The quest for the truth about Wing Chun's roots began in 1993 when Sifu Moy Yat expressed the idea of a Ving Tsun Museum. He emphasized that such an undertaking could not be focused on any one person or lineage - it had to be about the art itself. The problems confronting such a venture appeared insurmountable. Nevertheless, his dedication to academic excellence and a typically Chan (Zen) approach to tackling tough problems triggered the beginning efforts. Meng's extensive private studies into systems thinking and design in the teaching of Wing Chun Kung Fu prepared him well for leading the Wing Chun world on such a journey. Meng could not resist the challenge and immediately took up the quest.

He quickly recognized that the biggest obstacles to overcome would be political in nature. Simply put, many Wing Chun organizations didn't want Wing Chun's roots examined for fear that the results of such a search might lessen the importance of their respective money-making machines or their previously stated positions. Meng emphasized repeatedly that information would be obtained only if researchers and museum promoters adopted a mental attitude of perpetual learning. Each lineage's contributions to the art needed to be studied and cherished.

At the same time, Meng realized that funding would be a major obstacle. Ferreting out truth would not come cheaply. He made a conscious decision to mortgage his businesses, his home and his life for years to come in an effort to generate the funds needed to keep the quest alive and make the dream of a museum come true. The prevailing attitude had to be one of complete selflessness, devoid of ego. Consequently, the museum was structured as a non-profit organization and privately funded by Meng and his disciples to pave the way for the journey.

Discussion with top Wing Chun leaders in Hong Kong, Sam Lau (left) of the Yip Man Athletic Association and Yip Ching (right), a top successor of the Yip Man system.
 

(l/r) Yip Ching and Moy Yat together with the top instructors in the Moy Yat Kung Fu family.
 

Benny Meng with 7 original students of Yip Man at the opening of the Ving Tsun Museum in Dayton, OH.

With this mindset, Meng and his disciples undertook more than 140 major investigative and promotional events spanning 8 years of research to build the Ving Tsun Museum and ferret out the roots of Wing Chun Kung Fu. Benny Meng set for himself the Herculean task of literally meeting and learning from the political leaders as well as the most renowned teachers of every major lineage of Wing Chun Kung Fu. No less than six worldwide trips were required to accomplish such a feat. No other student of the art has ever personally met and examined the knowledge base of so many teachers touching every facet of the art's history and science. More than 20 renowned Grand Masters from 8 major lineages of Wing Chun were personally visited and given the museum's complete attention for sharing their knowledge. More than a dozen elected to present in-depth workshops and seminars (some even prepared multiple workshops) at the museum in the furtherance of this quest for truth.

This quest for truth resulted in strong evidence that Wing Chun began in the Southern Shaolin Temple (nàahm síu làhm jih) in the latter half of the 17th century. At this point in history, the Southern Shaolin Temple in Fukien Province (fük gin) was a hot bed for martial arts training. Several other popular combat systems trace their roots to this same province during the same period in history. This include Southern Mantis (jyù gà tòhng lòhng), White Eyebrow (baahk mèih), Dragon Fist (lùhng kyùhn), and Fukien White Crane (fük gin baahk hohk).

Shaolin Discovered
 

Curator of the Ving Tsun Museum Benny Meng with top Wing Chun researchers in Futshan, China
 

Benny Meng with the Yuen Kay-San successor, Grand Master Sum Nung, in China.
 

Ving Tsun Museum group with members of the Cheung Bo lineage, in China.