Our History and Lineage

The Southern Temple Burns

Wing Chun (詠春) was invented in the early days of the Qing Dynasty (清朝).
The tales we have state that during the Qing Dynasty, the Southern Shaolin Temple (南少林) hosted a number of revolutionaries determined to restore the Ming Dynasty (明朝) to power. Due to this, the Qing convinced a member of the temple to betray their brothers (stories differ on who), and the temple was burned.

During this time, the 5 Elders (少林五祖) fled to various parts of China. 4 of them are credited with the founding of much of Southern Shaolin Gung Fu.

The Venerable Yi Sin (至善禪師) taught the founders of the Hung Ga (洪家), Choy Ga (蔡家), Lei Ga (李家), and Mok Ga (莫家) styles. Down the road, Choy Ga, Lei Ga, and Fut Ga (佛家) would be combined to form another famous Southern style, Choy Lei Fut (蔡李佛). The Venerable Yi Sin would also later teach the Red Opera Boat practitioner Leung Yi Tai (梁二娣) the 6 and 1/2 Point Pole (六點半棍), which would become an invaluable contribution to Wing Chun.

Ng Mui Dai Si (五梅大師), as the legend goes, founded Wing Chun by distilling her extensive knowledge of Southern Shaolin to rapidly teach a young woman, Yim Wing Chun (嚴詠春), to defend herself against a local bully. Wing Chun was the daughter of Yim Yi, a local tofu seller, who’s cart Ng Mui frequented. Ng Mui is also credited with founding other styles, such as Five Pattern Hung Fist (五形洪拳), Southern Dragon (龍形摩橋), and Ng Mui Paai (五梅派) – often called Wu Mei Pai in Mandarin.

The Red Boat (紅船)

Yim Wing Chun eventually married Leung Bok Chau (梁博儔), a salt merchant, who is credited with naming the style after his wife, calling it Wing Chun Kuen (詠春拳), Wing Chun’s Fist.
The lineage continued through the Red Boat Opera era, where Wong Wah Bo traded his empty-hand expertise with fellow performer Leung Yi Tai in a historic exchange of knowledge. This deep sharing of skill forged the foundation of the system we recognize today: transitioning from a single long form to three empty-hand forms, the wooden dummy, the double knives, and the long pole.
As these techniques were shared among the opera troupes, other performers, such as Dai Fa Min Kam and Yik Kam, refined their own expressions of the art, eventually founding their own distinct branches. This era of shared experience and cross-pollination among companions accounts for the rich diversity of Wing Chun (詠春) and Weng Chun (永春) methods found throughout the world today.

Fatsaan (佛山市)

The lineage eventually reached the eminent Dr. Leung Jan (梁贊) of Fatsaan. A renowned herbalist and physician, Dr. Leung integrated his profound knowledge of Dit Da (跌打) with his martial skill, passing this dual mastery to his son, Leung Bik (梁璧和), and the currency exchanger Chan Wah-Shun (陳華順).
Both men would become instrumental in the development of the young Yip Man. While Chan Wah-Shun served as Yip Man’s Sifu, providing the foundational stewardship of his training, the Grandmaster’s education continued to evolve long after Chan’s passing. He further refined his craft through the guidance of his senior, Ng Chung So, and eventually reached a sophisticated level of mastery under the tutelage of his Sibaak (martial uncle), Leung Bik.

Sijo Yip Man (葉問 師祖)

The late Grandmaster Yip Man brought Wing Chun to Hong Kong while he was fleeing mainland China during the revolution. Though he came from a wealthy family in Foshan, upon reaching Hong Kong, Yip Man was destitute. He was eventually approached by Leung Sheung, who witnessed his prowess, and invited to teach the HKRWA. Many of the Wing Chun practitioners in the world today trace their lineage to the late Grandmaster. While Yip Man had previously taught students such as Kwok Fu and Lun Gai in Foshan, his arrival in Hong Kong marked a pivotal era of refinement for the art. It was during this period that he began taking on the disciples who would define the lineage for generations to come, including Leung Sheung, Lok Yiu, Chu Shong Tin, Wang Kiu, and Wong Shun Leung.
In this new environment, Yip Man deeply refined the system to meet the needs of his Hong Kong students. This era of transition saw significant evolution in the forms and the Wooden Dummy (Muk Yan Jong). Notably, Yip Man is credited with inventing the wall-hanging dummy, adapting the traditional ground-mounted design to suit the compact living spaces of Hong Kong.

For more information, feel free to visit the Ving Tsun Athletic Association 詠春體育會

Sitaigung Leung Sheung (梁相 師太公)

Leung Sheung holds a singular place in history as the senior-most disciple and the first student of Grandmaster Yip Man in Hong Kong. Renowned among his peers for his extraordinary talent, he earned the title “King of Biu Zi” for his mastery of the system’s third form and knife set.
Despite his prowess, Leung Sheung was a man of profound humility. He consistently chose to promote the abilities of his teacher rather than his own, operating his school with such a low profile that he never once advertised. He believed in a quiet, destined connection between teacher and student, often stating: “If you find me, you are lucky.”
Leung Sheung viewed prospective students as driftwood washed up on a riverbank; he would observe them patiently, waiting to see which pieces possessed the integrity to be shaped. He understood that while some wood was fit for refinement, others held hidden flaws that could not withstand the carving. However, once Leung Sheung determined a student was worthy of training, his instruction became uncompromisingly demanding, ensuring the art was preserved with absolute precision.

For more information, please visit:
Worldwide Leung Sheung Tong Wing Chun Confederation 《世界梁相堂 詠春同學總會》

Sigung Kenneth Chung Maan Nin (鐘萬年 師公)

Sifu Ken, as he prefers to be called, began studying with Leung Sheung in 1965 and was regarded as an outstanding student. In 1968, he left Hong Kong to further his studies in the US, where he met his first student, Sifu Ben Der. While in San Francisco he taught Wing Chun for several years. In 1973 Ken returned to Hong Kong for 5 more years and recommenced training under Leung Sheung. During this time, his Wing Chun improved vastly as he gained valuable insights, leading him to focus on developing a soft and relaxed style. Sifu Ken still teaches today in San Jose, CA.

For more information please visit Stanford Wing Chun Students Association

Sifu Ben Der Wing Yan (謝永恩 師父)

Sifu Ben Der first began studying Wing Chun under the late Grandmaster Yip Man in 1958, while attending St. Francis Xavier College in Hong Kong. In 1959, he moved to the United States at the same time as his good friend, Bruce Lee, with whom he would often practice his Chi Sao. In 1968, Sifu Ben was introduced to a young man who had just arrived in America from Hong Kong. After 15 minutes of discussion about Wing Chun, the newcomer said, “Enough talk. Let’s work out.” They went over to a tailor shop, and went in back to work out. Ben was first. Trying his best moves, Ben saw that this newcomer could deftly blunt every attack. At that point, Ben was convinced this was his new teacher, and placed his seven students and himself under the tutelage of this newcomer, whose name was Kenneth Chung. In 1974, Steve and Sandy Wong, Sifu Ben’s first Disciples, started learning Wing Chun from him. In 1976, Ken introduced Ben to Leung Sheung, and they immediately became close friends, which they remained until Leung Sheung’s death.
Sifu Ben still teaches to this day, and in August 2022 celebrated the 50th anniversary of San Jose Wing Chun.

For more information, please visit San Jose Wing Chun

Rain (謝詠雨)

Rain provides instruction at Fort Collins Wing Chun under the direct guidance and mentorship of Sifu Ben Der. Their martial arts foundation began with boxing at the age of 17, eventually leading to a diverse background that included various ranks in Krav Maga, Jujutsu, and Karate. While these disciplines provided a broad perspective, it was the encounter with Sifu Ben Der and the profound efficiency of the Leung Sheung system that redefined their path. Recognizing the rare depth of this lineage, Rain chose to set aside other practices to dedicate their training exclusively to the preservation and practice of Leung Sheung Wing Chun.
Today, Wing Chun remains one of Rain’s foremost passions. Their goal is to honor the standard set by Sifu Ben by sharing this sophisticated, effective, and historical art with those ready to begin their own journey.

You

Come join us, and be a part of the next generation of this beautiful and effective martial art. Wing Chun is for everyone, no matter your age, your gender, or past experience in martial arts! As Sifu Ben says, “there is more than enough depth in our 3 sets to fulfill you for a lifetime. Wing Chun can be your lifelong hobby.” Having trained for over 60 years every single day, he’s done exactly that.

We invite you to start that same journey here, and look forward to meeting you!