On the wing chun T-shirts they got i print of a crane and a snake what do they mean and the yin and yang?
Wing Chun was developed from the five Shaolin animal styles, tiger, snake, crane, panther and monkey. The popular (incorrect) belief is that the style contains more of the crane and snake styles than of the other animal styles, hence why it is sometimes referred to as a crane and snake style. The crane, in the Shaolin system, is evasive, protective and gentle, using flowing techniques that redirect the attacker's energy, rather than fighting strength with strength. The snake is a very fast, straightforward style, protecting the centreline and attacking along straight lines with quick thrusting finger attacks. These two principals are, admittedly, very prominent in Wing Chun's use of the centre and central lines, the use of chisao (feeling) in techniques, and the use of straight, stretching techniques like the finger-strikes. (The bit that some people don't realise is that Wing Chun contains elements of all 5 styles, including tiger, panther and monkey, as well as some elements from non-Shaolin styles, such as elements of tai chi, shuai jiao (Chinese wrestling), dim mak (pressure point striking), chin na (joint manipulation) and others.) The yin-yang symbol comes from Taoism, and represents the equality of opposites, such as night and day, sun and moon, hard and gentle, forward and backward. Wing Chun, and indeed all Chinese martial arts, contain Taoist philosophies and strategies that can be explained by the use of this symbol.
Without the breaking bones part, and unless weapons are involved the main ways a street fight would differ from MMA is eye gouges throat strikes and groin kicks, most martial arts have that anyway its just not something that can realisticaly be practice, what can be practiced and tested are punching and kicks and so far there has not been many wing chung students who have demonstrated that their punching and kicking style is better than Muay Thai for example, so since its too dangerous to test poking another guys eye out... MMA is where martial arts are put to the test Oh and i have seen some Wing Chung guys fight in MMA, as soon as they get in the ring they switch to what looks like a kickboxing style, real fighting is alot dirtyer than practice
Wing Chun really doesn't specify any particular animal to follow but some people have a need to identify themselves with an animal like the other styles do. I think some story along this line may have said a crane and a fox, others say a crane and a snake. But, if you've learned the style it's stance is called and resembles a pigeon toe, it has a block called wing hand strikes called sun character and flying fingers slap blocks bridge arms... It really is non-specific to any animal and is actually named after a woman which translates to everlasting spring. The only symbol that truly represents Wing Chun is the plum blossom which blooms in the winter. Hence the everlasting spring symbolism.
wing chun is a combination of crane and snake
There are a couple of theories behind the snake and crane. One is that Wing Chun was developed as a hybrid of the snake and crane styles. The other goes back to the folk tale that a Shaolin nun named Ng Mui got inspiration for creating Wing Chun by watching either a snake and crane or fox and crane fight. The yin and yang is a religious symbol coming from taoism. It symbolizes opposites like hard and soft and how they must be in harmony.
