Wing Chun

For other uses, see Wing Chun (disambiguation).
Not to be confused with Weng Chun.
Wing Chun
Ip Man and Bruce Lee practicing "双黐手" (Seung Chi Sau), meaning "double sticky hands"
Also known asVing Tsun, Wing Tsun, Wing Tsung, Yong Chun, Weng Chun, Wyng Tjun, Ving Tjun, Wing Tzun, Wing Tschun
FocusStriking, grappling, trapping
Country of originFoshan, China
CreatorShaolin Monastery, Red Boat Opera Company.[1][2][page needed]
For further information, see Branches of Wing Chun
Famous practitioners(see notable practitioners)
ParenthoodShaolin Kung Fu / Nanquan[2][page needed]
Descendant artsJeet Kune Do,[3] German Jujutsu[a][4]
Wing Chun
Traditional Chinese詠春
Simplified Chinese咏春
Literal meaning"singing spring"[5][6]
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinYǒngchūn
Yue: Cantonese
JyutpingWing6 ceon1

Wing Chun (Cantonese) or Yong Chun (Mandarin) (Chinese: 詠春 or 咏春, lit. "singing spring")[7] is a concept-based martial art, a form of Southern Chinese kung fu, and a close-quarters system of self-defense. It is a martial arts style characterized by its focus on close-quarters hand-to-hand combat, rapid-fire punches, and straightforward efficiency. It has a philosophy that emphasizes capturing and sticking to an opponent's centerline. This is accomplished using simultaneous attack and defense, tactile sensitivity, and using an opponent's force against them.

Wing Chun has various spellings in the West, but "Wing Chun" is the most common.[8][full citation needed][9][additional citation(s) needed] The origins of Wing Chun are uncertain, but it is generally attributed to the development of Southern Chinese martial arts. There are at least eight distinct lineages, of which the Ip Man and Yuen Kay-shan lineages are the most prolific.

The martial art was brought to Hong Kong and then the rest of the world by Ip Man, with Bruce Lee being his most famous student. The Ving Tsun Athletic Association, founded in 1967 by Ip Man and his students, helped spread Wing Chun globally. Traditionally taught within a family system, modern Wing Chun lessons have taken on a more academic and commercial character.

Wing Chun gained popularity in the 2010s due to the Ip Man film series starring Donnie Yen and has been featured in video games like Tekken 7. Notable practitioners include Bruce Lee, Donnie Yen, Samuel Kwok, and Carlos Deleon.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference Chu1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b Benjamin N. Judkins & Jon Nielson 2015
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference Crudelli316 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Braun, Christian (2004). Ju-Jutsu – Effektives Training. Das Prüfungsprogramm vom Gelb- und Orangegurt. Aachen, Germany: Meyer & Meyer Verlag. ISBN 3-89899-011-7.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference meaning N was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference meaning W was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ See Etymology
  8. ^ « As the art grows in popularity, many different Romanizations for the Chinese character "Wing Chun" continue to be created, often as a result of the local dialect and pronunciation. This results in the ability to determine a lineage, student/teacher family tree, or origin, by the spelling alone. The most common spelling is "wing chun", which applies generally to all families. » - Wayne Belonoha, The Wing Chun Compendium, p.20
  9. ^ "Why traditional martial arts lose to hand-to-hand combat – US military hand-to-hand combat trainer who teaches Wing Chun sees it this way". sina.com.cn. (in Chinese). November 23, 2020. Archived from the original on May 14, 2021. Retrieved 14 May 2021.


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