Master Tse’s Wing Chun Notes #94

Application of Chaan Sau鏟手

Chaan Sau is also known as Muht Sau 沫手.” Muht沫” means “Wipe “so “Muht Sau” is “Wiping hand”. A long time ago my Sifu, Grandmaster Ip Chun葉準師父, told me a story about a famous Wing Chun Sifu who gave a seminar in the West. A student asked him about the application of Chaan Sau. He said it was used when someone grabs your wrist and you use the Chaan Sau to chop their hand which has grabbed you. He demonstrated this, but if your opponent is strong, then their wrist is quite solid. When he demonstrated he could not chop the students hand away and it was quite an embarrassing situation.

Sifu told me that it is not for chopping someone’s hand if they have already grabbed hold of you. It is used just before they grab hold and this is why we pull the other hand back. If they have grabbed hold of you, then you cannot use Chaan Sau and you need to use a different technique instead.

Michael Tse