Schools of Wing Chun

By now, Wing Chun has split into dozens of schools. The best known among them are the styles created by Yip Man and his students, as they were the first to teach a wider audience, and today they are mostly available in Europe, America, and Australia as well. Less known are the schools that still exist in Fatsaan, whose student base is still largely confined to China. Not to mention the school practiced by Buddhist monks, Baak Hok Weng Chun, or the masters who adhere to tradition and teach only a few students, about whom little is known beyond their existence.

Ji Sin Weng Chun
(Zhi Shan Yong Chun)

The most well-known versions of Wing Chun come from the “Yip Man branch,” but besides these, many other versions have survived, mainly around Fatsaan. One such version is Ji Sin Weng Chun. The style was named after the legendary monk Ji Sin of the Fujian Shaolin Temple. The style originates from Syun Gam (nicknamed “Daai Fa Min” Gam, meaning “Painted Face” Gam), a student of Ji Sin. When Syun acquired new costumes in Fatsaan, he met a tailor’s apprentice, Fung Siu Ching. Within a short time, Fung became Syun’s student and followed the troupe, where he assisted in preparing makeup and learned Weng Chun in his free time. Fung systematized the style and passed it on to several students. The most well-known among them are Fung Ting (his son), Dung Syun, Ma Jung Yu, Dung Jit, Lo Ying Nam, and Lo Kai Tong. Through Fung, Ji Sin Weng Chun spread to several southern Chinese provinces, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, and Indonesia. At the age of 71, Fung Siu Ching accepted his last student, Yun Kei Saan. Dung Jit passed his art on to Jyu Jung Man, who moved to Macau, where he became a well-known fighter, referred to as “Invincible” Jyu, but did not teach, focusing only on his medical profession. Dung Syun passed the system on to his son Dung Yik and to Pak Cheung. In the early 1900s, Fung Siu Ching’s students protected the Fatsaan region from bandits. In the 1930s, two brothers who later became known, Lo Chiu Wan and Lo Hong Tai, learned from these students. Lo Chiu Wan lived around Hong Kong and taught his system to a wealthy friend, Wai Yan. Wai wanted to preserve the methods of Ji Sin Weng Chun, so with his master’s help he reached masters Lo Hong Tai, Dung On, Dung Yik, and Jyu Jung Man, with whom they later frequently gathered at the dockyard of a student, Daai Duk Lan. (Daai Duk Lan is best known for creating the first suspended wooden dummy instead of the earlier ground-fixed version.) Among Wai Yan’s students are Lau Chi Lung and Jeng Gwong. Jeng Gwong already accepted European students, mainly from Germany, which is how this style became known here as well.

Pang Naam Weng Chun
(Peng Nan Yong Chun)

Considered the most characteristic Fatsaan Wing Chun style. One of Chan Wa Seun’s students was Lai Hip Chi (one of Yip Man’s senior kung-fu brothers). Pang Naam studied Hung Ga in his youth. Through a friend, he reached Lai Hip Chi, from whom he learned the complete system. His style is a classical Weng Chun system, which has now spread beyond China through his students.

Yun Kei Saan Wing Chun
(Ruan Qishan Yong Chun)

As mentioned, Yun Kei Saan was a personal student of Fung Siu Ching in the early 1900s. He taught in Fatsaan as a master of the style until his death. His student Sam Nang named the system Yun Kei Saan Wing Chun. Several of Sam Nang’s students left China, including the well-known master Ngou Leui Kei, and through them it became the most well-known Fatsaan style.

Naam Yeung Wing Chun
(Nanyang Yong Chun Chuan)

One of “Painted Face” Gam’s students was Chou Dak Saang. Chou came from a martial arts family and was also known as a Hung Ga expert. Until the beginning of the 20th century, this version of Wing Chun was passed down within the Chou family from father to son, and during this time (while preserving the traditional forms) many techniques characteristic of other styles were incorporated into the system (such as the tiger claw from Hung Ga, Baak Mei elements, etc.). Today, it has spread to several parts of Southeast Asia (Malaysia, Singapore) and is also taught in Australia.

Gu Lou Wing Chun (Gulao Yong Chun), or
Gu Lou Sei Sap Dim Wing Chun (Gulao Forty Points Wing Chun)

One of the most well-known Wing Chun masters, Leung Jaan, retired in his old age to his home village, Gu Lou. He continued to meet with his direct students to practice, during which he reorganized the style in a new way. Instead of focusing on forms in teaching, he placed the so-called “40 short trainings” at the center. These were 40 selected elements and exercises that he considered especially important in mastering Wing Chun. This was the Gu Lou Sei Sap Dim, or the 40 Points of Gu Lou. With this, Leung Jaan did not change the style itself, but created a new method of transmitting the art and the learning process. This system was continued by his student Taam Yeung.

Paau Fa Lin Weng Chun
(Paohua Lian Yong Chun)

Its first known master was a 19th-century monk, Daai Dung Fung (Da Dong Fong – Great Eastern Wind), who was a member of an anti-Manchu secret society. He taught the system to the Je brothers (Gwok Jeung and Gwok Leung) when he was in Guangdong province. The Je brothers took in an orphan boy, Lau Daat Saang (Liu Dasheng), whom they began teaching martial arts at the age of 9. In his youth, Lau worked for a craftsman who made hair care products. The product was made by boiling wood shavings, which Lau produced by planing the wood. From this came one of his nicknames, Paau Fa (Wood Planer). The character “Daat” resembled the character “Lin,” meaning lotus (water lily), so he was often teasingly called Siu Lin, “Little Lotus” (typically a female name). Over time, the two names were combined, and he became known as Paau Fa Lin. Lau Daat Saang studied Wing Chun for ten years and worked for a long time as a money escort for a local institution’s cashier. In his later years, he returned to Fatsaan and taught his system to a few selected students. After his death, Jyu Jung and his students continued the style.

Fukgin Weng Chun Kyun
(Fujian Yong Chun Quan)

The style is traced back to Ji Sin, the abbot of the Fujian Shaolin Temple. It received its name to commemorate the temple. Fong Sai Yuk (Fang Shiyu) and Hu Hui Gan brought this branch to Guangdong province. (Fong Sai Yuk is the one whose life was saved by Ng Mui during a duel.)

Pin San Wing Chun
(Pianshen Yong Chun)

Wong Wa Saam was a late student of Leung Jaan. He already learned the system known as Gu Lou. Wong passed the style on to Fung Lim. In the Fung family, several members were experts in the Fujian Shaolin style. The Fung family combined Southern Shaolin and Gu Lou Wing Chun to create their own style.

Yiu Kei Wing Chun
(Yao Qi Yong Chun)

It was created by Yiu Kei, the son of a student of Ng Jung Sou (Yip Man’s kung-fu elder brother). Yiu Kei learned the style from his father, Yiu Choi, and later, as a master, also studied under the elderly Ng Jung Sou. Yiu Kei’s activity is also connected to Fatsaan.

Hung Syun Weng Chun
(Hong Chuan Yong Chun)

The style originates from the nun Yat Chan, who was one of the monks hiding on the “Red Boat” (Hung Syuhn). She first accepted two actors belonging to anti-Manchu secret societies as students: “Taan Sau” Ng (Tanshou – “Spreading Hand” – Wu) and “Hung Gan” Biu (“Hongjin” – “Red Scarf” – Biao), followed by others: Wong Wa Bou, Leung Yi Tai, and “Daai Fa Min” Gam. The original teachings were continued by “Taan Sau” Ng and “Hung Gan” Biu.

Vinh Xuan, or Yut Naam Wing Chun Kyun
(Yuenan Yongchunquan, the Vietnamese Wing Chun)

This can be considered an independent style of Wing Chun. Several Vietnamese masters studied martial arts in Southern China. The first to learn Wing Chun, still from 19th-century masters, was Nguyen Te Cong. Later, Luong Vu Te studied under several famous masters from Chan Wa Seun to Yip Man. Returning to Vietnam, he also taught the style. By now, Wing Chun teachings from different periods have been unified into the Vinh Xuan system. Today, this version of Wing Chun also exists in the West.