Now with Ip Man the Movie, a new interest will start. Potential Students will begin to relies that Bruce Lee studied not just a collection of Martial Arts but, Ving Tsun Kung fu with Grandmaster Ip Man. Bruce began a craze in Martial Arts training around the World, mainly in the West with his powerful Kung Fu Fighting, encouraged Mixed Martial Arts to this day, not much on Classic Ving Tsun, his Foundation.When people see this Movie they can experience Ving Tsun techniques,piece together that Bruce Lee was a ‘Ving Tsun Man’ by Heart. According to my former Si-Fu Master Victor Kan, Bruce studied 2 years during 1955, Victor Kan taught him the First Form 'Siu Nim Tao' when Ip Man's school, Bruce later had to leave Hong Kong and move to America,for getting into trouble for Fighting. He later returned to Ip Man's School with an appetite and progressed quickly for a further 2 years.
During the time of Bruce Lee's Films Judo, Karate, and Boxing was most popular, Kung Fu was not respected and didn’t seem practical to most, to flowery till Bruce Lee came along. He made Chinese Kung Fu famous so much so that people couldn’t believe their Eyes at first, ‘Seeing was Believing’. He had it all, the looks, the Physique, the Magnetic Personality and quickly became an Icon. A Small Man by most standards but was Fast and Powerful. He re-searched alot and work hard both Physically and Mentally, pushing himself to higher levels which had paid off! His hunger began mainly from his study and insight of Ving Tsun Kung Fu.
When I saw Bruce Lee's Films back in the 70’s I thought you had to be Born that way with all them abilitys ‘Genetics’, my view changed through the course of years when learning CVT, Every Man has his Own Road. Classic Ving Tsun can be leant by all when taught correctly, the Classical Way is the Original Way. The main problem these days, with no time so to speak and fast pace of life, most people are looking for a short cut, a quick fix. Ving Tsun was designed for this reason 250 years ago. Now days patience is a problem, understandable, real Kung Fu needs time for it to be of any worth, so becoming diluted or 'Geneticaly Modified', like the food we eat to suit the demand! Kung fu has been spread out thinly and quality is a problem. It is hard to see the difference between Classic and Non Classic Ving Tsun you need a good Si-Fu to guide you, this stems back to the times of Bruce Lee era in the west. I teach CVT today as my former Si-Fu taught me, I refer you back to my article in Combat Magazine where I talk of touching Hands to feel the depth of one’s Kung fu from 1997.
