Taiwan has always had an intrigue for me due to its history with Chiang Kai Chek being driven out of China by Mao Ze Dong, in the late 1940’s.

Lo Man Kam trained with his Uncle Yip Man in Hong Kong after the Communists took control of China in 1949. After Yip Man moved back to Hong Kong in 1949, he taught Wing Chun in the office of the Kowloon Hotel Union. It was at that time that Lo Man Kam started to learn from his uncle Yip Man. When Lo first started to learn Wing Chun in Hong Kong, there were only 5-7 students of Yip Man, including senior disciple Leung Shueng, Lok Yiu, Chu Shong-tin and Chan Kau.

Lo was encouraged by Yip Man to teach in Taiwan before he moved to Taiwan in the 1960s.

When you work the time back, Grandmaster Lo Man Kam has been practising and teaching Wing Chun for 66 years!

It was very hot and humid arriving at Lo Man Kam’s school in Taipei. His apartment is on the 4th floor and his school is on the rooftop of the Building. Grandmaster Lo Man Kam was extremely friendly and hospitable. He shared his knowledge on wing chun. He gave me one of his books on wing chun and I was very privileged to touch hands with him and do Chi Sao.

Their style of wing chun training is also relatively Soft like Singapore. I did a lot of rolling arms with the various students training there. We were fortunate to also meet some students from Hungary, whom were staying there and training for a couple of months.

There stances appear to be 50/50 but there lead leg is turned in quite far towards the centre. I am a firm believer of a natural 50/50 weight distribution, stepping toe first as not to be over committed which will have a major impact on speed and of course interrupt ability.

It was a great honor to be able to train on one of the few rooftop kwoons in the world, much like it was in Hong Kong when Yip Man was teaching. An even greater honor was meeting Grandmaster Lo Man Kam. May he teach until he is 100!