Virtue and Honor - Ip Man's Legacy to Wing Chun
by Master Ron Heimberger
Originally published in Wushu Qigong Kung Fu Magazine September 1998

Master Ron Heimberger:
We know that during the 18th century, a non-Chinese people known as the Manchurians ruled China. Because the Manchurian government was not popular, many Chinese people organized into secret, underground societies. These meetings were revolutionary in nature and most who attended were kung fu practitioners. The Manchurian government attempted to stamp these underground societies out of existence. The rebels took refuge in the famous Siu Lim Gee (Shaolin in Mandarin). This so enraged the Manchurians that they sent troops to burn down the temple and kill all those who lived there.

It is at this point that the history of Wing Chun becomes shrouded in legend. For purposes of historical accuracy, will you recount the history of Wing Chun as told to you by your father, Ip Man?

Grandmaster Ip Ching:
One of the masters who escaped the temple's destruction was Ng Mui. Ng Mui escaped the destruction and fled to Guang Sai. While in Guang Si, Ng Mui met a man named Yim Yee. This man had a daughter by the name of Yim Wing Chun. In return for the kindness that the family had shown Ng Mui by giving her a place to live, Ng Mui began teaching Yim's daughter, Yim Wing Chun. As Ng Mui instructed the girl, Yim Wing Chun asked Ng Mui what the name of the style was. The style had not received a name in the temple and since Ng Mui did not know where the other masters were, she decided to name the style after her pupil, Wing Chun.

Yim Wing Chun continued to learn from Ng Mui and when Yim Wing Chun married she taught her husband, Leung Bok Chow. Leung Bok Chow then taught Wang Wa Po. Wang Wa Po taught Leung Yee Tai. Leung Yee Tai taught his nephew Leung Jan. Leung Jan was a successful and capable Chinese physician who ran an herb shop. Having mastered Wing Chun, Leung Jan began teaching his two sons, Leung Chun and Leung Bik, and Chan Wa Shun (a fellow merchant) in the herb shop after he closed up for the day.

Master Ron Heimberger:
Since Chan Wa Shun was Ip Man's formal Sifu, will you tell us more about him?

Grandmaster Ip Ching:
One day, during a particularly severe rain storm, all of the shops in the marketplace, including Leung Jan's herb shop, closed up early. Chan Wa Shun, a fellow merchant, operated a money changing booth in the market place in front of Leung Jan's shop. That day, during the rainstorm, Chan Wa Shun sought refuge under the awning of Leung Jan's shop. Safely out of the rain, Chan Wa Shun noticed that a light was escaping from around the crack's of Leung Jan's door. Curious, he peeked into Leung Jan's shop. He watched in fascination as Leung Jan instructed his sons in Wing Chun. Amazed by what he saw, Chan Wa Shun secretly watched Leung Jan's instruction every opportunity he could. Eventually he implored Leung Jan to teach him kung fu. Because Leung Jan had known Chan Wa Shun for a long time and because Leung Jan knew that Chan Wa Shun was a very moral and upright man, Leung Jan accepted Chan Wa Shun as his student. Chan Wa Shun was Leung Jan's loyal student and the only non-family member that Leung Jan ever taught.