Jim Roselando & Zopa Gyatso
Leung Jan Research Institute
For decades now many in the Western world have thought that Wing Chun was synonymous with Yip Man and his Hong Kong school. However, there are several legitimate older lineages which pre-date Yip man’s and his students’ appearance in Western martial arts media. Pin Sun Wing Chun is one such Wing Chun system.
Brief Introduction to the History of Koo Lo Pin Sun Wing Chun
Pin Sun Wing Chun, also known as "Koo Lo Wing Chun", originates from the final teachings of the one of Wing Chun’s legends, the late Dr. Leung Jan (1826 - 1901). Dr. Leung Jan received instruction from Hung Suen (Red Boat) Opera members Wong Wah Bo and Leung Yee Tai. For many years he resided and taught in Futshan. It was during this time period that the great doctor gained much fame for his fighting skills. After being undefeated in three hundred challenge matches Dr. Leung Jan was given the title of "Wing Chun Wong" (King of Wing Chun).
Much later in his life he retired back to his native village of Koo Lo in the Hok San county. While in Koo Lo village Dr. Leung Jan would wake up every morning and take a walk. It was during this time that he saw a young man conditioning his bridge hands against a tree in his yard. Impressed with his diligence, Dr. Leung Jan approached the young man and asked him why he trained so hard. The young man replied: "My name is Wong Wah Sam. There are not many Wongs in Koo Lo and I am often discriminated against so I train in case I need to defend myself". Dr. Leung Jan told Wong Sam that he felt the same, but then Dr. Leung Jan commented to Wong Wah Sam that his training was quite useless. Shocked, Wong Wah Sam demanded to know who this gentleman was to make such a comment. Dr. Leung Jan then introduced himself and Wong Wah Sam instantly recognized the famed doctor's name and requested he teach him. Dr. Leung Jan told Wong Wah Sam to come see him in a few weeks time and he would see what he could do for him.
It was during this time that Dr. Leung Jan began to contemplate what he would teach Wong Wah Sam. He designed a teaching method to transmit his personal system of Pin Sun Wing Chun. What Dr. Leung Jan decided to teach then, was not the art involving the three forms which he taught in Futsan but, rather, a simplified personal synthesis of his knowledge based on his teaching and fighting experience not involving forms but rather sets of points from those forms. Dr. Leung Jan modified the set of hand skills from his original system of Wing Chun . He devised a conceptual art which still retained the core essence of Wing Chun. His final distillation was based on his personal experiences, including his teaching experience and, most importantly, his extensive fighting experience. Dr. Leung Jan's new system was designed to eliminate excess and develop simple, natural reactions.
From what we can ascertain from comparing several independent Wing Chun lineages in China today, we can speculate that the forms Leung Jan seems to have learnt and taught in his lifetime and from which he developed Pin Sun were most likely to have been different to those commonly seen today in the West and were likely very much akin to those of Fok Bo Cheung, who also trained with Wong Wah Bo, and whose art is today preserved in the system of Fok Bo Cheung's student, Yuen Kay San and his successor, Sum Num. Comparisons of the two systems, which differ in several important respects from other systems of Wing Chun, yield a similarity which is striking and indicates the close connection of their origins on the Red Boats.
Leung Jan called his new system, his final distillation of all his Wing Chun knowledge, Pin Sun ("side body") Wing Chun as opposed to the Jing Sun (straight body, "facing") style outside of Koo Lo village. No longer retaining the three fist sets: Siu Lien Tau, Chum Kiu and Biu Jee, his new art would contain one set of hand skills of 12 points; Som Dim Boon Gwun (3.5 pole); and Yee Jee Yum Yeung Dit Ming Dao (double knife) usage. Over the next three years Dr. Leung Jan taught Wong Wah Sam, Yik Ying and Leung Bak Cheung all these skills.
During these years, Dr. Leung Jan taught his students all his skills but unfortunately then passed away at the age of 76. His most senior student, Wong Wah Sam, went on to teach Fung Min, Fung Chun, Fung Lim, Koo Siu Lung and others the Pin Sun Wing Chun art. Fung Chun, the last living grand student of Dr. Leung Jan, is now retired back in Koo Lo village where he is the head of the Fung family Pin Sun Wing Chun clan. Some of his more notable pupils are Fung Chiu, Fung Keung, Fung Chu, Fung Dat, Fung Sang, Chow Sum, Ng Chun Keung and others. The Fung family have always taken great care to meticulously preserve Leung Jan's Wing Chun without any change. The Leung Jan Research Institute is dedicated to this pursuit. Future articles will present aspects of Koo Lo Pin Sun Wing Chun to bring it to the awareness of the martial arts public.
About the authors: Jim Roselando and Zopa Gyatso study Leung Jan's rare Pin Sun Koo Lo Wing Chun Kuen system. Jim first began training Pin Sun Koo Lo Wing Chun Kuen in 1989. He has also had experience in other Wing Chun styles including Yip Man's Hong Kong Wing Chun and Fut Sau Wing Chun. He trains in Boston, Massachusetts. Zopa has also studied and taught other Wing Chun styles, including Yip Man Hong Kong Wing Chun and Yuen Kay San Wing Chun, since the mid 1960s. He teaches in Canberra and conducts semi-private and closed door schools for selected students.