Master Tse’s Wing Chun Note 291

Wing Chun Family Tree – Part 15

Ip Man 葉問 and his family lived in very bad conditions. They did not even have enough food to eat. To try and support all six members of his family, Ip Man sold or pawned anything of value to try and get money or food. In 1949, his close friend Jāu Chīng Chyùhn 周清泉 gave him money and support. You can see Jāu Chīng Chyùhn character portrayed in Ip Man 1 and 2. He is Ip Man’s gentle friend that Ip Man lends money to in order to set up a cotton mill. However the reality was Jāu Chīng Chyùhn supported Ip Man. Ip Man was already 51 years old and very educated. He could speak English and probably some Japanese, but of course his best skill was Kung Fu. Jāu Chīng Chyùhn had a cotton shop and spent a lot of time away in Shanghai (in the movie, Ip Man 1, he had a cotton mill, but it was actually a shop selling cotton material). Jāu had two sons, the eldest son was Jāu Chaan Yiuh 周燦耀 and the youngest son was Jāu Gwōng Yiuh 周光耀 (he was the young man in Ip Man 1 and 2). So since Ip Man did not have a job, he would always hang out with the two teenage brothers. Jāu Chaan Yiuh  loved Kung Fu and really wanted to study with Ip Man, but he was afraid to ask in case Ip Man refused as he had never taught anyone before.