※詠春黐手 Wing Chun Chi Sau

Here is Chinese version.

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After you have learned Siu Lim Tau 小念頭, the first movements of Wing Chun, it's time to start practicing Chi Sau 黐手. Chi 黐 means stick, Sau 手 means hand, and Chi Sau 黐手 means "sticky hand" in Chinese. Sticky hand is a special technique for soft style of Chinese Martial Arts. In order to unload powerful opponent's attack, we need to stick, not resist, to its hands, which requires relaxation and feeling.

What we called "sticking to a hand when there is a hand and seeking for a hand when there is no hand in front of you"(有手黐手無手問手). Chi Sau 黐手 is the heart of Wing Chun, after one get used to the first movement Siu Lim Tau 小念頭, one should start practicing Chi Sau. One can get to know how it feels when our hands touch opponents' only if one practice Chi Sau. The priority of Chi Sao is to train one's reactions, feelings, and get used to the feeling of contact one's opponent's hands.

Usually we start with one hand and it's called "Chi Sau with single hand". We have to stay on the adduction stand, which is the horse stand of Wing Chun, when we practice "Chi Sau with single hand". Start with "Fook Sau"伏手, "Tan Sau"攤手, "Bong Sau"膀手, and "Jum Sau"枕手 at the beginning.



(01) When Ji-Guan-Tou uses Fook Sao to hook Maio-Wen's Tan Sau,

(02) Ji-Guan-Tou will use Jum Sau to press down her hand. While Maio-Wen keeps her elbow still, she can shift from Tan Sau to Bong Sau from the inside. Pay attention to Ji-Guan-Tou's elbow, it keeps still as well.

(03) Then Ji-Guan-Tou shifts from Jum Sau to Chung Kuen 衝拳 (thrusting punch).

(04) Maio-Wen keeps her elbow still and shifts from Bong Sau to Tan Sau.


From Maio-Wen point of view, when her elbows stay still, all she needs to do is shifting from Tan Sao to Bong Sao, then shifting it back from Bong Sao to Tan Sao. When Maio-Wen's right hand is Tan Sao, Ji-Guan-Tou has to use Fook Sao to control her hand.

Practice with a real person is the best way to practice Wing Chun Chi Sau. Some said Wing Chun is meant for the rich based on everytime only one person can practice with Sifu. There is only one Sifu, and there is never has enough time for everyone. As regarding to the nickname of "Female Martial Arts", no matter the gender of Wing Chun founder, compares to other Chinese Martial Arts, Wing Chun has it unique way due to its small movements and effort-saving gestures. What's wrong with "Female Martial Arts" anyway? Asian men are so affraid to be called sissy. Whenit comes to useful and powerful, who cares if it's male or female? Was Bruce Lee famouse by this "Female Martial Arts"?