by Master Fu

Created on: December 16, 2010

Wing Chun (also nicknamed Hong Kong Street fighting) is a practical and scientific system of combat that cares little for the refinements of good taste. It is a lethal method of disposing of assailants, that is quick, sharp and to the point.

During the twentieth century some of the movements that were once relevant to the various forms of Chinese boxing have been dropped, and new ones have been introduced that best suit the requirements of city living in street survival situations. A few kung fu styles have needed only slight adjustments. In fact most of the ancient principles of unarmed combat are still as useful today as they were three and four hundred years ago in China.

Without a doubt one of the most wide­spread and popular kung fu styles is that of Wing Chun. Wing Chun (also nicknamed Hong Kong street fighting) is a practical and scientific system of combat that cares little for the refinements of good taste. It is a lethal method of disposing of assailants, that is quick, sharp and to the point. Wing Chun has no superfluous techniques attached to it, nor does it embrace scores of different weapons.

In fact there are only two types of weapon in the system, one being the Luk Dim Boon Kwun or six-and-a-half-point pole. The name comes from the number of movements that is the basis for all the techniques. The pole is about eight feet (2.4m) in length, although this can vary with the person using it. A Shaolm monk named Gee-Sin originated this art.

The other weapon of the system is the famous Baat Jaam Do or eight cutting knives, perhaps more familiarly known as the Wing Chun butterfly knives. The name derives from the use of the twin knives with their eight basic cutting movements.

The primary aims of Wing Chun are to guard the centre-line of the body, and to exert only the minimum amount of force to do the maximum amount of work. Two-thirds of this style consists of hand man­oeuvres and subtly shifting footwork. Very few kicks are employed at all, contrary to what the movies indicate. In reality there are only eight kicks, all variable in execu­tion. These kicks are short-range ones, and when they are delivered correctly they are almost indefensible. All the kicks except one are delivered low.

Wing Chun students first learn the basic hand techniques which act as both an attack and defence. The constant theme running throughout Wing Chun is that of economy of motion. This art is based on the theory that the shortest distance between two points

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