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Besides exchanging martial arts with counterparts in Hong Kong, mainland China and foreign countries, and promoting dragon and lion performance, the Yip Man Martial Art Association has also written a brilliant chapter in the history of Wing Chun development. Before Hong Kong handover in 1997, Hong Kong co-disciples of the Yip Man Martial Art Association organized a moonlight dragon team, invited the Singapore master - Cheung Nga Tsui to be their teacher, and performed the dragon story made up by Lau Kung Shing, and be trained by a coach from the Chinese Dragon and Lion Dance Association. On June 26, 1997, the eye-doting ceremony held by moonlight dragon team in Hung Hom Fung Kei Primary School was presided by the schoolmaster Lee Chun Ying and Ip Man’s disciples such as Lok Yiu, Ip Chun, Ip Ching, Chan Luen Lam, Lau Kung Shing, Chan Wai Hong, etc. On June 26, the team participated in the National Dragon Dance Competition held in Shenzhen Longgang and gave its premiere performance in Taibao Night Club that night, opening eyes of dragon dancing counterparts in China. Leaders of Wing Chun Athletic Association such as Ip Ching, Chan Luen Lam were also presented there.

Mr.Sam Lau and Deng Ya Ping attend the Dragin Dance champion in Longgang

Dragon eye-dotting by Mr. Henry Fok – Vice Chairman of the NPCC

On 6 July Hong Kong returned to the motherland. Wing Chun Moonlight Dragon team officially gave a sensational performance in the Hong Kong Handover Ceremony, wining acclaim of the audience. At the time of the grand celebration, it was the Hong Kong Wushu Union, Hong Kong Dragon Lion Unicorn & Pai Yau Dance Sports Association, Hong Kong Tai Chi Association, Jing Wu Association and New Territories Association of Chinese Traditional Martial Arts who were responsible to organize the entire Wushu circle in Hong Kong. Considering that Wing Chun people had never engaged in dragon dancing and lion dancing, their sensational performance in the ceremony was of great significance and far-reaching influence. From then on there came about a moonlight dragon heat in Hong Kong and mainland China.

Sensational moonlight dragon performance by people of the
Wushu scene in the Hong Kong Handover Ceremony 1997,
eye-dotted by CCPPCC Chairman - Fok Ying Tung.

Queen Elizabeth Stadium (WAN CHAI)

The Story of Wing Chun Moonlight Dragon

Some Wing Chun disciples ask me: "Where was the moonlight dragon born. You said the one in the Handover Ceremony 1997 is the first in Hong Kong, but someone holds that the moonlight dragon of China Traditional Martial Arts Association appeared in 1993." Can you account for this?

Wing Chun moonlight dragon actually came into being at the time of reunification of the Wushu circle of Hong Kong and mainland China in 1997. Six martial arts associations discussed how to celebrate the reunification ceremony. China Traditional Martial Arts Association withdrew its participation for some reason in the end. It was Hong Kong Dragon Lion Unicorn & Pai Yau Dance Sports Association who took charge of dragon dancing, lion dancing, Unicorn and Pai Yau dancing programs. I turned down the request by the person in charge from that association to be leader of all sports teams and selected moonlight dragon dancing. Yip Man Martial Art Association considered that all co-disciples shall participate in this grand occasion and Wong Chun Leung, chairman of the Wing Chun Athletic Association, gave his support afterwards. We then undertook this historical task and organized Wing Chun co-disciples for the team.

Why do we say it was the first moonlight dragon in Hong Kong? Readers may get clarity of the question below.

In November 1993, China Traditional Chinese Martial Arts Association, commissioned by the Municipal Bureau of Civil Affairs, gave moonlight dragon dance performance to inaugurate the Hong Kong Stadium after its decoration and repair works finished. China Traditional Chinese Martial Arts Association (Chinese Association) invited a Malaysian team to perform moonlight dragon dance and other shows like Brazilian Samba show and so on. Since the multicolored light radiated by moonlight dragon can be seen only in a dark environment and the Stadium administration forbade turning off the lamp for fear of potential danger and chaos, the moonlight dragon, performing under the light, failed to represent its elegance. What people saw that night was only a colored dragon. Furthermore, the dragon team members were invited from Malaysia. They gave the old dragon to the Chinese Association later on.

Wing Chun moonlight dragon dance is the original one performed totally by Hong Kong people. It’s illogical to consider a dragon to be a moonlight one before its actual performance as a moonlight dragon. Cheung Kwok Wah, the master of white crane school, has a new moonlight dragon which has never been put into performance and he never dare saying his dragon is the original moonlight dragon. On July 6, 1997, Wing Chun moonlight dragon team officially gave sensational performance in Wanchai Elizabeth Stadium where the Hong Kong’s Handover Ceremony was celebrated by Hong Kong Wushu practitioners. Mr Fok Ying Tung - a real patriot, eye-dotted the dragon which was applauded for its historic performance in an unlighted darkness. Dragon Dance Grandmaster - Ha Kwok Cheung offered his congratulations and took a photo with Wing Chun Learners.

Dragon Dance Grandmaster - Ha Kwok Cheung took a photo with Wing Chun Moonlight Dragon Team Members for congratulations.

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