Did Wong sheung Leung lost a challenge match to a Chow Gar mantis practioner
Wong sheung Leung almost killed in a challenge match by Chow Gar mantis practioner
http://www.chowgar.freewebspace.com/wingchun.htm
"Chow Gar Mantis vs Wing Chun
Wong Shun Leung Visits Ip Sui's Kwoon
Before I begin this story, I want to make it clear that this is in no way intended to put Chow Gar Mantis up as superior to the Wing Chun system, and no offence is intended to any Wing Chun player. This is simply a legend related to me by my Sifu. This legend is, in a way, a tribute to the late Wing Chun Master, best known as Bruce Lee's Sifu in the early years. I say tribute because it depicts Sifu Leung in a situation where he found himself often. And on a personal note, my first ever Sifu, who taught me Wing Chun Chuan, trained under Sifu Wong Shun Leung in Australia for some time, so I suppose in a way he was my first SiGong.
Everyone who knows anything about Sifu Wong Shun Leung knows that he loved to fight. It was this fact that first brought him to the school of the late Wing Chun Grandmaster, Yip Man. On crossing hands with Yip Man, he very quickly realised that he was no match for the Grandmaster, and asked if he would take him as his student. It would appear that this 'fighting spirit' never really dwindled as Wong Shun Leung progressed in his training, as one day, he appeared at the school of Grandmaster Ip Sui...
He had come to cross hands with the Grandmaster, which is probably bordering on the disrespectful. Even so, you have to admire his spirit. Grandmaster Ip Sui, who was teaching a class at the time, turned down the request, but suggested a contest between the curious student, and one of his own students, Mr Choy Su Wing.
The Southern Mantis system is ideal for those with a long, slender physique, just like the characteristics of the mantis itself. It also places great emphasis on internal training's, to generate strength and power. Choy Su Wing is tall, but very powerful. Both students faced off, and Wong Shun Leung charged in.
In the blink of an eye, Mr Choy used the powerful 'Cum La' seizing hand technique, grabbing Wong Shun by the throat and the arm. From many years of training the Mantis Clawing technique his hands and arms were as solid as iron bars. Try as he might, and the story goes that he put up a hell of a fight, Wong Shun was unable to remove them. Mr Choy's arms were too long to enable Wong Shun to put a kick in - Mr Choy walked him into the corner by his throat, and held him there. At once, he released his arm and raised his hand to drop the devastating Gow Choi (Tiger comes down the mountain) hammer hand technique upon his head.
Gow choi is an extremely serious technique to use - Grandmaster Ip Sui, who had been watching this turn of events closely, moved quickly to Mr Choy's side, and as he brought his hand crashing down towards Wong Shun's head, Grandmaster slapped his arm across, so the technique missed the target.
Grandmaster broke up the session, telling Wong Shun Leung that he had seen what he had come to see, and that he should leave. Wong Shun Leung was quite lucky that day.
As an endnote, Grandmaster Ip Sui travelled to the school of Yip Man, to ask him why he had sent his student to his school to make trouble. Yip Man said that he had no involvement in this. Wong Shun Leung had made the decision to go to Ip Sui's school of his own accord...
Wong Shun Leung will always be remembered as a spirited fighter, and someone who believed in the merits of the Challenge Match. Not so much today, where, too often, Kung Fu is a game, a hobby, something to do in our spare time. We could all learn something from Sifu Leung. Kung Fu is also about having heart and the guts to put yourself on the spot.
Today, Sifu Choy Su Wing is in good health and living in Hong Kong, aged 72.
Wong Shun Leung.... 1935-1997 "
