Ip Chun (born Ip Hok-chun; 10 July 1924), also known as Yip Chun or Yip Jun, is a Chinese martial artist and actor in the style of

Wing Chun Wing Chun (Cantonese) or Yong Chun (Mandarin Chinese, Mandarin) (, lit. "singing spring") is a concept-based martial art, a form of Nanquan (martial art), Southern Chinese kung fu, and a close-quarters system of self-defense. It is a martial ...

. He is the elder of two sons. Chun's father,

Ip Man Ip Man (born Ip Kai-man; 1 October 1893 – 2 December 1972), also known as Yip Man, was a Chinese martial arts grandmaster. He became a teacher of the martial art of Wing Chun when he was 20. He had several students who later became martia ...

, was the Wing Chun teacher of

Bruce Lee Bruce Lee (born Lee Jun-fan; November 27, 1940 – July 20, 1973) was an American-born Hong Kong martial artist, actor, filmmaker, and philosopher. He was the founder of Jeet Kune Do, a hybrid martial arts philosophy which was formed from ...

Early life

He was born Ip Hok-chun in

Foshan Foshan (, ; Chinese: 佛山) is a prefecture-level city in central Guangdong Province, China. The entire prefecture covers and had a population of 9,498,863 as of the 2020 census. The city is part of the western side of the Pearl River Delta m ...

, Kwangtung (now Guangdong) on 10 July 1924 to police officer and martial artist

and his wife Cheung Wing-sing. In 1949, after the

Communists Communism () is a sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology within the socialist movement, whose goal is the creation of a communist society, a socioeconomic order centered on common ownership of the means of production, d ...

established the People's Republic of China on the Chinese mainland, Ip's father left for Hong Kong and Ip, then 24, remained in Foshan to continue his studies in university. However, due to the

Cultural Revolution The Cultural Revolution, formally known as the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, was a Social movement, sociopolitical movement in the China, People's Republic of China (PRC). It was launched by Mao Zedong in 1966 and lasted until his de ...

, Ip and his younger brother, Ip Ching, were forced to leave Foshan and move to Hong Kong to join their father.

Education

Ip studied

Chinese history The history of China spans several millennia across a wide geographical area. Each region now considered part of the Chinese world has experienced periods of unity, fracture, prosperity, and strife. Chinese civilization first emerged in the Y ...

philosophy Philosophy ('love of wisdom' in Ancient Greek) is a systematic study of general and fundamental questions concerning topics like existence, reason, knowledge, Value (ethics and social sciences), value, mind, and language. It is a rational an ...

poetry Poetry (from the Greek language, Greek word ''poiesis'', "making") is a form of literature, literary art that uses aesthetics, aesthetic and often rhythmic qualities of language to evoke meaning (linguistics), meanings in addition to, or in ...

traditional music Folk music is a music genre that includes traditional folk music and the contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be called world music. Traditional folk music has b ...

, and

Buddhism Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...

. In 1950, Ip had completed his studies and he chose teaching as a profession. In addition to teaching Chinese history, music and science, Ip also helped the Chinese Foshan Entertainment Department organise

opera Opera is a form of History of theatre#European theatre, Western theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by Singing, singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically ...

plays. During that time, he was awarded "The Person with the Most Potential in Chinese Art" award for his research in music.

Professional career

In Hong Kong, Ip worked as an accountant and newspaper reporter in the day and practiced Wing Chun in the evening under his father's tutelage. In accordance with his father's wishes, in 1965, Ip participated in the affairs of the Ving Tsun Athletic Association and became one of its founding members when it was formally established in 1968. During the first three years in the association, Ip took on the role of treasurer and was later appointed as chairman.

Teaching accomplishments

In 1967, Ip began teaching Wing Chun in Hong Kong and some of his first students, such as Leung Chung-wai and Ho Kay, chairman of Wing Chun Ip Chun Academy and a student of Ip for three decades, still train with him at present. Ip's father died in December 1972 and entrusted the film footage of his

Siu Nim Tao Wing Chun (Cantonese) or Yong Chun (Mandarin) (, lit. "singing spring") is a concept-based martial art, a form of Southern Chinese kung fu, and a close-quarters system of self-defense. It is a martial arts style characterized by its focus on ...

, Chum Kiu and

Muk Yan Jong ''Mu ren zhuang'' () or Mook Yan Jong (also known as ''The Wing-Chun Dummy'' or simply ''The Wooden Dummy'' internationally), is a training tool used in various styles of Chinese martial arts, most notably that of Wing Chun and other kung fu sty ...

forms to his sons for posterity. In 2014 Ip Chun was selected as a nominee to represent Wing Chun as the inheritor of the legacy of Wing Chun-style kung fu. Ip Chun has taught and held seminars in many cities, including countries such as Australia, England and the United States. Ip Chun with Felix Leong

In film

Ip Chun had a small role in the 1976 film '' Bruce Lee: The Man, The Myth'' as Bruce Lee's ''Wing Chun Sifu'' (Ip Man). Ip made a special appearance as Ip Man in the 1999 film '' What You Gonna Do, Sai Fung?'' ( ''1959 某日某''). Ip served as a consultant for ''

'', a 2008 Hong Kong film about the life of his father. He also made another special appearance as

Leung Bik Leung Bik (born Leung Bik-wo with the courtesy name Tai-wah; 1843 – 1911), also known as Mr. Bik (), was a Wing Chun martial artist. He was one of Ip Man's teachers. History He was born in Foshan in 1843 as the second of the nine sons of ...

(son of

Leung Jan Leung Jan (born Leung Tak-wing; 1826–1901) was a Chinese martial artist and Wing Chun practitioner from Heshan, Guangdong. He was known in Foshan as ''Mr. Jan of Foshan'' and ''King of Wing Chun Kuen''. Leung Jan is one of the earliest well- ...

) in another film, '' The Legend Is Born: Ip Man''. In 2013, he made a cameo appearance in another Ip Man film, '' Ip Man: The Final Fight''.

Later life

He turned 100 on July 10, 2024.

Awards and achievements

*Ip Chun received a Fellowship (FSMA) from the Society of Martial Arts (U.K.), the only professional and Educational Charity to introduce the first degree program in martial arts in the world, from its Founder and President Prof. Eugene de Silva PhD, FRSA in 2000. *Received "The Person with the Most Potential in Chinese Art" award for his research in music. *Winner of the China Movie Channel Media Awards for Best Male Supporting Role at

Shanghai International Film Festival The Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF, , French: ''Festival international du film de Shanghai'') is the largest film festival in Asia and China's longest-running international cinema event. The first festival was established in Octobe ...

2010. *Nominated at the ''China Movie Channel Media Awards'' for Best New Actor at ''Shanghai International Film Festival 2010.''

Notes

Bibliography

* Ip Chun,

Leung Ting Leung Ting ( zh, c=梁挺; born 28 February 1947) is a Hong Kong martial artist, publisher, choreographer, screenwriter, director, and former actor. He is also the founder of International WingTsun Association. He was a student of Leung Sheung ...

, (1981
116 Wing Tsun Dummy Techniques
Hong Kong: Leung Publications. (PDF)

References

External links

www.ipchun.net
– Wing Chun Ip Chun Academy website. * {{DEFAULTSORT:Ip, Chun 1924 births Living people People from Foshan People from Nanhai District Martial artists from Guangdong Wing Chun practitioners from Hong Kong Cantonese people Chinese men centenarians Chinese emigrants to British Hong Kong Chinese Wing Chun practitioners