Chu Shong Tin Tribute
Chu Shong Tin (徐尚田) was the third student of martial arts teacher Ip Man in the discipline of Wing Chun, and remained at Ip Man’s school to become his senior instructor.
As a child in mainland China, Chu Shong Tin learned Tai Chi from his father for a few months but did not become seriously interested in martial arts until the age of 17, when he met Ip Man. At the time he was working as secretary of the Hong Kong and Kowloon Restaurant Workers Union and Ip Man was teaching members of the union.
The two men spent a day together during which he developed an admiration for his new friend and his deep understanding and commitment to Wing Chun. Ip Man convinced him that Wing Chun would help him to overcome his bad health and build up his fitness.
Chu Shong Tin became fascinated with the physics and dynamics of the structure of Wing Chun and was a fast learner. He later went on to become famous as the ‘King of Siu Nim Tao’, the all-important foundation of the entire Wing Chun system.
Chu Shong Tin had been observing Ip Man’s classes for a few months before becoming his student on January 1, 1951. His training partners were Leung Sheung and Lok Yiu, who both went on to become famous Wing Chun masters in Hong Kong. In the late 1950s, he began to teach privately, setting up his own school in Kowloon in 1964.
His teachings of the hidden power of Siu Nim Tao, referred to as Nim Lik, continues to influence the art on a global scale across Wing Chun practitioners of many different lineages
Chu Shong Tin has travelled the world doing seminars mainly in Australia but in 1994 travelled to the UK and participated with Ip Ching in a Seminar organised by Master Samuel Kwok.
Master Kwok and Chu Shong Tin were very close friends and both Master Kwok and his students visited him on several visits to Hong Kong and China over the years.
However, sadly Chu Shong Tin passed away on the 28th July 2014 and was aged 81.
He will be missed in the Wing Chun world but his teachings will live on through his students across the world.
Master Samuel Kwok and the SKWCMAA extend their condolences to the Family of Master Chu Shong Tin and express much sadness at his passing.
