Warning: historical content. You would be wasting your time here if you have no interest in such matters.
I have been an avid reader of WC trivia^h^h^h^h^h^hhistory ever since the publication of New Martial Hero back in the summer of 1970. I thought I knew the history of YMWC fairly well until several years ago, when somebody presented a new wrinkle I have not heard of before, i.e., that YM had an uncle named Chu Chung Man of Weng Chun fame. I was surprised not by my own ignorance, but by the fact that this was never mentioned in over 30 years of books and articles where just about every facet of YM's life under the sun has been gone over with a fine-toothed comb. It would seem highly improbable that YM having such a distinguished relative would escape mentioning. Not having the means at the time to verify the veracity of such an astounding revelation, I kept it at the back of my mind as something to investigate when the opportunity avails itself.
This past summer I found myself in Hong Kong with some free time, so I decided to engage in a bit of hands-on historical research. I went up to the VTAA and visited Yip Chun, who, as YM's eldest son, must be considered the final authority on YM's familial relations (of which there can be no doubt). The following conversation (translated from Chinese) was what took place:
Q: Yip sifu, how are you? I am a WC student from USA, and I have some questions regarding your father, grandmaster Yip Man.
A: I'll be happy to answer any questions. Have a seat.
Q: I read on the internet that your father was related to Chu Chung Man of Weng Chun. Is that true?
A: They were good friends.
Q: They say Chu Chung Man was Yip Man's uncle.
A: No. They were not related, just good friends.
Q: Thank you for answering my question. I am going to put this on the internet to clarify the matter.
A: Yes.
Q: Thank you for your time.
There you have it, from the horse's mouth. I can provide the date and time such an encounter took place, and since there was a third person in the room at the time, there's an eyewitness to verify that I did not make this up.
The moral is: don't accept press releases, even from well known “sifus”, “masters” and “grandmasters”, at face value.
As historical research goes, this is trivial, especially since it could have been done by any of the 7+ million people living in HK. But I guess it's something so trivial nobody bothered doing it. Then why did I do this at all? I have a couple of reasons, a public one and a private one.
The public reason is: in this age of the internet, it's all too common for people to accept what turns up on google as fact. If you don't believe me, just try googling “yip man's uncle” and you'll see people referring to this factoid as if it were true. 1984 has come and gone, but the technology described therein is certainly here. If no one were to dispute such claims, after a few more years (especially after the last remaining ties, like Yip Chun, are gone), more and more hits would turn up, thus making a false claim an undisputable truth (hey, google can't be wrong). But now google may also turn up this post setting the record straight.
A more private reason is: some day (and that day is not too far off) I will go meet the ancestors in their training halls, I would be ashamed to face YM if he were to say to me “hey, so and so said such and such about me, and you did nothing?” I would be no better than a collaborator in the propagation of such untruths. Now I would have a clear conscience. I cannot change the world if people choose to believe in fiction, but I have done my meager part, and now I can stand before the ancestors with head unbowed.
ps, while I have no proof about that alleged encounter between YM and CCM in HK in the mid-50's, one way or another, since all those present are now dead, I have some doubts as to the veracity of that claim based on the following:
- YM and CCM were friends back in Fatshan long before they met again in HK. They did not need to “test” each other out at such a late date. And even if they did, the old traditionalists with “mo duk” would never admit to or advertise the outcome of such encounters, not even behind closed doors.
- In the mid-50's LS was already teaching, and LY and TST took on students soon thereafter. Even WSL, a comparatively late starter, was teaching Bruce Lee around that time frame. So even if there was any influence on YMWC from Weng Chun, it would not have affected these pioneers.
- Usually in tests of skill, the losing side often adopts the way of the winning side, but not vice versa. Now many Weng Chun schools out there also teach WC, but the opposite is not true. This may be a historical accident since WC became popular long before Weng Chun, but it does sow seeds of doubt in the mind of a thinking person that something is amiss here.
pps, I have nothing against my friends in Weng Chun. I am sure stories overheard from others may just have been misinterpreted.
Well, you have just wasted the last 2 minutes of your life reading this drivel (but you have been forewarned), we now return you to your regularly scheduled bicker^h^h^h^h^h^hprogramming.
