Ip Man movie – a look from a 2nd generation Ip Man student by Robert Chu
Robert Chu, January 15th, 2009
Celebrating the New Year, we took a few minutes out of our Los Angeles Chinatown Wing Chun class to discuss the new Ip Man movie, starring Boston’s own Donnie Yen.
As a second generation student of Ip Man (also romanized as “Yip Man”), my students asked me about the authenticity of the movie and historical facts. Recently released on DVD in Chinese, I watched it and enjoyed it. Donnie plays my Sigung, Ip Man, in Foshan, China during the Japanese occupation in 1938. In my opinion, much of the movie is completely fictionalized, but lots of fun and entertaining.
Donnie Yen actually went to Hong Kong to study with Ip Man’s sons, Ip Chun and Ip Ching. The sequences on the film are actual portions of the three sets of Wing Chun Kuen and the action is largely actual Wing Chun Kuen.
Donnie, a veteran actor and Chinese martial artist, is the son of Boston’s Mark Bow Sim, a noted Tai Ji, Fu family Wu Tang martial arts and Wushu instructor. China model and actress, Lynn Hung plays Ip Man’s wife, Zhang Yong Cheng, whom I’m sure if anyone was married to would give up the practice of Wing Chun. The legendary Sammo Hung was the fight scene director, and did a superb job choreographing.
In general, the movie is well acted and dramatic. The factory fight scene is very good, and I particularly liked the pole sequence and applications that Ip Man played in application against the bandits.
In general, Ip Man’s character is very well portrayed. Ip Man, born to a wealthy class, lived the life of an aristocrat, until the Japanese invasion, and then following the Communist takeover of China, fled the mainland to go to Macao, and later Hong Kong. While in Hong Kong, he became an instructor of the then unknown system of Wing Chun Kuen at the Chinese Restaurant Association in 1949. This is a dramatic difference between the real Ip Man, and the movie Ip Man.
The ending fight scene the Japanese General is a fictional account, and Ip Man was never shot after a challenge match, nor fought 10 Japanese karateka and took them all out without breaking a sweat.
I will praise the movie for portraying and capturing some of the spirit of the traditional Chinese martial arts. Ip Man extols in the prison scene, “Chinese martial arts is based on Confucianism – (you should treat others as you yourself would like to be treated) – that is why there is Wu De – martial virtue. Perfection of technique alone as in martial skill or power will just lead you to bully others.”
In my opinion, this is why today’s martial arts world suffers from infighting and petty rivalry. One is not complete… unless one can be complete in the art, in the mind, spirit and body, culture and way. It’s probably a message that got lost in Ip Man’s teachings.
Los Angeles, CA Acupuncturist/Chinese Medicine practitioner and Wing Chun Instructor Robert Chu can be reached at (626) 487-1815 0r at chusauli@gmail.com.
[...] with Sammo Hung doing the fight coreography. I expect that the producer, Wilson Yip, is going to focus more on entertainment than historical accuracy but I am sure that it is going to be fun to watch and its high time that Wing Chun makes it big on [...]
A great film with superb fight choreography that displays Wing Chun in a positive light. It’s well worth seeing!
“In my opinion, this is why today’s martial arts world suffers from infighting and petty rivalry. One is not complete… unless one can be complete in the art, in the mind, spirit and body, culture and way. It’s probably a message that got lost in Ip Man’s teachings.”
Beautifully said…true words indeed. My impression of the movie also reminded me of the hidden aspect of that Chinese nationalistic pride displayed in movies like Hero and Fists of Fury (the original one). I for one very much enjoyed this movie irrespective of its authenticity.
Thanks for the article and your thoughts. I really enjoyed the movie too. It sheds a positive light on the art of Wing Chun and brings it to more people – something that is much needed in a time when MMA dominates the scene.
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http://www.orangecountywingchun.blogspot.com
I agree. Excellent the wind chun fight scenes are excellent (done by my teacher Leo Au Yeung (http://www.chinesekungfu.co.uk)).
Very entertaining and far more accurate as far as wing chun moves are concerned than the old Wing Chun movie with Michel Yeoh and Donnie Yen
I just finished this film and I enjoyed it. It was a bit over the top but what movie isn’t. I have like Donnie Yen since the first movie I saw him in, Drunken Taiji back in the mid 80′s.
are you fucking shitting me that was the shit it was dramatic, historic and awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
superb film
simply superb
The Ip Man movie was destined to be overdone. The man taught a style of fighting that is very affective and not flashy. But getting a seasoned martial artist like Donnie Yen made a BIG difference to what we’ve seen on screen in the past. Past choreography has been a little off on the actual portrayal of the styles of kung fu. Ip Man maybe never have beat up 10 men at once, but for the most part at least his style of fighting was paid a glamorous tribute. He is our hero, as far wing chun goes, I think maybe no one really knew what to expect from an Ip Man movie. I kind of like the representation of our hero and style even if it’s not really accurate. Really it’s just a cool kung fu flick.
A highly entertaining movie! The action sequences were superb and I hope the sequel will be as good. So long as the cast/crew or its promoters are not confusing history with entertainment, then it’s all kosher. Great fun!
Regards to all reading.
I have watched this movie a few times now. I have read many articles and books regarding Mr Yip Man’s life.
I was expecting an almost true to fact based movie on the life (biography ?) of the master especially since his two son’s are still alive since they would know more about the master than any body else.
Instead, I see the movie making using his character like an entertainment puppet. This is a master who have been respected even in a movie portraying the master. I believe the directer should have paid more attention to the true events rather than just make this another flick using a person so reverd to as the late grandmaster of Wing Chun Kuen.
Any true Wing Chun practitioner will see this disrectfully.
The movie was entertaining in the sense of a flick which should be given credit.
History is very important and must be preserved which ever way possible. In todays world the only most efective way of doing this is via the silver screen !!!
Enough said. Hope the second one should more faithfull to the person in question.
Regards to all…..
Thank you Chu Sifu!
The film Ip Man is visually stunning and the fight scenes are both superb and inspiring. Mr Donnie Yen portrays the role of the perceived, traditional gungfu Sifu very well indeed. And the grand house he and his family occupy only serves to make the presentation rich in detail and meaning.
Of course, the film does not protray the historical Ip Man Sigung. Nor would the people of Foshan speak in Manderin, but rather their native dialects of Hakka, Hoklo and Cantonese, with Cantonese being the common language of communication.
There is no historical record that says that Ip Man Sigung fought Japanese Imperialist, Karate practitoners – but apparently, he was asked by Japanese occupation authorities to teach gungfu to the Japanese. Something the real Ip Man would never have done.
The film does not mention Ip Man’s teacher, Chan Wah-shun, or Grand Master Chan’s number one student, Ng Chung-so Sifu, whom took-over the training of Ip Man Sigung, upon the passing of Grand Master Chan. One other notable omission is Mr Leung Pik, who taught Master Ip in Hong Kong, when master Ip was fifteen years old. These omissions also mean that there is no mention of the other lineages of Wing Chun Kuen. The film mistakenly gives the impression that Ip Man lived in a Wing Chun vacuum.
There is also the implied assertion that Ip Man left China due to Japanese oppression. When infact, he actually left China due to Communist Chinese oppression, and their policy of wiping out the past, including traditional gungfu, and its masters, etc. Ip Man was a traditionalist, and a member of the Guomingtang. When China fell to the Communists, Ip and many others fled China for their lives. And in so doing, preserved their arts for future generations.
This film leaves a sense that it is designed to placate the Communist regime and not to offend its sensabilities. This is ashame, as such a policy is, in effect, the exercise of the re-writing of history. This is probably the reason that another version of Ip Man’s biography is being planned for the big screen, starring, I believe, Mr Tony Leung.
And I have heard that a Ip Man 2 is being planned to follow this first offering, presumably also starring Donnie Yen. Dealing with Ip Man’s life in Hong Kong, where he eventually taught Mr Bruce Lee for a time. What is often not known about this time, is that Ip’s other Chinese students refused to train with Ip Man, while Bruce Lee was there, due to the fact that Bruce Lee’s grandfather (on his mother’s side) had been a Westerner from Germany.
I experienced the film on two levels; one was the sheer cinematic scope of the film. Beautiful sets, strong acting and excellent martial arts sequencing, all serve to present a thoroughly entertaining and inspring film. If Ip Man had been a fictional character, the assessment would end here. But of course, he was not fictional, but very real, and has had an impact upon the world at large, and not only in China. The second level assesses the historical accuracy. And this is the biggest let-down. There is too much ‘glossing’ over of events that would offend Communist China, and too many fictional elements inserted to replace fact, that are designed to appeal to modern China’s sense of ‘self’, and, to a certain extent, justify the regime.
The danger of very well made films, is that the average viewer might mistake the fiction for fact, and not question the presentation of events as portrayed on the screen. I must say however, that Mr Donnie Yen plays Ip Man excellently.
Thank you.
i got the ip man dvd for a xmas gift loved the film and the the fights scene very good. In 1990 yip chun came to my wing chung school in south london,it was a very moving the son of our grand master came to our school and i was lucky to enough to be called out to show my stuff. Its great that a wing chung film was made i hope they make a ip man2. This time showing more of his life and also the time he taught the great bruce lee.
i got the ip man dvd for a xmas gift loved the film and the the fights scene very good. In 1990 yip chun came to my wing chung school in south london,it was a very moving the son of our grand master cme to our school and i was lucky to enough to be called out to show my stuff. Its great that a wing chung film was made i hope they make a ip man2. This time showing more of his life and also the time he taught the great bruce lee.
Oh come on !
Donnie Yan can’t shown the real fighting of Wing Chun.
Only William Cheung known better can be the one to choreographing the fight scene.
@Shida:
“There is also the implied assertion that Ip Man left China due to Japanese oppression. When in fact, he actually left China due to Communist Chinese oppression, and their policy of wiping out the past, including traditional gungfu, and its masters, etc. Ip Man was a traditionalist, and a member of the Guomingtang. When China fell to the Communists, Ip and many others fled China for their lives. And in so doing, preserved their arts for future generations.
This film leaves a sense that it is designed to placate the Communist regime and not to offend its sensabilities. This is a shame, as such a policy is, in effect, the exercise of the re-writing of history.”
Couldn’t have said it better myself. Although the film on its own with no context was fantastic, what you say is unfortunately the sad truth with many masters killed and Shaolin temples burnt down and destroyed.
It’s also sad that many modern Chinese youths have been made to believe in this rewritten history…
I am not Chinese nor a real practitioner, but I admire the spirit in kung fu art and have read some books for my brother used to train under a certain master. The Ip Man movies as far as the martial art actions are concern are really awesome. However, I agree with Shaheed that the traditional grandmaster should been given respect. If the movies were not given “Ip Man” titles, it would have been fine. Moreover, the late movie was very much glossed over by fictionalized event of Ip Man fighting other kung fu masters where one moved like a a pseudo-praying mantis master, another one like a pseudo-baguazhang master, and lastly a pseudo-hung master.
M.M.A….more like P.M.M.A. Philosophy Missing Martial Arts
He’s lying his face off, cus he’s jelous.
Of course IP man battered 10 Japanese karate geezers, otherwise it wouldnt have been in the film.
He bashed them all senseless, and thats that.
He probably didnt kick wing fuk out of the general, aty the end, but im pretty sure he did the 10 karates.
You can just see how it would actually work (as long as they occassionaly held back, for a second or 2, and didnt all jump him, at once).
So, Mr Funny Dentist, whatever, stop slagging ip man off, cus he wud batter you, you likkle dentist !!