Sifu Garry's first wing chun trip to China

Sifu Garry's Blog First trip to China "Roots of Wing Chun" In 2006 I decided to organise a “roots of wing chun” china trip with the students from Jee Shin wing chun academy. In Australia, there is a lot of politics regarding wing chun kung fu. My wing chun lineage was in question and one of my sifus credibility was also in question with innuendos being cast about his history and credibility. Over the years other wing chun masters around the World have publicly criticized his lineage and stories. Once I branched out on my own, I deliberated for at least 10 years before I decided to do something about it. I wanted to know the truth, first hand. My own history and lineage were at stake, now. How would I start this project? I decided to spend some time researching wing chun in china over the net and after a month or so I had accumulated a lot of information I deemed necessary for a successful trip. Low and behold! My PC crashed and I lost all my data on China and wing chun, so I had to start again. Would you believe; this time I found more pertinent information on wing chun in china and even came across some contacts in Hong Kong and China whom could assist me with an itinerary to travel around china and visit certain wing chun schools with notable lineages dating back to the Red Boats. The Red Boat Opera Troupe were secretly known as "Ming Rebels". During the day they would act as Opera performers and at night would become "wing chun assassins". Contemporary wing chun around the world can attribute their lineages back to the Red Boats. Dr. Leung Jan was a 1st generation student of the Red Boats, taught by Leung Yi Tai and Wong Wah Bo. WOW! How lucky was I? Indeed, I felt comfortable that the trip was going to be even better than what I had envisaged. I had established contacts in Hong Kong whom would take us into China, organise all the accommodation and transport, as well as take us to at least 6 wing chun kung fu schools around southern China, including visiting Chan Wah Shun’s ancestral graveyard in Shunde and the Yip Man Tong in Foshan. I couldn’t wait! The time had arrived to travel to China. I was so excited. In Australia, I have read numerous stories and come across many rumours and innuendos regarding wing chun kung fu. I needed to find out for myself, the real truth and history of wing chun kung fu. What better way would there be? Just travel to the homeland of wing chun kung fu and martial arts. I needed to know about the history of wing chun from the red boats to Leung Jan to contemporary times. Unknown to me at the time, it would take another 6 trips to China to start to get the full picture and stories behind this magnificent martial art. But, that is another Story!