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Weng chun kung fu (Chinese 永春 meaning "eternal spring" also known as Chi Sim Weng Chun) is an ancient martial art, which was originally practised in the Southern Shaolin Temple in China. Weng chun in its present form has been preserved and developed by Grand Master Andreas Hoffmann.

Description

Chi Sim Weng Chun is a complete system incorporating several principle training areas. The first is focused on fitness and health. Health is categorised as both internal and external, with exercises devoted to developing both, through breathing and physical training. The phrase Internal Power also covers the soft and internal aspects of the Chi Sim system for self-defence.

The Chi Sim system teaches students to harmonise with an opponent’s energy rather than meet force head-on. Therein lays the soft training, learning to receive an opponent’s power without allowing it to influence the student’s own structure. The focus on internal training teaches how to use the whole body for power, learning to unify the limbs and trunk into a more efficient tool.

History

There are many interpretations of the history of Weng Chun kung fu. The following is the chronology according to Grandmaster Andreas Hoffmann^[1]. Other accounts have been documented by others including an extensive history of Weng Chun by Benny Meng and Jeremy Roadruck from the vtmuseum^[2]^[3].

According to legend, in 520 A.D., the Buddhist monk Bodhidharma travelled from India to the Shaolin Temple (the Siu Lam monastery) in China.

Bodhidharma laid the foundations of Weng Chun by looking for a holistic approach to the questions of human existence, the awareness of one’s body and how to deal with energy, power and aggression. Up to this day, members of the Weng Chun Kuen Kung Fu clans celebrate Bodhidharma’s “birthday”.

The Temple of “the Eternal Power of Life”

A special temple was set up in the Southern Shaolin monastery, in which only the most experienced monks came together in the course of hundreds of years to refine and improve their Kung Fu. The temple acquired the name Weng Chun, which means the “eternal power of life” or “everlasting springtime”.

The Philosophy – Principle of Effectiveness

For the Southern Shaolin monks, it was paramount to experience reality directly. Their philosophy of Chan-Buddhism meant a return to the natural and the simple. This often stood in contrast to the philosophies of fighting styles taught outside the temple. These often referred to magic, faith or obedience to older generations. This is why the Weng Chun temple incorporated only those fighting concepts, which really worked simply and directly.

Shaolin Abbot Chi Sin Sim Si – Guardian of the Art

Treachery led to the Southern Shaolin temple being destroyed in the 18th century by the ruling powers. The Southern Shaolin abbot Chi Sin Sim Si was able to flee with some other monks and got himself hired as a cook on the “Red Boat” under a false name. The “Red Boat” was a ship of a Chinese opera troupe, which travelled from town to town to entertain the people.

Tiger Wong tyrannizes the Members of the “Red Boat”

One of the most brutal Kung Fu fighters of his day, Tiger Wong tried to exhort protection money from the Opera troupe. He gave them an ultimatum of one day. Should they not pay at the end of the day, then he would destroy their boat. The leader of the opera troupe, Wong Wah Bo and his followers were in a state of despair. They had no money and, moreover, they could not protect themselves, because they knew no “fighting Kung Fu”, but only “Opera Kung Fu”. As the deadline expired, the members of the “Red Boat” felt that their end was near.

The “crazy” Cook stands up to fight

Then suddenly, the cook, who till then they had considered to be somewhat crazy, blocked Tiger Wong’s path. Tiger Wong did not take what seemed to be a cook seriously and tried to grasp his throat with a simple Tiger claw technique. The “cook” at once used Tiger Wong’s force to break two of his fingers. Furthermore, he advised him to end the fight, because Tiger Wong would have no chance of winning.

The latter was beside himself with rage. An elderly and simple-looking cook had humiliated him in public. He tried to beat the cook using arms and legs in fast and brutal chain techniques. However, the cook at first just let Tiger Wong go by and dodged his blows but then suddenly locked his arms and legs with “joint locking and grappling techniques” (Qinna). The more Tiger Wong wanted to move, the more he injured himself because of the cook’s techniques. Tiger Wong realized that he had found his master and gave up the fight (the various Weng Chun Kuen clans tell different versions of the fight between Tiger Wong and Chi Sin Sim Si).

The vital Secret

The members of the “Red Boat” were delighted and wanted to learn Kung Fu from their cook at once. Abbot Chi Sin Sim Si revealed his true identity and was ready to teach the opera troupe. However, as he was one of the most persecuted men of his time, his pupils had to promise never to use or reveal his real name. That is why it came about, that many legends concerning Weng Chun were invented around this time, so as to protect Master Chi Sin Sim Si.The first students under he leadership of Wong Wah Bo were: Sun Gam, Leung Yee Tai and Leung Lan Kwai.

Only the Weng Chun masters who had learned the entire system from their Master were told the truth. The “Pretty Face” transforms the “Angry One”

During the Ching Dynasty serious male artists often portrayed female roles in opera performances. San Gam was an excellent artist, who on the one hand was very good at playing especially female parts in the opera, but on the other hand represented best of all the Weng Chun of the “Red Boat” at fights. San Gam was his nick-name which meant literally “pretty face”.

While Sam Gam was shopping one day for opera costumes for the “Red Boat” in Southern Chinese Fatshan, he was mocked and attacked by the young, coarse and ill-tempered tailor’s apprentice Fung Siu Ching.

The bullish Fung Siu Ching had to land in the dust seven times before he noticed that he was no match at all for this strange looking man. Fung Siu Ching wanted to offer tea to San Gam straightaway (Chinese Kung Fu custom in order to become a master’s pupil). However, San Gam turned him down on the grounds, that he did not want to teach any ill-tempered people.

After Fung Siu Ching had proved himself to San Gam in a one-year probationary period, he was accepted and introduced to the tradition of the Weng Chun Kuen. Ten years he learnt from San Gam. Moreover, Fung Siu Ching went on to become one of the most famous Weng Chun masters in Asia. He was able to transform his original quick temperedness into an endless creative energy for Weng Chun

The Flowering of Weng Chun Kuen in the 19th Century

At that time Master Fung Siu Ching taught pupils from the whole of China, Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia (even today there are still many Asian Weng Chun schools, who trace their lineage to Master Fung Siu Ching or the “Red Boat”). He was one of the first full-time Weng Chun masters. He supervised teaching groups during the day as well as at night and had many private pupils.

Fung Siu Ching’s master pupils in Fatshan were: his son Fung Tin, the brothers Lo, Tang Suen, Dung Jik and the “Chemist” Ma Chung Yi

Security in Fatshan

During the Ching dynasty (1644 – 1911) only the larger cities were protected by the “state police” of the day. Smaller cities and villages were protected by renown Kung Fu masters.

Master Fung Siu Ching’s master pupils guarded many villages in Fatshan and the surrounding area. The Lo brothers, for example, drove off entire bands of robbers armed only with butterfly knives and sabres. On one occasion, the two Lo brothers are said to have even chased off twenty armed robbers without injuring them. The Lo brothers just took the clothes and weapons away from the robbers, so that these fled. Their Weng Chun Kuen “brother” Master Tang Suen received the honorary title “King of the Long Pole” from the people of the villages, that he protected, because he kept them safe from the greatest dangers using a long pole.

The Initiator WAI YAN

Wai Yan was born at the beginning of the twentieth century as the son of a rich Chinese family in Hong Kong. Via his older friend Lo Chiu Woon, the young Wai Yan often came into contact with the martial art Weng Chun Kuen. However, Wai Yan did not really want to know anything about “Kung Fu”, because he had often experienced Kung Fu practitioners as violent and uneducated. Had his friend Lo Chiu Woon (a descendant of the Lo brothers) not been a Weng Chun master and a Chinese academic at the same time, then Wai Yan would certainly not have had any contact with him.

Patronage

One day, Lo Chiu Woon asked Wai Yan, whether he would teach his younger son the art of Chinese writing (this is comparable to accepting the role of godfather here.). Wai Yan happily agreed to do so, without being aware of the consequences of his promise. He now shared the responsibility for the young Lo. Conversely, for Wai Yan this meant that he now also had to master Weng Chun Kuen, which had been practised in the family tradition of the Los for several generations.

In this way Wai Yan began – albeit somewhat involuntarily – to learn Weng Chun Kuen from Lo Chiu Woon and his brother Lo Hong Tai around 1930. Wai Yan’s original dislike of Weng Chun Kuen changed into a passionate zeal for this martial art. After Wai Chun had attained mastery of Weng Chun, he initiated a new project with Weng Chun in order to further refine the art The Project

Master Wai Yan converted one of his trading houses called “Dai Duk Lan” into a Weng Chun research academy. He did not want to enrole any pupils in this “research academy”, but rather bring together and unite the best Weng Chun (Grand-) masters of his day. These were then to try and perfect the efficiency of Weng Chun with no need for secrecy between them in “Dai Duk Lan”.

The former Shaolin temple served as a model. Shaolin Kung Fu was developed and tested again and again in the Weng Chun Hall for more than a thousand years.

The search begins for the great Weng Chun masters

When Sifu Wai Yan heard of an “unbeatable” Weng Chun sifu called Chu Chung Man, he set out straight away to Macao. Once there, he became friends with Sifu Chu Chung Man by fighting him. This man was esteemed in Southern China as the most famous Weng Chun master, because he always defeated any challengers without any effort and also maintained many (training-) contacts to other Kung Fu masters. Sifu Chu Chung Man was so taken with Sifu Wai Yan’s project, that he moved to “Dai Duk Lan”.

For his part, Sifu Chu Chung Man knew the Weng Chun master Tam Kong. Tam Kong had specialized in grappling and could beat most opponents there with ease, because many Kung Fu fighters did not devote enough attention to grappling. Sifu Tam Kong also joined the project.

In Fatshan, Grandmaster Tang Suen’s Weng Chun master pupils, Tang Yick and Pak Cheung, were called the “kings” of the long pole. They often drove off whole bands of robbers, armed only with their long poles or their swords. Master Pak Cheung was regarded as missing since the Chinese Cultural Revolution (In 1978, Sifu Cheng Kwong found the old Grandmaster Pak Tscheong on a remote farm near Fatshan. Shortly before he died Andreas Hoffmann was also able to learn from him.)

Sifu Tang Yick was found by Sifu Wai Yan in Hong Kong. At first, Tang Yick did not want to share his knowledge with other Weng Chun masters. However, the openness and warmth of the others changed his mind.

The Five Dragons of Weng Chun Kuen

With Sifu Tang Yick the project now included five members: Sifu Wai Yan, Sifu Lo Chiu Woon, Sifu Chu Chung Man, Sifu Tam Kong and Sifu Tang Yick. The Weng Chun masters fought, discussed and lived together every day. They also invited Kung Fu masters from other styles to share and exchange their experiences.

The five Weng Chun masters were called the Five Dragons of Weng Chun Kuen by the awed Chinese population.

The project was carried out by Wai Yan, Chu Chung Man and Tang Yick for twenty years. In this time, they tried again and again to put their gained knowledge to the test and to discover all the secrets of the art of one-to-one fighting. Their result was the evolution of a Weng Chun that enabled the pupil to practice his self-defence with even more safety and ease.

Dai Duk Lan was closed at the beginning of the 1990´s: Grandmaster Tang Yick kept teaching with the help of Sifu Tang Chung Pak in the Playing Field Road, Hong Kong while Grandmaster Wai Yan taught his students only behind closed doors.

Weng Chun Forms

All Weng Chun forms consist of standardised movements, with which the basic principles of Weng Chun are internalised. Regular training internalises the movements into the mind and body, so that they can be called up spontaneously in self defence. The forms offer the advantage that they can be trained at any time and any place, either alone or in groups.

Weng chun forms include:

Weng Chun Kuen (Perpetual Spring Fist) The Weng Chun (Sap Yat) Kuen is the core set of weng chun, a basic practice form consisting of 11 sections, which is applied in Chisao. In fact, it could also be termed more of a “theory” than a “form” – a set of methods for optimizing the free use of the body to win over a strong attacker introducing the 18 Kiu Sao of weng chun.

Fa Kuen (Flower Fist) The flower is the symbol of the Sim (Chan/Zen) philosophy and the body work of Weng Chun Kuen and Fa Kuen was made famous by Grandmaster Chu Chung Man. This set teaches how to use the entire body for both long and short distance fighting. In the Weng Chun family there are different versions of Fa Kuen: short versions, long versions and even different sets with the name Fa Kuen.

Saam Pai Fat (Three Bows to Buddha) According to the Lo family, Saam Pai Fat is the advanced Weng Chun set of Sun Gam (Dai Fa Min Gam) of the Red Boat Opera. Like its matching set, Weng Chun Kuen, Saam Pai Fat consists of eleven sections. Its focus is to expand the ability of the Weng Chun Kuen practitioner to cover all of space and time through the concept of bowing to Heaven, Earth, and Human.

Jong Kuen (Structure Fist) Jong Kuen (also known as Siong Kung Jong Kuen because in the final Weng Chun teaching it melds internal and external power), combines fast, agile steps in all directions with whole body movement. The set includes all concepts and principles from the long pole, wooden dummy, etc. In appearance, this last, traditional Weng Chun set looks simmilar to a combination of Taijiquan, Xingyiquan, and Baguazhang.

Ng Jong Hei Gung (Five Posture Qi Gong) Ng Jong Hei Gong teaches five postures for the cultivation of Hei (Qi), and the development of strong, Weng Chun Kuen body structure. It opens the small and the Large Heaven Qi circles and balances the Qi of the inner organs.

Muk Yan Jong (Wooden Dummy) The Muk Yan Jong contains three sets: Tien Pun (Heaven), Dei Pun (Earth), and Yan Pun (Human). In them are contained the fighting methods of the Muk Yan Hong, the Wooden Dummy Hall of the Southern Shaolin Temple. The Wooden Dummy is not used just to strengthen forearms or shins, but with the sensitivity found in Chi Sao.

Luk Dim Boon Kwun (Six and a Half Point Pole) The pole is the heart of Weng Chun Kuen. With it comes the feeling and understanding of the 6½ principles and concepts used in all types of fighting. The set begins with Hei Gung that teaches to control space through “spring” footwork, and continues on to challenge practitioners to make use of their whole bodies.

Kwun Jong (Pole Dummy) The long range wooden dummy was, in times past, the secret of Weng Chun Kuen, the fourth and final dummy from the Muk Yan Hong (Wooden Dummy Hall) of the Southern Shaolin Temple. It teaches to close the gap over and over again.

Fu Mo Siong Dao (Father & Mother Double Knives) The Father & Mother Double Knives gives a practical fighting system with sharp weapons and introduces the concept of Yum Yeung (Yin and Yang). The transfer of pole principles to sharp, double-handed weapons also increases fighting spirit.