Wing Choon Course taught by Grandmaster Wong Kiew Kit – Spring 2010

[Emiko H]

Very Special Wing Choon Course to be taught by Grandmaster Wong Kiew Kit – Spring 2010, Toronto!

Dear Shaolin family and friends,

It is my joyous privilege to announce the fact that Sifu/Sigung will be teaching Wing Choon of the Choe Hoong Choy Lineage in the spring of 2010.

This has been one of my heart’s wishes for a number of years, and I am grateful to Sifu for agreeing to finally pass on the invaluable Wing Choon that he knows.

The exact dates have not been finalized yet, but I can say already that the course will take place in Toronto during the spring of 2010.


Wing Choon=Wing Chun=Yong Chun=Ving Tsun

It should be noted that “Wing Choon” is concurrent with the terms “Wing Chun”, “Yong Chun” and “Ving Tsun”. Sifu/Sigung has chosen the spelling of “Wing Choon” because he believes that, for English-speaking readers ,"Choon" renders a more precise sound closer to how it is pronounced in Chinese (Cantonese). The use of "Chun", which should be pronunced as in this case, can easily be mis-pronunced as .


The highest-level of Wing Choon I’ve ever seen

I had known that Sifu/Sigung had learnt Wing Choon from a patriarch before, but little did I realize that the Wing Choon he knew was beyond anything I had ever learnt or seen.

The first time I fully realized that Sifu was a master of Wing Choon was back in November 2006, when I was in New York to take one of his chi kung courses. I am sure other instructors who were there will recall the jaw-dropping demonstration he gave of a segment of Siu Lin Tao. It was after this that I realised just how high Sifu’s level was.

My appreciation of Sifu’s Wing Choon stems from the fact that I, myself, had learnt a different branch of this style. My uncle was my first teacher (he is still one of the best martial artists I know of today), and I learnt later from another teacher also (who exposed me to many Wing Choon practitioners). Both of my Wing Choon teachers came from the Yip Man lineage of Wing Choon. I am very grateful to both of them, in particular to my uncle, for what they taught me. This training was the foundation that gave me the eyes to appreciate even more the value and rarity of the Wing Choon that Sifu/Sigung demonstrated in New York.

I regret that I cannot describe accurately the overwhelming internal force, control and skill that Sifu/Sigung manifested. Suffice it to say that the entire hallway in which we all stood (the instructors and Sifu/Sigung) was charged with his energy. Every move he made with his hands could be energetically felt across the space of several metres to where we were all watching. That was in November 2006.

After that, I felt more free to ask Sifu/Sigung questions about Wing Choon from time to time. He was always very kind and patiently answered them.

This year in April, when Sifu/Sigung was teaching in Japan, I had the honour of experiencing even more of Sifu’s Wing Choon. He showed me how it could be used against strikes, kicks, fells and chin-na. I directly experienced his riveting speed and supreme control. The other Japanese instructors, Yumi, Mutsumi and Naoko, also witnessed Sifu/Sigung’s Wing Choon. We all got so excited that, even though we were often in restaurants, we couldn’t help wanting to immediately try out the techniques. What fun we had over those meals, and how eye-opening it was to receive such teachings from Sifu/Sigung!

I am still in awe over the skills that Sifu/Sigung displayed. In the end, it wasn’t just about the technique, it was the high-level skills that set him apart from all the Wing Choon I had seen till then.


Sifu/Sigung’s Generous Offer to Wing Choon Exponents of other Branches

It goes without saying that I was over the moon when Sifu/Sigung finally agreed to teach a Wing Choon Course that would be open not only to Shaolin Wahnam members, but also to guest-martial artists from other schools. Sifu/Sigung has stipulated that it is of utmost importance that people not fall into the misconception that we might be trying to take Wing Choon exponents away from their respective schools.

In fact, Sifu’s wish is the exact opposite: he has stated that other Wing Choon exponents who are interested to come and expand their understanding through learning Choe Hoong Choy Wing Choon, are welcome to do so. After that, they can return to their schools and quietly incorporate what they’ve learnt into their teaching/training. There is no need to quit or leave the school of which they are already a part.


Sifu and the Choe Hoong Choy Lineage

Here is Sifu’s Wing Choon lineage:

Yim Wing Choon -- Leong Phok Khow -- Leong Yi Tai -- Yik Kam -- Choe Tak Seng -- Choe Soon -- Choe Chun
-- Choe Onn -- Choe Hoong Choy -- Wong Kiew Kit.

It is interesting to note that the Yip Man lineage and the Choe Hoong Choy lineage branch off after Leong Yi Tai.



What will be Taught in the Course

Sifu/Sigung is well-known for his unique ability to teach in a manner that is both comprehensive and systematic.

Participants will leave the course having received:

- 24 hours of instruction
- Initiation into chi flow for health, vitality, and spiritual cultivation
- Wing Choon techniques and skills on how to counter:
o strikes,
o kicks,
o fells
o and chin-na grips
- a direct experience of internal force, and methods to develop it
- the Siu Lin Tao Set
(Please note that this set is called “Siu Lin Tao”, as opposed to “Siu Lim Tao”. The Siu Lin Tao set is longer than the first set found in most other styles of Wing Choon: Siu Lin Tao includes what would be called Chum Kiew and Biu Jee in the Yip Man style of Wing Choon.)
- the Lineage & History of Wing Choon (Choe Hoong Choy)
- applications of Wing Choon against other styles of kungfu and martial arts
- many opportunities to implement the combat applications of Wing Choon through sparring

It goes without saying that Sifu/Sigung’s courses are hard work, but always full of fun and laughter!


Cost

The cost for this course is: US$1200.00, with a deposit of US$50 required to hold one’s spot.


Accommodations

If you are flying in from outside of Toronto, I can recommend the following hotels:

a) North York Novotel - (good breakfast buffet)
b) Willowdale Inn
c) Howard Johnson Inn (Hwy 401 & Kennedy)


Registration

Believe it or not, even before announcing this course, I had already received emails from 9 people either asking to sign up for this course or notifying me of their intent to register as soon as the dates were set.

As spaces are limited, if you’re planning to come, I would appreciate it if you would at least email me of your intention so that I can hold a spot for you.

To register or enquire further, please email me at: shaolin@shaolinwahnamcanada.com.

Well, folks, that’s pretty much about it for now. I will be sure to add more information as it arrives, e.g. the exact the dates for the course.

Meanwhile, I hope you enjoy the photos of Sifu/Sigung doing Wing Choon below.

I look forward to receiving your registrations!

Best wishes,

Emiko

[Mark CH]

Thank you Emiko Sije for announcing this course. I am sure this is certainly one not to be missed.

What a true honour it is.

[Mark Blohm]

Wow. I will absolutely be there.

[Emiko H]

Dear Shaolin family and friends,

Thank you for the positive feedback so far.

For those of you who are not familiar with Wing Choon, the last 2 photos of Sifu/Sigung show him training "Chi Sau" while blindfolded.

This Chi Sau is a training somewhat similar to Pushing Hands as found in Taijiquan. In HoongKa, I believe that there is another training method also somewhat similar.

Using this training method helps a practitioner to become sensitive to the movement of internal force and intent, among other things.

It will be great to learn more about Chi Sau from Sifu/Sigung.

Best wishes,

Emiko

[Emiko H]

Dear Shaolin family and friends,

I have been receiving so many email responses and enquiries today. I realised that I forgot to clarify that there is a Prerequisite to take this course.

Prospective participants must have fulfilled one of the following:

A) have completed Level 3 of the Shaolin Wahnam syllabus for either Shaolin Kungfu or Wahnam Taijiquan
B) have at least 3 years of experience in Wing Choon or another style of kungfu
C) or (if the applicant is at Level 1 or 2) have consulted and received permission from Sifu/Sigung himself or the course organiser, to attend the course

If anyone has any further questions, please don't hesitate to write again.

Thank you for your kind attention.

Best wishes,

Emiko

[Charles David]

This is wonderful news about a truly great opportunity. Thank you, Sije. Thank you, Sifu.

Yours,

Charles

[Pierre]

Thank you, Sije, for announcing this spectacular opportunity. I was surprised to learn of it.

I recall having asked Sifu some years ago about the Wing Chun that he had learned, and I remember Sifu saying that the Choe Hoong Choy Lineage was very rare -- it had been strictly kept within the confines of the Choe Family. That Sifu had been taught the art, by its patriarch no less, was, as I understood it, a nigh-unimaginable privilege. In that same way, I never conceived that Sifu would one day share what he had learned from Sigung Choe.

For a time, Emiko Sije and I learned Yip Man Wing Chun under the same teacher. While that teacher stated emphatically that he did not believe in the existence or concept of chi, his understanding of fighting principles was very good. Needless to say, I was then, as I am now, a terrible student, so I can lay no claim to have learned or understood much Wing Chun at all. Despite that, I found limitations in the way that Yip Man Wing Chun was being taught -- there was very little movement, very little in the way of stances except for Goat Riding Stance and 4-6, and an over-emphasis on Chi Sau. It was interesting when my taisiheng in that school began to learn White Eyebrow kungfu from another master. Even though he had one or two juniors whose Wing Chun had surpassed his own, those juniors had a fair amount of difficulty in countering some of the long strikes that their siheng had learned from the White Eyebrow school.

Returning to the time when I asked Sifu about the Wing Chun that he had learned, I was amazed to hear that "Choe Family Wing Chun" used all of the kungfu stances that Sifu had taught us. This was completely outside my limited understanding of Wing Chun kungfu, which had been confined to Yip Man, and more specifically, Mo Yat, Wing Chun. Returning for a moment to the confines of that old way of thinking, it is only the third photo that resembles anything that I would have understood at that time to be Wing Chun. Sifu truly is presenting everyone with a gem of an opportunity.

Thank you, Sifu.

[joko]

Wonderful news! Thank you, Emiko-san Sijie.

Photo1 reminds me of WahNam Taijiquan Combat Sequence 11, responder side.

Joko

[Joseph C]

Dear Emiko Sije,

This is fantastic news and thank you for announcing this wonderful opportunity! It is very exciting to know that Sifu will be sharing the amazing art of Wing Choon Kung Fu as passed down by Sigung Choe.

The very first art I practised was in fact Wing Choon Kung Fu and it came from Master Ip Man's lineage. But, this is quite amazing that Sifu will be teaching the Choe Family Wing Choon Kung Fu here in Toronto, a very rare art AND rare opportunity indeed!

Thank you Sifu!

Best wishes,
Joseph

[Irene1306]

Dear Sifu Emiko,

very interesting to hear that sifu is teaching this style, hopefully in europe too. I would like to know, when the pictures were taken - it seems to be a long time ago ?

br