Grandmaster Stephen T.K. Chan has always believed in the practical side to marital art training. This means that while the essence of Wing Chun Kung Fu is retained, fighting techniques have been adapted to true realities with systems to combat multiple opponents or armed attackers. Concentration during training is on free sparing with both Wing Chun Clan opponents and practitioners from other martial art schools.
This forces the Wing Chun practitioner to adapt quickly to unknown forces using exact movement and incorporating short range kicking techniques.
Being a neotraditionalist has meant that Grandmaster Stephen T.K. Chan has had to lead by example on numerous occasions throughout his career. In the early 1980s, he deduced that the long standing myths of Chinese Kung Fu had to be brought to the
Throughout The Nucleus of the Wing Chun System, the intention was to clear the Wing Chun practitioner's mind of the doubts and misunderstandings that clouded over the underlining principles of the Wing Chun School. Being the first book in the history of Wing Chun Kung Fu to feature all three forms in complete sequence, Grandmaster Stephen T.K. Chan received wide acclaim for being the first Master-Practitioner to reveal Wing Chun's third form, Bil Sze to the public.
Traditionally Master-Practitioner reserved Bil Sze for their Closed-Door-Students, hence the saying, 'Bil Sze But Cuet Moon' (Bil Sze does not go out the door). Grandmaster Stephen T.K. Chan had decided to reveal the Bil Sze form to show that there were no mysteries within the Wing Chun School. Continuing his dedication in preserving the Wing Chun School, Grandmaster Stephen T.K. Chan recently released a ten volume video series covering the complete Wing Chun School syllabus from basic to the advanced weaponry techniques.
For me it has been a privilege to know and study with Grandmaster Stephen T.K. Chan. After my initial meeting with him, I was overwhelmed with enthusiasm, a feeling I seldom have aroused upon such a short meeting with anybody. My meeting this time however was different. For the first time I was introduced to the mind of a true martial artist. Since being accepted as a personal student of Grandmaster Stephen T.K. Chan, my training under his auspices has had far greater meaning that at any other time within my martial art training.
Previous to our meeting I had found a constant mystique surrounding the Wing Chun School, all of which brought confusion and poor fighting application. Under a Grandmaster's instruction however, all clouded thoughts were removed and the essence of the Wing Chun School was revealed. Under the guidance of Grandmaster Stephen T.K. Chan my life has undergone many changes. The most important change has been that of developing understanding and tolerance. I have discovered the secretive inner strength, an aspect of life taught for centuries as a mysterious and occult energy only available to highly evolved beings.
Today, I know that this inner strength is the simple application of the true self and recognition that there is no greater power in life than the human spirit. The only force needed to enlighten oneself to this reality is the teaching of a sincere Master. In my personal case this force has come from Grandmaster Stephen T.K. Chan.
