History and Background
Legend has it that Wing Chun was a close range combat system developed by a Shaolin Nun named Ng Mui about 300 years ago. It was later passed down to individuals loyal to the Ming Dynasty for self defense and combat purpose against the Manchurians of the Ching Dynasty. It had been a secret art that was only passed to a hand full of students for several generations until when Great Grand Master, Ip Man, escaped to Hong Kong from the communist China with his Wing Chun skills. He started teaching the skills openly. Among his students, Bruce Lee was probably the most well known by the general public because of his movies. However there are also many other Ip Man’s descendants who spread the arts to the World. For Example Moy Yat, Wong Sheung Leung, Tsui Shun Tin, Wong Kiu, Duncan Leung, Ip Ching.......etc. Their dedication to the art of Wing Chun Kung Fu should not go unnoticed.
Grand Master Moy Yat
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Grand Master Greco Wong teaching in the UK
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Grandmaster Greco Wong
Starting in the late sixties, Grand Master Greco Wong was one of the individuals responsible for spreading Wing Chun to the U.K., Africa and Canada. In 1957, as a teenager, Greco Wong started learning White Crane and Tai Chi while his friend Moy Yat (who went to the same high school) was learning Wing Chun from Ip Man. When Moy Yat needed a partner to test and practice Wing Chun with, he showed Wing Chun to his friend Greco Wong, who in turn showed White Crane to Moy Yat. The more Greco was exposed to Wing Chun through Moy Yat, the more Greco liked the practical aspect of Wing Chun. Soon Greco only concentrated in Wing Chun, and became Moy Yat's first student and training partner. Whenever Ip Man taught Moy Yat new skills, Moy Yat would show them to Greco Wong. Whenever Moy Yat took Ip Man out for Dim Sum, Greco Wong was asked to go along. Sifu Greco Wong also studied under Mak Po (Moy Yat's Kung Fu Brother), Chu Shong Tin and Ip Man by recommendation of Moy Yat while Moy Yat was away from Hong Kong in 1963 as a seaman. In 1965, Master Greco Wong was the assistant instructor at the first Moy Yat Wing Chun School in Hong Kong. In 1967, Master Greco Wong moved to the UK, there he started teaching Wing Chun. He also co-authored with Rolf Clausnitzer of the world's first English Wing Chun book in 1969. In the early seventies, he started teaching Wing Chun in Nigeria. Finally he settled in Canada in 1975, he has been teaching Wing Chun in Canada since.
In April, 2007, Grand Master Greco Wong retired from public teaching.
This photo was taken back in 1965 when Grand Master Moy Yat opened his first school in Hong Kong. The person sitting in the middle in black tie and suit is Grand Master Moy Yat, and Grand Master Greco Wong is sitting next to him on his left. |
Photo taken from the world's first English Wing Chun book authored by Rolf Clausnitzer and Greco Wong in 1969. |
After Grand Master Greco's retirement, we carry on his teachings since 2007 til now
Today, because of Wing Chun’s effectiveness and thanks to the effort of many Ip Man’s descendants, this close range combat system is now widely adopted by the police and military in many countries, such as the Navy Seals and the FBI of the USA, the SEK of Germany, the Anti Terrorist unit of India, G4 of Hong Kong…. just to name a few.
