Posts in category: Wing Chun Notes

Let’s look in more detail at the first six stars.

1^st Star Yìh Jih Kìhm Yèuhng Máh 二字鉗羊馬 – Basic Wing Chun Stance

Everyone who studies Wing Chun must start by learning Yìh Jih Kìhm Yèuhng Máh. It literally means Character Two Goat Gripping Stance. The Chinese character for two is two lines which are our feet. Goat gripping is based on the story of our founder Ng Mui Sitai 五枚師太, seeing a shepherd trying to pull a goat along by a rope which was tied around the goats neck. The goat braced itself using its front legs which gripped together and so the shepherd could not move it. After seeing this Ng Mui Sitai decided to use it in her new style. It is true, when we ben the knees and turn the toes is it creates strength and this is what we want from the stance. However, we do not want the stance to be too rigid, and so it is a high stance with the feet shoulder width apart, which makes it strong enough and also mobile. This means we are strong enough when we strike and can move easily. It is like a missile on a truck. This missile can strike anywhere, but the enemy cannot strike the missile base. If we stand in Yìh Jih Kìhm Yèuhng Máh for a long time, it will allow us to develop very strong Gūng Lihk 功力 – Internal Strength.