In the 1980s I read articles in Inside Kung-Fu on Five Ancestor Fist by Alex Co.To me this art was dynamic, its principles deep, and its curriculum comprehensive; I just had to learn it. I finally had the chance to meet and learn from Master Co in the early 1990s during my travels to Manila […]
New Book: Kong Han Ngo Cho Read More »
I love it when scientific studies prove the medical benefits of ancient mind-body methods extolled for their health-giving powers for thousands of years. China is a country rich in mind-body healing traditions, ranging from herbal medicine, bone-setting and acupuncture to meditation, qigong and tai chi. Recently, a study showed that tai chi may prevent onset
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Thanks to the international hit Ip Man movies, millions know of the handsome street-fighter Leung, whose brawling brought fame to wing-chun and, in the second movie’s finale, introduced Ip to a snotty young street-fighting buddy named Bruce Lee. Now, at the turn of the century, I spent a weekend with Duncan Leung at Virginia Beach.
Duncan Leung: Wing Chun’s Dark Genius Read More »
Wing Chun is a martial art with the reputation of being a highly-effective form of self-defense. Also, it claims to be a scientific approach to combat, using correct angles and power to align the body with its natural power. It is direct and often described as a simple martial art. As Wing Chun is a principle- and concept-based
Addressing Wing Chun’s Problems Read More »
Structural mapping, conscious and subconscious development, plus positional referencing, many arts and cultures have used this format in various ways—such as in the wide-spread use of kata. This is for good reason, as it takes hours of repetition and then, when you understand the forms correctly, you have a blueprint for your success. Is Wing
Mastering Wing Chun’s Power Structure Read More »
While watching TV programs and reading articles about the death of civilians at the hands of the police in different cities in the US, I often think about that morning 7 years ago when a cop confronted me in Easton, PA. I used to practice Traditional Yang Family Tai chi chuan early in the morning
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“Without ‘letters,’ the effort to spread the martial arts across the nation is bound to fail.” −Cai Yangwu, a slogan of the Jingwu (Pure Martial) Association. By Ben Judkins, Kung-fu Tea It may seem odd or inauthentic to label a manual as “the Bible” of a given martial arts style. Certain students have taken issue
Ngo Cho Kun in Socio-Cultural Perspective Read More »
Written in 1907, the book known as Chinese Gentle Art Complete was published by Yu Chiok Sam, alias Yu Hong Piao, in 1917. Yu was one of the “Ngo Cho Ten Tigers,” the top 10 disciples of Chua Giok beng, the founder of Ngo Cho Kun or Five Ancestor Fist Kung-Fu. Yu intended his book
Ngo Cho’s Master Text Translated Read More »
When I was a young man I was in search of this miraculous art of Wing Chun. By chance I met Master Moy Yat and became a “special student” and trained under him for about a year. His art was excellent but there was “something missing” for me. I was looking at an article by
James Cama Remembers Wing Chun Sifu Henry Leung Read More »
The following is an excerpt from the beginning chapter of Chinese Gentle Art Complete: The Bible of Ngo Cho Kun, written by Yu Chiok Sam and translated by Alexander L. Co. This first-ever re-release of the book since 1917 is bi-lingual and contains photos not in the original to highlight the text. 二十世紀，一武裝和平時代也。文明愈進步，殺人之器，亦講求愈精。而柔術一門，逐若天演淘汰之列，不知槍湮彈雨，賁育原無所施，而短兵相接時則柔術尚矣。日俄一役，其彰明較著者也，且流水不腐,戶樞不蠹。研究衛生學者，大多以運動為增進身體之健康，夫運動法日術相接之佳良，又熟有過柔術者乎。吾國滿清未造，積弱相仍，摺紳士夫，縛雞無力。光復以 後,當軸者稍知文弱之不足競存也，於是學校兼課柔術之文，然則柔術雖一技之微，而小足以保身，大足以強種，使上行下效，化病夫為健兒，中國前途庶有生氣乎。
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