Huen sao - key to Wing Chun history

Why there are so many Huen Saos in Wing Chun empty hands forms, especially in first form? Different answers can be found to this question, from strengthening the wrist for punching through some “fighting” applications to representation of some Wing Chun principles. Were these answers right or wrong? They are both, right and wrong. What is  the true purpose of Huen Sao and why it is the most repeated technique throughout all the forms?

Over decades of my Wing Chun training I have heard many different explanations of the purpose and usage of Huen Sao, unfortunately they all failed to pass the test of critical analysis and test real combat application. 

Trying to use Huen sao in fighting is futile, at the distance and speed of fist fighting there is simply no time to go around someone’s wrist and apply anything. Huen sao principles , while excellent in theory fail the test of reality simply because there is not enough  time\space to apply them, again distance is too short and hands are too fast. Using Huen sao as an exercise to prepare wrist for punching is  a nonsense, there are literary hundreds if not thousands of martial arts and they all developed pretty much similar way of hand\wrist\arm conditioning, and there is no Huen sao in these methods , at least not as a main or significant part of that training.

Things become more interesting when we talk about Chi Sao platforms. While “rolling hands” is the most popular and best known Chi Sao platform due to popularity of Yip Man’s Wing Chun the fact is that majority of Wing Chun styles either completely missing this platform or use it as a beginner’s drill for reinforcing the structure and learn basic ways of dealing with the incoming force . Most of other style as a main Chi sao platform use Big Huen Sao and Small Huen Sao platforms.

The question is, why such an emphasis on Huen Sao when it is not practical for fist fighting? Were people who invented Wing Chun deluded or didn’t have any practical experience? Would people who created the art spend so much time practicing something without any practical value and on top of all give such an impractical thing so much importance? Of course not. To understand the significance and purpose of Huen Sao we have to go back to the time when the art was created and check the history of it’s purpose and development. When I say history, I men real history, not romantic legends and marketing that surrounds the history of the art and fill it with completely wrong information. 

http://penglaimartialarts.blogspot.tw/2017/10/true-origin-of-wig-chun.html 

For example,99,9% Wing Chun practitioners firmly believe that the art was created as an empty hand fighting system and weapons , double knives and long pole were added later. This is completely wrong assumption and it goes against what it is known about development of Kung Fu in general. Huen Sao and its place in Wing Chun training gives us a piece of the art’s history puzzle and telling us completely different story.

Wing Chun, despite the strong marketing is just one of many Kung Fu styles emerged in the second half of the 19^th century. Like most of the other style, Wing Chun was invented for weapon fighting. After a while focus of training changed due to social, economical, political and technological change in Chinese society in general. Wing Chun like most of the other styles put accent on empty hands techniques. Just like in many other cases, while focus of the training shifted the core of the art stayed unchanged.

Everything becomes clear when we take knives in our hands. All those Huen Saos get perfect sense. Practicing Huen Sao prepares the wrist and forearm for knife fighting and all those fencing movements done with wrist. All the concepts of the art coming from  Huen Sao actually get full sense only in knife fighting. All the techniques and applications taught in empty hands forms can be successfully applied when we have knives in our hands.

Wing Chun was meant to be used in confined spaces of the boats where opera actors spent most of their time. Double knives were perfect weapon for that environment. The length of the weapon was perfectly designed to allow full range of movement and further dictated the technical development. Knives were allowing the user to develop his tactics and execute his techniques swiftly without interference form the environment, which was impossible for any other, even slightly longer weapon. The environment also dictated the footwork and body motion and that is why there are so much shifting movements and forward footwork in the forms.

In execution of the knife techniques, wrist and forearm have the crucial role and that is why empty hand forms emphases Huen Sao to such a degree.

Big and Small Huen Sao chi sao platforms also originally came from the knife fighting. In the environment where Wing Chun was invented and used, sensitivity training and maintain the contact ( bridges) with the opponent ( opponent’s weapon) were essential for survival. Big and Small Huen sao platforms are taught separately in the beginning but they later merge in one Chi Sao platform. They can be done with empty hands as well as with knives.

Huen sao Chi Sao platform is very precise tool for developing correct reflexes. It is possible to feel not only a physical movement but for advanced practitioners it is possible to feel a shift in internal energy of the opponent, an intent that wasn’t manifested in throughout actual movement yet. Of course this is possible only if Huen Sao platform is practiced as a part of Wing Chun Qigong training.

Small huen sao chi sao done with empty hands is more defensive in its nature but done with knives becomes offensive , extremely fast ,unpredictable , and with correct “flow” it is almost impossible to stop the attack because the angles of the attack are constantly changing. It is a perfect tool for quick attack or counter attack.

Big Huen sao chi sao platform is more defensive in its nature regardless whether it is done with knives or empty hands. It covers larger space and deals with much stronger incoming energies. Big Huen sao platform cannot be done separately form small huen sao if it is practiced with knives.