The journey of the International WingTsun Association, from its founding by Great Grandmaster Leung Ting in 1967 to the global institution it is today.
Great Grandmaster Leung Ting, founder of the International WingTsun Association, began teaching WingTsun Kungfu in 1967 as an amateur instructor. In the following year he started a Wing Tsun training class in the Baptist College, the first kungfu class ever established in a university of Hong Kong.
Then in May 1970, he set up a well-equipped gymnasium, called the Leung Ting Gymnasium, and commenced to admit students publicly, turning teaching martial arts into a career.
With the support of his followers and kungfu brothers, Great Grandmaster Leung founded the Wing Tsun Leung Ting Martial-Art Association on 24 July 1973. The full registered title of the Association was the "Wing Tsun Leung Ting Martial-Art Association & Leung Ting Gymnasium". Membership was based on all Wing Tsun practitioners of the Leung Ting Gymnasium but was extended to accept other individuals interested in Wing Tsun.
During this period, several of Leung Ting's students graduated and set up branches in overseas countries. At the end of 1975, the name of the Association was changed to the "International Wing Tsun Leung Ting Martial-Art Association".
The name prevailed for a number of years until 27 September 1983, when it was further changed to the "International WingTsun Martial-Art Association" — for the reason that the term "WingTsun" had then become an internationally registered trademark of the Wing Tsun system which Great Grandmaster Leung Ting developed.
By the late 1990s, as the title of "WingTsun" was well known all over the world and the Leung Ting WingTsun System had become a most popular Chinese kungfu style internationally with probably the largest number of students and followers, the name of the Association was finally amended to the present title of "International WingTsun Association".
The twofold mission of the IWTA: propagation of the WingTsun System and the training of practitioners.
The Association overall is an organization established to develop and promote the WingTsun System in all parts of the world and is therefore open to anybody interested to pursue this mission, whether or not they are WingTsun learners. The Association is administered by an Executive Committee with officials elected amongst members.
An important part of the Association is the teaching of the WingTsun System and the training of practitioners. The administration of affairs on this side is handled by a special section overseen by an independent Committee of the Gymnasium. The Committee ensures that all gymnasiums are adequately equipped and that all training and coaching are undertaken with the highest standard by approved and qualified instructors.
During the past years, gymnasiums of the Association have produced a great number of practitioners of such attainments who could in turn become instructors themselves. To ensure the instructors are qualified and that the training they give to their students is of the highest standard, a subsidiary organization, named the Instructors Organization, is established under the gymnasium section of the Association.
This Organization appraises and regulates the attainment of the instructors worldwide as well as assists them in the setting up of their own gymnasium and training classes. Practitioners must first register as a member of this Organization. To become a member, an applicant is required to be nominated, and his or her nomination must be passed by all members of the Committee of the Gymnasium.
In the Instructors' Organization, all members are appraised by a strict grading system divided into 12 Levels according to the degree of their accomplishment and their contribution to the WingTsun System. The rules do not stipulate the possession of the "Instructor's Degree" for those intending to set up branch schools, but they do require all qualified instructors to hold at least the 2nd Level.
All branches set up under the WingTsun banner must meet strict requirements, and the qualifications of all instructors and headmen alike are kept on the record of the Association, which is open to enquiries by the public — this is to prevent possible imposters and swindlers from ruining the reputation of the WingTsun System and the Association.
Join the International WingTsun Association and become part of this century-spanning lineage. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced martial artist, we welcome you.