rarity of passing wing chun on to sons or daughters

[rubthebuddha]

odd question, so i need to clarify it:

why does it seem that few sifus have children who carry on the torch for their wing chun?

a few times in our lineage do the sons carry on the father's wc, but that seems quite rare these days. yip chun and yip ching learned from their father, but i have never heard of them passing it on to their own kids (or if they even have kids). a few other times since yip man has someone continued the family wing chun name, but this seems so rare.

i'm not limiting this to yip man lineage, so rene and other folks, please pipe in. i'm really curious why it seems so few kids follow in their biological parents' footsteps and why it's common for sifus to have no kids at all.

[TjD]

its hard enough having one wife without the demanding miss wing chun in your life :D

my girlfriend constantly has to put up with mock kung fu from me, i dono how she does it













actually i do... its the sex :D

[yuanfen]

I raised 3 young men- including two sons. I got into wing chun for their sake. They had very good early exposure- but they didnt stick with it. Some of my students know more wing chun than they do.
But one son becam more coordinated than he was before. A second devloped fast hands and learned how to take care of himself- boxed some in the same Phoenix gym where Tyson worked out. The nephew developed good hands but went into high school wrestling in Oklahoma and became a really top flight
high school wrestler. So not all was lost- but several students of mine developed a greater long run interest in growth in the art.
Sons specially independent ones dont always like to do the same things as the old man. True in many things including martial arts.
The two better known IM sons didnt really get going till fairly late.

[hunt1]

With WC like anything else you cant make them do it they have to want to do it.

[aelward]

Yip Man also had a third son, who didn't get into Wing Chun.

On another note, my father was a chemist, and all 4 of his children did absolutely horribly in high school and college chemistry. So just because a father does something doesn't mean their kids will.

On another note, my Sifu's son will most likely be taking over our association after his father retires.

[yuanfen]

aelward sez:Yip Man also had a third son, who didn't get into Wing Chun.
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there is more to it than that but it does not matter...

[Mr.Binx]

One should not control a child's life as if it were a means to escape one's own mortality. It is the job of the parent to support, teach, and comfort. It is the job of the individual to find/create their place in this world. Children are human beings and as such have their own lives and guide themselves respectively. They want their own lives. A child is more likely to be impressed by things not yet experienced, as opposed to things that they are exposed to on a daily basis. One who grows up around Kung Fu is likely to pick up a style as a secondary skill, but unlikely to make a proffessional skill of it. Simply put: a child who's mind and spirit is impressed with Kung Fu will want to learn Kung Fu.

[kj]

In keeping with the many good observations already offered, "in the old days" it was not uncommon, if outright customary, to refer or apprentice one's son to another for learning or correction. This practice was common in both Eastern and Western cultures; it was widely understood then, as now, that the "chemistry" between parents and children can interfere with some aspects of fruitful learning.

Sometimes the relationship between the teacher and student or apprentice would take a form nearing indentured service, and sometimes virtually a lifelong father/child relationship, with commensurate and mutual responsibilities and obligations. For example, "Sifu" in the fatherly and oft times obligatory sense could imply that the student was expected to place the needs or demands of their Sifu even above their own concerns or those of their immediate family.

Just some thoughts for the stew.

Regards,
- Kathy Jo

[anerlich]

My first Sifu had a daughter and son. The daughter got to red sash level, continues to teach a women's self defense class on and off, but doesn't train regularly any more, she found other pursuits that interested her more. The son did little training, but has pistol shooting scores at near Olympic levels.

My current Sifu and his wife have no children, and never as long as I have known them or as far as I could tell showed any interest in that regard.

My Dad is a retired professor of philosophy. My mother was a librarian. I work in IT, my two brothers are a filmmaker/musician and a nurse. I respect my Dad, but having seen some of the people he comes into contact with professionally I am glad I never became a philosopher. I go to the library, but I'd get bored to death working there.

My wife and I can't have children for reasons of biology, but if I did I'd hope they'd have the wherwithal to decide on their own disciplines and passions, and me to support them fully in their choices. If we shared a passion for MA, that would be icing on the cake, even more so if they saw me as the example they wished to follow.

Many adolescents go through a protracted stage of thinking their parents are idiots and their opinions and attitudes are stupid and outmoded. Maybe that has something to do with it too.

Nor does MA proficiency mean that one will be a better parent than average.