Good morning.

 

One of the absolute pleasures of teaching traditional Chinese kung fu is seeing how the students interact and help each other, particularly in difficult times. It did, admittedly, take a number of years to develop this kind of culture within the schools, but like a seed when nurtured, it is amazing how it then blossoms and grows strong. And this is actually the essence of a kung fu family – something outside your biological family where everyone from different backgrounds, beliefs and cultures works together for the common purpose of self-improvement and improving the world around them. This, it has to be said, is far removed from a ‘martial arts social club’ where people learn ‘martial arts’ almost as an aside; there are many opportunities to do just this, but very few chances to go deeper and achieve much more than simply amusing oneself. It is, alas, increasingly rare nowadays to find people working together for a common goal and simply helping for the sake of it rather than any financial incentive. (An interesting reflection I have noticed over the years, however, is that although many people think that they want a ‘martial arts social club’, they actually only find a superficial fulfilment which leaves them unsatisfied). Having presided over both traditional and ‘modern’ schools I can tell you the gulf between them is immense. It was only when the schools introduced the traditional teachings of the Wing Tsun monks that I could see how it touched the students and changed them inside, not just entertained them. The forthcoming Graduation is indeed a celebration of just this…

 

Sifu