A long life dedicated to the propagation of his cherished art is celebrated by offering fans and family members of Grandmaster Sunny Tang’s Wing Chun system a DVD commemorating his 45 years of involvement in the art. From his origins in Hong Kong as a disciple of the late Grandmaster Moy Yat to his emigration to England en route to Canada where he eventually settled in 1973, subsequently establishing his first Sunny Tang Martial Arts Centre growing into a successful chain of schools across the North American continent.
The audience is treated to a narrated storyboard of photos including a photo of him and his Sifu Moy Yat posing with the late patriarch Ip Man. The introduction of this DVD production is initially narrated in Mandarin and may find the viewer searching to find the subtitles option in the menu, but will have the same opening, and subsequent, dialogue narration with an English translation following shortly thereafter.
Within the opening segment, the audience will be treated to a vibrant, younger Sunny Tang demonstrating the Mok Yan Jong form for an attentive arena before moving on to the classroom. The instructional segments that follow are an opportunity for those who have always hoped for the chance to train with him in person to have the resource of a virtual classroom with the click of a button. Grandmaster Tang personally demonstrates and explains the drills presented in both Mandarin and English of key training methods that make up his training system. The respective names of each hand played, their concepts, and expanded Wing Chun theories evolve from partner drilling to their applications.
Grandmaster Tang gets to the roots of his system to build strong foundations with his personal demonstration of Siu Lim Tao, Chum Kiu, Biu Jee and Mok Yan Jong forms. Designed to leave a lasting video record of how each form should be played in pace, structure, and action. Of particular interest throughout this offering is the recital of some of the system’s parables found in the Wing Chun Kuen Kuit, which were carved by Moy Yat under the commission and guiding hand of Ip Man to preserve the essential sayings, literally, in stone.
Upon the completion of the system’s forms, the viewer revisits the individual sections of the Mok Yan Jong form with additional Kuen Kuit idioms in their original Chinese text with English translations, as they are relevant to support each section of Wing Chun’s signature training tool. A nice complement of the system’s legacy from patriarch to present.
Appropriately, this volume finishes with a video flow of finishing moves designed to connect all angles covered in concept and content. “When the opportunity is there, your hands find it, not your brain,” reads one of the posted excerpts. Providing to the committed practitioner a product that one can get their hands, including substance, heritage, and straight lines to draw back to one’s roots of practice and origin with.
SUNNY TANG 45TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION REVIEW
Buy Now From Everything Wing Chun Instant Access
Buy the DVD Now From Everything Wing Chun
Language: English
Running Time: Approx. 46 min.
Format: NTSC Region: 0
Availability: DVD & EWC Instant Access Download
Reviewed By: Dwight Hennings
