousnessgrewtowhatthepsychologistscallthedoubleblindtype,my
instructorwouldagainapproachmeandsay:Preserveyourselfbyfollowingthe
naturalbendsofthingsanddontinterfere.Remembernevertoassertyourself
againstnatureneverbeinfrontaloppositiontoanyproblem,butcontrolitby
swingingwithit.Dontpracticethisweek.Gohomeandthinkaboutit.
ThefollowingweekIstayedhome.Afterspendingmanyhoursinmeditationand
practice,Igaveupandwentsailingaloneinajunk.OntheseaIthoughtofallmy
pasttrainingandgotmadatmyselfandpunchedatthewater.Rightthenatthat
moment,athoughtsuddenlystruckme:Wasntthiswater,theverybasicstuff,the
essenceofgungfu?Didntthecommonwaterillustratetometheprincipleofgung
fu?Istruckitjustnow,butitdidnotsufferhurt.AgainIstabbeditwithallmy
might,yetitwasnotwounded.Ithentriedtograspahandfulofitbutitwas
impossible.Thiswater,thesoftestsubstanceintheworld,couldfititselfintoany
container.Althoughitseemedweak,itcouldpenetratethehardestsubstanceinthe
world.Thatwasit!Iwantedtobelikethenatureofwater.

AlthoughBruceLeeaddedabitofhisowngeniustotheeventsherelatedinthisessay,itdoes
indicatetheintellectualaswellastechnicalheightstowhichYipManinspiredhisstudents.Butat
thesametime,thewingchungrandmasteralsohadaplayfulstreak.HelovedBruceLees
practicaljokeswhichwasprobablytoughtodowhenhewouldshowupforclasswithitching
powder,handshakevibratorsandwatersquirtingcameras.
YipManhadaverygoodsenseofhumor,WilliamCheungsays.Helikedtogivehisstudents
nicknames,andhewouldtakealongtimetodreamthemup.LikeWongShunLeungwascalled
WongChingLeung,whichmeansthatheslikeabull.IwascalledBigHuskyBoy.AndBruce
wasnicknamedUpstart.
TwoyearsafterYipManbeganteachingattheRestaurantWorkersUnionHall,hewasaskedto
leave.Hisclasseshadgrownsolargeandincludedsomanynonunionmembersthatthehallhad
actuallybecomeakungfuschool.SoYipManandhisfollowersopenedthefirstcommercialwing
chunschoolonLeiDatStreetintheYaumateiDistrictofKowloon.
AlthoughYipManwasnowaselfsupportingmemberofsocietywithasuccessfulbusiness,hislife
http://www.blackbeltmag.com/daily/traditionalmartialartstraining/wingchun/yipmanwingchunlegendandbruceleesformalteacher/print/

3/5

3/16/2016

BlackBeltYipMan:WingChunLegendandBruceLeesFormalTeacherPrintBlackBelt

wasstillnotahappyone.
Heremarriedin1954,WilliamCheungsays.Hewasabout56,andshewasabout
40.Hemetherinarestaurant,Ithink.Anyway,somepeoplethoughtshedidnt
haveaverycleanpast.Allhisstudentssortoflookeddownather,andthismadeYip
Manveryupset.
Peopledonotrealizethatlifechanges.Itmovesincycles.Sometimesitprogresses,
sometimesittranscends.Sotherearetimesthatyouhavetoforgetaboutthepast.
Thestudentswereverynarrowminded.Theyjustdidntshowanyrespectfortheir
master.Theyevenusedtoaddresshimasoldmansometimesinavery
disrespectfulway.
ThiswasoneofthereasonsYipMannevertaughtaclasspersonally.AndIdont
thinkhewasdoingthewrongthingbynotteaching.OnlyafterthefameofBruce
Lee[11] didtheyrealizethatthemasterwassogreatandthatthestylewassogreat
becausetheysawthatitcouldproducepractitionerslikeBruce.
AccordingtoWilliamCheung,YipMansdifficultieswithhisstudentswerefurtheraggravatedby
hiscontinueddruguse.Sometimestheschoolrentwouldgounpaid.By1956YipManhadbeen
evictedfromhisfirstschoolinYaumatei.
Thewingchunclanthenmovedtoanapartmentinagovernmentsupportedhousingproject,
whereYipManlivedandtaught.Hisstudentsformedacommitteethatcollectedtheschool
tuition,paidtherentandleftYipManwithalivingallowance.
WilliamCheungrecallsthatduringthisperiod,hismasterwouldsometimeshavetofightfor
survivalliterally.Atthetimewemovedtothegovernmenthouse,therewasarestrictionon
water,hesays.
Theyonlyturnedonthewateronceeveryfourdaysforfourhours,William
Cheungrecalls,soyouhadtocollectbucketsofwatertostoreuntilthenextfour
dayswereover.
UsuallyIdidallthechoresandorganizationaroundtheapartment,butthat
morning,Iwasatthemarketandmymasterwantedtogetsomewater.Nowallthe
tenantshadtogettheirwaterfromthesamegovernmenttap.
Thelocalgangstersgotaholdofthistapandchargedeverybody50centsabucket.
Well,becauseitwassoearlyinthemorning,YipMandidnthavethehumorto
arguewiththesecharacters,sohechallengedthem.
IhadjustgottenbacktotheapartmentwhenIheardthecommotion.Icouldsee
whatwashappeningandIstartedrunningtowardit.YipManwasfightingatleast
sixorseven.Thethugsallhadpolesforcarryingbuckets.Theyprobablyusedthem
tothreatenpeople.YipMantookawayoneoftheirpoles,thenheflattenedthemall
withinseconds.WhenIgotthere,theywerealldraggingtheirpoles,holdingtheir
headsandrunningaway.
Fromthenon,everymorningnotjusteveryfourdays,buteverymorningtwo
bucketsofwaterweredeliveredtotheapartment.
Astheyearspassed,YipMansreputationasaninstructorgrew,andhewaseventuallyableto
affordbetteraccommodations.Infact,by1964hewasabletobringhistwosonsandtheir
familiesoutofmainlandChina.Threeyearslater,dueinparttotheprosperitybroughttohim
throughBruceLeesTheGreenHornetfame,YipManmadehisfinalmovetoalarge,well
equippedgymnasium.
Today,YipMansmartialartslegacyhasbeenencasedinmystery.Manywingchuninstructors
claimtobehisdirectdiscipleorthepersonalinheritorofsomesecretsetofwingchuntechniques.
However,asWilliamCheungconfirms,Probablyfewerthansixpeopleinthewholewingchun
clanwerepersonallytaught,orevenpartlytaught,byYipMan.YipManhadtoteachthefirsttwo
http://www.blackbeltmag.com/daily/traditionalmartialartstraining/wingchun/yipmanwingchunlegendandbruceleesformalteacher/print/

4/5

3/16/2016

BlackBeltYipMan:WingChunLegendandBruceLeesFormalTeacherPrintBlackBelt

sothatthefirsttwocouldteachthenextsix.
ButYipManwassointelligentinthemartialartsthathecouldnotstandaslow
student,WilliamCheungsays.Hewasveryimpatientwithslowstudents.Sohe
couldnotstandtoteachmorethanafew.Also,hebelongedtotheoldtradition,
influencedbytheBoxerRebellion,whichbelievedthatthemartialartsshouldnotbe
passedontoWesterners.Heevenbelievedthatwingchunshouldbejusta
householdart.
YipManwasawelleducatedmanwhoneverwantedtoteachkungfu.Hisbest
loveswerewatchingsoccerandattendingtheChineseopera.Hisstrongesthatred
wasforignorance.Thatswhyhedidnotlikemanymartialartists.Hewasamanof
perfection.Hebelievedthattheresnohalfwaytodoinganything.
Thatswhyalotofpeopledidnotunderstandhim.
InMay1970,YipManpermanentlyclosedthedoorsonhiscareerasamartialartsinstructor.He
diedfromthroatcanceronDecember2,1972.Hewas79.

ArticleprintedfromBlackBelt:http://www.blackbeltmag.com
URLtoarticle:http://www.blackbeltmag.com/daily/traditionalmartialartstraining/wing
chun/yipmanwingchunlegendandbruceleesformalteacher/
URLsinthispost:
[1]kungfu:http://www.blackbeltmag.com/category/kungfu/
[2]TheFREEBruceLeeEBookCollection:http://www.blackbeltmag.com/daily/martialarts
masters/brucelee/getafreebruceleebiographyebooksofbruceleefactsbrucelee
fightingstyleinformationandmore/
[3]wingchun.:http://www.blackbeltmag.com/category/wingchun/
[4]WilliamCheung:http://www.blackbeltmag.com/category/williamcheung/
[5]10WingChunKungFuTrainingPrinciplesAnyMartialArtistCanUse:
http://www.blackbeltmag.com/freeguides/10wingchunkungfutrainingprinciples
anymartialartistcanuse/
[6]chisao:http://www.blackbeltmag.com/daily/traditionalmartialartstraining/wing
chun/fightsmartinclosequarterscombatusingwingchuntechniques/
[7]woodendummytechniques:http://www.blackbeltmag.com/daily/martialarts
videos/kungfuvideos/kungfutechniquesvideowoodendummywingchunkungfu
trainingwithgrandmasterwilliamcheung/
[8]LindaLeeCadwell:http://www.blackbeltmag.com/daily/martialartsvideos/jeetkune
dovideos/bruceleeswidowlindaleecadwelltalksaboutbrucesmartialartsand
philosophybooktaoofjeetkunedothen1975andnow2011/
[9]BruceLee:http://www.blackbeltmag.com/category/brucelee/
[10]gungfu:http://store.blackbeltmag.com/p/ChineseGungFuRevisedandUpdated
book/chinesegungfurevisedandupdated2008book/4603.html
[11]fameofBruceLee:http://www.blackbeltmag.com/daily/traditionalmartialarts
training/jeetkunedo/meetjamesyimmleethemanwhohelpedmakebruceleea
success/

http://www.blackbeltmag.com/daily/traditionalmartialartstraining/wingchun/yipmanwingchunlegendandbruceleesformalteacher/print/

5/5