Hong Kong News

Nonpartisan, Noncommercial, unconstrained.
Friday, Mar 24, 2023

Members-only wing chun centre in Hong Kong opens its doors with virtual reality

Members-only wing chun centre in Hong Kong opens its doors with virtual reality

Hong Kong Shue Yan University will host a virtual exhibit that allows visitors to experience how late grandmaster Ip Man sparred with practice dummies.

Hong Kong’s wing chun masters are using virtual reality (VR) technology to showcase their half-century-old legendary headquarters for the first time, in a bid to modernise the age-old martial art and stay connected with overseas devotees.

The VR headsets, provided as part of an exhibition curated by Hong Kong Shue Yan University, put visitors in the middle of the members-only historical headquarters commissioned by the late grandmaster Ip Man to experience how he and his top followers use their fighting skills to strike a muk yan jong, a wooden practice dummy.

“It’s an exhilarating experience. There are sounds coming from the wooden dummy with every flick of the console. I’d say it’s a very realistic experience for what it was,” said Lee Yuk-cheong, chairman of the Ving Tsun Athletic Association.

The virtual tour of the 55-year-old site in Prince Edward, regarded by some as the locus of wing chun in Hong Kong, is a centrepiece of the exhibition titled “Shuttle through 50 years”, which opens from Wednesday until November 19 at the Shue Yan University Research Complex at Braemar Hill.

Wing chun, a traditional martial arts practice from southern China, came to Hong Kong with Ip in the 1950s as the maestro fled the country’s civil war. As Ip and his sons spread their craft in the city, his followers were tasked with establishing a formal organisation and procuring permanent premises.

The site located on Nullah Road opened in 1968, providing a place for practitioners to host classes and providing a space for members of the association to gather.


Ip Kong-chiu, a grandson of martial arts grandmaster Ip Man, shows techniques from wing chun.

Both the association and the university said they hoped the virtual exhibit would also help to promote the martial art, with the event to feature archival records such as newspaper clippings of followers’ performances and the minutes of a committee meeting which was halted due to the Ip’s death.

Visitors will also be able to catch a glimpse of how devoted practitioners and students from all walks of life have kept the art alive over the past decades, the organisers said.

“Ip Man was a visionary. He began thinking about how to promote Chinese martial arts fifty years ago … I think these records showed how they were willing to try new things [to keep the art going],” said Kaman Lee Ka-man, head of the university’s department of journalism and communications.

The association also previously organised online tournaments to stay connected with the wing chun community worldwide during the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as using an artificial intelligence program to attract youngsters’ interest in martial arts.

Lee said the competitions had attracted around 120 participants from more than 11 countries, including Singapore, the United Kingdom and Japan to contest in Taolu – or forms.

“At the beginning, we weren’t very optimistic about these [online activities]. I thought martial arts had to be conducted in person, but after trying it out, I think it has been very helpful for promotion as times have really changed,” said Ip Kong-chiu, a grandson of the organisation’s founder and himself a grandmaster.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Hong Kong News
Close
0:00
0:00
Donald Trump arrested – Twitter goes wild with doctored pictures
NYPD is setting up barricades outside Manhattan Criminal Court ahead of Trump arrest.
Credit Suisse's Scandalous History Resulted in an Obvious Collapse - It's time for regulators who fail to do their job to be held accountable and serve as an example by being behind bars.
Goldman Sachs cuts outlook for European bank debt over Credit Suisse crisis
Paris Rioting vs Macron anti democratic law
'Sexual Fantasy' Assignment At US School Outrages Parents
The US government has charged Chinese businessman Guo Wengui with leading a $1 billion fraud scheme that cheated thousands of followers out of their money.
Credit Suisse to borrow $54 billion from Swiss central bank
The BBC problem about China
Russian Hackers Preparing New Cyber Assault Against Ukraine
"Will Fly Wherever International Law Allows": US Warns Russia After Drone Incident
If this was in Tehran, Moscow or Hong Kong
Announcing GPT-4
TRUMP: "Standing before you today, I am the only candidate who can make this promise: I will prevent World War III."
China is calling out the US, UK, and Australia on their submarine pact, claiming they are going further down a dangerous road
A brief banking situation report
We are witnessing widespread bank fails and the president just gave a 5 min speech then walked off camera.
Donald Trump's asked by Tucker Carlson question on if the U.S. should support regime change in Russia?.
'No relation to the American SVB': India's SVC Bank acts to calm depositors amid brand name confusion.
Good news: The U.S. government is now guaranteeing all deposits, held by, Silicon Valley Bank, and the funds are available as of today
Silicon Valley Bank exec was Lehman Brothers CFO
In a potential last-ditch effort, HSBC is considering a rescue deal to save Silicon Valley Bank UK from insolvency
Saudi Arabia has announced a major breakthrough in diplomacy with Iran after two years of intense talks
Elon Musk Is Planning To Build A Town In Texas For His Employees
The Silicon Valley Bank’s collapse effect is spreading around the world, affecting startup companies across the globe
City officials in Berlin announced on Thursday that all swimmers at public pools will soon be allowed to swim topless
Fitness scam
Market Chaos as USDC Loses Peg to USD after $3.3 Billion Reserves Held by Silicon Valley Bank Closed.
A primitive judge in Australia sparked outrage when he told a breastfeeding woman to leave his courtroom for being “a distraction"
Barcelona is feeling the heat as they face corruption charges over payments to former vice-president of Spain's referees' committee, Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira
Banking regulators close SVB, the largest bank failure since the financial crisis
Silicon Valley Bank: Struggles Threaten Tech Startup Ecosystem"
The unelected UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, an immigrant himself, defends new controversial crackdown on illegal migration
Old clip of Bill Gates saying Ukraine is a big, fat, corrupt sinkhole is going viral
Man’s penis amputated by mistake after he’s wrongly diagnosed with a tumour
2 universities in Hong Kong embrace use of ChatGPT, other AI tools
In a major snub to Downing Street's Silicon Valley dreams, UK chip giant Arm has dealt a serious blow to the government's economic strategy by opting for a US listing
Missing Chinese banker was working to set up Singapore family office
Hong Kong ditches Covid mask mandate after 945 days
Xi Jinping and His Wife Meet with Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni and Queen Mother Norodom Monineath Sihanouk
How do stolen goods end up on Amazon, eBay and Facebook Marketplace?
It's the question on everyone's lips: could a four-day workweek be the future of employment?
Is Gold the Ultimate Safe Haven Asset in Times of Uncertainty?
Spain officials quit over trains that were too wide for tunnels...
Hello. Here is our news digest from London.
Corruption and Influence Buying Uncovered in International Mainstream Media: Investigation Reveals Growing Disinformation Mercenaries
When it comes to Tesla vs Lamborghini, an empty vessel makes more noise
European MP Clare Daly condemns US attack on Nord Stream
Former U.S. President Carter will spend his remaining time at home and receive hospice care instead of medication
North Korea test-fires an intercontinental ballistic missile into the Sea of Japan west of Hokkaido
×