Weng Chun

The Weng Chun Kung Fu (Cantonese or Mandarin Chinese Weng永yǒng " forever," Chun春"Spring" ,功夫gōngfu "skill" ) is a martial art from Southern China. Weng Chun said to have originated own legends by the Shaolin Monastery in Dengfeng. It thus belongs to the approximately 360 Shaolin kung fu styles that have emerged from the Monastery in Dengfeng.

Weng Chun Kung Fu is a "soft " or to " inner strength " constructive martial arts. Skillful dodging in struggle by controlling the angle to the opponent, and exploiting the power of the opponent are essential features. Another feature is the absence of any preference for the fight distances. Punches and kicks with hand, foot, elbow, knee and shoulder move smoothly into throws, lever and choke holds, which can also end in ground combat. Due to its relatively large number of Weng Chun - athletes are active in Sanda and MMA competitions. As with most Southern Shaolin styles, but is the ground combat is not the preferred fighting distance in Weng Chun.

History of Weng Chun Kung Fu

The most important Weng Chun grandmaster of modern times is most likely Chu Chung Man. He was born at the beginning of the twentieth century in Foshan and had among teachers of various kung fu styles many years of teaching, including the Weng Chun Kung Fu. Chu Chung Man gained in this way an excellent reputation as a martial artist and therefore was nicknamed " iron fist ". He served during the Second World War as a practicing physician in Macau, from 1953 as a doctor in a hospital in Hong Kong. Chu Chung Man is considered to be students of the fifth generation of the Weng Chun Kung Fu.

Chu Chung Man had had contact and sports exchanges with Yip Man, who is considered the father of modern Wing Chun and also a long time Bruce Lee as his most famous pupil. Between Weng Chun and Wing Chun there are similarities according to how the training at the wooden doll, but also differences, eg in terms of the shapes and the approach to circumvent the guard of the opponent in battle.

As Chu Chung Man moved to Hong Kong in 1953, he met another Grand Master of the Weng Chun Kung Fu, who taught comparatively many students, including the Grand Master Wai Yan and Yik tank. Wai Yan was a wealthy businessman and was very interested to get the Weng Chun Kung Fu. He worked one of its warehouses in Kowloon unceremoniously into an academy order in which the Weng Chun Grandmaster under the direction of Chu Chung Man met regularly for a long time for replacement. The name of the department store was the inspiration for the Academy, which became an important center of Weng Chun Kung Fu should be as Dai ​​Tak Lan Academy.

Wai Yan later had a German student in the nineties, Andreas Hoffmann. This made ​​on behalf of Wai Yan the cultural heritage of Weng Chun first known outside of China. As with many other imported into Europe Asian martial arts classic teacher -student relationship by Andreas Hoffmann's Association through a school structure with graduations by belt colors was replaced. Due to the work of Andreas Hoffmann, there are now 40 Weng Chun schools in Europe, more than 30 in Germany, and rising.

While there are still some Chinese Weng Chun masters who have emerged from the Dai- Tak - Lan Academy, dragging it though, as a rule, to teach a few self- selected students privately. Andreas Hoffmann maintains to this day contacts with some of these Chinese master of Weng Chun, among other things, for example, to Tang Chung Pak. This was one of the last close disciple of Tang Yik. A German student of Tang Chun Pak operates, for example, in Berlin, a kung fu school, which works with the classic teacher -student relationship and waives graduations.

Principles of Weng Chun

In the Weng Chun there are seven principles for the fight, which serve to make quick tactical decisions. This is to be avoided that the fighter loses the overview or the fighters run out of options.

Principle 1 Tai ( dig up): Break the balance of the opponent by lifting upwards.

Principle 2 Got ( cut down ): Cut the power of the opponent with an attack down.

Principle 3 Waan (lateral circles ): Harnessing the power of the enemy to bring him out of balance. Practice the enemy pressure, the angle is changed to the opponent. For an attack is ineffective, or the enemy runs into a counter attack into it.

( Taking opponents' space ) Principle 4 Kit: Defense of an attack, entry into the guard of the opponent.

Principle 6 Dim (such as " aim ", " draw attention " ): Shock the enemy by a rapid, concentrated attack and confuse.

Principle 7 Lau ( flow ): In the Weng Chun also called the "half " principle, it accounts for half of the Weng Chun Kung Fu: Maintain the flow of one's actions, destroy the opponent's flow. The fighter continuously as water flows into the gaps in opposing defenses.

Comparison with the principles of Wing Chun

In Wing Chun there are also fighting principles; However, they differ in the number and content of Weng Chun:

First take on what comes 2 follow what is going 3 before trust, if the way is clear

Comparing the principles, is rather made ​​a point when Weng Chun, permanently adjust the angle to the opponent through loops to take advantage of open flanks or redirect an attack. Due to the pronounced angle work force is obtained here with many techniques throughout much of the momentum of a hip rotation. This also allows for a pass in the fight against heavier and bigger opponents. In contrast, in the Wing Chun attack executed rather head forward and searched for a way to penetrate the cover directly.

The concept of the Kiu Sao

In the Weng Chun there is the concept of " bridges to the enemy ," which ( like " bridges Hands " ) is as Kiu Sao described. It thus has a certain similarity to the Chi Sao of Wing Chun, the concept of "sticky hands ". Common to both concepts, it, to feel by touching the opponent 's actions, ideally in advance, without this happening is visually. Also serve both Kiu Sao and Chi Sao as a "bridge " to an incipient fight, so to speak, as an entry. When Weng Chun will however be increased with the angle of fighters each other. The Kiu Sao similar by the resulting circular motions therefore most likely the Tuishou of Taijiquan ( Tai Chi west ). The Tai Chi in China is a widely popular sport in the gym and health maintenance is a priority.

Graduation and belt colors

Tests in Weng Chun Association of Andreas Hoffman always contain at least the aspects of forms, self-defense, Kiu Sao and theory. Often the master does present a picture of the physical fitness of students. During the test, the students will present their rehearsed shapes and show their skills in partner training in self-defense and in the Kiu Sao. The Master reviewed here not only from rehearsed, but in part also requires the imitation of new vehicles brought forward techniques. This is to check whether the students have internalized the principles of Weng Chun. From middle school to the free fight an ever greater significance in the test. Again, the instinctive reaction of the Weng Chun principles is checked.

The internalization of the principles through to the instinctive application requires comparatively much training. Going through all nine steps up to the first masters degree takes experience, about ten years.