Kung Fu

The term Kung Fu is often used without knowing what's behind it. Kung Fu is actually Cantonese and is called in Chinese Mandarin "Gong Fu". Translated, it means hard work. Kung Fu was originally created in the famous Shaolin Kung Fu Monastery in China by the Indian monk Bodhidharma, who established Buddhism in Shaolin Monastery.

Several reasons are given as causes for the development of Kung Fu. Firstly, in traditional Chan Buddhism, the monks had to meditate a lot (in our Kung Fu style of Tao Chan Wing Chun there is also in the advanced stage the possibility of Zen meditation) and needed a corresponding physical balance. At the same time, the Buddhist monasteries were often on mountains or in hard-to-reach areas where good self-defence was needed.

Not many people know that Kung Fu comes from two different types of Shaolin monasteries. The North Shaolin Monastery, which made Kung Fu famous also in many Kung Fu movies is not the place of origin of Wing Chun Kung Fu.

Instead, Wing Chun originated in the South Shaolin Monastery. This monastery did become damaged and lost and the ruins were rediscovered about 20 years ago. Meanwhile, the Shaolin monks from the North Shaolin Monastery arrived there to teach Kung Fu after the Chinese government rebuilt the temple to promote Chinese Kung Fu, but there is no Wing Chun lineage there anymore.

In Shaolin Kung Fu there is usually a focus on animals such dragon, phoenix, lion, snake, crane, etc. So according a tale Wing Chun Kung Fu was invented by the observation of a fight between a crane and a snake. Unlike other Kung Fu styles, however, it did not receive the name Crane Snake Kung Fu, but simply Wing Chun Kung Fu.

There are several different Kung Fu styles in western countries. The most famous Kung Fu style is taught in our Kung Fu Association, the Tao Chan Wing Chun Organization: Tao Chan Wing Chun Kung Fu.

Unlike the traditional Shaolin Kung Fu, the Tao Chan Wing Chun Kung Fu differs in the way that the techniques are optimized for maximum effectiveness rather than simply "beautiful", as is the case with many Shaolin Kung Fu styles.

Likewise, in the Tao Chan Wing Chun Kung Fu no high kicks or jumps are included, since these according to the Wing Chun Kung Fu theory brings a disadvantage in combat such as lack of balance or violating the central line theory of Wing Chun Kung Fu.

The Tao Chan Wing Chun Kung Fu schools are in the tradition of traditional teaching methods and are therefore traditional Chinese Kung Fu schools.