Ip Kai Man

October 14th 1893- December 1,1972

                                The stranger from Fatshan

(the story of Ip Man and how he inadvertantly influenced the martial arts world wide).

By Sifu Tom Ross             

He was a well respected teacher in his own right, experienced in both the White eyebrow and Dragon styles of Gung fu and taught a class for members of the restaurant workers union. One Day during work  the young Sifu (teacher) Observed his friend and co worker Mr. Lee tin Pui (1) then secretary of the restaurant workers union standing in place and performing a Circling hand movement . Surprised the young Sifu asked Mr. lee if he was experienced in Gung Fu.   Mr. Lee informed him that he had a friend currently staying with him who was a master of a little known style of martial art called Wing Chun. Mr. Lee was have tingling pains in his hand and This master hand recommended the movements for improvement of the condition.  As the Young teacher had heard of this secretive art and was curious, a meeting was arranged.

Upon his introduction the stocky 5’10” nearly 200 lb teacher must have surely had his doubts about the short frail looking Wing Chun teacher who was nearly twice his age. After listening to the master’s explanation of his art, he decided to put it to the test by crossing hands with him. The doubts he may have had were quickly dispelled as he found himself being tossed about and his actions completely controlled in a manner he had never experienced before. Leung Sheung immediately disbanded his class and became his first Wing Chun Disciple in Hong Kong. He wasn’t the type of man to be easily impressed and surely he must have wondered, Just who was this man?

On October 14^th 1893 Ip (2) Kai man entered the world in the town of Fatshan in Kwantung province, one of four children to a very wealthy merchant family. His father was reputedly as generous a soul as he was wealthy and his mother Ng Shui made sure the children were well cared for. These however were turbulent times in china’s history, just forty years after the opium war , china was being exploited by several nations simultaneously . Several rebellion’s had taken place such as the Nian and Tai ping. This was followed by the French Declaration of War In 1884 in an effort to control the Red River which flowed from Hanoi to China’s Yunan province.  After its victory France then Annexed what was then known as “Annam” into its French indo china territory. Japan sensing an opportunity declared war on China on August 1, 1894 and after giving another humiliating defeat to the feeble Qing Dynasty annexed Taiwan and began to over see Korea as a protectorate, annexing it officially in 1910.  This Humiliation lead to the revolutionary republican movement of Dr. Sun Yat Sen and this in turn would evolve into the Kou min tang. Crime and Riots were rampant and Secret societies which for so long existed beneath the surface of Chinese culture would, in less then seven years time  after Ip Man’s birth erupt into the boxer rebellion. 

It was in early 1905 when Ip Man found out that his father had given permission for a kung fu master to use the large family hall on the main street. The Master’s name was Chan Wah Shun also known by the nickname “Money Changer wah.” He was a large formidable man known on the streets of Foshan for his fighting prowess. The kind of man who was frequently called upon by friends when they had difficulties of a violent nature. He was also the only non family member to learn Leung Jan’s Wing Chun style(3).

Due to the reputation he forged through many street confrontations, when Leung Jan Passed away, many people thought of Chan as Leung Jan’s heir and he attracted more attention then Leung Jan’s sons even though they may have had more experience and technical expertise in their fathers system.

Young Ip , then 11 years old, was fascinated by the Gung fu he saw Mr. Chan teaching at the family hall and being impetuous as many young men are, he frequently pestered Master Chan for instruction. Ip recounted in his later years that Chan had had tried to discourage him by telling him that” Rich people from Plush surroundings tend to make poor students.” This however didn’t deter young Ip in the slightest and he instead pleaded for instruction. This Plea however created a very awkward situation for Master Chan, after all, how could he refuse the son of a benefactor generous enough to all them to use his family’s hall? Master Chan then came up with a clever way to further discourage the young Ip. Master Chan told the young man he would gladly accept him as his student if he paid the sum equivalent of 500 silver Dollars. Surely it would be impossible for one so young to raise such a sum of money he must have felt his problem had been solved.

Though it did take Ip some time Chan was shocked to find Ip standing in the doorway one day money in hand! Master Chan thinking that the money must have been stolen escorted young Ip to his father. It was Ip Oi Dor however who convinced Master Chan that the study of Wing Chun was so important to their son that he and his mother had decided to give the money to their son. Ip Man then became the last of 16 students ever taught by Chan Wah Shun.

This however was not to be for long and after a scant two years into his training with the master he became ill and passed away in late 1906. Master Chan on his death bed was apparently concerned about the well being of his students and gave special instructions to Ip Man’s Sihing (Elder Gung fu brother) according to master  Ip Chun (Ip Man’s eldest son) in the article Ip Man great grandmaster of the wing chun style.

“At his last minutes, Chan said to his disciple Ng Chung So,"Yip Man is a clever boy, and is more gifted than others. If any of my students is to promote and spread our Wing Chun techniques with success, Yip Man is the one. Is is a regret that I could not stay longer. From now on the duty of teaching him rests with you. Please take good care of him". Ng Chung So promised to take up the responsibility seconds before Grandmaster Chan died.”

                                                 (Grave Marker of Chan Wah Shun)

Ip Man was there for able to continue his training with his elder Gung fu brother until 1908 when through the assistance of family, he was afforded the opportunity to travel to Hong Kong and study at St. Stephan’s College.(4) It was here that an incident would occur that would forever Change Ips life.

One day on the way to class at St. Stephan’s Ip man and a classmate were walking to school when they saw an Indian Police officer severely beating a Chinese woman(5).

Ip and his friend stopped and began to vehemently protest the woman’s public beating and humiliation. The patrolman tiring of the insolence of the teen aged boys decided to teach them a lesson. Releasing the Beaten Woman the officer turned his attention toward Ip Man who stood closest to him, but before the larger man’s blow could make contact it was simultaneously intercepted with one arm while the other struck him in the face! This was immediately followed with a short burst of Punches and the officer crumbled to the ground bleeding heavily from the face. Ip and his friend panicked, running as fast and far as they could then doubling back to the school.

Later that day Ip’s classmate was reputedly outside of his apartment building bragging about what he had seen his friend do and demonstrating how he had blocked the blow with one arm while at the same time striking the much bigger man with the other. One of the elderly residents observing this tale began to take great interest in it. He once again asked the young man to recount the story and describe exactly what his friend had done and how he defended himself. After listening intently to the young man describe his friend and the events that occured the old man asked the young story teller if he would please be so kind as to bring this young man around so he could meet him as he too was from Foshan.

The following day the young man brought his friend Ip man with him to meet the old gentleman at his apartment. The conversation quickly turned to Gung fu and the old man inquired as to what style young Ip had studied. Being young cocky and filled with pride young Ip told the old man that he was incapable of understanding as he studied Wing Chun from the best Gung fu master in the world. The old man stated that he had heard of it and was aware of a man named Chan Wah Shun who lived there , then requested Ip perform the basic form of the system (known as Siu Lim Tau). Being very proud Ip complied but his eagerness soon vanished when after he finished he saw the expression on the old man’s face and heard the comments “eh, that’s not to good!” His pride some what wounded he set about to impress the old man when he asked him to perform his Chum Kiu Form (the second form in the system).  All during this performance however the old man kept shaking his head saying “No, No, Not very good!” The old man then requested to see Ip perform Biu Gee (the most advanced empty hand form in wing chun) but aside from the fact that his pride had been injured, he simply had not yet learned the form.(6) So Ip told the old man he did not wish to perform anymore. The old man accepting this asked Ip if he would like to practice Chi Sau (sticky hands) and Ip felt this was a chance to redeem his bruised ego.

 The young man seeking to teach the old man a lesson came in with a punching attack which he found being deflected as he was tossed aside. Jumping back to his feet, the emotion swept young man pressed on furiously only to again find himself deflected and being tossed to the ground. The embarrassed young Ip Man hopped to his feet and ran from the room. The old man then ask Ips friend to please find him and tell him that he should not be embarrassed for his name was Leung Bik and he was actually Ip Man’s Si bak (Gung fu uncle), the youngest son of Leung Jan who was the teacher of Chan Wah Shun!

Immediately upon hearing this in school the next day Ip Man was so excited he left and ran to see Leung Jan. Ip man thus began to study the wing chun system under the supervision of Leung Bik receiving corrections in what he was already taught and learning the forms he was missing such as Biu Gee (Thrusting Fingers) (7)and Baat Jom Do (8 slashing knives).

Ips study with Leung continued until 1912 when Leung Bik passed away. According to Master Ip Ching (youngest son of Ip Man) his father credited his learning the complete system to his Gung Fu uncle Leung Bik, but out of respect however he refered to Chan wah Shun as his Sifu (teacher). Ip Man reputedly stated that although both Leung Bik and Chan Wah Shun had taught the same style their views and interpretations of it were different with Chan’s being very practical minded and taught in the language of the common person while Leung’s was rather sophisticated and philosophical.(8) Ip in fact inherited several manuals from Leung Bik passed down from Leung Jan.

                                                RETURNING HOME TO FATSHAN

The Year 1914 found Ip Man back home in Fatshan sharing the new found knowledge he had acquired under the guidance of Master Leung Bik. In 1918 an incident occurred which would bring Ip Man great notoriety in his home town. A man came to Foshan claiming to be an instructor in the Northern mantis style, stating that there was no one worthy to teach Gung fu in this town and challenging anyone to a fight. An herbal Doctor named Lee Kong Hoi hearing this informed Ip Man about the Challenge and Ip immediately picked up the gauntlet. A date for the match was set and the fight was to occur on the stage of a local theatre. A number of people paid a lot of money to see the fight between these two Gung fu masters however the fight seemed to end as rapidly as it began. The Mantis Master rapidly moved in throwing a phoenix eye fist , Ip man deflected the blow using Biu Sau (thrusting hand) then grabbed the arm and pulling him off balance and off stage, where he crashed head long into a table breaking three ribs. The fight concluded so rapidly that the Audience was disappointed and wanting to see more, so the theater manager cajoled Ip into doing a small demonstration so the people would feel they got their money’s worth and not damage his theater. The people were very happy afterward and Ip became well known in Foshan.(9)

Ip Man lived comfortably over the next several years settling down, marrying and raising a family, eventually consisting of four Children (two boys and two girls). His fortune would however change for the worse with the Manchurian incident 1931 when the Japanese Puppet state of Manchuko was established. Ip Man began instructing his eldest son Ip Chun at this time however, due to his young age at the time he admittedly wasn’t all that interested in training. (10) In 1937 the second Sino- Japanese war began and with the Japanese occupation his families fortune dwindles. Ip Man refused to work for the Puppet government put in place by the Japanese.  In 1941 The head of another prominent wealthy family of the Period (the Chow family) asks Master Ip to teach some of his Son as well as other family members and friends. Ip Man thus begins instructing a small group at the old Luen Cheung cotton mill at Wing on road continuing instruction there until late 1943 two members of this group Kwok Fu and Lun Gai (who worked for the chow family) still teach to this day.

In 1945 upon the surrender of Japanese forces Ip man desperately needing the money took a job as Police Chief working for the Kou min tang government. The turmoil in China however was still not at an end as the Kou min tang government and the Red Army lead by Mao Tse Tung began clashing over which side would rule China.  In 1949 a 13 year old Ip Ching would find his wing chun training cut short as his father, fearing reprisal’s for having worked as Police Chief for the Kou Min Tang Government , Ip Man fled Foshan forever, Taking his eldest daughter Ip Ar sum with him, Ip Man made his way to friends in Macau. He stayed them for two weeks at their pet shop on Cho Dui street until he was put in touch with his old friend Lee man (Lee Tin Pui) in Hong Kong. These had been terrible times for Ip Man, separating from his family, Losing his fortune and all worldly possessions and seeing the country he loved decimated by war.

                                 OUT OF THE ASH SPROUTS A PLUM FLOWER

Thoroughly impressed at the way in which the Old Man controlled him, Leung Sheung dedicated himself to understanding this masters art and introduced his friend Lok Yiu to the Wing Chun Master. The Very first Public Class of Wing Chun gung Fu was taught in Hong Kong in June of 1950 and although a number of students assembled in this first class, many not were used to the traditional course of study taught by Ip Man and soon quit. With the Meager sum of money he had brought with him all but expended. It was only through the aid of Leung Sheung and Lok Yiu, that  Ip man was able to obtain lodging at the restaurant workers Union and thus they began to study intensely with him and providing him with a means of support. After begining to work at the restaurant workers union Chu Shong Tin heard of the classes and being a practitioner of Tai chi Chuan at the time decided to Join in September of 1950. Master Chu decided to devote his time to the study of Wing Chun but notes with regret that the class size dwindled down so that by January of 1951 only Chu, Leung Shung and Lok Yiu remained(11).  In August 1951 Yip Bo Ching ,Chiu Wan, Man siu Hung, Law Ping, and others joined. The Seeds of Yip man’s teachings were beginning to take root , in a couple years he developed a devoted following who would serve as a cadre of instuctors and in turn spreading this previously little known gung fu system. By 1954 Tsui Sheung Tin and Yip Bo Ching were called upon by Master Ip to help teach students and lighten the load on Leung Sheung and Lok Yiu. Ip Man’s school was beginning to gain a reputation and It was on February 1, 1954 when a cocky, fearless young man named Wong Shun Leung walked into Master Ip’s school on Hoi Tan Road and threw down a challenge. Wong having experience in western boxing was himself was developing quite a reputation as a scrapper. His Challenge was accepted by Yip Bo Ching  convinced him In the practicality of the wing chun system.(12)  Wong suitably impressed, returned to the school and began to study Wing Chun. Several Months after this incident Cheung Cheuk Hing (Also known as William)(13) would begin to study and in time between the actions of Wong and Cheung , fighting in numerous challenge matches ,Wing Chun would gain quite a reputation in Hong Kong and throughout the world.                      

                                                       ENTER THE LITTLE DRAGON

It was in Autumn of 1955 when Lee Jun Fan would, through the introduction of his friend William Cheung  be introduced to his teacher Ip Man.  Lee’s father had been an actor in the Chinese opera and some of his fathers friends had trained in various martial arts using them in their stage performances. His earliest experiences came from acting friends of his father’s giving him pointers and teaching him basic forms from both Tai Chi chuan and the Hung style predominantly. Although he recounted that he did so without the knowledge of his father, feeling he might frown upon it. It is likely his father’s friends saw nothing strange in this at all as Lee was himself beginning to act and play rolls as a gang member in Chinese films of the day. Lee Siu Lung (Lee Little Dragon) as he was sometimes known had no idea that the subsequent turn of events would make his name a household word throughout the world as “BRUCE LEE”. Lee certainly admired how his friend Ah Hing (14) a rather large boy for his age at almost 6’ tall and 170lbs handled himself in street scraps with other teens and often pestered him to find out his secret. According to Lee one day Ah Hing gave in and brought him to Ip Man’s assistant instructor. Bruce recalled being given a small demonstration of the style and the assistant stood in a fighting stance. The always curious Bruce observing the stance asked the instructor if surely he wasn’t vulnerable to being kicked with such an upright stance. The instructor Invited Bruce to try and Bruce took him at his word only to find himself sitting on his behind holding his shin which he feared was broken.(15)

 It would be Master Ip’s acceptance of Lee as a direct student that would have an impact on foreign shores far greater then he could have imagined and that this young man  taking the name “Bruce” Lee would become a household name in the west.

Bruce Lee became absolutely obsessed with the martial arts. The Four years he would spend studying Wing Chun would make a profound impact on his life and forever effect the manner in which he viewed them. Many of the theories and Philosophical concepts he would later espouse though unheard of in the west, he had learned in his studies of Wing Chun. Bruce would later credit his rapid progress in the Wing Chun system to his ability to work the lesson’s taught by Master Ip and his assistant, in his free time with his friend and senior William Cheung. Another Man who Bruce felt was responsible for his rapid progression was Wong Shun Leung who he described as the best fighter In the clan (16) and stating further that before Bruce Left Hong Kong ,Wong had been the victor of over a hundred bouts, some of these being with Sailors which he declined to count unless they were opponents of sufficient experience. These two men accounted for many of his bloody noses and swollen lips during Chi Sau practice in an effort to get him to appreciate the gravity of Wing Chun training. Bruce additionally took private lessons from Ip Man and his assistant and attributed his development to all four of these men each with their differing perspectives. Bruce would later say that Ip Man’s assistant although not very aggressive , had excellent defensive skills, William Cheung had the potential to be the best, Wong shun Leung was the best fighter. He clearly admired Wong’s fighting experience and remained fast friends with him until his death offering Wong acting parts in his pictures (which Wong declined) and bringing him in as an adviser for others such as “Enter the Dragon”. In his four years of training Bruce had learned the Siu nim Tau and Chum Kiu forms, a little over 60 movements of the wooden dummy and basic drills for the dragon pole but his ability in Chi Sau expanded by leaps and bounds. In fact he was still attempting to learn more of the system from Wong prior to his death and made contact with him as frequently as he could(17). All of this aside he regarded only one Person as his Teacher and that was Ip Man ,a small almost frail looking man who he felt had the ability to hit harder then anyone he ever met.

By 1960 less then ten years after he had begun to teach the reputation of what was once and unheard of style was firmly established in Hong Kong among them such students such as Chow Tze Chuen, Mak Po, Ho Kam ming, Moy Yat and Victor Kan already had several years of training under their belts and would in the future begin to popularize Wing Chun further in Hong Kong, Macau, New York and Great Britain. The value of this art hadn’t escaped the attention of the Police as well and Ip Man would teach number within their ranks such as a very rough and tumble Detective by the name of Tang Sang. In 1962 Ip Man’s son’s would arrive from Foshan and Master Ip  moved in with his youngest son Ip Ching enabling them to recommence their training in earnest. In 1964 Ip Man confident that his cadre of assistants was doing a fine job in promoting Wing Chun began to teach by appointment and Ip Ching began to travel around with Master Ip and assist him in teaching. In 1967 The Hong Kong Ving Tsun Athletic association was recognized by the government and Master IP was able to observe the seeds he had sown some 17 years earlier begin to blossom. Ip Man’s eldest son, Ip Chun in addition to working for a newspaper and teaching wing chun privately acted as treasurer for the first three years of the association. Ip Ching began instructing at the association in 1968 alongside Wong Ki Man (Francis) under Ip Man’s supervision. After a dispute with the Associations acting president, Ip Man walked out of the association in 1970 refusing to teach or have any of his instructors teach there until The Presidents tenure was over. This put the association in a rough position, although many people had trained in Wing Chun Few had learned the entire system.  In spite of this bump in the Road Ip man’s Wing Chun did eventually return. Master Ip would continued teaching the Wing Chun that he loved even after he became Ill from Cancer and for the sake of passing it on correctly to posterity, He had his Sons Ip Ching and Ip Chun film him performing several forms in the apartment they shared. Ip Man passed from the world on December 1, 1972. A courageous and enigmatic man, misunderstood by many and often maligned by those who professed to know him. Over the course of his lifetime , Ip Man continually reexamined and refined his art and his skills, Sculpting his art to be the Epitomy of Simplicity , economy of motion and effeciency in a manner bringing to mind the words of the late great Joseph Campbell when he said , "Every generation produces innovators, who in an effort to keep man's traditions a living experience to those they serve, reinterpret the common principles on which it rests." Ip Man walked through life head held high. In his 79 years he experienced tremendous hardships, grief, seperation from his family, loss of his family fortune and the confiscation of all his property. Yet in the end, it was his greatest treasure, his most precious Ving Tsun, that he would share with the whole world!

Special thanks to Sifu Donald Mak of the international Wing Chun Institute for the use of his pictures www.hkwingchun.com

Notes:

1)      Also known as Mr. Lee Man occaisionally took lessons from Master Ip and very devoted friend to him. He was buried in the plot right next to Ip Man’s recalls Tsui Shong Tin in his article “My impressions of Yip Man Tong in Foshan”. Additionally Lee Man would later become first secretary of the Ving Tsun athletic association. As an additional note, Ip man personally prefered the Romanized spelling Ving Tsun in the fashion it was pronounced by the portugeuse of Macau ,for what is commonly pronounced in english as Wing Chun. However for the sake of Clarity I will use the common spelling of Wing Chun.

2)      Due to the difficulties in Romanizing Chinese charecters the family name has often been written as Yip and the grand master has by and large been refered to as “Yip Man”. This however is totally incorrect. In fact Ip Man had only one westernized identification card issued by the Hong Kong Government in 1950 and the romanized Spelling he used was Ip Man. This according to master Ip Ching (Ip man’s youngest son).

3)       The name of Leung Jan is pointed out as there are actually several Lineage’s of the martial art of Wing Chun found in China. It is not an endorsement of the value of any one lineage over another and in the authors opinion they are all fascinating in their own right.