These are all different western spellings of the same martial art system descending from the southern shaolin temple. For example in IWKA and Weng Chun other forms outside of Siu Nim Tao, Chum Kiu and Biu Tze are being taught due to historical resons. For details read the history page.

Eternal or beautiful Springtime?

In the whole of China the art was always known under the name "eternal spring", which was the name of the whole southern shaolin temple. The name "beautiful spring" is used in only two lineages of Wing Tjun. The Yip Man lineage and Yuen Kay San lineage. Grand Master Sergio Iadarola heard and researched a lot of theories about the origin of the name beautiful spring during one of his last Hong Kong trips in November 2004 he interviewed his Sifu of the Fung Siu Ching lineage about this subject receiving this answer. According to him there was a poem hanging on the wall of Grand Master Chan Wah Suns house talking about his deceased wife refering to her as "beautiful spring". While the pronuncation is identical in southern Chinese dialect (Cantonese) for beautiful spring and eternal spring and is spoken out as "WING CHUN". The young Yip Man naturally assumed that the poem was refering to the art of Wing Tjun Kuen fist fighting.

Grand Master Yip Man choose the spelling "Ving Tsun" from the late sixties on as his western spelling. Grand Master Wai Yan and the other Grand Masters in Dai Dak Lan used the name "Wing Tsun" as their western spelling. At a certain period of time Grand Master Yip Man even registered an association in Hong Kong under the name "eternal spring" the Ving Liung association. The president of this association was Leung Sheung. After a big incident in the 60`s Grand Master Yip Man had a meeting with the Grand Master of  Dai Dak Lan and it was decided that from there on there was to be a separation. Grand Master Yip Man went back under the name beautiful spring with the western spelling Ving Tsun and opening up the Ving Tsun Athletic Association. The Grand Masters of Dai Dak Lan went on under the name eternal spring with the western spelling "Wing Tsun".

Nowadays the name Wing Tsun is the trademark of Grand Master Leung Tings system and Weng Chun is the preferred western spelling of the name eternal spring.

Grand Master Sergio Iadarola thinks and feels that the time is right to put it all again under one name the original name eternal spring and uses in the IWKA western spelling Wing Tjun. Because for sure the pronunciation of Weng Chun is wrong according to Chinese language.

Its time for the confusion to end. IT'S ONE AND THE SAME SYSTEM.

Out of respect for the late Grand Master Yip Man also his personal interpretation of Wing Tjun Kuen from his last period of teaching is taught within the IWKA under the name YIP MAN WING TJUN.

Excert from book complete
wing chun Tuttle Martial Arts

By Robert Chu, René Ritchie and Y. Wu

The character for wing meaning "always, perpetual, everlasting".

The character for wing meaning "to recite, to sing, to chant".

As you can see on the picture the western translation of the Chinese character eternal is mostly written as wing.