Grandmaster Tse’s Wing Chun Note 421

Studying with Sīfú 師父 – Part 8

Another time I was doing Chī Sáu 黐手 with Sīfú 師父 at his home. There was not much room and I was forced up against the sofa which was behind me. Suddenly, Sīfú hit me with his shoulder bouncing me onto the sofa! I had never come across hitting with the shoulder before. So many times I was pushed onto the sofa and lost my balance. I was so impressed by him.

Sīfú hands were not strong, but they were very fast, outside they felt gentle, but inside there was power. I could feel the power of this bones! As he was so small we thought we could force on him and make him make a mistake, only to find that we had made the mistake and then he would hit us and we did not even know how he hit us.

Also from time to time Sīfú would invent some new techniques. For example normally in Laap Sáu 擸手 – Grasping Hand we will use it with the hand palm facing down. After I had moved to the UK I did Chī Sáu with Sīfú at my home when he suddenly did a Fáan Laap Sáu 反擸手 – Reverse Laap Sáu with the palm up. This meant he grabbed my hand from underneath and pulled me into him and hit me with the other hand! That was amazing! Today I still find difficult to that technique.

Sīfú also liked to use Gāau Chaā Sáu 交叉手 – Cross Over and Hold on Hand as a position in Chī Sáu. You think that since his hands are crossed you can trap him and that is a mistake. Because his Gung Lihk 功力 is so strong, then his elbows are so strong too you cannot press them or pull them down and instead he would turn to the side to defend or even attack us! This is one of his favourite techniques.