Wang Kiu - WVTAA Grandmaster of the Year
Rene Ritchie, February 9th, 2008
I just saw the WVTAA awards and didn’t realize I was being inducted alongside Wang Kiu sifu. How terrifyingly humbling.
Wang Kiu sifu holds a special importance for me, as the simple statement he released over a decade ago (about a lot of the “history” people had been quoting was the product of Lee Man and his own (Wang Kiu was a journalist, I believe), putting together old Wuxia stories with famous figures from Foshan to try and help Wing Chun, a previously closely held and seldom taught system, get a foothold in Hong Kong.
That profound act of straight forwardness (and bravery, given the climate back then), that huge and amazingly selfless gift to succeeding generations of Wing Chun Kuen inspired me (and I’m sure many others) to look beyond the surface, the public perpetuations, and realize there was something more, and people who were there willing to talk about it. It helped motivate Complete Wing Chun and much more since.
Congratulations to Wang Kiu sifu, an amazing man, an amazing legacy.
Dear Sifu of the year,
Thanks for your nice comments on behalf of my GM Wang Kiu. He is truly an inspiring person even today. He has so much knowledge of the theories and stories behind Wing Chun and the techniques that I can listen to him eternaly.
He still is amazing with his arms though being almost 85 years old. He was not for nothing called the man with ten arms when doing chi sao.
We made a website in honour to him which is still not complete but lots will be added soon. I hope the wing chun world will realize that these Grandmasters have given us a great legacy and we should sherish and protect it to keep the given art in its originality. All wing chun should be in unity as to say it with the words of GM Wang Kiu. Harmony is the most important standard according to him.
In behalf of my GM I like to thank all who has shown their respect for him on the 14th of April 2007 when a feast was given in his honour and where we gave him a Star in the sky which carries his name.
Also congratulations for you Sifu Ritchie. By the way I enjoyed your book so much that I hope you will make a second one.
Very Truly Yours,
Sifu J.Ryckewaert Senior
Sifu J. Ryckewaert Junior
Hi, Rene!
Long time no contact!
I remember chatting with you when “Complete” was released. I don’t recall you mentioning Wang Kiu’s influence on the project at that time. I do recall your all-embracing even-handed calm every time I’ve encountered you (old chat-groups and such). You certainly earned an award yourself with your influence on the field. Congratulations!
A historical note, since you are one of the leaders on accurate history. Wang Kiu retired from civil engineering. My understanding is that he ran a large company in Hong Kong, which he sold some years ago. Lei Man was the newspaperman. They worked together on the story. Wang, however, wrote the reports of the challenge matches. The story and the reports increased both the paper’s circulation and the enrollment in Yip Man’s classes.
I totally agree on the bravery topic. Wang Kiu’s 1986 seminar on the Wooden Man (where I met him) was apparently the first time someone of his generation taught publicly in North America. I have always been grateful that he encouraged the host, Dr. Khoe, to include people with no prior Wing Chun background, like me.
Let’s get back in touch!
Herbert Maier