Legend has it that Wing Chun was developed by Ng Mui, a Buddhist Abbess at the Shaolin Monastery of Mt. Sung in Honan Province. During the rule of Emporer K’angshi in the Ching Dynasty (1662-1722), the Manchu government grew fearful of the growing power of the Shaolin Monastery and attacked it. After several failed attempts, the Manchu army finally succeeded in burning the monastery to the ground. The surviving monks fled and scattered, among them Ng Mui. While taking refuge at a Shaolin Temple on Mt. Tai Leung, Ng Mui met Yim Wing Chun, the daughter of a merchant in a nearby village. Yim Wing Chun had attracted the attention of a local bully, so Ng Mui took Yim Wing Chun under her tutelage and instructed her in Kung Fu. The system Ng Mui had developed and taught to Yim Wing Chun took advantage of the various weaknesses that Ng Mui perceived in other Shaolin systems. As time passed, the system of Kung Fu would become known as Wing Chun, after Ng Mui’s first student. Yim Wing Chun would according to this story, pass the art on to her husband Leung Bok Cho who in turn taught Leung Lan Kwai.

     Now, whether or not Ng Mui and Yim Wing Chun existed or not, we do not really know.  What we do know however, is that after the invasion and overthrow of the Ming Dynasty by the Ch’ing. A large number of secret societies and rebel groups sprang up, often lead by former Ming Dynasty official’s and military personnel in hiding. It has long been held in the oral testimony passed down in Wing Chun that the art was taught in association with the Red boat opera troops. The Red Boats were traveling musicians and entertainers who traveled up and down the rivers performing to entertain villages for money. As many of the Opera’s performed had fighting scenes enacted in them, this was the perfect cover for trained military rebels to move along the river recruiting and training members.

Due to the diligent research of Master Ip Chun he was able to locate and identify The earliest practitioner of Wing Chun who is documented in the history of Chinese opera books. In a historical text currently located in Hong kong city hall library entitled “the study on the history of Cantonese operas” Authored by Mak Siu Har , Master Ip Chun found information which corroborated that orally passed on by his father. According to this text “Before the reign of the Yung Cheng (a Manchu emporer 1723-1736) the development of the Cantonese opera was very limited. This was due to defective organization and unclear division of labor. In the years of Yung Cheng , A Man named  Ng Cheung of Wu Pak,Also known by the name “Tan sau Ng” brought his skills to Fatshan and organized the Hung Fa wui Kwoon (Now the Chinese artist association). After this the opera made great progress, Besides being very accomplished in Chinese opera,  Ng Cheung was especially proficient in the martial arts. His Tan sau technique was peerless throughout the martial arts world.” Master Ip Chun further discovered another entry on page 631 Volume 3 of the book a history of Cantonese opera by Mang Yiu which made reference to Ng Cheung as follows:” For some reason, Ng Cheung, could not stay on in the capital so he fled and took refuge in Fatshan. This was during the reign of Yung Cheng (the Manchu Emperor) .This man nicknamed “Tan Sau Ng” was a character unsurpassed in literary and military skills and excellent in Music and drama. He was especially proficient in the techniques of Siu Lim (The Cantonese word for “Shaolin”) After settling down in Fatshan, he passed on his knowledge in traditional opera and martial arts to the Hung Suen (Red Boat) followers and established the Hung Fa Wui koon in Fatshan.”

It should be noted that there are some who now believe Ng Cheung to be the teacher of Leung Bok Cho and that the story of Ng Mui and Yim Wing Chun was created as an effort to hide the identity of the arts founder and his originating a chapter of a secret society, possibly from discovery by government officials. Ming and later Qing Records recorded the death Penalty as being imposed for membership in such societies. In addition it should be noted a buddhist Nun residing and training amongst her male counter parts is highly unlikely, as well as the striking similarity in the name of the Nun and Ip Man’s own Mother. Additionally, One may take the names Ng Mui as symbolism (five Plum being a secret society reference) as well as Yim Wing Chun (To Secretly Praise Spring) both names being well known terminology amongst secret societies of the day.

It should be noted that there are some who now believe Ng Cheung to be the teacher of Leung Bok Cho and that the story of Ng Mui and Yim Wing Chun was created as an effort to hide the identity of the arts founder and his originating a chapter of a secret society, possibly from discovery by government officials. Ming and later Qing Records recorded the death Penalty as being imposed for membership in such societies. In addition it should be noted a buddhist Nun residing and training amongst her male counter parts is highly unlikely, as well as the striking similarity in the name of the Nun and Ip Man’s own Mother. Additionally, One may take the names Ng Mui as symbolism (five Plum being a secret society reference) as well as Yim Wing Chun (To Secretly Praise Spring) both names being well known terminology amongst secret societies of the day. In any event the art was reputedly passed to Leung Lan Qui (some accounts name him as nephew to Leung Bok Cho) who taught both Wong wa Bo and Leung Ye Tai.  Leung Ye Tai, who worked the boats with his pole; that is he pushed the boats in the waterways. Leung Ye Tai reputedly had prior experience with Kung Fu, and had allegedly learned the Lok Dim Boon Kwan (six and a half strike pole) from Gee Shin, who was reputed to be one of the five elder monks who escaped the burning of the Shaolin Monastery. Wong Wah Bo and Leung Ye Tai exchanged techniques and together they refined the pole techniques by applying Wing Chun principles, such as centerline theory, economy of motion, chew ying (facing), and lin siu dai da (to merge offense and defense as one).  Leung Ye Tai eventually taught the Wing Chun system to Dr. Leung Jan of Fatsan, located in Southern China. Leung Jan was a pharmacist by occupation and enjoyed a good, cultured life. Leung Jan became an accomplished Wing Chun fighter and brought public attention to the art of Wing Chun. Leung Jan passed his knowledge onto his two sons, Leung Chun and Leung Bik, and to a street vendor by the name of Chan Wa Shun. Chan was reported to be a man of the streets and not well educated, and had numerous opportunities to use his Wing Chun skills. Chan Wa Shun took on 16 disciples with the last one being Ip Man.