KUEN KUITS OR TIPS
What are kuen kuits? The term Kuen Kuits comes from Cantonese and roughly translates as songs of battle, songs of the style or songs of the fist. Kuen Kuits are said to have existed since the times of the Shaolin have found use for the attributes or characteristics of a martial arts style and are not limited to Wing Chun alone. Accordingly, Kuen Kuits of Wing Chun and Kuen Kuits of other styles such as Tai Chi are similar.
The translation or interpretation of the term Kuen Kuit as songs is probably a bit narrow and refers to those Kuen Kuits that are said to have been handed down in rhyming form .
If you generalize this term, Kuen Kuits is also often referred to today as
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words of wisdom,
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short mnemonics,
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guiding principles
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slogans
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mnemonic,
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or in general: hints or tips,
Things to Follow or Think About When Doing Wing Chun
Some Wing Chun styles basically refer to Kuen Kuits as mottos and then speak of the mottos of the Siu Nim Tao , for example. Examples of this are known in Germany in WT organizations such as:
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Put your feet in the ground, stretch your head up into the sky!
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Keep your hips straight, pull in your stomach!
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Accommodating chest, straight back!
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Head up, chin back, horizontal gaze!
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Drop shoulders, elbows down!
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Two objects cannot occupy the same space!
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etc.
Funnily enough, as early as 2010 I grazed through all available Wing Chun literature (German and international), all sources, websites, etc. that could be found, in quite a feat of strength, contacted teachers who write or report about it and everything_cc781905-5cde-3194-bb3b- 136bad5cf58d_ finally worn together. The result is a quite huge collection of Kuen Kuts or what someone subsumes under the term "Kuen Kuits".
The collection includes over 800 Kuen Kuits and I have sorted them (as best I could) into about 18 categories, including categories like:
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Kuen Kuits on the Code of Conduct
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Kuen Kuits on tactics and strategy
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Kuen Kuits to the Siu Nim Tao
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Kuen Kuits on double knives
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etc.
have formed.
These more than 800 Kuen Kuits have been finely sorted on the www.wingchuntipps.de website since 2010 and could be viewed by anyone - but probably nobody found them 😂😂😂. Well, now I'm going to put it here on my website and make it available to you again.
Long story short: There are a bunch of guiding principles or Kuen Kuits and even I (despite endless research and discussions with umpteen other Wing Chun teachers) am actually completely unclear which of the traditional Kuen Kuits are really traditional and which are simply together rhymed or made up by some Wing Chun clown.
In my eyes, that's ultimately irrelevant, because basically all the Kuen Kuits that can be found are listed here. Anyway, I see the entirety of the Kuen Kuits more as a smorgasbord of references, in which a piece of Wing Chun martial arts culture is reflected very beautifully and informatively.
I personally call the Kuen Kuits a Wing Chun tip or Wing Chun hint for me personally and have numbered and categorized these tips accordingly and explain the content of each of the more than 800 Kuen Kuits below.
Have fun with the know-how transfer from me to you! Be glad you don't have to do this work anymore.
Cord Elsner
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THE PHILOSOPHICAL PILLARS OF THE WING CHUN SYSTEM
As the saying goes: "Wing Chun is well suited to PUT another person IN THE FACE ."
Sure, that's right - but the statement is a bit simple or let's just say: stupid!
Wing Chun is more than "knocking" and is based on three philosophical pillars: Daoism, Confucianism and Buddhism. Read more about it here.
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DAOISM (TAOISM) IN WING CHUN
Daoism is both religion and philosophy. Yin and Yang, I Ching, the doctrine of Chi (Qi, Ki) but also the tradition of body and mind cultivation, breath control, Qigong, etc. are some of the diverse themes that are addressed here. Read here about one of the three pillars of Wing Chun and the immense relevance of Daoism to this magnificent martial art.
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CONFUCIANISM IN WING CHUN
Confucianism is a term for philosophy and political ideas that follow the tradition of Confucius and his disciples. Confucianism has shaped Chinese culture and society for many centuries and plays a role in the hierarchy (keyword: Sifu) in Wing Chun. Read here about one of the three great teachings of China or Asia.
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BUDDHISM IN WING CHUN
Buddhism is the third of China's "three great teachings" alongside Daoism and Confucianism. Anyone who deals with Shaoling Kung Fu, the Shaolin Monastery and the further development of Wing Chun should deal with Buddhism and its relevance for Wing Chun. Read on to get another piece of the puzzle of a holistic approach.
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HIERARCHY IN WING CHUN
The concept of hierarchy in Wing Chun is based on basic Confucian considerations. Designations such as Sifu (the father's teacher), Sihing, Sigung, Todai, etc. are family designations that result in hierarchical relationships analogous to a family structure. Read about the background here for a deeper understanding.
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THE WING CHUN FAMILY TREE
Who is your teacher? Where did you train? Which line are you following? All questions that revolve around the family tree, which traditionally plays a major role in Wing Chun. Everyone wants to be as close to Yip Man | To have been in Ip Man's turn or to have been a student of an important teacher. Read here about the role of pedigree in Wing Chun and the value of such considerations.
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CHILD TRAINING - WHEN SHOULD CHILDREN TRAIN WING CHUN?
Does WING CHUN actually make sense for children or which aspects of martial arts or martial arts training help children in their development and what aspects of martial arts are actually not beneficial for children but rather counterproductive? I'm a father myself and absolutely enthusiastic about martial arts. But would I then let my children train WING CHUN or rather something else? You can find out more here.
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THE THREE LEVELS IN WING CHUN
WING CHUN Kung Fu as well as many of the Asian martial arts and martial arts such as judo, karate, etc. teach the practitioner to defend themselves and thus become capable of self-defense. This is associated with both physical and mental development and maturation. When practiced correctly, WING CHUN teaches a lot more. This is reflected in the three levels of the WING CHUN system.
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IS THERE AN AGE LIMIT IN WING CHUN?
I am 100 years old. Am I too old for WING CHUN now? Interesting question. Many people want to practice martial arts / martial arts but worry that there is an age limit here. Well - age is a number, right? You set the limit yourself. Through inner attitude, will, physical strength and of course physical condition. Musculature can be strengthened and still considerable things can be developed or regained. Read more here.
