Intelligent Design (part 1)

"The scientist does not study nature because it is useful to do so. He studies it because he takes pleasure in it, and he takes pleasure in it because it is beautiful. If nature were not beautiful it would not be worth knowing, and life would not be worth living. I am not speaking, of course, of the beauty which strikes the senses, of the beauty of qualities and appearances. I am far from despising this, but it has nothing to do with science. What I mean is that more intimate beauty which comes from the harmonious order of its parts, and which a pure intelligence can grasp." - Science and Method, Henri Poincaré, 1908

So what is Wing Chun? What is the difference that makes it distinct from all other MA? I submit that Wing Chun is a MA engineered (for lack of a better word) to perform one aim, that of successfully attacking an opponent, with the maximum possible effect, despite whatever defenses or technique he uses, in the shortest possible time and by giving up as little as possible of ones own defenses to do so. (I am not saying that any Wing Chun practitioner is guaranteed to prevail in a violent encounter. This itself should be its own topic to be discussed soon, God willing!)

In my previous post, I hypothesized that the founders Wing Chun had adopted certain characteristics that are not intrinsically natural for a person to adopt, and they did so specifically to address the societal and political forces of the time. I believe Wing Chun had developed during the time of widespread rebellion against the Qing Dynasty, and although periodic large-scale action had been organized by the rebels, small scale and local activities was carried out constantly, and secret societies were born for this purpose. Qing Dynasty mandarins would be under constant threat by rebels. Besides local law enforcement and military guards, they would also have access to trained martial artists hired as bodyguards. These martial artists could be trained in one or more in many, many different styles of MA. The founders of Wing Chun chose to hone what they knew into an integrated system incorporating principles which they knew would work against all MA. Wing Chun is of course by no means the only martial art developed during this time and for this reason, being only one of many brought about in this region during this period in history. However, the founders of Wing Chun, I believe, chose to focus almost entirely on the most direct route of attacking skilled martial artists while cutting out unnecessary movements and compromising defense. All other goals were rendered secondary or discarded altogether, if it interfered with this main focus.

In this post, I hope to write just a simple list of Wing Chun principles as I know them (based on my limited knowledge of Yip Kin Wing Chun Kuen, your flavor of Wing Chun may vary) and describe each one, and leave the discussion of how these principles interrelate, and why these principles were chosen (with respect to the "engineered" term used above) to my next blog. Please bear this in mind! I'm still working out the details and the best way to describe them!

The first, and most important (IMHO) principle is that of rootedness. Rootedness is the property of being connected to the ground, as a tree is rooted to the ground. Many MA (and sports) "generate power from the ground" and this is understandably true, because the ground is practically immovable and therefore used to leverage movement. The usual method a MA uses the ground is by pushing off against it, as in the case of Bruce Lee's 1-inch punch or a taekwondo expert powering a stepping side kick. Such techniques typically involve a weight shift such that the body weight itself becomes a component of power, adding to the power of the muscles. Imagine a wall falling towards you (at the same time punching you!), this is an illustration of this method of generating power.

Wing Chun is AFAIK, unique in the sense that the ground is used to lock the practitioners lower and upper body to the ground such that leveraging the ground by weight shift is not practiced. A Wing Chun technique, therefore, largely leaves out the body weight component as a source of power, leaving entirely to the speed of a delivery of a strike. One advantage is that a rooted person is able to channel a force acting against his body entirely to the ground. E.g. if you push against a standing wall, the wall doesn't push you back, but whatever force you impart to the wall is channelled into the ground. A fantastic example of this in action is in this video below, starting at the 1:38 mark:



As can be seen, the Wing Chun Master in the video (Tsui Seung Tin) is resisting the push of a student while standing on only one leg. Interestingly, the reading on the weight scale below him read higher while he was being pushed, showing us that the force of the push being channeled into the ground. The student pushed as hard as he was able, until his feet lost grip with the ground! Yip Kin Wing Chun trains the student in maintaining this rootedness throughout contact with an opponent, even while stepping and turning.

The second principle is the principle of the centerline. In Yip Kin Wing Chun, the centreline is defined by a vertical line running through the center of the opponents body. This is also the main target in all forms of Wing Chun. All techniques applied must be directly towards this centerline. Imagine, if you will, a pencil resting on a table. If you were to push it either end, the pencil would rotate about its axis, whereas if you were to push it exactly in its center, the pencil would move directly backwards. If, for example, the opponent has his side facing towards you, striking towards his centerline would mean striking against a target along the side of his body. Aim towards his core, and where your weapons strike his body will be the correct target.

In some Hong Kong Wing Chun, the centerline is usually defined as a line linking your own center and the opponents center and the striking target is anywhere along the vertical centre of the opponents body, i.e. the nose, chin, throat, center of chest, center of abdomen, etc. A few Hong Kong Wing Chun students I have talked/trained with mentioned this. I have no comments on this as I have not learnt Hong Kong Wing Chun (The "Wing Chun" I learnt before joining Yip Kin Wing Chun is NOT a form of Hong Kong Wing Chun, it's missing too many important characteristics), however, I suspect this definition is only practical if your opponent is facing you squarely. If your opponent is facing you sideways, it would be difficult to hit these targets. Any feedback? I would love to hear from you if you have a contrary opinion. It must be said, however, that not all Hong Kong Wing Chun has only the frontal centreline as a target. I'm told some Hong Kong lineage Wing Chun teaches the student to strike the closest target, which would agree with Yip Kin Wing Chun.

The third principle is that of forward energy. "Energy" in this case doesn't have exactly the same meaning as in the scientific sense. This "energy" is difficult to describe, but I feel it is a combination of a slight push, an intention, seeking an opening or seeking a feedback from the opponent and must be there whenever there is physical contact with the opponent. It has to be felt to be understood. When just joining Yip Kin Wing Chun, I only understood in the abstract what it is, and only really felt it after some time practising the first form (Sai Fa Kuen, "Small Flower Boxing). It is a relaxed state, yet with some tension, like a spring ready to unleash its potential energy. It is flexible, and adapts to changes depending on the opponent's input, like water. And it is always in the direction of the opponent's centerline (see above). It also seems to be manifest itself in the elbow. The elbow seems to be the pivot and a driving force for strikes.

The fourth principle is that of yin-yang change. Yin and Yang in this case refers to the position of the arms, empty hand "weapons" (fist or fingers, etc.), body or legs. For example, arms extended would be Yang, retracted would be Yin. Fist closed would be Yang, open palm would be Yin. Palm facing upwards, Yang. Palm downwards, Yin. Side facing body, front facing body. And so on. As you might imagine, many of these can be combined.

In Yip Kin Wing Chun, Yin Yang change is everywhere in the system, and is used in many ways. It is used to generate power, open an opponents defenses, bypass a stalemated position (e.g. when both parties are in perfect centreline alignment and forward energy and neither one has an advantage over the other), trap an opponent, force an opponent to overextend, etc.

Looking back, one of the goals of Yip Kin Wing Chun's forms is to internalize the use of Yin Yang change such that the practitioner will rely on it constantly. Without realizing it, I have been using them in application. Only when it was explained to me then I began to notice how it is being used constantly for everything. It really was mind-blowing when I saw how this simple philosophy was so useful in combat. The art and skill in Yip Kin Wing Chun is not what hand positions you use in a particular situation, it is in the change from one state to another. Change is what brings results.

The fifth principle is that of the chun ging, or "inch power" (see previous post). While forward or elbow energy is relaxed, the chun ging is the exact opposite. In a sudden and momentary burst of intensity, your relaxed, flexible, springy arm becomes a battering ram (example using a straight punch), but returns to the relaxed state immediately after. Unlike Bruce Lee's demonstration of one inch punching, a Wing Chun punch should not send the opponent flying backwards. Indeed, in Bruce Lee's own book explaining how he does it, he uses a combination of waist-twisting and weight-shifting (non-Wing Chun), combined with a relaxed to rigid change of his arm. It is a push/punch, but with quicker acceleration and with shorter distance and time than most people can do without proper training. The effect of a Wing Chun punch, by contrast, does not send the opponent away. The effect can range from a stun where your autonomic nervous system freezes, causing momentary paralysis to breathing and muscular reaction, giving enough time for follow up strikes, to a weakness of the whole body that lasts for a much longer time, causing the opponent to collapse. If the target includes the opponents bone structure, the bones can be fractured. Since the opponent does not go flying off, many more strikes can theoretically be done on him until he can no longer fight.

Chun ging in Yip Kin Wing Chun is everywhere in the system, not just in strikes. Turning, stepping, trapping (Wing Chun style), tripping, etc. all have it, some with a soft chun ging, and some with a hard chun ging. When striking, it must be there with whatever weapons you use, i.e. fists, elbows, shoulders, feet, knife hand, biu jee (darting fingers), edge of foot, etc. etc. The best results can often be had when the chun ging happens simultaneously from several actions, for example turning with a chun ging at the final part of the turn combined with chun ging of the fist when connecting with the opponent would result in an exceptionally strong punch.

Sixth is "Hit With Borrowed Energy". This principle is an extremely effective way of breaking through a defense which is non-centered. For example, if I were to punch my opponent and he blocks it with a downwards block, I would use that downwards push by the opponent as a way to power my next strike, where my arm, in moving downwards, would pivot around my elbow and flip up to back fist him. The arm that my opponent initially used would end up below my fist and in no position to block a second time.

However, for me to make use of his energy initially, my arm must be completely relaxed (see the third principle, energy, above) and yet with that forward energy that provides a direction for the follow-up strike. This principle would only come into play when the opponent is not centered. If the opponent were to block towards my centreline, there would be no energy I can borrow. Also, even if the opponent were to block away from my centreline but use energy for only a moment, there would not be enough energy that I can borrow to drive my follow-up strike. I would need to depend on something else.

Hmmm, block towards center, momentary energy (chun ging)....sounds like Wing Chun!

This is only a list of principles from Yip Kin Wing Chun that I can name based on my limited level of understanding. Its quite possible theres a lot more. I hope to discover more the further I go, and as time and training allow. In the next post, I'll try to explain how they relate to each other synergistically and how each one is an essential part of the whole.

Origins of Wing Chun?

"No matter that patriotism is too often the refuge of scoundrels. Dissent, rebellion, and all-around hell-raising remain the true duty of patriots. " - Barbara Ehrenreich, The Worst Years Of Our Lives, 1991

What is the difference between the various martial arts? Why is one called Wing Chun Kuen, another called Muay Thai, yet another called Karate-Do? Aren't they just all ways of beating people up?

The answer may be obvious to some, especially those with a MA background. There are many degrees of differences. Some are quite similar: Muay Thai and Savate, for example, are types of kickboxing. The differences here are may be confined to the different ways of kicking, of the way the fighters stand when facing each other, differences in rules, or other minor details. Some MA are wildly different, like Capoeira or Systema. By and large, individual MA are reflections of the needs of the time, the personality of the individual founders(s)them and the cultural background at the time and place of when it was developed. For example, Karate-Do uses farm implements as weaponry because of the policy banning weapons imposed by the Japanese rulers of Okinawa a few hundred years ago.

Even in a single country, like China, there are thousands of different styles of Kung Fu and each may have at least a few variations. Internal, external, animal styles, grappling styles, striking styles, etc., etc., etc. Each may have different movements, defenses or ways of generating and/or applying power. To fight any random person would be, well, random!

Wing Chun is a very young MA in Chinese MA history, being only a few hundred years old, developed during the Qing Dynasty. The Qing were considered foreigners who were cruel and corrupt by the Han Chinese (the natives, as it were). Numerous rebellions were fomented against them during their reign, especially in the restive south of the empire.

Unlike, say, an animal style, which is obviously inspired by the movements of animals, or any other marial art which is externally inspired, Wing Chun seems to depend on a set of principles which cannot be found in any external source. While some movements have an obvious animal inspiration (e.g. a biu jee strike is very similar to a snake strike, which may show some of the shaolin roots of Wing Chun), each and every techniques must conform to a set of principles, i.e. a rooted stance, locked torso and hips, "ging" or "inch" power (a very sudden power expressed momentarily, and only when required), and a centreline focus. All these principles are found in a greater or lesser extent in any style of Wing Chun, whether the various traditional mainland chinese lineages or in the other more mordenized and simplified Hong Kong lineages.

These principles are not natural, i.e. nobody is born with these qualities, and they have to be drilled into a student with consistent practice to make it a natural part of their movement. So why did the founders of Wing Chun design an entire martial art around these principles? It would have been easier to design a martial arts with movements people are already used to. After all, a Karate punch does an immense amount of damage, so does a Tae Kwon Do roundhouse kick, an Aikido lock will incapacitate an opponent, etc. Martial arts have been doing damage to people for thousands of years! Of what use is a new, difficult to train and learn (at least initially) martial art?

Something in the time of the Qing dynasty must have necessitated the creation of Wing Chun by rebels. Wing Chun's principles would have been their response to a threat.

So what would these principles achieve? Discussion in the next post!

P.S. All these are my own hypothesis, based on my limited knowledge of Chinese history, and my personal experience of what Wing Chun is. If you know something to the contrary, or you know something to add to this, please comment!

P.P.S. Welcome to Kahar, my Wing Chun si heng (elder brother), to the world of blogging! Writing as Guan Gung, he has many years of experience in Wing Chun (since '90 or '91), the curiosity of a scientist, the playfulness of an experimenter, the wide-eyed wonder of a child and the single-minded determination and ferocity of a warrior. I look forward to reading his posts.