The creation of this website had many challenges to conquer before being finally realised. Besides all technical aspects which had to be dealt with, there was also the long search for the right style for the website, the actual content of the website has been a topic of discussion for a long time. Moreover, initially we had always thought that we never would want to create a website like this one now is.
The many requests from students and enthusiasts from all over the world to publicly make the Wang Kiu system known to the world have resulted in the launching of this website in 2014, after 8 years.
During all these years that SWK exists, we have taught the very effective Wing Chun system to hundreds of people in the Netherlands with our full dedication and enthusiasm. Only positive responses and training sessions have motivated us to keep striving for high quality and insightful training sessions.
We never felt the urge however, to share the knowledge with other schools besides out own, moreover as this usually results in many discussions within the Wing Chun -, or Martial Arts – world. Especially on the internet where anyone can say anything without there being any restraint, nuance or reference to a source. Negative energy is something which we do not want, nor strive to work with, and for this reason the question arose why we would even consider sharing information outside of our own schools.
The years pass however, and we have often wondered what we really wanted to do with all knowledge and information available regarding the Wang Kiu Wing Chun system. GM Wang Kiu himself always desired for knowledge to be shared, there were no secrets. That cornerstone became the motivation for founding SWK which we had been looking for.
Of the five most well know students taught by Ip Man in Hong Kong, GM Wang has been the only private student who did not feel the need to place himself in the limelight. There were many reasons for this; professionally (GM Wang Kiu was a high placed governmental worker who could not be associated with Kung Fu in those times), personally (GM Wang Kiu never felt the urge to place himself in the limelight) as well as financially (GM Wang Kiu held a well paid job and therefore did not have the need to acquire added funds by teaching Wing Chun).
A shame really, moreover as GM Wang Kiu had been the only private student who had been through higher education, who spoke many languages fluently, and who acted as a sponge with regards to the Wing Chun system. Add to that the fact that GM Wang Kiu was one of the few who was held in high regard by GM Ip Man and all other students, and that he is often referred to as the fundament of all Wing Chun knowledge of the Ip Man Kung Fu system.
GM Wang Kiu was a true encyclopaedia when it concerned Chinese Culture and Wing Chun in particular.
Lo and behold, this encyclopaedia has been gathering dust by means of recorded audio and video material, seminars, photos interviews etc.
Moreover, this can now all be studied by anybody in the world as GM Wang Kiu spoke English fluently, and was therefore able to highlight all nuances within Wing Chun. This has been the reason to develop this website in multiple languages.
Summarising, there is enough not to let this knowledge disappear!
A number of reasons helped in making the decision to internationally spread this information through this website:
- GM Wang Kiu would have wanted it to be like this
- The providing of true and honest information about the history of Wing Chun and GM Wang Kiu
- Information from first hand, the closest to the source Ip Man
- Unique audio –, and video – material originating, amongst others, from the archive of GM Wang Kiu himself
- It contains a complete reference guide (eventually) with references to anything which has to do with the Ip Man Wing Chun system
- Multilingual and therefore available to a large audience
- The world is finally introduced to one of the most talented practitioners of the lineage of Ip Man of the Wing Chun system
- This reference guide is evolving still
And ‘last but not least’:
- What do we have to lose?
For whom is this website primarily intended?
- Any Wing Chun and Martial Art enthusiast in the world
- Anybody looking for authentic Wing Chun matter
- Anyone in search of an effective fighting system
Regardless of the amount of information we will share, in which we hold no secrets, it is impossible according to us to learn Wing Chun without actually having been taught in person. We invite therefore anybody to visit one of our training locations and to join a class. It is also possible to book us for seminars or workshops anywhere in the world.
We hope that everybody will enjoy receiving the information offered on this website. Some items will be well known, but often they will be new to many. At times things will amaze, at other times it will be confrontational. Ultimately we hope that everybody will use this website as an important reference source of the Ip Man Wing Chun Kung Fu system.