Ng Mui and Yim Wing Chun (1662-1722)

During the Ching Dynasty (1662-1722), the emperor K'anghsi felt that the Shaolin temple could resist the rule of the Ching government. He ordered its destruction. Ng Mui, the head nun at an affiliate Temple, was one of the few people that escaped the massacre. She retreated to the White Crane Temple on Mt. Tai Leung (also known as Mt. Chai Har). Her knowledge and skills of the martial arts was legendary.

Yim Wing Chun was a native of Canton [Kwangtung Province] in China. She married Leung Bok Chau, a salt merchant of Fukien. They finally settled at the foot of Tai Leung Mountain near the border between Yunan and Szechuan provinces. She encountered Ng Mui and studied with her for many years. Under Ng Mui, Wing Chun developed a style that is extremely efficient and ideally suited to smaller fighters having less strength. Wing Chun then taught her skills to her husband Leung Bok Chau. Leung then trained Wong Wah Bo (an opera performer). Wong Wah Bo taught Leung Yeu Tei. Leung Yeu Tei moved to Fat Shan, Southern China One of his students in Fat Shan was Leung Jan. Leung Jan taught his skills to Chan Wah Shan. Yip man, a noted Wing Chun fighter before becoming famous as the teacher of Bruce Lee, is the student of Chan Wah Shan.