Hi,
There have been threads posted previously about the Wing Chun kuen kuit, but none of them ever really tried to explain what each one meant.
I know that there is no comprehensive list, but I include below the list from Rene’s wingchunkuen website. I hope that people can distinguish the Chinese characters, but I’ll try to add a phonetic translation; apologies for the atrocious “pin yin” - I’m not following any standard but my own - and even then I’ll be inconsistent ![]()
I’m pretty new to Wing Chun, but I’m going to make an attempt to describe the meaning behind each point. I would REALLY like some feedback on whether understanding is right or not.
1. °ò²»Í£Áô
Bong but ting lau - Bong does not stay stay
I’ve read alot on this forum, and elsewhere, that the bong sau is a transitional structure and so one should not hold a bong sau for longer than necessary.
2. ”³Ò»ÒÆ„Ó
Dik yut yee dong - Once the enemy moves
This is just part of a complete phrases which goes along the lines of: “if the enemy moves, I have moved first”. Similar to “I move later, but hit first”.
3. ÖÐÐÄÒÑ¿Õ
Sum jung yee hung - mind/heart is empty
No distracting thoughts in the mind. No preconceived ideas or expectations. Not really sure about this one!
4. È_ÓÉÐİl (ÊÖÓÉÐİl)
Kuen yow sum faat - The fist srtikes from the heart/centre
Possible double meaning here. First is the obvious centre-line theory, second is that we should strike with intent.
5. ßBÏûާ´ò
Leen siu dai daar - Simultaneous block and attack/stike
The siu doesn’t really mean block, more like diminish - this reinforces the idea of redirecting the opponents force rather than a direct block.
6. íÁôÈ¥ËÍ
Loy lau hui soong - Detain what comes, escort what leaves
Can mean many things I think. I don’t think that it necessarily means to trap an opponents hands, whether incoming or outgoing. For that matter, what about trapping legs? Don’t want to get into the chasing hands scenario. I think this phrase could also mean maintaining the correct combat distance wherever yor opponent moves.
7. ˦ÊÖÖ±Ðn (·é˦ֱÐn)
Lut sau tsik chung - Upon loss of contact, strike ahead
Seems straight-forward, but I always have the feeling that it means more than just to go straight in (through the centre) upon loss of contact with the opponents arms/hands.
8. ÏȰlÖÆÈË
Seen faat tsay yun - strike first to subdue the enemy
Again it seems straight-forward to assume that if you can srtike first, make the strike count and subdue the enemy. And no, we’re not talking about a one-kill strike here!
9. Òò•r¶ø¹¥
Yun se yee gung - Attack when the opportunity occurs
“Se” is time/conditions, so I think the phrase just means to attack at the appropriate time or when conditions are right.
The next 4 I have real problems with.
10. ÓÐÐδòÐÎ
Yau ying daa ying - if there is a shape, hit the shape
What is this shape? Does this refer to a visible pattern of behaviour in your enemy? e.g. they always use a certain parry/block/defence, they always dodge left/right, etc. So attack what is predictable behaviour.
11. ŸoÐδòÓ°
Mo ying daa ying- if there is no shape, hit the shadow
Even more confusing for me. What is the shadow - the enemy’s attack/strike? So we just respond to their attacks and attack their strikes.
12. ÓÐÓ°ÀmÁô
Yau ying juk lau - if there is a shadow, keep detaining it
The enemy strikes, but don’t let them recover to make more attacks. Detain them at the end of, or midway through, their strike.
13. ŸoÓ°ÆÆÖÐ
Mo ying por jung - No shadow, break/attack the centre
Seems a bit like a last resort to me, but goes to the heart of it. The enemy has no discernable patterns, his attacks are too fast to stop/detain or he doesn’t attack at all, just defence. You have nothing to work with - he’s not showing you how to defeat himeself - just strike through his centre.
14. ÒÔÊØžé¹¥
15. ÒÔ¹¥žéÊØ
Yee sau wai gung - Use defence as offence
Yee gung wai sau - Use offence as defence
Not going to say much about this, this is a well understood idea. However, it does “lay to rest” the myth that Wing Chun is an all out attacking art.
Phew!! There are some pretty “obvious” lessons in there and some very subtle/fundamental ones too. For me 10-14 is the hardest to grasp, and I would say that you would spend a lifetime trying to achieve the Zen-like 3, 4.