Hello CD,
Wing Chun is Wing Chun. If you say Yip Man’s lineage, then this includes Ving Tsun and Wing Tsun.
The Wing Chun system has a vertical punch which contact is made on the bottom three knuckles. The Wing Chun punch is unique in that it is the simplest form of the concept of simultaneous attack and defense.
The Wing Chun kick is called “Gerk”. There is a front Kick (Dim Gerk) and a side Kick (wang Gerk). Some families proclaim variations of the kick, but the point here is that the system does have kicks. The Kick is also unque in that it too like the punch serves as both an offensive and defensive technique.
The Wing Chun open hand technique is called “Jerm”. There is a front palm strike (dim Jerm) and side palm strike (wang jerm).
When one learns Wing Chun, we have pak sao and bong sao, which one can say are defined individually as blocks. However, the application of Wing Chun seeks to unify movements so that a block and a strike act as one technique.
As far as throws, sweeps, and joint locks, these are not formally taught as part of the Yip Man Wing Chun System. However, many Sifu’s may elect to teach them as a supplement to their training curriculum. Absolutely nothing wrong with this. It is not appropriate, however, to say this is in the Wing Chun system. Often times a good and knowledgable instructor will make the distinction and say they teach Chin Na or Jiu Jitsu with the Wing Chun. You will also find others who employ boxing training drills and/or exercises from other martial arts styles. Exercises and drills are methods. The result is an experience called Kung Fu.
An advanced martial artist often times develops the ability to quickly see the usefulness of techniques and ideas from other systems. Wing Chun is a proven complete system. If you include throwing and joint locks and high kicks to your arsenal, that is YOUR Kung Fu, not Wing Chun.
The Knives are called the “Bot Chom Doh”. Few have learned the form and even fewer understand them. They are NOT Butterfly knives or swords, as Butterfly Knives are respectfully a different type of weapon used by other styles that the Doh only resembles. Why doesn’t the teacher teach them? True, they may not know them. However, if they do, the Knives are considered a “gift from the Sifu”, which comes from a students service to the school and to the Wing Chun system.
The knives are part of a superstition that goes that once one learns the Knives they “cut” the relationship with the Sifu. The Knives are the last part of one’s formal training of the system. The weapons of the Wing Chun system cannot be defined in general terms as once you are at this advanced level, one must come to their own understanding of them. It is often the case that since there are not enough people knowledgeable of the Ving Tsun weapons, this prevents many Sifus (who do have weapons training) from pursuing in-depth study and application of them.
You should have directed these questions to the instructor of the class you watched.
Good luck in your Kung Fu…
