Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do - C.A.A.M./ARTICLES 2000

SIFU TED WONG'S ITALIAN STAGE, GENOA NOVEMBER 25-26 2000

Last November, Martial Artists of many different disciplines came to Genoa to meet Sifu Ted Wong.
Besides Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do, practioners of Kali, Karate, Kick Boxing, Tae Kwon Do, Tai Chi Chuan and Wing Chun took part to the Seminar and, as Bruce Lee had always desired, Jeet Kune Do united all those people beyond barriers.
This atmosphere gave even more importance to the event, that was also a way to celebrate Bruce Lee's birth, the 27th November 1940, exactly 60 years ago.
The reasons why people are so interested in Bruce Lee and his art are various, but the chance to meet, and work with, Sifu Ted Wong was the main attraction for everyone.
People talking about Jun Fan JKD have to refer to Sifu Ted Wong. He arrived at Bruce Lee's school in Los Angeles in 1967,
some months before that Bruce Lee chose the name Jeet Kune Do for his Art.
After only a few lessons, Bruce Lee asked him if he wanted to train with him alone, a privilege that he obviously accepted.
After a while the teacher- student connection became a deep friendship.
Bruce Lee's diaries witness how Ted Wong trained privately with him at least on 122 different occasions, from the 27th of July 1967 to the
14th October 1971.
Sifu Ted Wong didn't have any other teacher apart from Bruce Lee. Before meeting him he had never practiced any other martial art, and after his death he didn't study with any other teacher, so his teachings are doubtlessly Bruce Lee's original ones.
However, as Ted Wong said during the lesson, it took him years of studying, working and perfecting, after his teacher's death, before he was ready to teach Bruce Lee's Art.
These were the reasons for more than 70 people to come to Genoa, eagerly wishing to learn something from him.
The expectations of everybody were fulfilled, both for the ones who just attended the seminar and for those who stayed with him throughout his visit in Genoa. This perspective showed how life and study of Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do are strictly connected.
Concerning this, we must reflect on Bruce Lee's words «The truth and the way exhibit in the simple everyday movements».
With few words Sifu Ted Wong gives pieces of information which are necessary to understand Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do, both during the lesson and while amiably talking.
The ability of transmitting goes beyond teaching and is the characteristic of a real master.
Sifu's detailed explanations, supported by scientific theories which are the basis of Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do, were always accompanied by actions.
His speed and capability of moving are such that just watching him for a short time your eyes are opened to the potential of a constant and perfect training.
During the two-days seminar the partecipants were able to study both the On-Guard Position and Footwork, and to understand why Bruce Lee gave so much importance to both these elements.
Sifu showed afterwards some different ways of training with Focus Gloves which are aimed to better the combinations and speed of perception.
Theory and the application of the "Five Ways of Attack" as well as the evasive manoeuvres and the counterattack.
Anyway, the reason why this master class was really different was the dialogue with the students.
The interest shown by the people attending was very important for Sifu, who paid a lot of attention in answering the doubts caused by the confusion around Jeet Kune Do.
Sifu made us understand how a few simple, Direct, Non-Classical Tecniques of JFJKD are only the tip of the iceberg; people who don't understand how deep Bruce Lee's research was may think that this is a Limit.
His work of years perfected him phisically and mentally, and Ted Wong feels prodded by the remembrance of his Sifu not to neglect his daily training.
It is important to notice how constant the reference to Bruce Lee was.
Sifu not only showed the techniques that he learnt from his teacher, but he also was a spokesman of Lee's way of thinking, of the value that he gave to his work and to Martial Arts.
This gave a significance to Bruce Lee's name, Jun Fan, near to the name of his Art.
Sifu Ted Wong was able to communicate with the people attending the seminar his human experiences, feelings, thoughts and emotions, all things that only someone who had Bruce Lee as true, best friend can say.

DAVIDE GARDELLA