The Art
Wing Chun Kung Fu is a Southern Chinese Martial art that emphasizes speed, balance, and economy of motion rather than brute strength. Wing Chun takes a common sense approach to self defense in real-life scenarios. It was developed through collaboration between Shaolin Monks and military advisors in the mid-seventeenth century who were resisting foreign occupation. It draws upon the fundamental principles of previous classical Kung Fu systems as well as those of military martial science, resulting in one highly efficient method. The new system was taught secretly to a select few until the 1950’s when the Grandmaster Ip Man opened the first public Wing Chun school in Hong Kong. Because of Grandmaster Ip’s effective teaching methods, and the success of his students, the “Ip Man System” is the most widely known version of Wing Chun throughout the world.
At Cichon’s Wing Chun, Sifu Cichon teaches this system in its entirety as he learned it from his first and only Sifu, Ip Ching, son of Ip Man. Students are taught to use their whole body, mind, and spirit to become what Sifu Cichon calls “The calm center of a powerful storm”. There is no formal ranking or belt system; a student’s reward is the value gained from his/her own accomplishments. The thing that sets Wing Chun apart from other martial arts is its simplicity. The curriculum is fairly compact when compared to other classical styles. It is comprised of three empty-hand sets, The Wooden Dummy set, and two weapon sets. However, the potential for direct application and personal expression is unlimited. “Wing Chun” literally means “eternal springtime”, a metaphor for unlimited growth and improvement. A Wing Chun student learns to interpret and apply the principles taught within the system in much the same way as a Mathematician uses his knowledge of basic algebra to simplify and solve complex problems . Students do not rely on rehearsed attack and response drills to deal with an unexpected threat; instead they learn to adapt to their opponents movement in order to take control of a potentially dangerous situation. Those who follow their Sifu’s guidance, and train diligently will develop amazing skills such as:
- Rooting Power: the ability to maintain balance and structural stability while remaining limber and flexible, like a tree that bends with the wind.
- Energy Borrowing: the ability to receive and redirect force from an opponent and use it against him, thus enabling the user to defeat a larger, stronger attacker.
- Short Power: through relaxation of mind and body, along with proper body structure, one can deliver explosive force at close range with blinding speed; also referred to as “inch power”.
These are just a few of the unique skills that a motivated student will acquire. Wing Chun is a process of continuous personal growth and improvement with many hidden treasures that once discovered can never be taken away. Sifu Cichon takes great care in guiding his students at an individual level, recognizing that we all have unique talents an attributes that must be properly cultivated in order to achieve our goals as developing martial artists.
