Very Rare Style of Wing Chun: Red Boat Opera (Ban Chung) - Martial Arts of Singapore ep2

In this episode, James and I meet with Cho Weng Wan to learn about Ban Chung, or Opera Boat style, Wing Chun. This is a rare style of Wing Chun which is quite different to the common Ip Man lineage material we see from Hong Kong.
In this new web series, I visit Singapore to explore the martial arts of the region. The show focuses on Kung Fu and Silat. Stay tuned for many more like it, and if you want to support this project, you can visit / monkeystealspeach .
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[@MonkeyStealsPeach]

Next project is already in the works. If you would like to learn more and support it, check out Patreon here www.patreon.com/monkeystealspeach

[@twotetah]

This is one of the most interesting kung fu interviews I've seen. Refreshing to see a different Wing Chun lineage. What a humble and knowledgeable sifu.

[@icedgaspare_]

Agree.😊

[@wadejensen3301]

What a lovely man, you really hit the jackpot with this interview! In this modern era of MMA it seems ego reigns supreme and everything is focused entirely on the physical.....so nice to see this humble man discuss history and culture through the lense of traditional Chinese martial arts.

[@jacobharris954]

Because martial arts I mainly physical

[@ashuramuhammad1610]

This is what I've been looking for years. The ancient long form. I though this form has extict since no one practice it in the mainstream recorded form. Thank for the great work and discovery.

[@aliciaalim]

I agree it is important to keep a record of our heritage and of the different martial arts in Singapore. Thank you for your efforts!

[@hongkongerwye9706]

very precious and valuable documentary about the origin and history of Ban Chung Wing Chun. Thanks for the efforts.

[@messengerofiexist2139]

In describing his lineage, he mentions an ancestor going to Vietnam. In Vietnam, Yuan Kay San taught Wing Chun. He also says his Cho family were Choy Lay Fut people. One of his ancestors astonished the family, Choy Lay Fut, by defeating them using Wing Chun. While he doesn’t say it outright, the most likely source of his families Wing Chun is Yuan Kay San via Vietnam.

[@benjaminboot2340]

Yuen Chai Wan went to Vietnam somewhere in the early 20th century, Yuen Kay San, his brother, stayed in Foshan. Cho Family Ban Chung Lineage "Cho Gar Wing Chun Kuen, was passed down by Opera Performer “Cheng Tan” Yik Kam, a male playing female actor. He first taught Cho Shun, who was apprentising on the Red Boats, and than later retired to Poon Yu Village, native village of the Cho family, and passed down Wing Chun Kuen to support himself. According to some traditions Cho Shun’s son, Cho Dak Sang, first learned from his father, than later from Yik Kam directly. He than passed the Wing Chun Kuen system down to Cho On and Cho Chuen. Cho Shun’s also taught Sam Chan who only taught 6 students. His disciple Cheung Way Boe lives in West Penang, operating a temple, retired from active teaching. Cho Chuen remained within Poon Yu Village passing down the system for future generations to learn. Cho On lived abroad,living in Hong Kong for a brief period of time in the 1940′s, than relocating to Malasia, where he passed down the family traditions to Cho Hong Choi, SY Liu, Yip Kin and than later his grandstudent Ku Choi Wah. The system called “Cho Family” Wing Chun Kuen, is formaly called “Ban Chun” or Opera House style. The curriculum of the Cho Family includes many forms and many styles including Wing Chun Kuen, Mok Gar, White Crane, Pai Mei, Choy Lay Fut and Hung Gar". Hendrick Santo and Wong Kiew Kit also belong to this lineage, both being students of Cho Hong Choi.

[@glennkristel1020]

I have an old photo from this period in Vietnam looks amazing

[@mightymeatmonsta]

Right. And the other Wing Chun Master is in Malaysia, I believe.

[@mightymeatmonsta]

​​​@@benjaminboot2340 THANK YOU! I WAS GROPING FOR THE OTHER NAME AND YOU JUST ANSWERED MY QUESTION, MASTER CHO ON!!

[@trustyWeedGuy]

This episode in particular is incredible.

[@stevebrindle1724]

Very interesting, my first martial art was 6 yrs of IP Man style Wing Chun, I have also put in 14yrs of TKD and at 66 am studying Shotokan. I like them all equally!

[@MonkeyStealsPeach]

Wow thats a long time! My hat goes off to you sir!

[@bugs4680]

Great job sir how is your health now

[@mightymeatmonsta]

Why? Why learn inferior systems? I can understand TKD as a base system because it gives you a strong base, but why Karate?

[@jonsnow1055]

It is amazing to see the actual application of Kung Fu forms in combat. Wow!

[@_h.k.5.]

Great man with good heart and soul!

[@seechunchong9876]

This is indeed very rare and the sifu had so much history to tell....Thanks

[@NorthStarMartialArtsUSA]

He nailed the history. Awesome. I think you missed that he was saying they came from the opera caste, called "mean people." And the hat tip to Mencius at the end was cute.

[@mightymeatmonsta]

Amazing how much I just learned today! Thanks to ALL OF YOU!

[@AztecUnshaven]

For those that don't know, Bruce Lee was mentored by a Red Boat Wing Chun master (Fook Yeung) when Bruce first arrived to the USA. Fook was a Red Boat performer and closed door Gongfu mentor to Bruce from 1959-1965. Fook was well versed in Red Boat WingChun, Mantis, Bak Mei, Bagua, Xingyi, Sanshou Kuajiao, etc. This was verifed by two of Bruce's early Seattle Era students (Jesse Glover and Ed Hart).

[@arnislumpia3766]

Yes and Steve Smith is carrying on all their teachings. Red Boat Wing Chun seems to have a deep history of Martial Arts.

[@stevenledwith]

And Jim Keating

[@anorton1409]

Steve Smith (little dojo) commented on the other video posted (108 form) to say thanks for posting and he enjoyed it 👍

[@jacobharris954]

I thought he only had two wing chun instructors Ip man and wing shun leung , did know he learnt cma in America

[@AztecUnshaven]

@@jacobharris954 Fook was very low key and lesser known. You can seek interviews with Jim Keating and Steve Smith in Seattle for more detail. Both Jim and Steve were students of David Harris, who was a disciple of Fook Yeung. Steve was also longtime friends with Jesse Glover, Bruce's first student in America.

[@zoolkhan]

I am a long time Leung Ting Wing Tsun branch student originally from germany, ran classes too but i am no si-fu. For a while i was married to a mae wha tang lang studying wife. Striking similarities in some of the techniques and philosophies. With that background i always was fascinated about my roots back to shan wah shun and before... we have been tought in our branch that there was the red opera chapter too... but details have escaped my mind. I found this video very enlightening, and generally enjoyable - thank you for this. I feel only the greatest of respect for this sifu, and how he is able to tell the story without any sniping at the other branches - and for a westerner ballsy enough to move to china and learn the language, and prevail in that society. May he life forever, and may his story be documented and carried on via his students.

[@mightymeatmonsta]

Leung Ting? He didn't learn the whole system. Sorry to disappoint you, but in my opinion, he was the CLOWN 🤡 PRINCE OF WING CHUN!

[@ASDREX458]

Wow this was an amazing interview, thanks!

[@robertmiller8110]

I moved to HK to study hung kuen over 7 years ago along with other styles of martial arts. Keep up the great work!

[@JingyJingJing]

Super refreshing to see another Wing Chun lineage shown with all the right questions asked!

[@MonkeyStealsPeach]

Yea, interviewing someone of a style you have learnt, but is is a different lineage is probably the easiest to conduct. In hindsight there’s a lot more I would have liked to ask, but that will have to wait....

[@Omg-kungfu]

Have you ever heard Fut Sao Wing Chun? Its not very well known but interesting

[@billy_mandalay.]

This is invaluable. Thank you.

[@heianhandbyalastairnorton6111]

Awesome video. Thanks for sharing!

[@fernandonunez9689]

Awesome interview, thank you

[@ilyaolshanetskiy7421]

Thank you so much for that wonderul video. Cho Weng Wan Sifu is truly a remarkable and wise man and a symbol of traditional chinese martial arts virtues. Best wishes to you my friend in your wisely chosen journey.

[@mdub2000]

great interview!

[@bobyoung5322]

Brilliant video, love the history :) And the techiques :)

[@WingTsunWTAC]

Thank you very much for this video. For the discovery of this GM. The story of the Red Boat Opera and the story of Wing Chun that goes with it is very little known in France. And thank you also for the Siu Lim Tao which contains a lot of things. TEAM WTAC

[@jorgepastor2452]

Thank you very much for finding rare styles among the forest of popular ones.

[@i3i2i4N]

Love this. A big thank you and respects

[@thomasda3482]

great master and good interview

[@russellmanley5502]

Wow! I would love to learn more of this. Thanks for the info 👍

[@AKAHDS]

Hung suen hei ban/hei ban/ban chung, all lineages tracing root back to opera companies. Thanks for posting this important piece of cultural heritage, especially for us red boat practitioners.

[@Wurdendorf]

Incredible. Thanks you very much

[@herminator250]

Thanks for posting this fascinating interview regarding some lesser known parts of history in WC and the more meaningful essence of practicing kung fu. I liked how he said practicing martial art is more than just combat and it is also a cultivation of martial virtue. It is definitely challengeing to use virtue to deal with a challenging person rather than using combat to deal with them. Thanks again!

[@anorton1409]

Such a great video. By the way, one of your commentators on the 108 red boat wing chun video is the inheritor of a branch of the red boat wing Chun style that made its way to the US. It’s little known but his teacher was Bruce Lee’s teacher when he lived in the US for many years. The man’s name is Steve Smith.

[@romainverbrouck5147]

if you want more information about him you can find his channel on youtube aswell as some interview of him on adam chan's channel

[@apekillssnake]

good stuff!

[@anthonyallen9560]

To over come one’s ego is the first enemy one must defeat.

[@zetareticulan321]

You oughta do a documentary on Pan Nam Wing Chun. It is in my opinion the rarest wing chun.

[@mightymeatmonsta]

It IS one of the rarest systems of Wing Chun! The difference in their sil lum tao is that instead of doing each technique once during each section of sil lum tao, they do it THREE TIMES, which, if you think of it, puts each movement in muscle memory much faster. So doing the techniques properly becomes even more critical to the proper execution of their Wing Chun!

[@zetareticulan321]

That's interesting. I really like how Pan Nam Wing Chun uses Hung Gar power, but Wing Chun hands.@@mightymeatmonsta

[@mightymeatmonsta]

​@@zetareticulan321Yes, due that the many different lineages and locations that Wing Chun has been influenced by, each location can be very different.

[@andys4708]

Very interesting. Especially philosophy.

[@kungfuwitcher7621]

That was excellent. I didn’t even know there was a system in Singapore. Intriguing difference to the forms.

[@robertocalvo934]

Wow. Not a fan of WC as a combat style but this man surely knows his thing. Best WC form I've seen. Take a bow gramps.

[@jonsnow1055]

Hmm yeah. It's actually a defensive style of Chinese martial arts. Not meant for explosive attacks.

[@mightymeatmonsta]

You should be a fan since it IS the best self defense system on the planet!

[@officialdandaman]

Aloha from Hawaii 🏝️ Nice 👍 Yeah, I like this informative video.

[@JKDVIPER]

Fantastic

[@karlstarke2011]

This Man is really great, as a Person and as a Teacher for sure.

[@jonsnow1055]

Yeah. And his art actually can be applied practically to defend against a street fighter unlike the acrobatic shaolin forms you see, of which I haven't seen any practical application. Correct me if I'm wrong.

[@jassimarsingh6505]

@@jonsnow1055 Dude Shaolin is really practical, what this video and check this KZbin channel out. This guy studied Kung fu under Shaolin and he will do very practical application kzbin.info/www/bejne/gHm8Y4R5fZxph80

[@samuelhafoka9889]

Thank you very much for this priceless share. Would you please provide a little further assistance for better understanding at my humble level. 1. When he discussed the luk sau from the double tan sau positioning as a Huen Sau movement, what did it feel like? e.g. A solely displacing Huen Sau energy; A combination of movements (e.g. from the outer tan sau position: Huen, Dai Gwat Sau, Loi Chuen Kiu/Sau, Huen); More along the lines of Loi Lim Sau energy; or Some other type of feeling in yang power arcs etc? 2. When he was discussing the Mo Sau foundation that they utilise, did he also emphasize Chai energy as well? Or is the focus just Mo Sau because it is meant for basic level training with Chai being further along in curriculum? Thank you in advance. Respectful regards.

[@icedgaspare_]

Seems like a real gentleman this sifu.

[@bigwavesun]

It's interesting, no matter how widely different the wing chun lineages are, in practice they all look like wing chun.

[@livinginthetruthministries7094]

good wing chun kung fu!

[@zft8287]

Hi Monkey Steals Peach, do you know if this Sifu teaches and what is the name of his school? Much thanks

[@JKDVIPER]

Love watching this. I wish I could show it to GARY LAM.

[@bajuszpal172]

Many thanks an congratualtions for the intro into souther styles or school, however some methodology for beginners, intermediatew and advanced could have mad e it even more meaningful. Paul, 67, retired instructor of Goju ryu, Karate, , and took notice of some similarities in terms of head on movememnts in wide stances, double handed movements/blocks and parries also employed in our Tensho Kata. Good health and Keep on walking.

[@dirkfischer478]

Fascinating interview. I never considered that, of course, female roles would be performed by males in Chinese Opera. This sheds a different light on the legend of the Wing Chun origin, wouldn't you say?

[@MonkeyStealsPeach]

Could be..... its an interesting point. It's also interesting how similar the origin story of White Crane is.

[@jogon2485]

there is another view that came out from the ip man tong about wingchun not startin from a w9man and all that but instead from rebels or something which would in my opinion change the way that you train

[@MonkeyStealsPeach]

@@jogon2485 Yes, a lot of southern styles have their origins in anti-Qing groups which evolved into the Triads and other secret societies.

[@jogon2485]

@@MonkeyStealsPeach was refering to the benny meng article that he wrote called red flag wingchun its ineresting

[@varrickace465]

Wait we have that in Singapore? Wow I didn't know that

[@amitabachan5923]

I hope you can make a coverage of WSL Ving Tsun system.

[@mightymeatmonsta]

The BEST modified system and the ONLY modified system that actually works on the streets!! An excellent system!

[@JKDVIPER]

Mind smoker .. 👌😎🙏

[@Brandon123456magine]

His salutation is similar to JKD salutation it's just the positioning of the hands is slightly differrent.

[@erichwebb8312]

Thank you for the share , good info and the traditional values is good . Curious why didnt bring 7 star mantis to table when talking about restore the Ming and cast out the Ching ....... maybe just my personal training .

[@MonkeyStealsPeach]

Mantis doesn’t have much of a connection to that besides a brief mention in one of many versions of the Wang Lang myth. However, it’s much more prominent in the folklore of southern styles, as anti-manchu sentiment was much stronger in the south

[@erichwebb8312]

@Monkey Steals Peach ... Of course . I mostly trained with 7 star praying mantis and i suppose it is just glanced over . While study with Bak Sing Chou Lee Fut the story developed somewhat , as that is southern style . Thanks again might i ask if you hand any Bak Mai videos hidding around ? If not that would be my request , possibly have study video about that style with form and applications .... Well just saying . Thanks again and be safe

[@rogersubieta7459]

Interesante

[@papapoet1433]

Looks better than ordinary WT

[@zoolkhan]

how good "ordinary wt" looks depend very much on the teacher showing it to you. There are many little details you will not learn on the first day.

[@trondyne3513]

Too bad you couldn't ask him about hand chasing... HK versions say we don't chase hands and it's key. His ChiSao has lots of hand chasing..

[@cwilkinsonwck]

Wing Chun Kuen says it's from Shaloin sticking body, short strike art. Not tong bong foc only. It is from Ermi snake and Fujin White Crane fuse with the Short strike. It has to be full body momentum. This man is jamming all lower maridians.

[@cwilkinsonwck]

@KaliBrat0r I don't know who your supposed sifu sergio is, this what I am talking about is scientific truths. Not here to argue, today Kung Fu is a fantastic story that is only delusional. Sticking body short strike art, why is that so complicated? Amazing how many people stuck in there own imagination and thinking they know what it is when they have no clue

[@AntKneeLeafEllipse]

Any chance of going back for an interview with Ku Choi Wah?

[@MonkeyStealsPeach]

Yea possibly in futur

[@bigwavesun]

I've seen at least a few different groups claiming red boat opera lineage, but the forms are all different other than the same key bridge hands. Is there any way to verify who actually came from what?

[@MonkeyStealsPeach]

I know right? I would say they have probably all undergone as much change and evolution as any other style since. I doubt they are an exact time capsule of what was practiced back then

[@bigwavesun]

@@MonkeyStealsPeach you know what, you are right. I had just thought about it, but I was just trying to scratch a history itch I got. I was watching a Chan Wah Shun lineage video and was suprised to see the original long form Ip Man might've done.

[@Mario-R-3232]

@@MonkeyStealsPeach Have you checked Garrett Gee?

[@zechordlord]

What's with the number 108? So many styles use it and I seriously doubt it is the exact number of techniques they use :P

[@NaturalStateWingChun]

Look up Randall Carlson on sacred geometry. That number is used all across the world by a great number of civilizations

[@jadenng7569]

What happened to the video with Master Foo Shang Wee?

[@lac19951]

The video is good info, but the subtitle colours could have been better.

[@itssohardtomakeaname]

when he does the salute @10:28 what is it that he says?

[@shirour6963]

Where are you guys based like all your schools

[@brianzen7471]

看來這便是阮奇山的詠春吧，不知和梁讚的古嘮詠春有幾份相似

[@shawn6669]

Real Wu De.

[@epone3488]

the Hau Dan explanation holds a lot of water for me. The idea of the style being "created" by a woman has been weird for me where as the idea of it being created by a Hau Dan now that seems to follow a type of internal logic.

[@bugs4680]

Art of balance aint easy to fight on a boat

[@tonimisetic]

is it anti-qing or a pro-qing red boat opera wing chun?

[@sseet]

Thanks for making these documentaries/vlogs. Since you are or were in Singapore, did you consider interviewing grandmaster Anthony Wee of Wu Mei quan ?

[@MonkeyStealsPeach]

Sorry, Ive left Singapore now. I could look him up next time

[@dipayandey5372]

Can you tell me what is the name of his Kung fu school? Does he teach only wing chun or others southern styles ?. Please reply me when you can.

[@hiamongkhon1313]

This guy only the junior. U should look for his senior who is much better.

[@dipayandey5372]

@@hiamongkhon1313 who is his Senior. Please give me the link of his video .

[@SifuAlanMencke]

@@dipayandey5372 kzbin.info/www/bejne/pYPFoZmpaJaBaJI Ku Choi Wah Sifu is very skilled and very nice. And has an amazing energy level too.

[@laurencefrese1]

looks like Pa Fa Lien Wing Chun

[@nyclee9133]

Find hung gar/hong quan teacher

[@davidmartinez9804]

Who was the Martial Artist and style who trips the guy 24 seconds into the video?

[@institutowingchun4471]

Estan inventando cualquier cosa...

[@Tricroman]

Si piensas que el wing chun de IP Man es el tradicional vas listo. Fíjate que salvo Chan Chee Man, el resto de alumnos hace un WC diferente del que aprendió.

[@karlstarke2011]

Por logica,no puede ser que exista solo una linea.

[@mightymeatmonsta]

It consists of five elements, white crane, white eyebrow, hung gar, choy li fut and shaolin, which were developed by the five elders. There was no Ng Mui or Wing Chun, they did not exist.

[@giuseppienad3413]

Is there any historical evidence that wing chun came from these styles? Or from the Five Elders? All I know for sure is that wing chun descended from the Duanda styles of Shaolin which came from an ancient shaolin quanpu which is a version of a ming dynasty military book.

[@giuseppienad3413]

Please name the historical Five Elders?

[@mightymeatmonsta]

@@giuseppienad3413 YES!! There are records dating back to that era showing the CORRECT historical data that shows that Ng Mui and Wing chun NEVER EXISTED, and that the original Shaolin Temple and the five elders DID exist!! That's over 400 years ago!!

[@giuseppienad3413]

@@mightymeatmonsta what were their names? I couldn't find any legit info about them.

[@giuseppienad3413]

@@mightymeatmonsta I never really believed in the Ng Mui legend when I was still in wing chun

[@spiritakarabbit369]

ONLY REAL GENIUSES GET THIS JOKE AWESOME VIDEO BTW A master once said to a monkey who stole his peach...Hey Monkey...I know you hear me...yes you...give me back the peach...in fact...keep it...cause i know how to make more in an instant...how u may ask?...because eventually you'll realize that no amount of data gathering or stealing will make you a real god....🦄🤭😈..

[@workdays8280]

This is only a external boxing engine.not real internal. Totally usles

[@workdays8280]

Nice but so far boxing is the best. In every way

[@flonomcflooneyloo7573]

Unfortunately, all 'static' demos like this are flawed and deceptive. You can not guard gates, you can not block out in the gap space. It only happen in demos.

[@zoolkhan]

go trolling elsewhere. Youre not teaching us anything new wiseguy. You just demostrante that you havent understood the purpouse of demos as part of teaching. You cannot whack a student through the room and call that a lesson, of course you have to "demo" while explaining principles. Engage your brain. Dont spoil this document with your anti wing chun blabla. This is not the place, and not the time.

[@gxtmfa]

zoolkhan I’ve watched plenty of these videos and I have yet to see anything that looks like it’d work. I see surprisingly few, of any, responses to jabs and cross punches. I think it’s ok to be skeptical.

[@truthserum9456]

For the record, there are NO salutes in any martial forms. Every single movement is a technique including what uninformed persons call the salute.

[@mikehunt9884]

none of those styles are legit, because the true grandmaster of the real wing chun is William Cheung. All other wing chun is not authentic.. (obviously, im joking, im being sarcasting. but William Cheung however, is not joking, that is what he really claims.)

[@jmrd070191]

Bad wing chun :/

[@MustAfaalik]

@Jean.You will never know until you cross hands with him. Or tell from his body structure; which is solid yet yielding as when they cross hands.