Ip Man Line Wing Chun Kung Fu Taught in Seminar Part I: The Bacolod Seminar By: James U. Sy Jr.

Ng Yung-Wa Sifu (seated) with participants of the “An Introduction to Wing Chun Basics” seminar last January 16, 2010 at the Avenue Gym, 2nd Floor La Salle Courtyard, La Salle Ave., Bacolod City.

In another milestone in Negros martial arts history, Avenue Gym hosted the first ever Wing Chun Kuen (咏春拳) in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, and perhaps, the Negros Island, dubbed as “An Introduction to Wing Chun Basics” last January 16, 2010 at the 2nd Floor La Salle Courtyard, La Salle Ave., Bacolod City. Nine participants representing three martial arts groups were in attendance.

Resource Instructor was Ng Yung-Wa Sifu, who descended from the Ip Man line of Wing Chun. Grandmaster Ip Man (1893-1972) was the teacher of the legendary Bruce Lee Siu-Long (1941-1973), who popularized Chinese Kung Fu in his movies.

Ng was born in Hong Kong and later resided in the Netherlands. He started martial arts training in Muay Thai in 1994 and continued to do so for two years. At 20 years of age, he started his studies of Wing Chun Kuen with Nils Sifu and then Dick Wachtbeger Sifu, a student of Wang Kiu Sifu, who was in turn a student of Wing Chun Grandmaster Ip Man of Hong Kong. Ng started assisting with the conduct of classes after three years. In his sixth year, he was already an Instructor at the school. Ng Sifu had a third teacher he could not name because he was made to promise not to. Ng Sifu has a total of 11 years experience, both studying and teaching, Wing Chun Kung Fu.

Ng Sifu travelled to Bacolod City on September 15, 2010 to study higher meditation techniques at the Humanistic Academy of Life and Arts at the Yuan Thong Temple, 2876 Burgos St., 6th Rd., Bacolod City. About a week after entry into the program, Ng Sifu introduced Wing Chun Kuen at the temple. Previously, Ven. Yung Ko had introduced the Tai Chi Fan to members of the Buddha’s Light International Association (BLIA) at the temple.

Later in 2010, Ng Sifu was invited by DEFTAC Instructor and Yasay Sable Master Ferdinand Emmanuel Y. Gayoles to demonstrate Wing Chun Kuen to his criminology class at the University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos (UNO-R), Lizares St., Bacolod City.

Ng Sifu was the first one to publicly teach Wing Chun Kuen in Bacolod City and Negros Occidental. While there are individuals who know Wing Chun in Bacolod, they have chosen to remain anonymous and/or keep their art a secret or as a family heirloom. Bacolod had other visitors who had knowledge of Wing Chun, like Dr. Ned R. Nepangue of Cebu, but they have not taught publicly, and if they did, only to select individuals.

The seminar began with an overview of the Wing Chun system, starting with the burning of the Shaolin Temple by the Manchus, the escape of the Five Ancestors, and the subsequent founding, establishment, and propagation of Wing Chun Kuen “Forever Springtime Fist (Cantonese)” in China, Hong Kong, and the world (read the art’s history in Part II).

Ng Sifu then explained the principles that make Wing Chun different from other styles of martial arts. The six forms that were traditionally taught in Wing Chun were also enumerated.

During the seminar proper, Ng Sifu taught the fundamentals including yee jee kim yung ma, vertical straight punch, chain punch, uppercut, hook punch, pak sao, lop sao, bong sao, and basic chi sao. The afternoon session focused on Siu Nim Tao “Small Idea,” the first form in Wing Chun which teaches the basic techniques and structure of the art.

Jeremy John Dy, an alumni of St. John’s Institute (SJI) who had studied Kimdo Taekwondo before, was enthusiastic about learning Wing Chun from an actual teacher. “I did self study of Wing Chun and I know it is effective. Now that I’ve experienced it first hand, my conviction just became stronger. Ng Sifu’s punch may not look that powerful but if you’re at the receiving end of one it feels like being struck in front and having an exit wound at the back. There’s no magic about it, only science behind every move,” Dy commented.

Those who attended the seminar were Senior Officials Erwin A. Camara and Lisa Anna M. Gayoles of the Bacolod Taekwondo Association (BTA), Alan Yanmar M. Azuelo, Gerald June Daclan, and Carlos F. Trunio II of the UNO-R Martial Arts Society, and Founder James U. Sy Jr., Jeremy John Dy, Montano F. Mondia IV, Rommel Panal of Conceptual Martial Arts Society (CMAS), Inc. Also present was Chris Marie Dumasis.