Wing Chun is a self-defense discipline that originated in China.

Yet several legends about its origins circulate.

One of the most widely believed legends:

The Shaolin Monastery was occupied by Manchu soldiers about 250 years ago. During that occupation, a large fire broke out, killing most of the monastery’s inhabitants.

Some martial arts experts were fortunately spared, including Buddhist nun Ng Mui, one of the elders of the monastery. She wanted to take revenge on the occupier, and therefore looked for a new fighting style within the Wu Shu.

She was inspired when she witnessed a fight between a snake and a crane; the crane stood in the center and the snake circled around her, but the crane kept turning and every time the snake tried to attack the crane parried it and gave a blow with her wing. This was the beginning of the new style. After years the style was finished.

The Wu Shu style is named after its first student, Yim Wing Chun. She was a girl from a nearby village who was harassed by a man. She had run away out of fear of him. Ng Mui took her in and taught her all the tricks of the trade. In time she returned to her village and made short work of the man, which speaks for the effectiveness of the art.

General info:

Bombello Lorenzo
wingchun.academie@telenet.be