The following transcript below is from the video “Rare Interview of Wing Chun Grandmaster Ip Chun by Chris Chan” by US Wing Chun Kung Fu Academy.
Chris Chan (Ip Man’s student):
“How many years have you learned Wing Chun from your father?
Ip Man (Wing Chun Grandmaster):
[Inaudible Chinese]
Chris Chan (Ip Man’s student):
“Seven years old, he studies the system.”
Ip Man (Wing Chun Grandmaster):
[Inaudible Chinese]
Chris Chan (Ip Man’s student):
“He learned until 37 years and then he self-studied all over again,”
Ip Man (Wing Chun Grandmaster):
[Speaks Chinese]
Chris Chan (Ip Man’s student):
“He really learned Wing Chun System when he was 37 years old.”
“Is he the only child of Ip Man?”
Chris Chan (Ip Man’s student):
“He has three brothers. One is real brother and the other one is from Ip Man’s second wife…somebody involved maybe one day to 10 years from 10 years to 34 years.”
Guy Interviewer:
“What does he think will happen to Wing Chun in the next 20 or 30 years?”
Chris Chan (Ip Man’s student):
“Well that’s a good question – He asked you [speaks Chinese to Ip Man]”
Ip Man (Wing Chun Grandmaster):
[Answers in Chinese]
Chris Chan (Ip Man’s student):
“If I translate it, you guys will be very happy. He thinks and believes Wing Chun in next 20 years – Chinese people will go back from America, from England or Europe, somewhere in the world and the Chinese will be learning Wing Chun System. That’s what he thinks it is.
Ip Man (Wing Chun Grandmaster):
[Speaks Chinese]
Chris Chan (Ip Man’s student):
“The reason he said, nowadays all Chinese characters – the study of a character all these came from Chinese and sometimes even the chinses would copy the Japanese. That’s why he mean, the Wing Chun System later in the future, Chinese will go back from America or even Europe to learn Wing Chun.”
Ip Man (Wing Chun Grandmaster):
[Speaks Chinese]
Chris Chan (Ip Man’s student):
“I personally myself do believe this way. What he means is, he went to Europe, England, everywhere America and teach Wing Chun system. He found out his personal opinion that the American people, the foreign people are more interested in Wing Chun System over Chinese People. That’s very true and I personally believe. That’s why he come up with.
Ip Man (Wing Chun Grandmaster):
[Speaks Chinese]
Chris Chan (Ip Man’s student):
“Personally, I approve this because I went to San Francisco two years ago and asked one of the Yip Man’s student and he said that they Yip Man did different teaching. When he was in Foshan when he was younger and then the difference is later the generation in Hong Kong. It is different. He gave an example just exactly what I…
Ip Man (Wing Chun Grandmaster):
[Speaks Chinese]
Chris Chan (Ip Man’s student):
“He gave you a good example like Wing Chun. Yip man teach Wing Chun system in China. The Pyu Ji system is very important system in Wing Chun. He teach the Wing Chun in Foshan, he’s only teaching 12 execution hours and in Hong Kong he teach 9 so this is the difference between them. It’s hard to explain why they’re different but if somebody’s doing it, there will be difference when you see it.
[Inaudible Conversations]
Chris Chan (Ip Man’s student):
“It’s to respect. Like grand.
Ip Man (Wing Chun Grandmaster):
[Speaks Chinese]
Chris Chan (Ip Man’s student):
“The whole name is Kai Man
Ip Man (Wing Chun Grandmaster):
[Speaks Chinese]
Chris Chan (Ip Man’s student):
“The Grandmaster of Wing Chun
Ip Man (Wing Chun Grandmaster):
[Speaks Chinese]
Chris Chan (Ip Man’s student):
“His name, first son – him then the second.”
