Platform Differences…
In the mid 1800’s era, two ancestral groups of Wing Chun can be identified: those from the Opera Society and those from the Boxer Societies (plural). Through public information it is said that Leung Yi Tai of the Opera Society brought the Luk Dim Bun Gwan onto the Red Boats and it is conjectured that he brought it from Chi Sim Weng Chun.
In the Hung Gun (Red Bandanna) Boxer Society, Hung Gun Biu of the Jung Yi Tong Boxers taught the long pole (Luk Dim Bun Gwan) but also the short pole (Hung Fa Yi Lung Fu Hung Mun Saat Gwan: aka Dragon Tiger Pole) too. The long pole focuses on the use of one end while the short pole uses both ends for combat.
Video of the HFY Dragon Tiger Pole: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=UtBksxxEW6Y
As an additional contrast, Pao Fa Lien Wing Chun’s Dai Dung Fung from the Boxer Societies also has a multitude of weaponry incorporated into this system beyond the Double Butterfly Knives and Long Pole.
One unique parallel within the Boxer Society Wing Chun is that not only are there the Wooden Man Dummy, Double Butterfly Swords, and Pole(s), but there is also the Weapons + Wooden Dummy forms. The weapons assortment within the Boxer Society Wing Chun is not the same assortment as in (the more widely spread) Opera Society Wing Chun.
There are not any other Wing Chun lineages professing Qigong connections to Omei except Yik Kam. The thing is, Omei Qigong is not designed for combat. Combat Qigong is very different than Health Qigong. Omei Qigong is purposed for health. This would make sense though that if Leung Yi Tai also learned Omei Qigong it would have been to enhance his health and ability to sing the female role in the Opera Troupe.