Linda Simic report on Wing Chun Tour Sep 2006

Our trip to Hong Kong and Beijing in September 2006 has been an amazing experience for me, as a relatively inexperienced Wing Chun student. On our first evening in Hong Kong we visited the Ip Man Martial Arts Athletic Association in Tsim Sha Tsui to pay our respects.

We were greeted by Master Sam Lau and other respected students of Grandmaster Ip Man, Sifu Chan Wai Hong and Sifu Li Wai Chi, at which time Master Kwok was asked if he and his students would give a demonstration of there Wing Chun skills. Master Kwok then asked his senior students Sifu Billy Davidson, Sifu Steve Colton and Sifu Steve Dyde to perform Siu Lim Tao, Chum Kiu, Biu Tze and the Wooden Dummy which were very well received by these senior masters.

The next day, Master Samuel Kwok took us to the Ving Tsun Athletic Association where we were honoured to meet and pay respect to Grandmaster Ip Chun. Also this was a chance for Master Kwok’s senior students to see, chat and train with some old friends again. We also met and joined his junior students in their training session and were able to learn from them and also share our own knowledge and skills. The highlight for me was watching a chi sau demonstration by Grandmaster Ip Chun and Master Samuel Kwok and to see the skill level of these world famous masters’s (teacher and disciple) - this will remain a treasured memory.

The following day we left early for our flight to Beijing. We had a busy schedule planned in China which included training sessions in the park beside our hotel, sightseeing around Beijing and a visit to the world famous Shi Cha Hai Sports School (Same place where the famous Jet Li was trained there since a small kid) and a Kung Fu show by the Shaolin monks.

During our visit to the Shi Cha Hai Sports School, we were privileged to be given a demonstration by the Beijing Wu Shu team students who put on a spectacular performance! In return, our group lead by Master Kwok and is senior students Sifu Steve Colton, Billy Davidson and Sifu Steve Dyde performed a Wing Chun demonstration showing the high level of skill and the to promote the Wing Chun system of Grandmaster Ip Man in Northern China.

Master Samuel Lau also attended. After the performances, we exchanged knowledge and experience with the Wu Shu students to teach them a little about Wing Chun techniques and in return, learnt some Wu Shu skills.

Our tour guide gave us an extensive insight into Beijing and Chinese culture - including visits to the Forbidden City, Summer Palace, Temple of Heaven, The Great Wall of China, Tiananmen Square and a tour of Hu Tong (a traditional Chinese village). It was enlightening to learn to see and learn some Tai Chi from our guide and to practice our Wing Chun during our visits to the Great Wall and in the grounds of the Temple of Heaven.

This attracted the attention of many visitors and tourists, which further promoted our style of martial art.
We went to a show in the Red Theatre in Beijing called 'The Legend of Kung Fu'. This was a spectacular, energetic performance by the Shaolin monks which told the story of the life of a monk from his arrival at the
temple as a young boy until he finally became a warrior monk. It was a very professional performance with amazing visual effects.

After five varied and enjoyable days in Beijing, we returned to Hong Kong. In the last 2 days of the trip some of our group returned to China with Master Samuel Kwok to visit Grandmaster Ip Man's museum in Foshan this gave them a chance to see how Wing Chun has grown and developed and has been spread round the world.

Others students visited Grandmaster Ip Man's grave in Hong Kong with Sifu’s Billy Davidson, Steve Dyde and Anthony Warwick to pay respects and honour the Ip Family.

We had one final training seminar with the Wing Chun Society at Hong Kong City University, We were welcomed by Sifu Patrick Leung and Sifu Raymond Lo Both of whom are Grandmaster Ip Chun’s students again it was a pleasure to see these teachers and our own Sifu’s together talking and laughing as old friends do! At the invitation of Sifu Patrick the session was led by Master Samuel Kwok and involved a short demonstration of the training methods used within The Samuel Kwok Martial Arts Association which went down very well and an exchange of Chi Sau between students, then after a question and answer session in which both groups had the chance to ask questions about training methods.

Overall, this has been an invaluable trip allowing us to discuss and compare our Wing Chun experiences with others who share the same interest. There were many experienced students on our trip, including several Sifu's from throughout the UK/Europe and it has been an honour and privilege for me to be in their company and learn from their vast knowledge.

I would also like to say thank you to my Sifu Paul Smith for his encouragement and advising me to take part in this trip and I would personally like to thank Master Samuel Kwok for making me feel very welcome on this trip, which was overwhelmingly male dominated. He spent much time and effort trying to make this trip successful and
enjoyable for everyone and his efforts are much appreciated. I hope it has been successful in its aim to promote Wing Chun (in its original form as taught by Grandmaster Ip Man) in China.