wing chun 2

Recently I have received some comments from friends who expressed their esteem to our branch and school. In this letter, I would like to refer to some of the questions that are frequently asked:

1 – Why is the basic training program of the school lasting so long over 2 years? What results would be achieved after completion of the basic training?

2 – What are pre-conditions for learning nei-kung (inner strength)? What are the learning stages? How does breathing relate to nei-kung?

3 – Did Su- to (The Founding Father) Nguyen Te Cong (Yuen Chai Wan) teach Chum Kiu (Seeking Bridge - “Tầm Kiều”) and Biu tze (Darting Finger - "Tiêu chỉ"), which are being exercised in several wingchun schools in Vietnam today ? Did GM Tran Thuc Tien teach “Chum Kiu” and “Biu tze”? What are common elements between “Chum Kiu”, “Biu tze” and the methods and techniques system of the Vĩnh Xuân Nội gia Quyền school?

First of all, I would like to express my sincere thanks to your appreciation to us. This encourages us to try our best in many aspects in order to deserve your trust. In fact, I have answered some of your questions on this website and in several articles published on newspapers. However, I would try to further explain the mentioned questions:

1 – Wingchun kuyen is an internal style, which place the requirements of combat in close range as the main principle in trainning. For fighting in a close distance, it would not be possible to learn and use separate strikes. Instead, the students have to experience a period of time for learning basic kung-fu and develop fighting skills. Obviously, close combat skills cannot be developed within several months or one year. For example, the “loose” and “soft” status of muscles would require at least several months. Therefore, a period of around 2 years will be required for the commencement of necessary elements for kuen system of Vĩnh Xuân Nội gia.

2 – Nei-kung (Inner strength) is the highest technique of Vĩnh Xuân Nội gia. In order to have nei-kung, the students of Vĩnh Xuân Nội gia have to achieve and fulfill kuen techniques (for instance, smoothly exercise the 108 form system, and at a certain level of Nei li - inner force, etc.) Then the students would acquire the fundamental elements, which are the basic foundation to help receive the nei-kung to be transferred by the teacher. Nei-kung is the technique that is taught directly by the teacher and must be under personal special instructions. In accordance to our branch’s principles, nei-kung is only for training those who will take over the responsibility of the branch development. Breathing is an important method in building the necessary foundation, which ensures the pre-conditions for receiving the training of nei-kung from the teacher.

3 – Regarding your question of whether Chum Kiu and Biu tze, which are being exercised in some of wingchun schools in Vietnam, were taught by Su-to Te Cong, I do not have enough information and knowledge to give an answer. However, I am quite sure that in our branch (of GM Trần Thúc Tiển) GM Tien did not teach “Chum Kiu” and “Biu tze”. These two fist forms are not in the techniques and methods system of our branch. My Si-fu never mentioned these forms over the period I was tought by him, even in the last months of his life when he explained to me the most important principles of our kung-fu system. I have pointed out this fact in many articles about our branch’s system of techniques and methods. I myself just know these two forms when I explore the Hong Kong and China’s Wingchun after 1980. I recognized that these are the two important forms in the system of methods and techniques of these branches, and they are really studious training. In terms of movements and shapes of the body, these two forms also have some aspects which are similar to our branch’s system of methods and techniques (e.g. between Siu Nim Tao and Thu Dau Quyen). However, “Chum Kiu” and “Biu tze” have a part to train kicks and body exercises and have some very different featutres. This is just my initial observation, due to my litmited knowledge about the deeper nature of these forms, I cannot have more specific comments. You can learn more by examining the recent documents (newspapers, magazines, documentaries, etc.) or directly ask the schools that are teaching the two above mentioned forms.

Each branch and sub-branch has its own characteristics. This enriches the mankind’s treasury and makes it more profound and perfect. Each of us, with our own situation can find for ourselves the most appropriate style and diligently pursuing. For sure we will achieve some certain levels. Wish you all the martial art lovers find the one you love.

My sincere thanks to all of you. Wish you all happiness and success.



[Translated by Tran Nam Binh]

http://www.wingchun.com.vn/indexE.htm

wing chun

In 1939, Master Nguyen Te Cong fled to Viet-Nam, since then, he became the founding father (Su-to) of Vietnam WingChun branch. From 1939 to 1954, Su-to stayed in Hanoi, accepted and trained disciples in WingChun Kung-fu. These disciples were Chinese and Vietnamese, among them there are several considered as his true successors, and were pictured with him (see photo). In reality, only 2 from these 6 disciples (in the picture) open class to train WingChun, based on what they had learned from Su-To. They are the late grandmaster Tran Thuc Tien (the first from the right), the late grandmaster Tran Van Phung (the first from the left, in glasses). Later on, there was also the branch of the late grandmaster Ngo Sy Qui. At the end of 1954, Su-to Nguyen Te Cong with his family went to the South Vietnam. In the South, he continued to teach his old disciples, who followed him from the North such as GM Ho Hai Long (real name is Nguyen Duy Hai), GM Do Ba Vinh, . He also accepted several new disciples (such as GM Nguyen Ba Kha, GM Luc Vien Khai) (see the photo page), some of them later open class to train WingChun. In Sai-gon (now is Ho-Chi-Minh City), Su-to Nguyen Te Cong and his family lived in Dong Khanh Alley, Cho Lon district. In the afternoon of 23/6/1959 (i.e. 18/5 lunar calendar) He passed away after 2 days since acquired disease. His body was buried in The Canton graveyard, Cho-lon district. I have heard that this graveyard was moved away to clear land for building the Dam-Sen Park. Therefore, at the present, it is not clear where his grave moved to. In April 2004, I (Nguyen Ngoc Noi) - disciple of the late grandmaster Tran Thuc Tien - had advertised in the daily newspaper "Sài Gòn Giải Phóng" (consecutively in 3 issues) in a hope to find the family of the son of Su-To Nguyen Te Cong , however, no response until now. Hopefully, through this website, if anyone has any information on Su-to (and his grave as well) and his family, please kindly let me know through this email address : Vietnam WingChun. I am very grateful. (Note that: we had found his grave in 10/2005. See details in the article "The grave of GM Te-cong has been found in Binh duong Province Graveyards.")

Two months before he passed away, on 25/4/1959, Su-to Nguyen Te Cong let his disciples take a picture of him while practicing Wooden Dummy Techniques. Fortunately, this picture is preserved and became a priceless as a historical mark of Vietnam WingChun.

At the beginning of 1977, doctor Nguyen Khac Vien, used to be a disciple of the late grandmaster Tran Thuc Tien, invited the late grandmaster Tran Thuc Tien to show several WingChun techniques (including 108 form, Chi-sao, and Nei kung) for filming in a documentary on physical exercises. One his disciple - Ms Nguyen Thi Bich Van - also participate with him. The documentary was still kept today. This is extremely precious memory of our teacher for Vietnam Vinh Xuan Noi Gia Quyen.

In cold days, late January 1980, partly due to the city electricity network broken down, the late grandmaster Tran Thuc Tien health got worse, as he already was paralyzed due brain hemorrhage. In the Vietnam-Cuba Hospital (92 Tran Hung Dao st.) on 7/2/1980 (i.e. 21/12 lunar calendar) he passed away at the age of 69. At the moment there were his wife (Sư nương) - Le Thi Lang, his son - Trung, a nurse, and I (Nguyen Ngoc Noi, his disciple). He was buried at the Van Dien cemetery, Hanoi. After exhumation, he was moved and reburied in the Yen Ky cemetery, Son Tay. On the funeral day, one of his disciple -Le Kim Giao- wrote an oration, mentioning his reputation and his karma, since he met Su to Nguyen Te Cong .

In September 2003, two disciples of the late grandmaster Tran Thuc Tien - master Nguyen Manh Nham and Phan Duong Binh - joined with 2 branches of the late grandmaster Tran Van Phung and the late grandmaster Ngo Sy Qui to establish an organization called “Ving-Tsun Club”, officially opened on 14/9/2003.

On 5/7/2004 (or 18/5 lunar calendar), the 45 year anniversary day since Su to Nguyen Te Cong passed away, the Web site of Viet nam Vinh Xuan Noi gia Quyen (Viet Nam WingChun in short) was officially published on the net. From deep inside our heart, we sincerely dedicate the site to Su-to Nguyen Te Cong and our Si-fu Tran Thuc Tien. Owing to them, Viet Nam WingChun established and develop widely today, and WingChun disciples in Vietnam fortunately acquired quintessence of WingChun - the marvelous and mysterious invention over thousands years of humankind. To their souls, we promise to develop and contribute to WingChun with all our greatest efforts.

from http://www.wingchun.com.vn/

Shaolin Hung Gar

The Thieu Lam Hong Gia school is more known with the Chinese name Shaolin Hung Gar.

The technics belong to heritage of the center and south of China. There is several forms of practice :

- the Bai Quyen, codified bared hand routines
- the Bai Binh Khi, codified routine with weapon (18 traditionnal weapons)
- Khi Cong, energy exercice with simple and reverse breathing
- Ngoai Cong, external energy exercice
- Noi Cong , internal energy exercice
- breaking
- free fight
- self defense

Our style is a hard and fast style which emphasised the use of the upper body with anchored stances. The kicks are not forgotten for all that. They belongs to technics palette of the style and are given only when the practitioner is sure to hit the opponent. The work of hardening allows the practioner to decrease the risk of injury during a fight, to be able to advance in the attack of the opponent(s) and to have a great efficiency in the hits.

A way to test, for a practioner, his level of resistance to the attacks and to the blows is to perform several physical and mental test :
- passive breaking of stick on miscellaneous parts of the body (arms, shoulder, tibia...). One of the schhol speciality is the granite breaking on and under the head in one time by a person of the public with a sledgehammer


- passive coconuts breaking on several part of the head
- brick breaking on the abdomen and on the thorax
- breaking with several part of the hand (palm, back, thumb..) such as bottle neck breaking with the forefinger
- a car or a truck crossing the body. It can be noticed tha Master Ha Chau resisted the cross of 12 ton roadroller on the body


- strangulation test (hanging, draging, metallic bar folding around the neck)
- hamming a nail in a 2 cm wood board with the bared palm


-...

The Thieu Lam Hong Gia technics have technics of self defense and grappling (Cam Na Thu in Vietnamese or qinna in Chinese). The effeciency of these technics leaded the school to be the Asian representative of the FFBD (French Federation of defense stick).





This affiliation allows to graduate people for a public or private security professionnal activity : professional self defense, neutralization of a dangerous people in the frame of the law and people respect, and lateral handle defense stick drill (tonfa)
from http://honggiahachau.free.fr/school.htm