Ip Man (叶问) is a martial artist and a grand master of Wing Chun (咏春). His eldest son Ip Chun (叶准) is one of the most successful Wing Chun teachers today.
In 1970, Liang Zhongwei was lucky enough to be able to learn from master Ip Chun and became one of Ip's first batch (批) of students. To this day, he is over 70 years old and has been practicing Wing Chun for over 50 years.
"My master is a cultured man. He taught me with strict attention to details (细节)," said Liang. From then on each day Liang would practice basic (基本) skills including the horse riding stance (扎马步) and striking a wooden dummy (木人桩) for three hours.
It's easy for beginners to get started with simple moves. But to move to a higher level, Liang thinks the key lies in relaxing. Nervousness makes people stiff (僵硬的). Once they calm down and are at peace, they can focus and throw a more powerful punch (出拳).
After Liang retired (退休) in the 1990s, he focused on promoting (推动) Wing Chun. He has taught more than 5,000 people in over 30 kung fu clubs across the country.
Liang encourages everyone to practice Wing Chun. He thinks learning is not just about fighting. People can take it as a hobby or as physical exercise. "People can practice Wing Chun with different goals," Liang said.