Wondering about a Wing Chun form...

Axiom · #1 (**permalink**) January 31st, 2002, 06:49 AM

Hi all

After a few weeks of Wing Chun and some research on the internet, I am pretty sure the first form I'm learning isn't Siu Lim Tau (correct spelling). I am a little confused and a little worried at how different it seems to be. I asked one of the other students who has been with the school for a couple of years what the name of the form was and although I don't remember the exact name, I remember it wasn't Siu Lim Tau.

I'm just wondering if this should be any cause for concern to me. I was trying to find it on the net so that I could have some documented guide to the moves, to help me remember them.

The sifu did say that different schools teach different versions of the forms, but the principles were the same. He mentioned that some forms will contain two seperate punches for instance, whereas this form combines the two into a low & high double punch.

Perhaps if I explain what I've learnt so far it will seem familiar I'm not too familiar with many of the terms but I'll try to be clear....

After the initial stance establishment and bringing fists to the sides of the chest, start off with a low crossed-hands move, left over right, bringing them up to a high crossed hands position, following the centreline as you move up. Return to original fists-beside-chest position.

Left straight punch, then open the hand face up, rotate to face down, make fist and return to position. Same again with right.

Left pak sau, double punch. Right tan sau, double punch. Return to position. Same again with opposite sides.

Then you pivot left with a kind of circular left pak sau (changing stance to toe-to-toe style), and step forward with a right punch over the left. Right tan sau, step forward with a left punch.

There are two more moves after that that I don't remember properly, then you go back to the head-on stance and pivot right, mirroring what you just did.

That's as much as I've learnt so far. Somebody please say this sounds vaguely familiar

LoneTiger · #2 (**permalink**) January 31st, 2002, 05:04 PM

Im not a WC student but there are a couple of things i can tell you to help you out.
Firstly, the first form of WC translates in English to 'little idea' try and sus out what the english translation is and see if it roughly matches.
There are also a few different linages of Wing Chun some of which do not include Yip Man.
If you are from a non Yip Man linage its totaly possible for you to have totaly different forms.
Sui Lim Tao is also ususaly performed slowly so if its beeing done in a relaxed and slow fashion then chances are it is Siu Lim Tao. This can change from class to class but Yip Man himself was said to be capable of spending half a day performing the same form he went so slowly. The aim is to build sensitivity and a sence of body mechanics.
Dont get to hung up on forms, just make sure they actualy can teach you to fight using the system and forms will come later.
Bagua for eg has different forms in every linage, each master has there own impression of form. The spirit and flavor of the system is most important.
In Yip Man WC there are three hand forms so try and sus out what the full curriculum is.

Axiom · #3 (**permalink**) January 31st, 2002, 08:41 PM

Thanks, I'll see if I can find out more from someone in my class, or the sifu.

Axiom · #4 (**permalink**) February 6th, 2002, 08:13 AM

Hi again

I have found out a little more now, and I'm feeling much more reassured.

The form I've been learning isn't Siu Lim Tau, but I will be learning that later on, presumably when I have attained a good technique in this first,short one.

I don't know how to spell the name of the form I've been learning but phonetically it's like "fah-buh-row". Does anyone know of this

Thanks

LoneTiger · #5 (**permalink**) February 7th, 2002, 01:31 AM

Sounds to me like your learning in a good school.
My experince of wing chun was of being taught Siu Lim Tao the first lesson. The level of even advanced students was terrible and none of them had the first idea how to actualy APPLY there form. Let alone do it with proper mechanics and breathing. I could tell this and i was not even a student of there system, they were just plain poor!
Take it slow and be happy that your school is teaching you properly. SLT is great form and should not be dived strait into, you may have a slightly longer road ahead than some more commerical schools but your skills will be MUCH better in the end.

Sounds like you have a good school, they obviously respect there forms enough to be sure your ready to learn them BEFORE you start.
Im afraid i have not heard of the other form but you may find its just something the sifu has made up to use as an introduction to the system, nothing wrong with that its very commen.
As i say, a real developed SLT is way better than some crappy one you do in a class with 30 people, whilst trying to follow on from the student infronts back.

Axiom · #6 (**permalink**) February 7th, 2002, 07:10 AM

Thanks again for your thoughts LT. What you suggest about the form being one created by my school sounds quite feasible. I have asked around in various places and nobody seems to know of it, but it seems useful for getting some basic techniques down to me. It's quite short, too, so it's easy to remember

Cheers.

Axiom · #7 (**permalink**) February 12th, 2002, 08:15 PM

Well I have discovered some more. This form is indeed just one that was made up by the senior instructor for the area

I say 'just' but I don't mean to belittle it; it seems like a very useful form to learn. I'm getting smoother in my movements and learning to step and block and punch at the same time, comfortably. Well, it's not exactly comfortable yet but it will be eventually

I also asked about this over at the forums of www.kungfumagazine.com, and Rene Ritchie (who seems to be someone well-known) suggested that 'fa bo' might translate from Cantonese as 'flowery steps'. The 'ro' sound is a bit strange though because there is no 'r' sound in Cantonese. Interesting, anyway.