Shaun Rawcliffe - Simply Wing Chun Kung Fu

First published in 2003
by The Crowood Press Ltd,
Ramsbury, Marlborough,
Wiltshire, SN8 2HR

www.crowood.com

This e-book edition first published in 2012

Shaun Rawcliffe 2003

All rights reserved. This e-book is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any way except as specifically permitted in writing by the publishers, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorised distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the authors and publishers rights, and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly.

ISBN 978 1 84797 436 5

Note
Throughout this book he, him, his, etc, have been used as neutral pronouns and as such refer to both males and females.

As the editor of three of the worlds leading martial arts publications, I come into contact with thousands of martial arts practitioners on a daily basis. I regularly feature, communicate with, and profile, many of the worlds greatest names in our industry, which makes me one of the luckiest people alive today! In my thirty something years of being involved in martial arts, I can quite honestly say that I have come to know only a few people whom I respect on a personal level. Shaun Rawcliffe, the author of this book, is one of those people. Having almost pushed Shaun into the situation of having to write a book, I feel somewhat responsible for the outcome, although the knowledge that Shaun has amassed over the years will, as I am sure you will discover, make it well worth the read. Shaun is one of Wing Chuns pioneers, and the product of thousands of hours spent training with Master Ip Chun, the eldest son of Wing Chuns grandmaster Ip Man.

Shauns knowledge is the result of being a student: of training in small darkened halls, of dreaming of perfecting technique but above all it is the outcome of his thirst and passion for a total understanding. In fact, I believe this book should be called Total Wing Chun Kung Fu, rather than Simply Wing Chun Kung Fu, because this is how I refer to Shaun when attempting to describe him. I know that you will enjoy his book, and will probably want to train with him, so I urge anyone with a genuine interest in genuine Wing Chun to both read the book and make the call you wont be disappointed.

There are many martial arts practitioners today who purport to have the answers, but what sets Shaun apart is the fact that he still has questions. Moreover, his tenacity and eternal search for perfection are another two qualities which, when combined with humility and deep understanding, make him a modern-day master.

I hope that you come to regard this book as I do Shauns friendship: a valuable commodity in todays society.

Paul Clifton
Editor of Combat, Traditional Karate,
Taekwondo and Korean Martial Arts

I first met Shaun back in June 1985 in Leeds, where I held my very first seminar in the UK. At the time I was aware that he was already teaching Wing Chun in Birmingham, but when I practised Chi Sau with him, I found that his arms were quite tensed and that he used a lot of physical strength. In 1986 he invited me to his home to practise Chi Sau, but I found that his Wing Chun was still making little progress. He was keen to find out why no progress was being made, and asked: What should I do to improve? My reply to him was: First, you must relax. Only use energy when you need to, and dont use energy when you dont need to.

Two to three years later, when he first came to Hong Kong to study with me, I found that he had managed to appreciate the meaning and importance of relaxation, both in his teaching and practice. As a result his Wing Chun had improved dramatically, to a point where he seemed to be a totally different person to the one I had met in 1985.

I have conducted nearly 200 seminars over the last eighteen years, all over the UK. During each seminar, based on my many years of learning and teaching Wing Chun, I have always stressed the importance of relaxation in Wing Chun and the correct use of energy. And every time I want to emphasize this point and its benefits, I will invariably use Shaun as a fine example.

Today Shaun has fully understood the importance of relaxation, added to the fact that he has over twenty-one years of teaching experience, I believe that he has gained an even deeper insight into, and understanding of, Wing Chun. In his book, he publicly shares his wealth of knowledge and insight, and I truly believe it will be of benefit to all Wing Chun practitioners. Thus it is well worth my wholehearted recommendation.

Ip Chun
Spring 2003, Hong Kong.