Wing Tsun History
Part 1: WingTsun, "Beautyful Spring" – the story of a fascinating martial art
Part 2: Ng Mui creates a new fighting system
Part 3: From Yim Wing Tsun to Wong Wah Bo
Part 4: Leung Jan, the "King of Wing Tsun"
Part 5: Chan Wah Shun, Yip Man's first teacher
Part 6: Moving East to West
Part 7: British Addition
Moving East to West
Grandmaster Leung Ting, founder of the International WingTsun Association, learnt Wing Chun kungfu since he was at 13 years old. In 1967, Leung began teaching WingTsun Kungfu as an amateur instructor. In 1968, he started a Wing Tsun training class in the Baptist College, the first kungfu class ever established in a university of Hong Kong. It was in the early 1968 that Great Grandmaster Yip Man had just "closed his door" (retired from teaching). However, he soon accepted Leung Ting as his "Closed-door" student and taught him the most advanced techniques personally in Leung Ting's Second Si-Hing - Sifu Kwok Keung's - house.
Soon Sifu Leung Ting found out what he newly learnt from the Great Grandmaster was quite different and much profound than what he had ever thought of. He started to appreciate the most advanced "getting rid of the force from the strong opponent and defeat him by making use of his own force". He spelt it as "Wing Tsun" in English, which is quite different from the generic spelling in English by Bruce Lee or the others in the USA in the late 70s. However, the most important point is not because of the difference if spelling; it is the difference between the "superficial techniques that look quite alike" and the "profound fighting concepts behind the movements but the exteriority of this fighting system"! In 1969 September, Sifu Leung Ting organized the first WingTsun Kungfu Contest in the Baptist College in Hong Kong. It was regarded as the first Chi-Sau contest ever held since Great Grandmaster Yip Man started teaching Wing Tsun officially in Hong Kong in 1949. In this contest, Great Grandmaster Yip Man was also the one of the VIPs ever been present in his own student’s open function like this.
In May 1970, Sifu Leung Ting set up a well-equipped gymnasium, called the Leung Ting Gymnasium, and commenced to admit students publicly, and turned teaching martial arts into a career.
Professor Leung Ting is the Permanent President and the only Grandmaster of the International WingTsun Association. At present, the International WingTsun Association he founded has been expanded into a worldwide martial-art organization with branches located in over 63 countries. The Association is regarded as the largest professional Kung Fu establishment amongst all the martial-arts organizations in the world.
German Influence
Dr. Keith R. Kernspecht discovered his fascination for the martial arts and physical development early in life.
His subsequent studies in classical and modern languages, philosophy, theology and jurisprudence provided him with a solid basis for teaching positions for languages and sport in a private high school, as a lecturer in business English at the university, in the prison service and with NATO. But despite the numerous teaching activities that Kernspecht carried out until 1978, he continued to devote himself to his studies of the martial arts.
Dr. K. R. Kernspecht had already begun freestyle wrestling, catching, Jiu-Jitsu and Judo (2nd Dan) at the end of the 1950s. These were followed by Kempo (2nd Dan), Shaolin Kung Fu, Shotokan and Wado-Ryu Karate (3rd Dan), Ko-Budo, Taekwon-Do, Aikido, Escrima, (Philippine stick and knife-fighting), as well as various Thai martial arts styles. In 1967 Kernspecht founded the legendary Budo-Zirkel, his own school, which was the first German martial arts club to include Chinese Kung Fu in its programme.
It was at the beginning of the 1970s, in the Chinese quarters of major European cities, that Kernspecht first came into contact with WingTsun, probably the most efficient Chinese Kung Fu system. He made this still largely unknown martial art into the in-house style of the Budo-Zirkel – thereby embarking on a road which eventually led him to be called the "Father of WingTsun in Europe". In 1976 he became the first and only European to successfully invite the most senior Chinese WingTsun Master, Prof. Leung Ting, to Germany.
Nowadays extended visits by Leung Ting and his seminars for WT instructors and students have become a matter of course. Since 1976 Kernspecht has been Chief Instructor of the German and European section representing the Chinese WT association in Hong Kong, and is the world's most highly graded WT Master after Great Grand Master Leung Ting, who has awarded him the 10th Master level. He is the honorary President of major associations such as the International WingTsun Martial Art Association and a Director for life of the Ving Tsun Athletic Association.
Next: British Addition
