KUCHING: Many people would have probably known Wing Chun as a form of Chinese martial arts made popular in movies like the IP Man series and all movies starred by the legendary Bruce Lee.
The martial has been kept alive for generations and has seen a growing number of following in recent years.
Renowned martial arts master Eric Ling took the time yesterday to share his skills, experience and knowledge about the combat sports which he love and devoted most of his life for.
For the record, Chinese martial arts have always been known simply as “Kungfu” to the rest of the world except for the sub-continents of East and Southeast Asia or any places with a significant number of Chinese populations. Like the Chinese community themselves, the martial arts is very diverse and Wing Chun is one of them.
Ling is a respected figure in the international martial arts fraternity. His passion for the preservation of traditional martial arts and his desire to promote them brought him to Kuching 10 years ago.
“I’ve been to places like the United States, China, Taiwan… you name it. My mission is to promote this unique form of martial arts and I have been active in getting myself involved in Wing Chung for about 40 years now,” he said.
He began at the age of seven when his family (most notably his father and uncles) started him in their family style of the Fuzhou White Crane. He would then move on to study Fukien Shaolin Lohan, Whooping Crane, Fuzhou Ancestral Crane and Southern Grand Ancestor Boxing with some of the leading masters of each individual style.
After many years of intensive studies with his masters, Ling went to the United States in 1998 to promote his unique blend of authentic Chinese fighting skills. He was stationed in Denver, Colorado and returned to Asia three years later.
Through his experience, Ling have grouped together a few traditional Chinese martial arts which he called the “Hua Qian Dao”. The name was coined by him which includes Wing Chun (originally called Eng Choon) and a few other Chinese martial arts like Saolim Lohan (Lotus and Monkey Boxing), Fuzhou Ancestral Crane Whooping Crane, Taichor (Grand Ancestor), Hungga/Chow Gar and Hakka Boxing.
Commenting on the movies being produced nowadays to promote Wing Chun and other forms of Chinese martial art, Ling said the movies are a good way to promote the sport but he also find the movies too exaggerative sometimes. He does not want people to believe whatever it is they see in the movies.
“Martial art is all about discipline and culture. We never condone any violence in martial arts as we believe that by learning martial arts, we have an option for peace,” he said.
Whatever it is, Ling concluded that martial arts are how a person trains. If one uses it for good and it will be for good and the same goes to the otherwise.
Around 50 people attended Ling’s Wing Chun Seminar cum Workshop yesterday at the Arena Sukan, Tabuan Jaya.
His classes are conducted weekly every Thursday and Saturday here from 7.30pm to 9pm.
Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2012/09/09/wing-chun-an-art-of-discipline/#ixzz26ObXe0Ec
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