Honoring Tradition.
Although the origins of Wing Chun have become a mix of fact and fiction, there is agreement that it was invented by a woman. According to the story, somewhere up to 300 years ago, an Abbess named Ng Mui, was residing and studying at a southern Shaolin Monastery. During this time, it is rumored that she witnessed a fight between a snake and a crane. Observing this, she decided to synthesize a new fighting system out of the Snake and Crane styles of Shaolin Kung Fu to better suit a woman or other fighter who did not have the advantage of size and strength.
Over the course of time, as one popular variation of the story describes it, Abbess Ng Mui met a shop owner named by Yim Yee who had a daughter named Yim Wing-chun, whom while intending to marry caught the eye of a local warlord who insisted her hand.
To bring an end to her marriage refusal, the warlord made a startling offer saying he would rescind his marriage proposal if she could beat him in a fight. Yim Wing Chun agreed. The following spring, after completing her training under Ng Mui, she was effectively able to drive off the warlord.
Yim Wing-chun married Leung Bok-chao and passed to him the fighting techniques which Ng Mui had passed on to her. It is said that Leung Bok-chao named the style after his wife, which we know it today as Wing Chun. Directly translated, Wing Chun means "Beautiful Spring".
Oral tradition says that Leung Bok-chao passed the style to Leung Lan-kwai.​ Leung Lan-kwai passed this knowledge to Wong Wah Bo which in turn shared it with to Leung Jan. Leung Jan taught it to Chan Wah Shan, the teacher of Ip Man.
Building Community.
​​
Waiting to be realized, Wing Chun has not yet had the same reception among women in the west. It is our goal here at the Lancaster Wing Chun Association to welcome this diversity to our community so as to demonstrate and celebrate the fullness that this wonderful art has to offer in building community through the strength and beauty of our mothers, grandmothers, daughters and grand-daughters along with kids and families, showing we are a premier center for Wing Chun Kung Fu in the the US and around the world.​​
In our training throughout Asia over the years, it has been a significant joy to learn and train with my Wing Chun bothers and sisters. Wing Chun is simple to learn and practical for everyone. In addition to gaining effective tools for self-defense, Wing Chun is equally popular among asian men and women alike for building health, confidence, community, and overall well-being.
​
​
