Jun

Legendary Fighting Women: Ng Mui and Yim Wing Chun

According to the legend, Wing Chun began in the Qing Dynasty, a time when the Chinese Han majority had been conquered and ruled by Manchurian nobility from the north. The harsh rule of the Han by the Manchurians is historical fact — I’m not a scholar of Chinese history, so the true extent of how barbaric the Manchurian rule actually was, I don’t know. But we are speaking here of legend, not history. Like England under the rule of King John, the story of Wing Chun begins with a cruel warlord oppressing the common people of China.

Fearing an uprising among the common people, Emperor K’anghsi of the Qing Dynasty (1662 – 1722 CE) forbade the practice of martial arts. Legend tells us the Manchurian rulers felt so threatened, they sent troops to destroy Shaolin monasteries, who preserved and taught martial arts. This story begins with the burning of the Siu Lam temple in southern China and five monks who escaped its destruction. Among these five was a woman named Ng Mui, a master of an as-yet unnamed fighting style. After fleeing for her life, Ng Mui hid in a small village where she met a girl named Yim Wing Chun.

The Warlord’s Challenge

Yim Wing Chun, whose name means “Beautiful Springtime”, was the daughter of a bean curd seller (some versions of the story say she was an orphan). Beautiful, intelligent and outspoken, Wing Chun attracted the attention of the local Manchurian warlord, who claimed Wing Chun as his reluctant bride (and, in some telllings, he raped her). The legend states that Ng Mui approached the young woman and offered to teach her to defend herself. The two women retreated into the nearby mountains, where Wing Chun trained hard, showing a natrual talent for the martial arts. At the end of her training, the girl returned to the village and offered a challenge to her unwanted suitor:

“I cannot marry a man who is unable to best me in combat.”

The warlord, his martial pride on the line, accepted Wing Chun’s challenge. But the young woman was too skilled and well-trained; she promptly bested the warlord, who left the village in shame.

Leung Bok Chau and the Naming of a Style

Yim Wing Chun went on to become a reknown warrior in her own right. Eventually, she crossed paths with a former Shaolin student named Leung Bok Chau. The two fell in love and were married. Legend has it that Wing Chun passed her knowledge onto her husband. After her death, Bok Chu continued to pass on the system his wife taught him, naming it “Wing Chun” in honor of his beloved bride.

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There are many variations of this legend. Some say Ng Mui developed the system she taught after watching a fight between snake and a monkey, other legends say Wing Chun herself added the animal influence to the system Ng Mui taught her. Other versions of the story say it was Wing Chun’s father who fled the monestary and taught her to fight.

No matter the details, Yim Wing Chun’s legend can provide inspiration and courage to girls. It can remind us that we are ultimately responsible for our protection; we cannot always rely on a father, boyfriend, husband to take care of us. As Wing Chun discovered, our safety is in our hands alone.

A final note: Yim Wing Chun’s story inspired a Chinese movie named Wing Chun. the young heroine is played by Michelle Yeoh. I haven’t yet been able to get my hands on a copy of it (not for lack of trying!), so I can’t testify to how enjoyable it is.