Grandmaster Tse’s Wing Chun Note 429

Studying with Sīfú 師父 – Part 16

The video of Ip Man 葉問 was filmed because of Bruce Lee, I think it was around 1971 to 1972. Bruce Lee was already very famous in Hong Kong and around the world. Bruce Lee invited his Sīfú 師父 for Yám Chàh 飲茶 – Drink Tea. For Cantonese people Yum Cha means to go for Dim Sum either at breakfast or for a lunch snack. It is a very common thing, and a lot of overseas Chinese people go for Yám Chàh in China Towns all over the world, to drink tea and eat Dim Sum. After Ip Man and Bruce Lee had finished eating, they went for a walk along Nathan Road, which is the busiest road in Hong Kong. Many people saw them walking together and this proved their relationship was good. During the walk, Bruce asked his Sīfú, Ip Man, if he could film his Wooden Dummy form and in return, he would buy him a new apartment in Hong Kong. This would cost a lot of money and would be too much or an ordinary person from Hong Kong, I imagine this is true for any major city anywhere in the world. Ip Man said, “No,” and then explained his reason, he said, “If I make a video for you, how about all my other students? A lot of them are very senior and have been with me for a very long time.” This conversation triggered Ip Man to make film the whole set of Wing Chun forms.