Foshan is a small
city situated 17 miles south west of Guangzhou in China. It is the
ancestral home of Wing Chun. It was formerly a religious centre and
its name means `Buddha hill’.
In Foshan, there
are currently five styles of Wing Chun being practised. These include
Leung Jan, Pao Fu Lein, Wan Qi Shang, Guo Bao Chuang and Zhu Zhong
Weng.
Wing Chun means
`beautiful springtime’. It was developed over 300 years ago at the
Shaolin Temple by a nun called Ng Mui.
Wing Chun practise
largely consists of partner work to build sensitivity. Emphasis is
on moving, shuffling stance work, blocks, strikes, low level kicks,
chi sao, forms, wooden man techniques and weaponry.
Wing Chun helps
to develop internal energy, but it is also an effective form of self-defence.
Wing Chun is
direct and uses economical movements and the opponent’s own force.
In Foshan Wing
Chun, boxing forms are longer than Hong Kong Wing Chun and there are
many differences in positions and angles.