Wing Chun Kung Fu originated in Southern China in the 17th century A.D. Like most martial arts it finds its roots within the systems developed by Shaolin monasteries. During the reign of the Ching Dynasty in China (16th to 17th century A.D.), the Manchurian goverment sent its armies south to Honan province to crush several uprisings and civil unrest. Their main target was the Sui Lam (monastery) which appeared to be the main source and center that encouraged the uprising and unrest against the Manchu goverment. Having tried unsuccessfully to destroy the Sui Lam on several occassions, the Manchu goverment turned to traitorous monks who were successful in setting fire to the Sui Lam from the inside. What ensued was a slaughter of the monks as they attempted to flee the burning Sui Lam. Only a handful of monks managed to escape with their lives.
Ng Mui, a Buddist nun and a master of Sui Lam (Shaolin) Kung Fu was one of the fortunate few to survive the burning of the Sui Lam. She went on to develop her own system of Kung Fu, that she would call Wing Chun, after her protege student Yim Wing Chun (Beautiful Springtime). Ng Mui realized that Shaolin Kung Fu was complicated and took many years to master as it was based on the study of many animal forms. She wanted simplicity and economy in motion, a blend of Ying and Yang (soft and hard) energies to be encompassed in her system. She therefore took the Snake and Crane forms from Shaolin Kung Fu and used these as the basis of her system. The new style that emerged was a lot simpler than Shaolin Kung Fu, it took a fraction of the time to master and was extremely effective. The new system was based on the principles of winning at all costs, using speed and subtlety to overcome an aggressors natural advantages. The emphasis lay in sudden contraction and relaxation causing one to explode into action, rather than using muscular strength.
And so a new system of Kung Fu was born. It has survived centuries of change and refinement, however the fundemental structure and content have remained intact. The essence of Wing Chun Kung Fu have remained through generations of masters and students alike, who have embraced its spirit and passed it along to ensuing generations.
