This close range Chinese martial art is one of the most widely known but the least spectacular. The most controversial yet in many ways the simplest. The most written about but frequently the most misunderstood.

Wing Chun history begins at the Shaolin Temple in Honan province, where the famed Bodhid harma (A D 448-527) founder of Ch'an Buddhism resided. Over the centuries this temple was destroyed and rebuilt many times, but it was always a center of martial arts activity. In the 17th century the hated Manchu conquered China, putting an end to the Ming dynasty, and under their rule the Shaolin Temple became one of the centers for plots to overthrow the government: 'Destroy the Ch'ing (Manchu), restore the Ming.'

The monks of the temple began to teach people their fighting arts. Word of this reached the Manchu emperor and he passed a law forbidding the practice of martial arts. The monks ignored the decree and trained in the early morning to avoid detection, a tradition observed out of respect to this day. The emperor still suspected the monks of revolutionary activities. He then decided that the temple should be demolished, and the army was sent in. After many attempts, the temple was downed to the ground and only five residents managed to escape with their lives. One of the survivors was Ng Mui, a nun who possessed great Kung Fu skills. She then took refuge in the Green Temple on white Crane mountain.

By this time a pretty young lady by the name of Yim Wing Chun (Beautiful Spring Time) was being forced to marry a local gangster. This local gang leader told her and her father that if she said "no" there would be grim consequences to the family. Ng Mui heard about these threats and suggested to Wing Chun to postpone the wedding for one year. Then Ng Mui took Wing Chun and privately instructed her in Shaolin fighting techniques, using her own female modifications.

The year passed. Wing Chun's father informed the gangster that his daughter had studied Kung Fu since childhood and would only marry someone who could defeat her in combat. The overconfident fighter, set the confrontation in the town square for all to see. The fighting went on for some time, when he realized that his brute strength block and punch style was no match for her simple and direct techniques. He and members of his gang quickly left town.

Ng Mui continued to teach the talented Wing Chun. Ng Mui, sensing the greatness of her first disciple, named this developing style in her honor. Wing Chun married her true love, Leong Bok Chao. She then taught him all of Wing Chun Kung Fu. Leong became a master with many talented students. Amongst them was Dr. Leung Tzan. After determined training, Dr. Leung stood up to many challenges, undefeated in fierce competition. It was because of Leung Tzan's fighting reputation that the Wing Chun style became famous in Southern China.

The centerline is an integral part of the wing chun style of Kung Fu. The centerline influence can be seen in all wing chun stances, hand positions, shifting of stances, advancing and retreating. The centerline is an imaginary line that passes through the median axis of the body. It is on this line that the most vulnerable organs of the body are located. The martial artist defends this area by keeping his elbows in the centerline in both attack and defense and seeks to attack the centerline of his opponent.

Typically wing chun attacks must be linear because of the requirement of keeping the elbows in the centerline. The shortest distance between two points, such as a fist and a throat, is a straight line, so linear attacks are much faster than circular attacks. It is also more difficult to defend against straight line attacks because they are direct, fast, and are not easily seen.

The hand and forearm can move in any direction, but the elbow should never move. The hand and forearm should never pass the imaginary vertical line that intersects the elbow. If the arm is pushed too hard, it is better to give way with the body than give way with the elbow. The distance between the thumb and little finger is the correct distance that the elbow should be from the body.

The wing chun artist has typically only four areas that he has to protect witch are called four corners. The height of the boundary line is the eyebrows, the lowest is the groin area, and the width extends just past the shoulders. The top half of the side of the forward hand is the outside high gate, the other side is called the inside high gate and the same applies for the low gates.

Written By Sifu Rino Côté