(y)ip man and addiction

**Tcp/Ip Man** · Posted On: 9/12/2003 5:13pm

I am very interested in the history of various martial arts, specifially those originating in Southern China.

Does anyone have any information to substantiate the claims that WC grandmaster (y)ip man was an opium addict? My limited research has indicated that he was just a recreational user in Foshan (exchanging kung fu techniques with his kf "brothers" in local smokehouses), and did not become a full blown addict until he moved to Hong Kong in the early 1950's.

Of course this is a very touchy subject for many, so all I have had to go on is allusions and hints. Based on various accounts of his life, that is what I have been able to piece together.

Can anyone shed some further light on this subject?

Thanks.

---
The greatest sin is fear. God hates a coward.
- Batman
:-)

**MrMcFu** · Posted On: 9/12/2003 11:22pm

Once you start Opium, it is extremely difficult to quit. In fact, I would say it is one of the most addidictive drugs out there. He probably was a closet addict until the point that he moved in a smokehouse due to financial considerations. Most Opium addicts behave in this pattern. They keep up the pretense of a normal life until they can't hack it financialy, then just give up.

**Tcp/Ip Man** · Posted On: 9/14/2003 4:04pm

Interesting thought, thanks for the reply.

Any others?

---
The greatest sin is fear. God hates a coward.
- Batman
:-)

**Darting Fingers** · Posted On: 9/14/2003 6:38pm

"Yip's difficulties with his students. Were further aggravated by his continued drug use. According to Cheung, he would use school fees to support his psychological addiction to cocaine. Sometimes the school rent would go unpaid. By 1956 Yip had been evicted from his first school in Yaumatei."
This is an extract from "The William Cheung Story" published in Blackbelt .

**Vyyk** · Posted On: 10/13/2003 9:50pm

Wow, I really had no idea he was an addict. That's very interesting.

Hello God? Is this heaven? . . . or am I in television?

**Tcp/Ip Man** · Posted On: 10/14/2003 11:00pm

Vyyk:

Indeed. From what I understand, he also picked up a good sized cocaine problem when he moved to HK.

It kinds makes me feel better about my own flaws. ;-)

**Kenshin** · Posted On: 10/22/2003 11:06pm

I heard from a friend that as Yip Man got older, and because of his drug addiction, that during his last years of training he didn't teach foot work.

Is there any validity to this?

I thought it was kind of stupid when he told me, but if his drug problem was as bad as people are saying, then maybe he was too lazy to practice anything other than hand drills?

And if anyone has seen Scarface, you'll know that cocaine gives you the ability to go mental and get shot heaps.;)

Of course you don't actually survive the shots, you can just stay standing for a while...

**JKDChick** · Posted On: 10/25/2003 11:01pm

From everything I've ever heard about Yip Man, I think I would have hated the self-righteous prick. He wouldn't train with most of his students because he was afraid of "losing his edge".

Umm ... let's see ... **** you and the horse you rode in on.

**rkonb** · Posted On: 10/25/2003 11:50pm

When I took Wing Chun, I was fortunate enough to study from a man that was only 2 generations removed from Yip Man in instruction.

Yip trained Cheung and Chueng trained another man named Jim(who lives in Anaheim, CA), who inturn trained my instructor.

In any case, I cannot confirm or deny any of the drug addiction information, but I do know that Yip Man suffered from cancer the last 3-5 years he was alive. If he didn't teach the last few years, I'm sure that was, at least in part, the cause.

Rkonb

**JKDChick** · Posted On: 10/26/2003 3:02am

Apparantly, he never trained his students personally, with a very few exceptions (Cheung, Bruce Lee, a couple of others). He reportedly felt that training with the unskilled would make him sloppy.