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Sifu Clive Potter
Presents
the
The Way of
Wong Shun Leung
2
Introduction
Many people ask me why Wong’s way of Ving Tsun is so different than other Sifus. Essentially I can only apply
this question to the United Kingdom as that is where the question is asked and that is where I know the question
is true. For example one very noticeable difference is the way the Wong’s system turns. In many styles of Ving
Tsun in the U.K., when the practitioner turns he puts most if not all his weight on the back leg which of course
moves him away from the opponent. Wong system turns on the centre of gravity giving more control of the
opponent. Years ago when Anthony Kan and I were learning we were aware of this difference and wondered,
even though to us Wong’s way made more sense, that perhaps we were wrong as most styles of Ving Tsun in
the U.K. placed the weight on the back leg when they turned. Of course we stayed with what made most logical
sense. There are also many other ways that other different Ving Tsun schools have similarities that are different
from Wong’s thinking. Personally, I have viewed many, many ways of Ving Tsun over the years, but never have I
found a way that is as simple, as efficient and as direct as Wong’s. Indeed, if I had I would be there! Much Ving
Tsun in the U.K. is more rounded, defensive and prettier than Wong’s.
However, to find why Wong’s way is so renowned and different to other Ving Tsun we must look at the past. One
obvious pointer is the experience that Wong gained in what worked and what did not from all the real fights he
had when he was young. Another is the relationship he had with Yip Man which had a bearing on the knowledge
he gained. For this I would like to quote from an article by Dave Peterson and Enzo Verratti called “Ving Tsun by
Definition”. I hope they don’t mind me borrowing their words.
“It has been often suggested that Yip Man taught in a fairly unsystematic way, tending to pass on skills
according to the student’s size and reach. It is also said that he didn’t have much time for his slower, less
intelligent or less diligent students and actually taught few people the entire system in person. This in turn led to
many people learning by observing others training, rather than first-hand, and that quite a few actually learn
“second-hand” or even “third-hand” version of Ving Tsun filling the gaps in their knowledge with guesswork based
on what they could recall seeing others do, or even worse, making it up out of their own imagination! This, of
course gave rise to the variation in technique (and the interpretation of these techniques) extant today among
instructors of the same generation, not to mention those of their younger Ving Tsun brothers and sisters.
Of all of Yip Man’s students, Sifu Wong Shun Leung probably spent the longest time under his tutelage
because it was Sifu Wong who did most of the teaching in Yip Man’s school, whereas most of the other senior
students opened their own schools and went about doing things their own way. Wong was therefore, always
close to his teacher, could confer with his teacher and, observe his teacher, thereby picking up many of the
subtleties which his peers never did. Sifu Wong was also the one Yip Man student who always put everything he
had learned to the test, so he soon developed what can only be described as an intimate knowledge of the Ving
Tsun system. Becoming known throughout Hong Kong as “Gong Sau Wong”, or “King of Talking with the Hands”,
Sifu Wong took the Ving Tsun system to a whole new level and was never defeated in dozens of real life
encounters with practitioners of a myriad of martial styles.”
Certainly, when I was in Hong Kong last November 1999 for the “First World Ving Tsun Conference”, it was clear
from what was said on stage that Wong Shun Leung was highly respected by his peers. Dave Peterson also
gave a rousing speech as to how many Ving Tsun teachers have “lost the way” making their techniques pretty
and indirect. What amazes me is how it appeared that many people including Wong’s peers agreed with Dave
Peterson but I have never seen any evidence of anyone doing anything about it! This leads me nicely in to
quoting a little more from the same Dave Peterson and Enzo Verratti article:-
“What is more disturbing and frustrating is that many very intelligent people blindly continue to follow
such instructors, even when confronted by convincing arguments which clearly prove that what they are doing
does not conform to a logical approach. Instead, they take what is basically a simple straightforward method and
turn it into one that is complicated and less efficient. …………………. So many Ving Tsun practitioners invent
endless sequences of defensive actions when what is clearly the obvious message of the system is that ‘attack is
the best form of defence.’”
Dave Peterson’s message is one that I completely concur with. Wong once said to me if you want to develop
your Ving Tsun you must keep one formula in mind. Does the idea you wish to develop make it more simple,
more direct and more efficient?
Long live the way of Wong Shun Leung!
Clive Potter
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4
Index
Title
Details
Page
The Master Returns
by Rusper Patel
Master Wong’s 1990 U.K. seminar
Featured in “Combat” magazine
21
Positive Attitude in Ving Tsun
by Clive Potter
Develop the right kind of approach in
fighting
Featured in “Combat” magazine
43
The Ving Tsun Punch
by Clive Potter
The science of punching correctly
Featured in “Combat” magazine
7
The Wong Shun Leung Interview
by Rusper Patel
Interview prior to Master
Wong’s 1993 U.K. Seminar
Featured in “Fighters” magazine
23
“Beimo”
by David Peterson
Wong Shun Leung’s approach to real
fighting
Featured in “Inside Kung Fu”
magazine
16
Centerline Theory
by Clive Potter
featured in “Combat” magazine
33
Hong Kong - The Home of Modern Ving
Tsun
by Clive Potter
Clive Potter’s 1994 visit to Master
Wong’s school in Hong Kong
Featured in “Fighters” magazine.
18
Sifu Wong - A Passion for Wing Chun
by Daniel Poon
Report on 1995 Wong Shun Leung
Seminar
Featured in “Qi” magazine.
38
Wong Shun Leung Seminar - 1995
by Clive Potter
Report on 1995 Wong Shun Leung
Seminar
Featured in “Combat” magazine.
35
Wong Shun Leung -
The Early Years
Article from “Inside Kung Fu”
magazine
10
Discussions with Master Wong Shun
Leung
and Master Tsui Sheung Tin
Article of a discussion that has been
documented and produced on the
Internet.
28
The Death of a Legend
A compilation of articles by David
Peterson to mark the passing away of
Master Wong
46
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