Ip Man Tong, Foshan.

November 9th, 2002 was the grand opening of "Ip Man Tong" in Foshan City, China. The Hong Kong Ving Tsun Athletic Association organised a tour, and more than a hundred Ving Tsun practitioners — both local and from abroad — attended the ceremony. Those who participated in the grand opening wore a uniform, compliments of the Hong Kong Ving Tsun Athletic Association, and looked rather chic. The event drew Ving Tsun practitioners from directly under Grandmaster Ip Man's lineage, practitioners in Foshan and its local residents — altogether two thousand-odd people attended. Apparently this was the biggest event in Foshan City's history, and an exciting time for everyone there.

After the opening address by Mr Leung, Principal of Foshan Museum, and the presentation of banners and mirrors to the Museum by the guests, everyone went inside to explore. Upon entering, the space imposed on me a sense of simple elegance with modern touches — a perfect complement to a martial arts Grandmaster who carried himself like a Confucian scholar. One felt at home, yet at the same time held great respect for the host, Grandmaster Ip Man. Clearly the organisers and architects had put a lot of effort into the Museum's making; otherwise we would not have had such a brilliantly designed architectural piece.

The exhibits in the Museum are arranged into three parts: first, Grandmaster Ip Man's wooden dummy, a hundred or so photos, and a video of the Grandmaster demonstrating the wooden dummy form; second, a bronze statue of Grandmaster Ip Man along with some candid pictures; and third, photographs of Ving Tsun practitioners, both Chinese and foreign, training in all corners of the world. All of them, in their own way, contribute to the promotion of the art of Ving Tsun.

When I saw the photos of Grandmaster Ip Man taken with the first ever group of Hong Kong students, I was immediately reminded of that time, and different emotions overwhelmed me. The photo was taken in August 1950. The men in it had started training with the Grandmaster in June of that year, and after a couple of months most of them quit. Only two students, Mr Leung Sheung and Mr Lok Yiu, remained. Mr Leung persevered because he had a great deal of experience with other martial arts, and believed Ving Tsun an excellent style to learn — so he decided to keep training.

In those days, Mr Leung and Mr Lok were having a very tough time financially, but they still tried their best to support the Grandmaster's living. In 1951 I was accepted as a student of Grandmaster Ip Man, and the three of us became a trio in supporting his everyday needs. Although times were tough, every new year we still managed to give a gift of clothing to Grandmaster Ip. If our money was not too tight, we would give a Cheong Sam — a style of Chinese suit made with imported fabric; otherwise we would give a Da Shing Fui — a style made with local fabric for day-to-day wear — along with a pair of new shoes and some socks. The way we looked after Grandmaster Ip is, in my mind, more worthy than a millionaire spending a fortune on him.

So in my view, were it not for Mr Leung and Mr Lok's continued training in spite of their financial hardship — which in turn allowed Grandmaster Ip to continue teaching at the Association of Restaurant Workers of Hong Kong — Ving Tsun could not have grown into what it is today, a world-renowned style of martial arts. What we have achieved would not have been possible: this gathering at Foshan of practitioners from all over the world, and the building of a memorial museum, "Ip Man Tong", dedicated to the Grandmaster by the Cultural Council of Foshan City.

Even if Grandmaster Ip was one in a million and possessed extraordinary martial arts prowess, that alone could not have done any good were it not for the dedication and insistence of Mr Leung and Mr Lok to continue their training. Grandmaster Ip's life history might otherwise have had to be rewritten — perhaps we would not have had today's opening ceremony of "Ip Man Tong" at all. I believe that when we reminisce about Grandmaster Ip, and about the opportunity to study this excellent style of martial arts that he gave us, we should at the same time appreciate the contribution of our two most senior students, Mr Leung and Mr Lok.

Furthermore, it was Mr Lee Tin Pui — also known as Lee Man, a friend and student of the Grandmaster — who introduced him to the Association of Restaurant Workers of Hong Kong. In fact, his final resting place is right next to Grandmaster Ip's. Every year I pay my respects to both Grandmaster Ip and to Mr Lee. Mr Lee, too, is a person worthy of a place in our hearts.

From what I can see in "Ip Man Tong", there is an abundance of information about Grandmaster Ip and his students, and visitors will no doubt learn a great deal. I highly recommend it to all students of Ving Tsun, and indeed to martial artists of any style. It is definitely worth seeing, and money well spent.

Lastly, I have to thank the Cultural Council of Foshan City for their support in building the Museum, and also the Ip Man Tong Development Council's museum working group and committee for their dedication and a job well done — as well as friends from all over the world. All of them have enabled "Ip Man Tong" to be built without hindrance, so that every student of Ving Tsun can now share in the lustre and glory of the system, and in what Ving Tsun has evolved into today: a mainstream and prominent martial art.

A note: although Grandmaster Ip was very proficient in his martial arts, he was very mild-mannered, carried himself like a gentleman, and had the aura of a Confucian scholar rather than a warrior. It was not until after his passing that his friends dedicated the title "Grandmaster" to him.