Historical Background
Snake Crane Wing Chun traced its history to the red-faced character portrayed by Sun Kam in the Red Boat Opera in the 19th century. Due to the Da Shing Rebellion［大成國], Wing Chun was not allowed to be taught publicly as it was associated with the Red Boat Opera. At the same time, Red Boat Opera［紅船粵劇戲班］was forbidden to continue performing Cantonese opera, forcing Sun Kam［申錦］and others to flee to other parts of China.
Sun Kam eventually met Law Tie Wan, a scholar in Qing Dynasty who also later became a general in the Nationalist Party. Law Tie Wan ［羅梯雲］was coming from a very wealthy family in Foshan. In the 19th century, wing chun was for wealthy families to learn. So eventually, Law Tie Wan invited Sun Kam to stay in his house to teach him and others in the Law family the style. Law Tie Wan eventually becomes a general under Lee Fok Lam ［李福林] , a warlord in the Canton province.
After the war, Law Tie Wan eventually moved back to Foshan and pursued practicing Chinese medicine. In the1930s, his son Law Ten Chow moved to Hong Kong, becoming a policeman. He taught his son Law Chiu Wing the style and asked his son to keep the tradition his family style and kept it secret from the public. Eventually Law Chiu Wing also became a police officer. He also a very interested in different styles, he learned so many styles like the Choy Lee Fat, Dragon style, Tai Chi, Bai Mei, Seven Star mantis and of course his family style Wing Chun and other styles of kung fu. He taught only handful students because of his traditions of having low profile and he focuses on the quality of the students. In 1970s, his eldest student Chow Wing Cheng opened a school but stopped only half an year because he doesn't feel like it is the time for having a public class.
Eventually,in 2006, under support of Law Chiu Wing, Grandmaster of Snake Crane Wing Chun. Mok Wai Kuang opened the first official and public school in Hong Kong. Later, Wayne Yung, Lawrence Yuen and Sammy Ho and Lam Kwok Ming, who had taught privately, also started to teach publicly and thus opening the style up to the general public. Previously Snake Crane Wing Chun was not allowed to be taught to the public; as this was the wish of Sifu Law.
He felt that it should be disseminated to a small group of loyal and ardent followers. Also being a private person he felt that teaching publicly and dealing with the martial arts community would impinge upon this privacy.
About Sifu Jason Yuen
In 2017, Lawrence Yuen (Jason's father), became the appointed person in charge of the Snake Crane Wing Chun Association. However, since his death of an early age of cancer, it has fallen to his son, Jason, to carry on their family style and legacy.
Jason has been practicing with his uncle since he was 13. However, under the common idea, that Son always follows the father to be the discipline of the father. Jason's Uncle always hesitate to officially recognized Jason as his Discipline. However, under the request from Jason's father before he passed away, Jason finally officially accepted by his uncle Law Chiu Wing's disciple. Now, Jason is now fully qualified and authorized under both Grandmaster Law and Master Lawrence Yuen to teach Snake Crane Wing Chun.
Sifu Jason Yuen is actively involved in promoting the style. His goal is to increase the awareness of the Snake Crane Wing Chun style to the public globally, and in doing so, fully establish a school and hoping can spread to other locations and not limited to only Canada
