The tale of 'Wing Tsun King' | “念头正，终生正！” 独家专访叶问封门弟子“咏春拳王”

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Legend has it that during China’s Ming-Qing dynastic transition, there lived an intelligent and innovative female kung fu master. Her name was Wu Mei Shi Tai, or Ng Mui (Five Plums Nun). She developed a new fighting system, the Wing Tsun, drawing inspiration from the movement of animals and birds – more specifically, the Snake and Crane styles of Shaolin Kung Fu, the most renowned of Chinese martial arts and the oldest of them all. 

相传，咏春拳为福建少林白鹤派五枚师太所创。

The system's sharp, nimble and graceful movements of the fist can knock down the enemy in close-range combat within seconds. 

其拳法快而攻守兼备、刚柔并济。

However, Wu Mei Shi Tai creator had one principle — "Whoever makes this martial art popular, disobeys me!” 

该派祖师曾留训言：“发扬光大，违背祖师！” 

For years, the underground martial art developed silently in the shadows – but that was about to change, as one disciple brought it under the spotlight.

故咏春拳自建派以来，一直保持低调。

This story begins in 1893, with the birth of one man: Ip Man.

然而，这秘门绝学却在200年后，不仅发扬光大，而且蜚声国际。这一切，当从叶问说起。

The man who 'mutinied' 

一代宗师叶问

Grandmaster Ip Kai Man was born into a very wealthy family in the city of Foshan, south China's Guangdong Province,.

清末明初，叶氏家族是广东佛山的大族之一，祖居“桑园”，大屋连绵达数条街。叶家有一位小少爷，排行第二，名曰“继问”。

At the age of 11, he started learning Wing Tsun from Chan Wah-shun, who himself was the student of grandmaster Leung Jan. Ip Man's journey with Chan spanned for three years, until death defeated the septuagenarian.

自幼接受儒家教育的叶问，11岁起便先后师从“咏春拳王” 梁赞的高足陈华顺和梁赞次子梁壁学习咏春拳。

When he was 16 years old, during his study in Hong Kong, Ip Man crossed paths with Leung Bik, the son of Leung Jan. The young disciple recognized the opportunity the encounter brought about, and continued practicing Wing Tsun with the son of his late teacher's shifu (or master). A decade later, when the 24-year-old returned to Foshan, his skills had tremendously improved, far beyond his coevals.

24岁时，其武技已非同门弟子可比。

In 1938, the Japanese army attacked Foshan, killing some of Ip Man’s family members. The Japanese military forced him to be their kung fu master, but he refused and left to Hong Kong in 1949, where he started the first school to instruct Wing Tsun. He persisted in teaching students the quick-paced movements of the martial art and gained great popularity as a kung fu master, until his death in 1972.

1938年，日军攻占广东佛山，叶氏家族沦落。叶问拒任日本宪兵队的中国武术教练。1949年，因不愿与日寇往来，叶问离开佛山，驻居香港，并在港九饭店工会内开办了第一个咏春班。于是，一个经历了二百多年的秘密门派，自此写下簇新的篇章。

The legacy of Ip Man, which inspired numerous books and movies, was carried on by his sons, Ip Ching and Ip Tsun, and a cohort of famous martial artists, the likes of Leung Sheung, Bruce Lee, Leung Ting, the secret student in which he confided.

叶氏门下高徒辈出，其中就有被誉为“功夫之王”的李小龙，以及将咏春拳传播至欧洲的第一人梁挺。

The "closed-door student" would later become the first martial artist to create a complete teaching and grading system for the discipline passed down from Ip Man. He will also export and promote Wing Tsun westward, more specifically Europe in the late 1970s.

1969年，叶问收梁挺为“封门弟子”，并在余下的几年里把毕生所学传授于他。

Behind closed doors 

“封门弟子”梁挺

“I was fascinated by Chinese martial arts when I was a boy,” said Leung, who took up kung fu at the age of 13. But, like all beginnings, Leung's wasn't without trouble.

梁挺自少痴爱武术，其父因担忧小儿生性顽劣，恐闯祸端，便严禁其习武。

“I was very mischievous. My father was a detective and dealt with gangsters every day. He insisted that people learning kung fu are all bad guys!” Leung laughed, swinging his hands in the air.

梁挺回忆道：“我小的时候很顽皮，爸爸是香港的密探”，他说着，声如洪钟、双目含神，谈笑间生龙活虎，举止洒脱 ----

He continued: “Back in the old decades, most of people in Hong Kong were poor and lacked education. They loved to gamble, watch drama or play kung fu as they didn’t have much entertainment. Some of them learned kung fu for fun, but others for fighting.” But for Leung, kung fu was a tool he can use to fend for himself on the streets of Hong Kong. 

“他一天到晚调查黑社会，所以有个错误的印象，认为懂得功夫的就是黑社会。当时香港，绝大部分人很贫穷，知识水准也不高，没有什么娱乐。大部分人喜欢赌博、听大戏。功夫也是其中一种娱乐。所以有的人练功夫来强身健体，有的就拿来打架。”

One day, the thirteen-year-old was strolling down the Temple Street with two of his friends, when they bumped into a group of young vagrants who happened to have little patience and a fiery temper.

十三岁时，一天夜里，梁挺和朋友们逛庙街，两位朋友无意中触怒了一班十多人的街童。

Leung tried to mediate to deescalate the soaring tension, but failed. His friends escaped, and the young boy was left to face the music by himself.

梁挺上前排解纠纷，却被众人围殴，而两友却乘机溜走。

“In the past, the area from Yau Ma Tei to Temple Street was a dodgy place, even policemen had trouble maintaining order there. Gangsters restored peace together, and children loved to go there for fun,” Leung recalled. 

“那个时候，从油麻地到庙街，就是一个江湖，什么人都有。小孩子都喜欢去那里。可是去看守这条街的，不是公安，而是黑社会的人。因为有他们，庙街才没有那么乱。”

After Leung recovered, his uncle Cheng Fook suggested he learn kung fu for protection and introduced him to Ip Man’s head disciple Leung Sheung. Leung devoted himself to learn Wing Tsun ever since, applying his newfound knowledge whenever he can.

梁挺伤愈后，舅父郑福秘密引荐他跟随叶问的香港大弟子梁相学习咏春拳。

“One day, I saw a bus driver bullying an old man, I was so angry I beat him badly. I ended up in my father’s office. He finally knew I was secretly learning kung fu. But since I had no previous records, he allowed me to learn kung fu but also warned me not to stir trouble.” 

“有一次，一个巴士司机欺负老人家，我看不过就打了他，结果这件事情闹上警局。爸爸就知道了我在秘密地学功夫。但是，他发觉，这半年来，我没有不良的记录，于是就默许了，但是告诫我不要一天到晚见义勇为。”

Wing Tsun expands to colleges

首位将中国武术引入香港大专学府的人

In 1967, Leung signed up for the department of literature in Hong Kong Baptist University. But during a karate practice at his college, Leung was unsettled that Chinese martial arts were not well developed in Hong Kong’s schools.

1967年，梁挺考入香港浸会学院文学系修读中外文学。一日，目睹空手道在浸会学院表演招生。而中国武术连小学都没有进入，大丈夫安能雌伏？

“I didn’t think Chinese martial arts were inferior to karate,” said Leung with a sigh, a trace of anger emerging on his face.

He soon asked to hold a Wing Tsun presentation. His remarkable skills wowed the crowd and attracted crowds looking to be taught the agile movements. By the end of 1968, Leung had become the first kung fu master to teach in Hong Kong’s colleges. 

愤懑下，梁挺主动请缨，公开表演。果然，精湛的武技吸引了大批同学，纷纷求他教学。1968年底，梁挺在学校开班，成为首位将中国拳术引入香港大学专府的人。

Leung’s nascent fame would soon open new doors of collaboration with some of the discipline's grand masters. In early 1969, Leung’s second si-hing (older kung fu brother) recommended him to Ip Man. Despite eyeing retirement, the martial art master agreed to take Leung under his wing as a "closed-door student".

1969年初，叶问因胃病进院动手术，本望痊愈后归隐林泉。时至梁挺的二师兄郭强在探病期间，提及梁挺。叶问早听说过“梁挺在大学开创咏春班”的传闻，便答应在痊愈后，收纳梁挺为徒，传授其高深的技法。

Since, Leung took his Wing Tsun skills to another level under the wakeful eye of his teacher, whom he regarded not just a kung fu master but also a life mentor.

每提至问公，梁挺总说，“我收获最多的就是跟他最后的两三年。”

“He taught me how to be a good man,” Leung said, pausing in contemplation for a while.

“叶问宗师教，留情不出手，出手不留情。咏春本身就是一套做人处事的简理。”

“We were always together, even on my wedding day. He was really good to me.”

在梁挺的武馆里，“恒毅”二字与叶问宗师的照片悬挂正堂，严肃的氛围中吐露着庄重的仪式感。左右墙壁上，布满了他与问公的合影：第一次开馆、武馆乔迁、武术盛会、甚至新婚，都见问公在其左右。可想而知，叶问对这位徒儿的喜爱。

The Chinese 'Genghis Khan'

“武术界的成吉思汗”

In the 1970s, Leung established “WingTsun WingTimes” with his German students, passing down 200-year-old skills that had been previously kept as a secret. His success as a Wing Tsun instructor earned him unprecedented fame in the martial arts circle. 

自上世纪70年代，梁挺与德国的弟子们创立了《梁挺咏春》，将“秘而不传”的咏春拳术，以国际法例授权各国，让咏春拳蜚声国际，得到全球军警、武术及影视界的认可，为中国武术文化的传扬做出巨大贡献。

In the West, he was called the “Wing Tsun King" and "Genghis Khan of the Chinese Martial Arts Community". The International Wing Tsun Association has developed into a worldwide martial arts organization with over 4,000 branches in more than 60 countries and regions, and is regarded as the largest among martial arts organizations.

他创办的“国际咏春总会”，现已成为世界最大的中国武术团体。海外支部超过4000多个，来自东西欧、美国、加拿大、澳洲、亚洲、中东等60多国的门人近200万。梁挺也被世界各地的媒体，称为“咏春王”、“武术界的成吉思汗”。

At 70, the Wing Tsun master is still finding his way in the art which he has devoted his life to.

虽然一朝成名天下知，而今也已七十龄。可对于梁挺而言，真正的功夫是内敛的，是修心修身修自己，修炼我们内在的武林。

“I’m still learning. When you are teaching, you are teaching yourself as well. I hope that, I’m not only teaching them the skills of Wing Tsun, but also the virtue of Chinese martial arts," he laughed.

他说，“ 教人就是教自己。我们不光要教武术，还要教武德。止戈为武、以和为贵，才是最重要的。”

"Because to win respect, morality is king, not being a tyrant with an iron fist.” 

“因为，以德服人为王，以武服人为霸。”

笔者编后语：

桑园楼台水接天。朱门锦绣，屋宇千连。

英雄少年，笔走龙蛇武亦尖。

高枝啼鸟托闲情，晚笛吹入牡丹园。

残山剩水沧桑变。雕梁春去，满目蓬蒿。

落红辞枝，香消芳尽魂还绕。

旅楼一角刻漏长，望故乡兮泪两行。

前尘渺渺几思量。剩却穷途，凤泊鸾漂。

慨怆今昔，开枝散叶为师表。

驰誉丹青传妙技，桃李满园竞芬芳。

肝胆男儿奋袂来。胸藏经纬，万里驰张。

霁月光风，郎朗乾坤荟英豪。

经寒耐雨成苍树，弘扬国粹万古长。

文中有关咏春拳的介绍来源：《咏春根源考》，梁挺

根据“Creative Commons Attribution”许可 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)使用Kevin MacLeod创作的歌曲“Light Thought var 4”

艺术家：http://incompetech.com/

根据“Creative Commons Attribution”许可 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)使用Kevin MacLeod创作的歌曲“Drums of the Deep”

来源：http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1400021

艺术家：http://incompetech.com/

Director: Wen Yaru, Xu Jiye

Produced by: Gao Xingzi

Video by: Gao Xingzi, Zhang Wanbao

Visual effect by: Zhang Wanba, Ran Boqiang

Animation by: Zhang Wanbao

Design: Fan Chenxiao

Story written by: Gao Xingzi 

Story edited by: Nadim Diab 

往期回顾：