Wing Chun Bil Jee: The Deadly Art of Thrusting Fingers

Rating:
Summary: A Variant of Wing Chun
Review: About myself, I have practiced Wing Chun for about two years now, under the Lau Wai system of Wing Chun. I say Lau Wai because it is different from Yip Man, which is the only other 'major' version of Wing Chun practiced today. It has been eight months since I wrote this review, and after seeing some of the comments and looking over William Cheung's book again, I decided to revise this review.

First, the good. This is a great book if you want to learn William Cheung's Wing Chun system, which descended from Yip Man. The photos and instructions are easy to follow, and the book contains a large amount of information, beyond just Bil Jee (also called Biu Jee).

Second, the questionable. In the beginning of the book there is a short Wing Chun History section. In this section, this sentence caught my eye: "Since Chan was a much larger and stronger man, neither of Leung Jun's sons could have defeated him if Chan had learned the real version of Wing Chun." Size and strength are merely a component of fighting. They do not determine the outcome of a fight. There were likely several factors that may not have been taken into account - Chan's skill in his 'modified' Wing Chun in comparison to the skill of Leung Jun's sons - and how exactly Leung Jun's form of Wing Chun operated.

In a fight between two Wing Chun practitioners, size and strength only guarantees more structure for one to work with. The smaller person will only have to work harder and smarter to defeat the larger person. So while it is more difficult, a larger person is not ensured victory. This goes for pretty much any form of hand-to-hand combat.

Lau Wai, who goes by Jason Lau here in the states, is my Sifu. He learned Wing Chun from Jiu Wahn in HK, who in turn learned from Chan Wah Shun. I've never heard this story of 'modified' Wing Chun that Chan Wah Shun learned, so I cannot say for sure whether or not it is true.

Now, some more history: (The very short version of what I was taught) The Wing Chun system was created by Ng Mui, one of five Shaolin elders in a buddhist temple in China (and the only female elder). After the temple was burned down by the Manchus, she fled to southern China, settled down, and started thinking about all of her martial arts knowledge. She realized that for her, a small woman, most of the techniques required the physical strength of a man, and were useless to her. She began discarding techniques she couldn't use and modified others to suit her body type. When she was finished, she had a small core of techniques that depended on three main things: Structure, Economy of Motion, and Simultaneous Attack and Defense. Now, many styles are specialized and built upon a core idea: fast kicks or quick hands, ground fighting, redirection, etc etc. Some of these styles only fit certain body types. Wing Chun is unique, however, in that any body type can use Wing Chun. The main difference being structure (foundation of the body upon which energy is dispersed), the amount of which differs from person to person.

Now, the meat of the review: Why I gave this book 3 stars, whereas I originally gave it 1. One star because the book has a copious amount of information. Another star because it shows William Cheung's Wing Chun in detail. And a third star because William Cheung obviously knows his Wing Chun very well.

No fourth and fifth stars, however. Reason being: William Cheung's Wing Chun system is not as efficient as it could be. All styles are different, and while I do not think any one is wrong, I do believe that some perform better than others.

For a specific example, page 147. Two men in ready position. The one on the right punches, the one on the left blocks. The punch goes towards the face. Instead of using one hand to divert the punch and a second hand to simultaneously punch the opponent in the face, the man on the left uses two hands to move his opponent's one, and removes one hand (his right) to strike his opponent in the ribs. During this, the man on the left pivots his body twice. Once to contact and redirect the punch to his right gate, and again to deliver the punch.

This isn't what I would call bad technique. In fact, it was delivered very well. However, the defender could have stepped in to use pahk sau (slapping hand) to redirect the punch, while punching with his other hand to his opponent's face. This takes much less time then pivot, redirect, pivot, punch.

This is merely an example, and not necessarily The Best move that could have been used. There are many different techniques that could also be done, in that same situation. All of these situations however, depend on the stances of the fighters, where their hands are, how much energy is being used, etc etc. My main point is that not all the techniques in this book (I would go so far as to say few of them) are purely Wing Chun. Structured, efficient, simultaneous A&D is Wing Chun. Or at least, in the Lau Wai system.

No book compares to having an actual teacher. While this may be a good resource for seeing a different form of Wing Chun, I would never recommend a book as a way to learn fighting. Words cannot describe the methods of giving and recieving energy in chi sao and fighting. As a supplemental resource, however, this book would be a good guide if you've studied the Yip Man style of Wing Chun - or plan to.

Rating:
Summary: Good book to have for Wing Chun artists
Review: Although this book demonstrates the advanced form of WIng Chun, it is still useful for the student who hasn't attained the skill to learn the form. Cheung shows proper execution of bil jee, and shows some other wing chun strikes and blocks. Briefly discusses wing chun combat theory, and some other principles. Good showing of the form, though don't expect to be able to execute the form exactly without a qualified instructor. Cheung then goes on to show some entry techniques that I've never seen and I question their effectiveness. Ends with a chapter on bil jee applications. Cheung includes a letter to him from Lee Jun Fan, for some reason, maybe for a sales booster, but the letter is irrelevant to the books purpose. I also don't know why he chose to write about the advanced form of wing chun first, and then go onto to write books covering more of the basics, it seems backwards, but hey I'm not Grandmaster Cheung.

Rating:
Summary: Bil Jee, Don't Be a Hero!
Review: Grand Master cheung,Bruce Lees' si hing ( older brother) has written a martial arts masterpiece!Bil Jee the third and most advanced form in Wing Chun and considered by many knowledgable martial artist to be a form of Dim Mak(death touch.)The format of the book was excellent,and the martial arts content was straitfoward and technically superior.I have been a martial practitioner for twenty-six years and know Yip Man the late grandmaster would be proud of his protege.

Rating:
Summary: Wing Chun Bil Jee Deadly Art of Thrusting Fingers
Review: Grand Master cheung,Bruce Lees' si hing ( older brother) has written a martial arts masterpiece!Bil Jee the third and most advanced form in Wing Chun and considered by many knowledgable martial artist to be a form of Dim Mak(death touch.)The format of the book was excellent,and the martial arts content was straitfoward and technically superior.I have been a martial practitioner for twenty-six years and know Yip Man the late grandmaster would be proud of his protege.

Rating:
Summary: Good reference on the Bil Jee form of Wing Chun
Review: I am primarily a Jun Fan / Jeet Kune Do practicioner, but am interested in learning more of Wing Chun so I have also been studying original Wing Chun, and William Cheung's books were recommended to me as references for the forms, and they are excellent for that purpose.

If you are studying Wing Chun, Cheungs books are good references. Even better, though, is to videotape someone with good form performing the forms, once from the front and once from the side and practice with those.

Although the reviewer "Jonathus" is correct that most fights are short and won with good basics, the rest of his comments would indicate that he does not have enough of an understanding of Wing Chun to "get" some of the photo sequences in the book. His statement that "one does not attack by pointing his fingers at an opponent and hopping on one leg towards his target" is correct, but if he understood what is depicted in that particular photo sequence or had been taught the movement, he would realize that that is not what is happening. The movement is an entry meant to draw a reaction to gain an attachment from which to trap and attack or open a line of attack.

Rating:
Summary: Bil Jee, Don't Be a Hero!
Review: This book is possibly the greatest book ever written about people poking each other with their fingers.

Rating:
Summary: Wing Chun's Third Form
Review: Wing Chun Bil Jee is an excellent book by Australian based master William Cheung.

Wing Chun is one of the most internal hard external Chinese arts. Most of it's crane style based techniques are intended for use with Chi, from the deep rooting first form Sil Lum Tao, to the moving energy root of Chum Kil. The Bil Jee form only makes sense when it is interpreted as attacking the chi meridians.
Therefore, it truly is an advanced form, that is only fully appreciated when one has a strong knowledge of Chinese chi theory.

This book does not go into any discussion of chi or meridians, it merely presents the techniques, including some combinations that are not in the form. A must own for any Wing Chun practitioner.

Rating:
Summary: Great book...
Review: Wing Chun Bil Jee shows the form of Bil Jee and the application of the moves. Before you are shown the form (in lots of photos) it shows different techniques of Wing Chun. Nice book for the Wing Chun practioner.