Moy Yat

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Moy Yat (梅逸) (June 28, 1938 - January 23, 2001) was a Chinese sealmaker, Chinese artist and martial artist, student of Yip Man since 1957. He moved to New York City in 1973 and began teaching Ving Tsun in Brooklyn. His students are teaching in their own schools around the world.

"Since the death of Yip Man in 1972, there have been many who have tried to fill the void left by his absence. Where once there was only one Ving Tsun family, now there are many systems, each looking a little different from the rest, with most claiming to be “authentic” Ving Tsun (Wingtsun, Wing Chun, Weng Chun). This is not to say that all modern day Ving Tsun is bad or wrong. True Ving Tsun is what is simple, efficient, and agrees with the principles on which that system is based. Anything else is wasteful, unnecessary, and simply not Ving Tsun. Whether a system is true Ving Tsun or not should be based on these concepts. It is easy to teach someone techniques, but to use them properly requires an understanding of the principles in Ving Tsun, because it is based on principles, not techniques. The techniques are simply tools used to apply the principles. The methods are the means by which to teach those principles.

"Those who teach authentic Ving Tsun and who understand the importance of its methods are probably few in number. One such person was Yip Man himself. Another was one of Yip Man’s closest disciples – grandmaster Moy Yat. Moy Yat was introduced to Yip man and Ving Tsun in 1957. In those days it was very hard to break into that usually small circle. Moy Yat turned out to be an exception to this rule as he and Yip Man became very close early on in his discipleship. Later on, during the last years of Yip Man’s life, the two were seldom seen apart. Moy Yat learned much of his kung fu indirectly, which is how Yip Man taught the deeper aspects of the system. This has come to be known as “kung-fu life.” Because Yip Man lived the kung-fu life, everything he did was an example of Ving Tsun principles. By living the art instead of just practicing it in a classroom, the principles become a natural part of the practitioner and can be applied without effort, thus making everything he does simple and efficient.

"Until his death in 2001, Moy Yat followed the examples that Yip Man set to teach his own disciples and students. By using the Ving Tsun principles in his everyday life, Moy Yat taught them indirectly (kung-fu life.) Those students who spent more than just classroom time with him benefited most because they live their Ving Tsun. This is how authentic Ving Tsun, as Yip Man taught it, is learned. Moy Yat lived his life this way, spending his days living and teaching Ving Tsun through kung-fu life, never drawing unnecessary attention to himself despite the extensive martial arts contributions and accomplishments of the Moy Yat family.Because the extensive Moy Yat family follows his example, they go largely unnoticed by the general martial arts public. They simply teach and learn and live Ving Tsun kung fu, never looking for public approval. Much like the gentle giant, they have no need to prove to anyone what they already know. Do not be fooled, however. The Moy Yat Ving Tsun family is very large indeed, numbering in the tens of thousands throughout the world. More importantly, however, is the quality of the Ving Tsun in each of them. Size of the family alone is insufficient."

Text used with permission from the website: Moy Yat Kung Fu Academy of Austin Texas

06/28/1938      Born in Toi Shan / Canton, China
        
1953            Moved to Hong Kong
1957            Started Ving Tsun training under Yip Man at Lee Chang
                Oak Chuen
1962            Became youngest Sifu recognized by Grand Master Yip Man
                at age 24
1963            Spent a year as a seaman, traveling around the world
1964            Married Helen Moy
1967            Founding committee member as well as graphic designer for
                the Ving Tsun Athletic Association in Hong Kong
1969            Published "Wing Chun Kung Fu - Chinese Self-Defence Methods"
                by Rolf Clausnitzer and Greco Wong(first student of Moy Yat).
                First English book published on Ving Tsun Kung Fu.
12/1972         Yip Man's funeral
        
09/1973         Moved to United States to join brother Moy Yit Dean
1974            Started first US school in NYC, NY. Published "108 Muk Yan
                Jong" by Moy Yat. This was the first book on Ving Tsun Kung
                Fu published in the United States by the Moy Yat family.
1975            Published "Kung Fu for young people - the Ving Tsun System".
1982            Published "Ving Tsun Kuen Kuit" by Moy Yat
1987            Produced the first of 30 instructional video tapes between
                1987 and 2000.
1989            Published "A Legend of Kung Fu Masters" by Moy Yat
1990            Published "Ving Tsun Trilogy" by Moy Yat
1996            Published "Voice of the Ving Tsun Kung Fu System" by Moy Yat
                and Benny Meng
1997            60th Birthday Party and formation of "Moy Yat Ving Tsun
                International Kung Fu". Retirement from formal teaching.
1998            Opening of the Ving Tsun Museum Published "Dummy - A tool
                for Kung Fu" by Moy Yat
2000            Published Luk Dim Poon Kwan by Moy Yat
01/23/2001      Died in New York City, NY, US


[edit] Moy Yat Lineage

Senior Sihings: Hong Kong

Greco Wong: The first student of Moy Yat who popularized the term "kung fu" when he co-wrote Wing Chun Kung Fu - Chinese Self-Defence Methods with Rolf Clausnitzer, it was the first book published on Ving Tsun Kung Fu. Generally at that time, most Chinese martial arts were referred to as "Chinese boxing". After his book was published, his use of the term, "kung-fu" became the norm when describing Chinese martial arts.

Sam Lau: Chairman of the Yip Man Martial Arts Athletic Association, the Hong Kong representative of the World Boxing Council, and one of the directors of the Chinese Dragon and Lion Dance Sports Association.

King Ng
Henry Mah (Henry Moy)
Dun Wah (Sunny Tang)
Jaffery Chan (Jeffery Chan)
Chi Nam Kwong
Nelson Chan

Senior Sihings: New York

Mickey Chan (Moy Shuen)
Lee Moy Shan
John Cheng (Moy 4)
Phillip Yuen
Gary Kwan
Jackie Lam
Rex Aperauch (Moy Wu Tin)
Julien Corderro (Moy Hop)
Dan Inosanto

Sihing Dai (Contemporary Instructor list)

William Moy
Anthony Dandridge (Moy Tung)
Tyrone Anthony
Javier Ramirez (Moy Huen Yee)
Carlos Moreno(Moy Ka Lo Si)
Miguel Hernandez
Leo Imamura (Moy Yat Sang)
Kevin Martin (Moy Ya Tse)
Pete Pajil (Moy Bah Hugh)
Frank E. Wyatt (Moy Bah Wei)
Benny Meng
Martin Gonzalez
Tom Kagin
Tom Chi

  • This list is a work in progress so please forgive our mistakes and those who are omitted. We decided to put out this premature list to show our respect to the senior students of Moy Yat Ving Tsun Kung Fu and to help get more info about those eras under the instruction of the late Grandmaster Moy Yat.


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