Here at the frontier, the leaves fall like rain. Although my neighbors are all barbarians, and you, you are a thousand miles away, there are still two cups at my table.


Ten thousand flowers in spring, the moon in autumn, a cool breeze in summer, snow in winter. If your mind isn't clouded by unnecessary things, this is the best season of your life.

~ Wu-men ~


Wednesday, January 16, 2013

"I Have No Desire to Retire"

Before getting to the business of this post, I just wanted to say that before the Advent Challenge I had been tracking some of my daily activities such as exercise on life.do. Today marks 50 consecutive days of working out!

Ip Chun is the oldest son of Ip Man.

From Wikipedia:

Ip began studying Wing Chun with his father when he was seven years old. In 1949, after the Communists established the People's Republic of China on the mainland, Ip's father left for Hong Kong and Ip, then 24, remained in Foshan to continue his studies in university. Ip studied Chinese history, philosophy, poetry, traditional music, and Buddhism.

By 1950, Ip had completed his studies and he chose teaching as a profession. In addition to teaching Chinese history, music and science, Ip also helped the Chinese Foshan Entertainment Department organize opera plays. During that time, he was awarded "The Person with the Most Potential in Chinese Art" award for his research in music. However in 1962, due to the Cultural Revolution, Ip and his younger brother, Ip Ching, were forced to leave Fo Shan and move to Hong Kong to join their father.

In Hong Kong, Ip worked as an accountant and newspaper reporter in the day and practised Wing Chun in the evening under his father's tutelage. In accordance with his father's wishes, in 1965, Ip participated in the affairs of the Wing Chun Athletic Association (WCAA) and became one of its founding members when it was formally established in 1968. During the first three years in the association, Ip took on the role of treasurer and was later appointed as chairman.

In 1967, Ip began teaching Wing Chun in Hong Kong and some of his first students, such as Ho Po-kai and Leung Chung-wai, still train with him at present. Between 1970 and 1971, Ip and Lau Hon-lam taught a class of about 20 students in Ho Man Tin. Ip's father died in December 1972 and entrusted the film footage of his Siu Nim Tao, Chum Kiu and Muk Yan Jong forms to his sons for posterity. Ip inherited his father's legacy and continued teaching Wing Chun.

Ip currently teaches five days and two nights a week at the Wing Chun Athletic Association, as well as teaching a class in Sha Tin once a week. Between 1985 and 2001, Ip traveled abroad to promote and conduct seminars on Wing Chun, before semi-retiring in 2001 to concentrate on teaching in Hong Kong. In 1992, Ip set up the Ip Chun Wing Chun Kuen Martial Arts Association (www.ipchun.org) to certify and authenticate those among his senior students, who have attained instructor qualification under his tutelage, to teach Wing Chun to students from around the world.

Ip served as a consultant for Ip Man, a biographical-martial arts film about the life of his father. Ip also made a special appearance as Leung Bik (son of Leung Jan) in another film, The Legend is Born – Ip Man.



4 comments:

Bob Patterson said...

Congrats on achieving that!

Today marks my 50th day of inconsistently working out and being stressed by higher ed administration.

:-(

Rick Matz said...

We can only do our best.

walt said...

Old Chinese proverb:
"A journey of one thousand miles begins with the first fifty steps."

Along those lines, I began walking 2 miles a day in response to last year's Lenten Challenge, and have not been perfect, but have logged 500+ miles so far. I have to get real bundled up this time of year!

Rick Matz said...

@Walt, awesome way to tread the path.