Looks at southern Chinese martial arts traditions and how they have become important to local identity and narratives of resistance. This book explores the social history of southern Chinese martial arts and their contemporary importance to local identity and narratives of resistance. Hong Kong’s Bruce Lee ushered the Chinese martial arts onto an international stage in the 1970s. Lee’s teacher, Ip Man, master of Wing Chun Kung Fu, has recently emerged as a highly visible symbol of southern Chinese identity and pride. Benjamin N. Judkins and Jon Nielson examine the emergence of Wing Chun to reveal how this body of social practices developed and why individuals continue to turn to the martial arts as they navigate the challenges of a rapidly evolving environment. After surveying the development of hand combat traditions in Guangdong Province from roughly the start of the nineteenth century until 1949, the authors turn to Wing Chun, noting its development, the changing social attitudes towards this practice over time, and its ultimate emergence as a global art form. Benjamin N. Judkins holds a doctoral degree in political science from Columbia University. Jon Nielson is chief instructor at Wing Chun Hall in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Master the many styles of Wing Chun Kung Fu with this expert martial arts guide. With the fame of Bruce Lee, the conditions in Hong Kong, and the hard work and effort of many of his classmates, the Wing Chun of the late master Yip Man became one of the most well-known and popular Chinese martial arts in the world. Although this gave Wing Chun international recognition, it also led to a lot of misconceptions. Due to a lack of authentic information, many mistakenly came to assume that the renowned Yip Man was the sole inheritor of the style and that his Wing Chun was the lone version of the art. In fact, there are several different and distinct systems of Wing Chun. Unfortunately, over the years most of these systems have remained unseen or unreported to all but a few—until now. Profusely illustrated with over 300 historical photographs, Complete Wing Chun: The Definitive Guide to Wing Chun's History and Traditions presents seldom seen information on a dozen branches of the Wing Chun art. It offers the reader side-by-side comparison of these arts by outlining each system in terms of Wing Chun history, principles, basics, and training methods: Yip Man Wing Chun Yuen Kay-San Wing Chun Kuen Gu Lao Wing Chun Kuen Nanyang Wing Chun Kuen Pan Nam Wing Chun Kuen Pao Fa Lien Wing Chun Kuen Hung Suen Wing Chun Kuen and more!

Wing Chun is the most popular form of Chinese Kung Fu in the world today, with over four million practitioners. The art as it is presently understood has been handed down from teacher to student for more than three hundred years. Until now, no one has ever stepped back and taken a critical look at why this art’s techniques are presented and performed the way they are. This book, by Wing Chun master Danny Xuan and martial-arts authority John Little, is the first to decipher these techniques that until now have been encrypted within this art. Xuan and Little reveal how Wing Chun was designed holistically, based on the laws of physics, human nature, and biomechanics. It was also designed with economy, efficiency, and productivity in mind. Unlike other martial arts, Wing Chun doesn’t focus on making a person larger, more rugged, acrobatic or animal-like; rather, it focuses on making optimal use of one’s own bodily structure and power potential by applying the sciences of biomechanics and physics. Thus, it is possible for males and females of all ages and sizes to excel in this art. The Tao of Wing Chun provides a readable, authoritative means of cultivating personal protection skills, enhanced flexibility, improved coordination, greater stamina, and physical and mental fitness while simultaneously cultivating humility, focus, determination, self-confidence, character, camaraderie, and deep inner strength. Foremost, this book offers the reader the means by which to apply Wing Chun principles in daily life. Enhanced by forty-eight full-color illustrations, The Tao of Wing Chun will fascinate, educate, and entertain a wide range of readers—from beginner to master.

A simple and powerful form of kung fu, wing chun is ideal for women interested in the art of self-defense. This book covers the first form of wing chun kung fu, and is appropriate for intermediate and advanced practitioners, as well as beginners. 130 photos.

Yip Chun is a Grandmaster of Wing Chun, and the eldest son of Yip Man - Bruce Lee's mentor. With the help of Danny Connor, Yip Chun explains the moves, the importance of the relationship between teacher and student, and the Confucian theory. Studentswill learn Chi Sau, Siu Lim Tao, Chum Kiu, and Biu Tze from the many illustrations that show the forms. 150 photographs.

Edited by Bruce Lee and featuring jeet kune do legend Ted Wong, this book introduces the reader to the sil lim tao form, the immovable-elbow and centerline theories, chi sao (sticky hands), trapping, and much more. Wing Chun Kung-Fu continues to set the standard for martial arts instructional books, and it has become the perennial study guide for kung fu enthusiasts of all skill levels.

Wing Chun is a logical, scientific yet simple Chinese martial art system, which was developed purely for practical and effective self-defence for everybody. It is a martial art known for its efficiency and economy of movement, which emphasizes natural and efficient use of the body. Topics include: the fundamental principles of the hand and leg techniques; detailed explanations of the shape, structure and movements and a checklist for each technique; a detailed analysis and explanation of each of the 'empty hand' forms; an in-depth explanation of the principles and concepts behind Chi Sao, Wing Chun's 'sticky hands'; a scientific and anatomical explanation of the basic principles underlying the Wing Chun system.