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| Grandmaster Yip Kin (葉堅) |
The founder of Yip Kin Wing Choon Kuen (葉堅詠春拳), Grandmaster Yip Kin (葉堅), was born in 1883 during the Qing Dynasty He first resided in Ya Hu ( 鸦胡 ) Hamlet and later shifted to the adjoining Heng Kang Tou (横抗头) Village in Guangdong Bai Yun San (白云山) Ren Huo (仁和)sub-district, Southern China.
In 1918, Grandmaster Yip Kin migrated to Malaya (Malaysia) at the age of 35. He followed an opera troupe termed as Red Boat that travels along the coast of the British Straits Settlement i.e. Singapore, Penang and Malacca performing the cultural Chinese opera to the overseas Chinese who have settled in various states in Malaya.
Grandmaster Yip Kin finally settled in Sungei Way in the state of Selangor of the Federal States of Malaya after deciding to work for the local tin mining company.
He became famous after subduing a group of local gangsters over a territorial dispute. He was well known for his fluid movement in the art of using long wooden staff. He has been asked by many parties and schools to share his knowledge. Only in 1926, at the age 43, he started his first martial arts school called the Lotus Hall （莲花堂）behind GuangXi Association located in Petaling Street at Pudu; Kuala Lumpur-Malaysia.
It is believed that in that school, Grandmaster Yip Kin imparted his collective knowledge of Chinese Kung fu and condensed it to an easier method for his students to learn and he specifically utilized his knowledge in Wing Choon to develop the Yip Kin Wing Choon Kuen (葉堅詠春拳) method.
10 Dec 1958 - GM Yip Fook Choy ( checkered shirt) takes picture with GM Yip Kin and other students & family members
After a teaching career spanning 42 years, Yip Kin passed away in 1968 at age 85. Yip Kin had 4 children, 3 boys and a girl; all learned Wing Choon Kuen (葉堅詠春拳) from him. Yip Koon(叶贯 ); his son took on the role as the patriarch before passing on to Grandmaster Yip Fook Choy (葉福财) who is the current patriarch of the Yip Kin Wing Choon Kuen.
Yip Kin learned his martial arts in his early days from 4 famous Grandmaster from China. The various masters and forms Yip Kin learned are as follows:-
Learned From
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Martial Arts Learned
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Grandmaster Soh Kai Ming
苏凯明 师傅
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Lion Dance
狮舞
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Grandmaster Yip Hung Seng
叶行胜 师傅
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Yum Yeung Ba Gua Kuan
陰陽八卦棍
Butterfly Sword
蝴蝶刀
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Grandmaster Cho Fei Hoong
曹飞鸿 师傅
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Mastering 5 weapons
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Yik Kam 翼金师傅
Red Boat Opera Company
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Location of Yip Kin Wing Chun Schools Since The Inception
Name Of School
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Location Of School
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Masters Teaching
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Year
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Lotus Hall
莲花堂
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GuangXi Association
（广西会馆）located in Petaling Street at Pudu- Kuala Lumpur
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GM Yip Kin
葉堅
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1926
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Lotus Hall
莲花堂
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GuangXi Association
（广西会馆）located in Petaling Street at Pudu- Kuala Lumpur
(picture below) |
GM Yong Hong Ling
容康寧
GM Wong Yan Sum
黄壬申
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1959
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Yip Kin Wing Chun
Old Temple at the Old Airport Road- Ku Miu
葉堅詠春拳 大官
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Old Airport Road, Sungei Besi- Kuala Lumpur
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GM Yip Koon
叶贯
GM Yong Hong Ling
容康寧
GM Wong Yan Sum
黄壬申
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1961
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Yip Kin Wing Chun Headquarters
Old Temple at the Old Airport Road- Ku Miu
葉堅詠春拳 大官
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Old Airport Road, Sungei Besi- Kuala Lumpur
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GM Yip Fook Choy
叶福财
( Current patriarch and grandson of founder)
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1968
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Yip Kin Wing Chun- Branch
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Luen Seng – Kuala Lumpur
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GM Yip Fook Choy
叶福财
( Current patriarch and grandson of founder)
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1970
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Headquarters
Persatuan Tinju Wing Choon Kuala Lumpur (since 1960)
30A, Lorong Yap Hin, Off Jalan Pasar, Pudu, 55200 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
30A, Lorong Yap Hin, Off Jalan Pasar, Pudu, 55200 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Picture circa 1940s Lotus Hall
1 June1961- The Official Beginning Of Yip Kin Wing Chun
GM Yip Fook Choy is the flag bearer
