Victor Kan
began learning
Ving Tsun Kung Fu with the late Grandmaster Yip Man in
1954, when he was 13 years old in Hong Kong. He devoted 3-4
hours a day, 7 days a week, learning and practising Ving
Tsun under Yip Man's instruction for 7 years; whilst his
other kung fu brothers spent most of their time challenging
other styles of kung fu or fighting in the streets to have
their fun. It was Victor Kan's only interest and hobby at
that time as a teenager. With his excellent physical and
mind condition, and his parents support, a few years later
he became Yip Man's top student. His fellow student's
nicknamed him 'King of Chi Sao' or 'The Untouchable'. In
the late 1950's he became Yip Man's assistant chief
instructor until he left Hong Kong for Europe in 1961.
He is based in London, England where he has been teaching
since 1975. He is now the only student of Yip Man teaching
in Europe and has branches in Italy, Belgium, Luxemburg and
Hong Kong. He keeps the highest standards of authenticity
and insists on teaching Ving Tsun in the classical way just
as Yip Man taught him. The purity is 99%, no more and no
less. So it can be passed on as authentically as possible
to the next generation.
The classical way is the best and the only way to learn
Ving Tsun properly. The effectiveness is superior compared
to the modified and the other imitations of Ving Tsun.
Simply because in the old days the practitioners relied
completely on their kung fu skills to protect their own
lives.
The effectiveness of Classical Ving Tsun kung fu is such
that one can even invent a new style of kung fu based on
Classical Ving Tsun - just like the late BRUCE LEE.
Side Notes
At a London seminar that
was held by Ip Ching and Ip Chun, the sons of the late G.M.
Ip Man, Ip Ching stated publicly to the audience that his
father thought G.M. Victor Kan (Kan Wah Chit) was his best
student and should be the one with whom they should
continue studying after he passed away. On hearing this,
G.M. Kan was visibly moved.
The Late G.M. Wong Sheun Leung (Bruce Lee's primary
teacher) also said about G.M. Kan in a 1978 issue of
'Secrets of Kung Fu' Magazine. "When I write this article,
I do not expect any money as an author, nor have I received
any gift from Mr. Victor Kan. Only I do not want to see a
man of true talent left unkown by the people. Any man of
true worth should be presented to society so that people
who are learning the Ving Tsun style will not kneel to the
wrong teacher. It should be good news to those students who
wish to learn the Ving Tsun style."
William Cheung once told his brother in Hong Kong from
Austrailia at the end of the 1950's: "If you want to be
really good in chi-sao, the only person you can go to
practice with is Victor Kan". * YIP Man was semi-retired at
that time. Victor Kan was his assistant.
Victor Kan can be contacted at his website or via
email.