Ban Chung, an ancient Wing Chun
Ban Chung is a very rare style of Wing Chun. Not many know about this style, even when it comes to martial arts passionates or Wing Chun nerds.
This video a an interesting interview with Master Cho Weng Wan. He teaches in his classes in Singapore.
We will make you a brief summary of this interview here below. However you should really check the video since it has some interesting demonstrations. They concern the concepts of this old Wing Chun and application techniques that they use.
If you want to skip directly to the demonstration part:
04.55 – details about the punch, simultaneous attack and defense techniques, snake and crane in Wing Chun
10.30 – Siu Lim Tao, the only form that includes Siu Nim Tao, Chum Kiu and Biu Jee
13.40 – Chi Sao. Indeed it is very different from Ip Man’s lineage Chi Sao
Ban Chung, different from Ip Man’s Wing Chun
As you can see through the demonstrations, Ban Chung is something completely different.
It differs in so many ways from the Hong Kong’s wing Chun material that we were used to see.
Of course, as Cho explains, this style is just another interpretation and uses different methods to obtain the same results.
It can’t be unseen that differences can be big or small when you compare different Wing Chun styles. Let’s see in what differs Ban Chung from the others.
The form
First of all the Form.
Cho explains how this style only has one form. As it is later explained, the form they use is made of the tree we usually train: Siu Nim Tao, Cham Kiu and Biu Jee.
Master Cho calls it Siu Lim Tao and explains that Nim stands for little idea, while Lim means practice.
Chi Sao
The Chi Sao that you can see in this video is very playful and slippery.
Usually when you observe a Wing Chun style, you can understand a lot from how the Chi Sao is done. It can be very soft and sensible, as that utilized in Leung Ting’s lineage, or strong and very structural as you can see in Wong Shun Leung’s lineage.
In general it seems like the concepts are actually very similar to those of the styles evolved in Hong Kong. Indeed, the method and techniques of training is very surprising, and should definitely deserve more explanation.
In conclusion
It is really surprising to find out that there actually is a Wing Chun which derives from the Red Boat Opera. The Red Boat Opera connected with the origins of Wing Chun is by many considered just a myth or a consiparcy. The members of this group would disguise themselves as actors and singers while travelling around China on boats. It is told that they were revolutionaires against the Qing dynasty.
Most say that it is just a conspiracy tale, but who knows. You can never be sure where myths end and where history starts.
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Have a nice Wing Chun
