Sifu Yan Yiu Wing, a 4th Technician Level and IWTA instructor at the Hong Kong Headquarters of Si-gung GGM Leung Ting. Sifu Yan was born on Hong Kong island in 1964 and started his career in WingTsun in 1992 after having read a lot about GGM Leung Ting in different magazines. Actually he trains approximately twice a week during 2-3 hours. He has completed the wooden dummy-form and the chi-sau sections, but not started with the practice of weapons yet.

Sifu Kasper Lund Nielsen, Chief instructor for Denmark, had the chance to interview the champion after the tournament.

KLN: What do you think about the first international chi-sau tournament?

YAN: It went well, but actually I think that we still need a lot of experience. So, in the next chi-sau tournament, I think that we can perform better that in this one.

KLN: When you perform the SNT. What is the most important thing for you? What is your own personal idea? How do you express yourself in SNT?

YAN: I like the traditional way.

KLN: How important is tradition to you?

YAN: Tradition is very important because it provides you with certainty and scope. I think every student has to get a certain scope with a right perspective from his sifu at first. Then after a while, he can have his own idea and interpretation of what his Si-Fu said. Even in the same class where students learn from the same Si-Fu, everyone has his own style, everyone is unique.

KLN: How do you teach other pupils? How do you transmit your own energy, ideas and perspectives?

YAN: In WingTsun, we don’t have to think too much, we just emphasize on the movement or certain sets of movements we learn. It is not me who teaches you many movements, it is yourself who feels. You just take what you can get from your sifu. When you want to learn something, you have to have a pure mind and think of nothing and just focus on what you do. First you will learn to set up the stance and you should try to have a linking force through your whole body. No matter how good your hand techniques are, if you do not have a good stance, it doesn’t work. After setting up the stance, we will teach you the hand techniques. It is important to not tense up your muscles. I teach the first four movements. In order to perform the first straight punch, your arm must be relaxed and keep your elbow into the centerline as long as possible. Execute it like a bullet shooting forward, your elbow must be totally stretched, it is very important and when you make hun-sau, you train your wrist muscles.

KLN: Do you use any of the WingTsun principles in your life?

YAN: It is necessary for us to follow the WingTsun principles. In the applications, we still emphasise on them. However, they are already in our mind, we don’t have to think about it. We have to make the WingTsun principles become our habits, like our second nature.

KLN: Which one of the WingTsun mottos do you prefer?

YAN: To attack and not to defend, is the best motto I can think of.

KLN: Do you also practice this in life then?

YAN: During practice and application there are difficulties in martial arts, but we wont stop there, just because there are difficulties.

KLN: Did you have any fighting experience with WingTsun?

YAN: Usually I have fighting experience during tournaments or during my training lessons.

KLN: So, you never had any real fights, like street fights?

YAN: Yes, I have also some experience in street fights.

KLN: I don’t know the Chinese way of fighting, but did you have any problems using your WingTsun techniques, like Tan-Dar, Gan-Dar etc...in such a fight?

YAN: Actually, I think that there is no difference between the Chinese and the European way of fighting. Maybe at the beginning you focus on the Tan-Dar or Gan-Dar, but according to my experience, there is only attack, and it is the best defense. I don’t care whether it is Tan-Dar or Gan-Dar. I just care about what I should do according to the situation.

KLN: Before WingTsun was only taught to Chinese people and now Europeans come for example to Hong Kong and also learn WingTsun. How do you feel about that?

YAN: WingTsun is a good heritage to spread to Europe and other countries and not just in China. The hard and successful work of the WingTsun instructors in Europe also proves that WingTsun really works.

KLN: Do you think that there is a difference between the European and the Chinese way of doing chi-sau?

YAN: I think that, there is no difference in chi-sau. It depends on the attitude of the student. My students emphasize on techniques because they are not full-time students or instructors and that is a difference from European members. For Chinese people, especially in Hong Kong, there is too much entertainment. But the Europeans are hard workers, so that is the difference.

KLN: Thank you very much Sifu Yan. I am very happy that you found the time for making this little interview. I am pleased. I wish you all the best in the future and may our ways cross again. Thank you.

YAN: Your are welcome.