WCI Review - Moy Yat - Chi Sau II
The 21st century has provided us with technological platforms and resources to access the once-private, vaulted, inner-circle video archives that for decades were only accessible to those within an immediate community that had earned their communal place to keep video cassette copies of their own to cherish. The late Sifu Moy Yat's estate has done well to transfer old analogue footage to digital format in preservation and celebration of his life and legacy in continuing to offer his invaluable insights into the system as one of Grandmaster Ip Man's students.
Sifu Moy Yat, looking esteemed in stature and wearing a traditional Chinese suit, opens the filmed workshop by addressing the importance and values of Chi Sau. Noting one of the key points of controlling and protecting the centreline as one of the system's core concepts and practices, he introduces the introductory partner exercise of Single-Hand Chi Sau with the evolutions to Paak Sau, Lap Da, leading to Luk Sau ("Rolling Hands") to, "Try to get to the right position or to occupy the centreline".
Luk Sau is shown in both standard hand formations with one hand in Fook Sau and the other in Taan Sau, to one partner playing with both hands in Taan or Fook Sau hand positions adding the footwork of Seung Ma ("Forward Step") and Tui Ma ("Push Step") into the dynamic.
"We have to talk about how to use the techniques," imparts the late Sifu before showing how to use attacks from both the Taan and Fook positions triggered by another critical concept of Lat Sau Jik Chung ("Free Hand Springs Forward"). He continues to expand on how one develops such a capacity to recognise open lines available to attack through the reflex action. Meanwhile, however, he takes care to warn the audience of the pitfalls that one is subject to focusing too much on the rolling, which leads to "Chasing Hands".
A thorough menu of attacks and counteractions are served up that are consistent throughout Wing Chun. Taan Da, Paak Da, Lap Da, and so on, are shown from two-hand Chi Sau from simple constructs of practice to more energetic exchanges for those who find themselves more practised to pressure test one's capabilities. With those, and many more, imparted to the viewer to work on it, then evolves to how the drilled actions translate into practical application.
The late Sifu Moy Yat graces the screen for half of the total run-time with value to fill a lifetime of training. One of his instructors delves further into the finer details, concepts, constructs and terminologies (in Cantonese and translated to English), providing a rich serving of timeless wisdom and information that most Wing Chun aficionados will extract value from.
Moy Yat - Chi Sau II
Language: English
Running Time: Approx. 120 min.
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