VING TSUN GUNG-FU: the science of in-fighting

There are, it seems, many interpretations or styles of the Chinese martial art known as Ving
Tsun (Wing Chun) Gung-fu being taught throughout the world. Within these variations, like in
all martial systems, there are inherent strengths and weaknesses, good and bad points, subtle
and not so subtle differences. If what a particular school or instructor teaches is to meet the
requirements of what is generally considered to be authentic Ving Tsun, a system whose
origins are said to be an amalgamation of the most effective combat theories and techniques of
several Chinese systems some two centuries ago, then it must meet certain criteria, namely it
must reflect three distinct qualities - SIMPLICITY, DIRECTNESS and EFFICIENCY.

At WSL Ving Tsun Combat Science - Malaysia (), all aspects of our training
emphasise and refine these three qualities. Our basic philosophy is that if something requires
excessive movement, strength or effort, then it is not something we wish to waste time
practising if a more practical method exists. In the words of our late Hong Kong-based leader,
Sifu Wong Shun Leung ()
, whose personal interpretation of the art that he learnt from the legendary grandmaster of the
system,
Ip Man ()
, he named
Ving Tsun Kuen Hok ( Scientific Ving Tsun)
, "You can always replace money, but you can't replace time." Sifu Wong believed that if a
student is allowed to, or worse, made to spend time on something which is unlikely to be of any
use, the instructor is not only deceiving his/her students, but also him or herself as well.
Ving Tsun Kuen Hok is a system based upon logic and science. It requires neither great
strength nor great athletic ability. What it does require, however, is a very precise
understanding of some very basic combat principles and unless the instructor can get these
across to the students, the likelihood is that the students will never fully realise their potential,
no matter how skilful the instructor may be. In Ving Tsun, it is not just a matter of copying
movements, one has to know precisely why something is being done, when to apply it and,
most importantly, how to develop and perfect such skills.

1/2

VING TSUN GUNG-FU: the science of in-fighting

This
being
the
case,
we
at
WSL
Ving
Tsun
Combat
Science
-for
Malaysia
(WSLVTCSM)
not
believe
principles
Tsun
spend
system,
combat
and
concepts
namely
majority
routines,
(i)
of
gleaned
but
our
in
training
contact
from
time
the
with
three
alone
many
basic
in
partners,
lines,
training
punching
constantly
patterns
the
air,
testing
or
or
engaged
and
of
the
refining
Ving
in
make
the
do
Nim
Tau
,Siu
(ii)
Cham
Kiu
and
(iii)
Ji
.Biu
positioning
would
reflex
on
precision
forms
Training
the
exercises
and
not
Chi
on
be
techniques.
Sau
and
appropriate
the
or
accurate
done
provide
Muk
"sticky
with
Yan
techniques
us
hands"
on
partners,
Jong,
with
a
"live"
aopponent
exercise
or
linking
training
"wooden
and
we
at
allows
device
to
WSLVTCSM
partner.
further
dummy"
for
for
the
develop
all
As
also
practise
of
well
also
the
provides
instant
above-mentioned
as
place
of
a
variety
techniques
reactions
aand
a
means
great
of
training
deal
and
developing
in
concepts,
a
of
technical
way
emphasis
drills
which
good
and
Chi
Sau
regime.
exercise,
Sau
where
environment
opponent
fighting
which
is
real
conscious
quite
systems
There
has,
and
at
self-protection
simply
the
in
in
there
are
which
worst
do
recent
thought
those
a
are
not
to
means
possible
those
have
years,
acquire
who
situations
is
eliminated.
effective
of
who
say
become
developing
range,
and
itSau
do
has
actually
develop
nothing
responses,
ie.
a
It
no
very
is
extreme
application
practical
not
take
but
the
misunderstood
fighting
place!
skills
and
Chi
close-range,
reflexes
more
to
Sau,
and
per
combat
responses
se,
importantly,
but
and
part
but
adevotees
of
and
position
itall
refining
the
does
dismiss
necessary
the
Ving
the
where
wrong
provide
them
very
Tsun
ithas
as
reasons.
many
for
to
range
the
training
a
the
fighting
useless
perfect
other
point
at
Chi
an
Chi
can
through
blocked,
the
other
fighter's
an
provided
attacking
enemy
Sau's
instinctively
words,
Chi
own
he
him
main
not
Sau
or
system,
Ving
techniques
or
put
she
purpose
find
her
is
Tsun
up
such
automatically
or
with
the
an
create
does
that
belief
effective
is
the
are
to
whenever
means
trapped,
not
enable
gaps
being
redirects
fight
defence,
in
to
the
that
the
jammed
by
overcome
the
Ving
doing
opponent's
the
the
there
path
best
Tsun
enemy's
or
Chi
is
blocked
the
form
an
no
Sau
fighter
problem.
defences.
attack
need
hands
of
with
by
defence
to
for
the
(by
develop
and
By
the
The
opponent,
the
its
continues
is
Chi
Ving
attack.
very
sensitivity
the
Sau
means
Tsun
nature,
Chi
but
to
the
be
ifSau
fighter)
developed
by
the
attack.
applied.
Ving
training
which
Ving
is
Tsun
Should
Tsun
In
they
has
is
The
art
that
standing
speak,
one
to
dominate
never
offer
systems
the
and
other
making
Chi
any
practitioners
to
back
the
great
Sau
totally
kind
is
situation
the
the
to
training
advantage
of
think
overwhelm
mistake
fact
defence.
are
about
encourages
constantly
of
itVing
skill
of
In
is
it.
trying
the
Chi
totally
Instead
other
and
to
controlled
forced
the
words,
spontaneous,
trade
training
of
student
becoming
at
to
blows
through
the
react
aggression,
over
of
first
with
Ving
the
virtually
aChi
very
opportunity
session
the
sparring
Tsun
Sau
enemy.
real
never
anything
the
to
of
attacks
normally
treat
trading
Ving
being
so
as
can
every
Tsun
without
afraid
to
blows,
and
seen
render
threat
student
to
does
the
in
"tit
go
them
other
as
for
luxury
forward
happen
learns
a
tat"
unable
real
martial
of
so
to
and
so
to
range
range,
realising
disposal
In-fighting
and
Ving
techniques/strategies,
rarely
efficient
even
tends
Tsun
some
to
that
one
and
and,
be
as
range,
to
in
may
many
must
Ving
they
developed
subtle
fact
develop
consequently,
say,
Tsun
excel
people
the
trains
nature,
Ving
that
Ving
athat
practitioners
and
at
is
distinct
in
think
the
fighting
close-range,
Tsun
Tsun
reverse
the
does
greater
that
does
preference
student
easier
Tsun
there.
these
order
utilise
fail
the
indeed
trains
the
things
to
From
distance
compared
skills
begins
kicking
appreciate
theory
for
these
have
become.
don't
this
there,
to
and
being
becomes,
mediumrange.
realise
techniques
to
exist
their
Ving
ground-fighting,
many
After
that
within
Contrary
the
existence
Tsun
as
and
the
other
just
effectiveness
most
the
more
long-distance
systems
aof
concepts
system.
to
short
situations
time
but
what
potential.
time
itforms
work
one
of
requires
the
of
Because
in
combat.
getting
training
such
end
outwards,
many
at
up
these
a
in
one's
of
The
critics
way
at
at
close
its
the
this
so
that
first
of

Sifu
experience
conditions.
simply
art
or
bad,
islate!
sake
test,
Wong
purely
because
it's
their
of
more
Shun
and
improving
He
subjective.
skill
practical
a
preferred
aLeung
skill
question
levels
himself
is
Like
was
something
compared.
training,
to
of
refer
aof
taste,
man
piece
well
having
to
who
Ving
which
but
of
as
music
ifto
believed
proving
himself
Tsun
you
can
or
think
be
as
many
Ving
aLeung
wholeheartedly
a
tested,
painting,
martial
that
Tsun's
times
"A"
proven
skill,
you
can
effectiveness
put
can't
defeat
and
his
in
rather
the
fighting
improved
"prove"
importance
than
under
then
skills
athose
whether
martial
itisown
real
can
to
ofearly
the
whereas
be
practical
it's
art,
test
put
good
for
to
This
then
isattacking
the
WSLVTCSM
the
single-handedly
when
western
many
and
expression
is
DIRECT
youre
the
training
applied
he
same
of
not
boxing
his
That
and
engaged
of
and
that
philosophy
fighting
EFFICIENT,
combat,
isand
put
that
the
line
inyour
Ving
fencing,
essence
concepts
of
ifcountless
Jeet
one
thinking
of
opponent's
Tsun
my
itexamines
Kune
may
emerging
aas
teacher,
from
approach
on
challenge
to
the
Do
the
his
what
Wong
attack,
().
his
own
be
martial
undefeated
Sifu
he
or
that
matches
training,
Shun
Wong
We
the
had
it's
her
itarts
not
just
training
own
learnt
at
Shun
map
each
WSLVTCSM
Ving
against
the
doesn't
training
from
in
result
of
Tsun;
Leung,
Way
time.
Hong
Ving
practitioners
measure
Sifu
by
of
The
of
ifTsun,
Kong
asking
course
you
Wong
the
Ving
believe
late
man
have
up.
being
in
Tsun
during
if"B"
being
Bruce
the
of
Put
itthat
who
is
all
to
Gung-fu.
as
'fifties
quite
truly
think,
his
styles,
almost
not
Lee
itupon,
SIMPLE,
all
simply,
and
()
drawn
it's
Ving
including
'sixties
already
drew
from
ifTsun
days
too

Sifu
instruction.
Melbourne
Instructor
David
until
Peterson
Having
Chinese
untimely
the
end
been
()
Martial
death
of
involved
2010.
was
in
Arts
1997,
As
aand
Club
in
personal
often
the
(MCMAC)
martial
as
student
possible
travelling
arts
in
of
since
1983,
during
Sifu
to
1973,
Wong
Hong
at
that
which
Sifu
time,
Kong
Shun
he
Peterson
the
to
Leung
was
study
MCMAC
the
established
from
under
Principal
1983
his
until
the
Wong
possible
where
constantly
sharing
journey
may
have
find
been
to
Sifu
Sifu
down
standards
Australia
that
that
striving
unable
Peterson
Wongs
Ving
what
we have
to
Tsun
to
of
we
teachings
established
pass
find
conduct
instruction
believe
something
the
a
on
satisfactory
Wong
the
classes
to
with
very
classes
be
of
Shun
anyone
aregularly
expertise.
value
and
best
more
solution
at
Leung
seminars
Ving
to
willing
the
rewarding
share
This
start
Tsun
in
Way
other
to
with
while
tradition
of
put
skills
can
path
2011.
martial
you.
aside
he
answer
possible
towas
now
We
combat
pride
systems.
at
alive,
continues
questions
WSLVTCSM
and
proficiency.
maintaining
take
ego
We
here
for
in
are
great
order
which
very
inare
You
the
pleasure
invited
Malaysia
to
you
highest
just
Sifu
in
confident
{flike}Wongs

2/2