Maxims of Wing Chun - Wing Chun Kuen Kuit
Traditional Wing Chun Rules of Conduct
- Remain disciplined - Conduct yourself ethically as a martial artist.
- Practice courtesy and righteousness - Serve the society and respect your elders.
- Love your fellow students - Be united and avoid conflicts.
- Limit your desires and pursuit of bodily pleasures - Preserve the proper spirit.
- Train diligently - Maintain your skills.
- Learn to develop spiritual tranquility - Abstain from arguments and fights.
- Participate in society - Be moderate and gentle in your manners.
- Help the weak and the very young - Use martial skills for the good of humanity.
- Pass on the tradition - Preserve this Chinese art and rules of conduct.
Maxims of Wing Chun
- Retain what comes in, send off what retreats. Rush in on loss of hand contact.
- Do not be lax when your opponent is not advancing.
- Once your opponent moves, his center of gravity changes.
- Make the first move to have control. Attack according to timing.
- Timing is achieved through practice.
- A strong attitude and posture gives an advantage over your opponent.
- Being alert and adapting to the situation allows maximum results for minimum effort.
- The body follows the movement of the hands. The waist and the stance move together.
- Complement the hands with posture to make good use of the centerline.
- The eyes and the mind travel together, paying attention to leading edge of attack.
- Charge into the opponent. Execute three moves together.
- Strike any presented posture if it is there. Otherwise strike where you see motion. Beware of sneak attacks, leakage attacks and invisible centerline attacks.
- Soft and relaxed strength will put your opponent in jeopardy.
- Coordinate the hands and feet. Movement is together.
- Do not take risks and you will always connect to the target.
- Have confidence and your calmness will dominate the situation.
- Occupy the inner gate to strike deep into the defense.
- To win in an instant is a superior achievement.
- The Yin Yang principle should be thoroughly understood.
- The theory of Wing Chun has no limit in it applications.
- Be humble to request your teacher for guidance.
- Understand the principles for your training.
- Upon achieving the highest level of proficiency, the application of techniques will vary according to the opponent.
Wing Chun Training Proverbs
- There are not many sets of training exercises in Wing Chun. They are easy to learn but to master them requires determination.
- Learning the usual ways will allow later variations.
- Short arm bridges and fast steps requires practicing the stance first.
- Siu Lim Tau mainly trains internal power.
- Lon Sau in Chum Kiu is a forceful technique.
- Bui Jee contains life saving emergency techniques.
- The Wooden Man develops use of power.
- Fancy techniques should not be used in sticky hand practice.
- Sticky leg practice is inseparable from the single leg stance.
- The steps follow turning of the body like a cat.
- The posture complements the hands to eject the opponent.
- The Six and a Half Point Staff does not make more than one sound.
- The Eight Cut Sword techniques have no match.
- The thrusting and fast attacks are well suited for closing in.
- Eyes beaming with courage can neutralize the situation.
- Unknown techniques are not suitable for training practice.
- Those who completely master the system are among the very few.
Seventeen Keys to Wing Chun
- Be ferocious when clashing.
- Be fast with your fist.
- Be forceful when applying power.
- Be accurate with timing.
- Be continuous when applying Fan Sau.
- Do not use all your strength.
- Protect your own posture.
- Be alert with your eyes.
- Unite your waist and stance.
- Coordinate your hands and feet.
- Movements must be agile.
- Comprehend the principles of Yin and Yang.
- Remain calm.
- Be steady with your breathing and strength.
- Sink your inner chi.
- Be commanding with your fighting demeanor.
- Be quick to end the fight.
Yee Jee Kim Yeung Ma
- Pull in the chest, push out the upper back, and bring in the tail bone.
- Fill the Tan Tien with chi and distribute the strength to all parts of the body.
- Point the knees and toes inward.
- Form a pyramid with the center of gravity in the center.
- Fists are placed by the side of the ribs but not touching the body.
- Sink the elbows, the shoulders, and the waist.
- Hold the head and neck straight and keep the spirit alert.
- Eyes are level, looking straight ahead, and watching all directions.
- The mind is free of distractions and the mood is bright.
- There is no fear when facing the opponent.
- Yee Jee Kim Yeung Ma is the main stance.
- Develop a good foundation for advanced techniques.
Siu Lim Tau
- Siu Lim Tau comes first; Do not force progress in training.
- A weak body must start with strength improvement.
- Do not keep any bad habit.
- Yee Jee Kim Yeung Ma - Train the chi by controlling the Tan Tien.
- To maintain good balance of strength, grip the ground with the toes.
- To release chi from the Tan Tien, will enable proper release of power.
- Sink the elbow and drop the shoulders; Guarding the centerline to protect both flanks.
- There are one hundred and eight moves, all practical and real; Thousands of variations can be used, aiming for practical use and not beauty.
- Internally develop the chi; externally train the tendons, bones and muscles.
- Taun Sau, Bong Sau, Fok Sau, Wu Sau, and Huen Sau; their wonder grows with practice.
- Each movement must be clear and crisp. Timing must be observed.
- Practice once a day, more will cause no harm.
Chum Kiu
- Chum Kiu trains the stance and the waist; the arm bridge is short and the step is narrow.
- Eyes are trained to be alert; the chi flows in a perpetual motion.
- Strive to remain calm in the midst of motion; loosen up the muscles and relax the mind.
- Turning the stance with a circular movement, will allow superior generation of power.
- When the opponent's arm bridge enters my arm bridge, use the escaping hand to turn around the situation.
- Pass by the opponent's incoming arm bridge from above, without stopping when the countering move has started.
- Lon Sau and Jip Sau put an opponent in danger.
- Do not collide with a strong opponent; with a weak opponent use a direct frontal assault.
- A quick fight should be ended quickly; no delay can be allowed.
- Use the three joints of the arm to prevent entry by the opponent's bridge; jam the opponent's bridge to restrict his movement.
- Create a bridge if the opponent's bridge is not present; nullify the bridge according to how it is presented.
- The arm bridge tracks the movement of the opponent's body; when the hands cannot prevail, use body position to save the situation.
- Using short range power to jam the opponent's bridge, the three joints are nicely controlled.
- Where is the opponent's bridge to be found? Chum Kiu guides the way.
Biu Jee
- The Biu Jee hand contains emergency techniques.
- Iron fingers can strike a vital point at once.
- The stepping in elbow strike has sufficient threatening power.
- The phoenix eye punch has no compassion.
- Fak Sau, Ginger Fist, and Guide Bridge; their movements are closely coordinated and hard to defend and nullify.
- Springy power and the extended arm are applied to close range.
- The situation is different when preventing from defeat in an emergency.
- The Biu Jee is not taught to outsiders.
- How many Sifu pass on the proper heritage?
The Wooden Man
- There are 108 movements for the Wooden Man; repeated practice brings proper use of power.
- Steps vary and always maintain close contact with the Wooden Man.
- Power starts from the heart and shoots towards the centerline of the Mok Yan Jong.
- Up, down, back and forth, the movements are continuous.
- Power improvement cannot be predicted.
- The arm bridge sticks to the hands of the Wooden Man while moving; adhesion power when achieved will be a threatening force.
- Power can be released in the intended manner; use of the line and position will be proper and hard to defeat.
General Sayings
- There is no difference in who started to study first; the one who achieves accomplishment is first.
- Students from the same teacher will differ in their skills.
- Touching the opponent's arm bridge makes the situation more favorable.
- When facing multiple opponents, it is easy to manage the situation.
- When chasing the opponent's arm bridge, beware of being led.
- When pushing the opponent's elbow, beware of being pulled.
- Learning the techniques without developing the skills will never bring any accomplishment.
- The ideal in Martial Arts is humanitarianism. Accomplishment uses diligence as a goal.
- When the opponent passes your arm bridge, avert the danger by turning the stance and facing with the appropriate posture.
- Strike when you should. Do not strike when you should not.
- Do not be too eager to strike. Do not be afraid to strike. One who is afraid of getting hit will finally be hit.
- Persistent attacks will surely gain you entry. Staying on the defensive too long will surely get you into trouble.
- The punch starts from the heart. The staff does not make two sounds. A kick does not miss.
- Power is generated from the joints. Strength originates from the heels.
- Store mental energy with the mind. Move chi with mental energy. Exert strength with chi. Generate power with strength.
- No harm will come if chi is nurtured naturally. Power can be stored but with enough to spare.
- chi comes out of the Tan Tien, and travels along the waist, the thighs, and the back.
- Know yourself and your opponent, and you will always win.
- People do not know the extent of my skills, but I know their abilities.
- Go along with your opponent's failing posture in order to take advantage of it.
- Glass-like head, cotton-like belly, and iron-like arm bridge.
- You can strike anywhere when your arm bridge has passed beyond your opponent's three joints.
- Pass by the opponent's incoming arm bridge from above. Jam the opponent's bridge to restrict his movement.
- Create a bridge if the opponent's bridge is not present. Nullify the bridge according to how it is presented.
- Know the difference between Yin and Yang, real and feigned. Take advantage of any available opportunity.
- Sticking to the opponent while shifting hand position shows good control of the situation.
- Being stuck to by the opponent while attempting to shift your own hand position cannot produce the intended result.
- Bong Sau must not remain. Faan Sau should be closely paced.
- Know your own limit in the use of power. Releasing all out is 90% of the way to defeat.
- The knees lead the stance. The waist links the body. Where the mind goes, the eyes go, and the hands and feet follow.
- Strive to remain calm in the midst of motion. Loosen up the muscles and relax the mind.
- The three terrors of Wing Chun are Taun Sau, Bong Sau, and Fok Sau.
- Feet and hands work together, and the threat comes to an end.
- Beware of brute strength when facing someone from the same style. Beware of the situation in a confrontation.
- In uniting the waist with the stance, power can be generated.
- In a match do not expect any compassion.
- Grasping the throat is a ruthless technique. Once commenced, it cannot be stopped.
- Storing energy resembles pulling a bow. Releasing power is like shooting an arrow.
- Circular and straight accompany each other. Bent and straight complement one another.
- Extreme softness enables one to be hard. Being extremely natural enables one to be agile.
- Direct the mind to store spirit, not chi, in the body. Otherwise it leads to sluggishness. No power is obtained when occupied with chi.
- Use alterations in stepping forward and backward. Hands and feet should be closely coordinated.
- Invisible posture. Invisible kick.
- As long as you are sticking to your opponent, you are unlikely to lose. A well trained waist can prevent loss of balance.
- Hand techniques must follow the Yin Yang principle. Strength must be applied with inner power. There is a counteraction to every attack.
- Rapid moves are hard to guard against. Go in when the opponent slows down.
- Kicks lose nine times out of ten.
- The feet are like wheels, and the hands like arrows.
- A hand used for attack serves also to parry.
- Do not collide with a strong arm bridge. Get out of the way and take initiative to attack.
- During sticky hand practice, the hand which has entered beyond the elbow will win nine times out of ten.
- Do not follow, force, or butt against the opponent's hands.
- Destroying the opponent's center line will control his bridge.
- In Bong Sau the forearm inclines, the wrist is on the center line, and the fingers droop. A raised elbow weakens the force.
- The elbow must be strong. Then you can take on any attack.
- If the opponent grasps your arm bridge, do not oppose him with brute force. Go with the opponent's force and change into rolling hands. Turn around the situation to control him.
- Remain disciplined - Conduct yourself ethically as a martial artist.
- Practice courtesy and righteousness - Serve the society and respect your elders.
- Love your fellow students - Be united and avoid conflicts.
- Limit your desires and pursuit of bodily pleasures - Preserve the proper spirit.
- Train diligently - Maintain your skills.
- Learn to develop spiritual tranquility - Abstain from arguments and fights.
- Participate in society - Be moderate and gentle in your manners.
- Help the weak and the very young - Use martial skills for the good of humanity.
- Pass on the tradition - Preserve this Chinese art and rules of conduct.
Maxims of Wing Chun
- Retain what comes in, send off what retreats. Rush in on loss of hand contact.
- Do not be lax when your opponent is not advancing.
- Once your opponent moves, his center of gravity changes.
- Make the first move to have control. Attack according to timing.
- Timing is achieved through practice.
- A strong attitude and posture gives an advantage over your opponent.
- Being alert and adapting to the situation allows maximum results for minimum effort.
- The body follows the movement of the hands. The waist and the stance move together.
- Complement the hands with posture to make good use of the centerline.
- The eyes and the mind travel together, paying attention to leading edge of attack.
- Charge into the opponent. Execute three moves together.
- Strike any presented posture if it is there. Otherwise strike where you see motion. Beware of sneak attacks, leakage attacks and invisible centerline attacks.
- Soft and relaxed strength will put your opponent in jeopardy.
- Coordinate the hands and feet. Movement is together.
- Do not take risks and you will always connect to the target.
- Have confidence and your calmness will dominate the situation.
- Occupy the inner gate to strike deep into the defense.
- To win in an instant is a superior achievement.
- The Yin Yang principle should be thoroughly understood.
- The theory of Wing Chun has no limit in it applications.
- Be humble to request your teacher for guidance.
- Understand the principles for your training.
- Upon achieving the highest level of proficiency, the application of techniques will vary according to the opponent.
Wing Chun Training Proverbs
- There are not many sets of training exercises in Wing Chun. They are easy to learn but to master them requires determination.
- Learning the usual ways will allow later variations.
- Short arm bridges and fast steps requires practicing the stance first.
- Siu Lim Tau mainly trains internal power.
- Lon Sau in Chum Kiu is a forceful technique.
- Bui Jee contains life saving emergency techniques.
- The Wooden Man develops use of power.
- Fancy techniques should not be used in sticky hand practice.
- Sticky leg practice is inseparable from the single leg stance.
- The steps follow turning of the body like a cat.
- The posture complements the hands to eject the opponent.
- The Six and a Half Point Staff does not make more than one sound.
- The Eight Cut Sword techniques have no match.
- The thrusting and fast attacks are well suited for closing in.
- Eyes beaming with courage can neutralize the situation.
- Unknown techniques are not suitable for training practice.
- Those who completely master the system are among the very few.
Seventeen Keys to Wing Chun
- Be ferocious when clashing.
- Be fast with your fist.
- Be forceful when applying power.
- Be accurate with timing.
- Be continuous when applying Fan Sau.
- Do not use all your strength.
- Protect your own posture.
- Be alert with your eyes.
- Unite your waist and stance.
- Coordinate your hands and feet.
- Movements must be agile.
- Comprehend the principles of Yin and Yang.
- Remain calm.
- Be steady with your breathing and strength.
- Sink your inner chi.
- Be commanding with your fighting demeanor.
- Be quick to end the fight.
Yee Jee Kim Yeung Ma
- Pull in the chest, push out the upper back, and bring in the tail bone.
- Fill the Tan Tien with chi and distribute the strength to all parts of the body.
- Point the knees and toes inward.
- Form a pyramid with the center of gravity in the center.
- Fists are placed by the side of the ribs but not touching the body.
- Sink the elbows, the shoulders, and the waist.
- Hold the head and neck straight and keep the spirit alert.
- Eyes are level, looking straight ahead, and watching all directions.
- The mind is free of distractions and the mood is bright.
- There is no fear when facing the opponent.
- Yee Jee Kim Yeung Ma is the main stance.
- Develop a good foundation for advanced techniques.
Siu Lim Tau
- Siu Lim Tau comes first; Do not force progress in training.
- A weak body must start with strength improvement.
- Do not keep any bad habit.
- Yee Jee Kim Yeung Ma - Train the chi by controlling the Tan Tien.
- To maintain good balance of strength, grip the ground with the toes.
- To release chi from the Tan Tien, will enable proper release of power.
- Sink the elbow and drop the shoulders; Guarding the centerline to protect both flanks.
- There are one hundred and eight moves, all practical and real; Thousands of variations can be used, aiming for practical use and not beauty.
- Internally develop the chi; externally train the tendons, bones and muscles.
- Taun Sau, Bong Sau, Fok Sau, Wu Sau, and Huen Sau; their wonder grows with practice.
- Each movement must be clear and crisp. Timing must be observed.
- Practice once a day, more will cause no harm.
Chum Kiu
- Chum Kiu trains the stance and the waist; the arm bridge is short and the step is narrow.
- Eyes are trained to be alert; the chi flows in a perpetual motion.
- Strive to remain calm in the midst of motion; loosen up the muscles and relax the mind.
- Turning the stance with a circular movement, will allow superior generation of power.
- When the opponent's arm bridge enters my arm bridge, use the escaping hand to turn around the situation.
- Pass by the opponent's incoming arm bridge from above, without stopping when the countering move has started.
- Lon Sau and Jip Sau put an opponent in danger.
- Do not collide with a strong opponent; with a weak opponent use a direct frontal assault.
- A quick fight should be ended quickly; no delay can be allowed.
- Use the three joints of the arm to prevent entry by the opponent's bridge; jam the opponent's bridge to restrict his movement.
- Create a bridge if the opponent's bridge is not present; nullify the bridge according to how it is presented.
- The arm bridge tracks the movement of the opponent's body; when the hands cannot prevail, use body position to save the situation.
- Using short range power to jam the opponent's bridge, the three joints are nicely controlled.
- Where is the opponent's bridge to be found? Chum Kiu guides the way.
Biu Jee
- The Biu Jee hand contains emergency techniques.
- Iron fingers can strike a vital point at once.
- The stepping in elbow strike has sufficient threatening power.
- The phoenix eye punch has no compassion.
- Fak Sau, Ginger Fist, and Guide Bridge; their movements are closely coordinated and hard to defend and nullify.
- Springy power and the extended arm are applied to close range.
- The situation is different when preventing from defeat in an emergency.
- The Biu Jee is not taught to outsiders.
- How many Sifu pass on the proper heritage?
The Wooden Man
- There are 108 movements for the Wooden Man; repeated practice brings proper use of power.
- Steps vary and always maintain close contact with the Wooden Man.
- Power starts from the heart and shoots towards the centerline of the Mok Yan Jong.
- Up, down, back and forth, the movements are continuous.
- Power improvement cannot be predicted.
- The arm bridge sticks to the hands of the Wooden Man while moving; adhesion power when achieved will be a threatening force.
- Power can be released in the intended manner; use of the line and position will be proper and hard to defeat.
General Sayings
- There is no difference in who started to study first; the one who achieves accomplishment is first.
- Students from the same teacher will differ in their skills.
- Touching the opponent's arm bridge makes the situation more favorable.
- When facing multiple opponents, it is easy to manage the situation.
- When chasing the opponent's arm bridge, beware of being led.
- When pushing the opponent's elbow, beware of being pulled.
- Learning the techniques without developing the skills will never bring any accomplishment.
- The ideal in Martial Arts is humanitarianism. Accomplishment uses diligence as a goal.
- When the opponent passes your arm bridge, avert the danger by turning the stance and facing with the appropriate posture.
- Strike when you should. Do not strike when you should not.
- Do not be too eager to strike. Do not be afraid to strike. One who is afraid of getting hit will finally be hit.
- Persistent attacks will surely gain you entry. Staying on the defensive too long will surely get you into trouble.
- The punch starts from the heart. The staff does not make two sounds. A kick does not miss.
- Power is generated from the joints. Strength originates from the heels.
- Store mental energy with the mind. Move chi with mental energy. Exert strength with chi. Generate power with strength.
- No harm will come if chi is nurtured naturally. Power can be stored but with enough to spare.
- chi comes out of the Tan Tien, and travels along the waist, the thighs, and the back.
- Know yourself and your opponent, and you will always win.
- People do not know the extent of my skills, but I know their abilities.
- Go along with your opponent's failing posture in order to take advantage of it.
- Glass-like head, cotton-like belly, and iron-like arm bridge.
- You can strike anywhere when your arm bridge has passed beyond your opponent's three joints.
- Pass by the opponent's incoming arm bridge from above. Jam the opponent's bridge to restrict his movement.
- Create a bridge if the opponent's bridge is not present. Nullify the bridge according to how it is presented.
- Know the difference between Yin and Yang, real and feigned. Take advantage of any available opportunity.
- Sticking to the opponent while shifting hand position shows good control of the situation.
- Being stuck to by the opponent while attempting to shift your own hand position cannot produce the intended result.
- Bong Sau must not remain. Faan Sau should be closely paced.
- Know your own limit in the use of power. Releasing all out is 90% of the way to defeat.
- The knees lead the stance. The waist links the body. Where the mind goes, the eyes go, and the hands and feet follow.
- Strive to remain calm in the midst of motion. Loosen up the muscles and relax the mind.
- The three terrors of Wing Chun are Taun Sau, Bong Sau, and Fok Sau.
- Feet and hands work together, and the threat comes to an end.
- Beware of brute strength when facing someone from the same style. Beware of the situation in a confrontation.
- In uniting the waist with the stance, power can be generated.
- In a match do not expect any compassion.
- Grasping the throat is a ruthless technique. Once commenced, it cannot be stopped.
- Storing energy resembles pulling a bow. Releasing power is like shooting an arrow.
- Circular and straight accompany each other. Bent and straight complement one another.
- Extreme softness enables one to be hard. Being extremely natural enables one to be agile.
- Direct the mind to store spirit, not chi, in the body. Otherwise it leads to sluggishness. No power is obtained when occupied with chi.
- Use alterations in stepping forward and backward. Hands and feet should be closely coordinated.
- Invisible posture. Invisible kick.
- As long as you are sticking to your opponent, you are unlikely to lose. A well trained waist can prevent loss of balance.
- Hand techniques must follow the Yin Yang principle. Strength must be applied with inner power. There is a counteraction to every attack.
- Rapid moves are hard to guard against. Go in when the opponent slows down.
- Kicks lose nine times out of ten.
- The feet are like wheels, and the hands like arrows.
- A hand used for attack serves also to parry.
- Do not collide with a strong arm bridge. Get out of the way and take initiative to attack.
- During sticky hand practice, the hand which has entered beyond the elbow will win nine times out of ten.
- Do not follow, force, or butt against the opponent's hands.
- Destroying the opponent's center line will control his bridge.
- In Bong Sau the forearm inclines, the wrist is on the center line, and the fingers droop. A raised elbow weakens the force.
- The elbow must be strong. Then you can take on any attack.
- If the opponent grasps your arm bridge, do not oppose him with brute force. Go with the opponent's force and change into rolling hands. Turn around the situation to control him.