Mountain Storm Wing Chun Kung Fu and Self Defense

12 Methods of Wing Chun – Sup Yee Fat

These 12 methods are the core concepts in Wing Chun and must be understood and applied correctly to get the full advantage of Wing Chun.

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Chum – To sink – Sinking or bringing down through “on top” of the bridge natural weight.  When we jeun we sink to stay on the center-line as we turn our core.  This way we do not leave the center and it is easier to pivot our attackers force away from us.

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Chit – to cut – to cut down the center-line dropping an opponents structure that does not have structural stability.  An outstretched arm can easily be pushed down, a bend elbow lan sau on the center can be cut down/dropped as the muscular-skeletal structure is not there to keep it up against on top of the bridge force.

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Darp – To connect or join – seek the bridge, move towards an incoming bridge.  Join with it as to re-direct or deflect an opponent.  It can also be done with a strike if no bridge is on the center-line.

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Dong – To swing – rotation to control your opponents center of gravity.  Ideally done with a bridge or control point connection.  The horse helps initiate the swing.  The elbow strike has the Dong energy as does many take down movements.

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Tun- To swallow – this is the deflective energy of Wing Chun.  The Tan Sau, Jum Sau and some other techniques can be used in this manner, the slip or slide the opponents straight attack off the center-line like a deflection.  Like a bullet deflects off a windshield.  The centrifugal force created actually makes your opponents feel like they are being drawn in if the deflection is done correctly. 

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Lao- to leak – to strike when a hole opens.  Due to the nature of Wing Chun we will always be in contact, on top of the bridge or seeking this position.  We do not strive for or create openings by force or intention, we continue to deflect and redirect our opponent until the line is open to attack, much like water leaks through weakness in a structure.

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Tao-  To Steal (To Chain) – We must always occupy the center-line with our bridge and when energies, deflections, redirections or forces push our bridges off the center-line we rotate in a chain like fashion to continue pressing forward testing the center-line, stealing the opponents attacks away from the center-line.  The “chain punch” is the exercise that trains this concept.  (not an attack as depicted in so many movies) to relentlessly continue the assault and contact on your opponent’s bridge and targets.

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Mo – To touch or feel, in Wing Chun our contact is soft and responsive.  The hands are not ridged, they are sensory and are constantly feeling their way along the bridge to the target.  Much like a snake coiling around a tree branch or a cloth being pulled around a pole.  The Mo or touch is not hard and oppressing, it is soft and sensory from hands down to elbow.

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Jeet – translates as intercept or cutting off an attack.  This is the pinning aspect of Wing Chun.  When we redirect an attack, we pin or block their path back to the center-line momentarily once the opponent has been led into emptiness, the focus points (elbow on the core for example) are pinned through structural force to prevent the return to the center-line, in that moment a strike is possible.

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Tong – To press – This is the contact pressure on the bridge from above.  This pressure is the indicator of flowing the opponent off the center-line and “into emptiness”.  When pressure is applied from the opponent on your bridge, there is a moment of structural resistance, the Tong, this allows you to sense the direction of force and redirect the energy accordingly. This pressure or Press/Tong is also used in times of control from above.

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Biu – To shoot or to Dart – as with cutting down the center-line (Chit) this is shooting up the center-line above one’s head along the center-line.  When your opponent’s techniques are driving you up you can guide them up opening targets below.

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Chi- To Stick- a Primary concept in Wing Chun and sadly not utilized properly – to Stick as in the Keun Kuit “stick to the bridge of the enemy” literally means to stick to your opponent’s bridge. You are striving to maintain forearm contact on your opponent’s bridge, sensing and feeling their energy, momentum and forces allowing you to counter and be guided by their force, as well as using this contact and their force to guide them away “into emptiness”.