- Chinese Wing Chun Master
- Yip Man’s Wing Chun Descendant
- Chinese Wing Chun Association President
- Wing Chun Boxing Association Founder
Tu Tengyao, president of the Chongqing Wing Chun Association, was infatuated with Bruce Lee when he was young, so he traveled to Chongqing and Guangzhou, visited famous martial arts masters, and persisted for ten years.
Beginning in 2020, because of the accidental popularity of Wing Chun teaching videos posted on the Internet, he has become a martial arts “Internet celebrity” in the eyes of the outside world. Upload short teaching videos, appear on the cover of fashion magazines, be a martial arts instructor in film and television dramas…
For now, let’s listen to Tu Tengyao’s martial arts story.
My name is Tu Tengyao, the president of Chongqing Wing Chun Association.
Because of Bruce Lee, I fell in love with martial arts.
When I was a child, I watched Bruce Lee’s kung fu movies. After watching it, I felt the most resonant, and it could ignite the yearning for kung fu in my heart.
At the beginning, I practiced martial arts because there were elders in my family who were teaching Taijiquan. Thinking that at least I can learn about martial arts first, I practiced Tai Chi, but that was only a very superficial understanding.
In 2001, there was no Wing Chun gym in Chongqing. I learned that Bruce Lee’s master was called Ip Man, so I went to find Ip Man’s descendants, his inheritors and disciples.
I Constantly studying and traveling around during ten years.
Due to the distance between the two places, I had to do quite a bit of going back and forth. study there and come back to practice. In fact, the learning was quite difficult and exhausting.
What kept me going was entirely based on this belief in kung fu.
The biggest pressure at that time was that many people around me didn’t quite understand why I was so persistent in studying something that didn’t bring much economic benefits. Everyone thought there is no need to be so tossing if it is only a hobby
But in the process of constantly practicing martial arts, I felt the gradual changes in my body, and when I saw myself getting better, I can persevere. Chinese Kung Fu and Wing Chun are what I need to pursue. If I can embark on this inheritance path, it will be an honor for me.
My Douyin account is called “Wing Chun Quan – Tu Teng Yao“, and now there are 1.5 million followers.
The content we show is to try our best to record and restore the real Kung Fu.
Let everyone see the real state of us who inherit Chinese martial arts, how they practice, how to teach, and how everyone learns.
We are not obsessed by getting more traffic / followers. Many people also suggested to me that I should make some jokes or contents other than martial arts, which may attract a wider range of people to watch.
However, I insist that we only use the purest kung fu-related things in our work, and for those who have martial arts feelings, they may find resonance.
Some people really like kung fu and practice martial arts themselves. Some people have feelings for martial arts since childhood, thinking that Chinese martial arts may only exist in movies. There will also be some people who have doubts about Chinese martial arts, thinking that Chinese martial arts may be more focused on performance and have no self-defense effect.
By watching my videos, everyone discussed together, and gradually realized the real Wing Chun, and that Chinese martial arts have always been passed down, but the information may not have been so developed before, and everyone could not see it. That’s it.
I also heard some feedback, and discussions about my videos on foreign platforms. But what’s more interesting is that transmission may have been done by many martial arts fans.
It’s actually good to have this kind of spread, because Wushu actually knows no borders. People from other countries may not speak our language, but they can feel the charm of China through the body language of martial arts. This is also a manifestation of national pride, quite a sense of honor.
With the publicity of the Internet, in fact, the energy in my heart of dedicating and contributing to martial arts can be well released.
The short videos is just an obligation and a social responsibility that I think as a part of the inheritance of Wing Chun and Chinese martial arts. At present, I have not considered monetizing through live broadcast or bringing goods.
When I was engaged in Wing Chun or martial arts inheritance, I actually had a public interest. I have other businesses myself, which are more of a spiritual pursuit.
For example, I was entrusted by the Sichuan West Airlines Civil Aviation Anti-Terrorism Research Institute to help them continue to develop the topic of Wing Chun boxing against terrorism.
As for other business cooperation, I will still choose carefully. The direction it advocates should at least be in line with the direction of martial arts and Chinese traditional culture. I’m more than happy with the national tide.
In the direction of film and television, I am also willing to make some contributions, and I have also taught martial arts. For the audience, they can see the more real and pure side of Wing Chun through film and television works, I will also participate in this way, But for the time being, there is no idea of developing in the direction of film and television actors.
I have spent nearly ten years spreading Wing Chun, now my greatest responsibility is to spread and promote Wing Chun and martial arts, and more down-to-earth is my responsibility to my disciples.
When people call you a master, you have to let them learn real things, so I have been spending a lot of time and energy on teaching and research.
As an inheritor, a single spark can start a prairie fire. People from all over the country come to Chongqing to study with me. I also hope to pass on some of my understanding of Kung Fu to them in the most sincere way. When they return to their hometowns, they can also spread and teach martial arts. I am still quite hopeful about this.
The above is the martial arts love of Tu Tengyao, a special “martial arts internet celebrity” who holds traffic but refuses to realize it. If you have a strong interest in Ip Man or Wing Chun, you can search for “Wing Chun – Tu Teng Yao” on Douyin to learn about Wing Chun teaching videos.
You can also follow the "Chinese Martial Arts" WeChat public account, Video account to learn more about the dissemination of Chinese martial arts.
7 comments
You presented a very interesting and useful article about Wingchun. I really enjoyed reading it, especially since it was both new and directly expressed by Master Tu Tengyao himself. Also, thank you for your good translation.
Oh my God! how interesting is the map of Tu Tengiao’s school locator! The exterior of the school building is really beautiful. I wish the corona restrictions would be lifted as soon as possible so that we can come to China and visit the teacher’s school in Chongqing (of course, if you allow us to visit).
Fan kung fu
Hello,
I respect Master Tu Tengyao very much for what he is trying to do for all people who are interested in learning Wing Chun. I really long to learn from Master too…..as for how and when, i didn’t figure it out yet….Let’s hope is going to be sooner than later :).
Greetings and respect
Greetings
dear Shifu Tengyao ,
my best compliment for your wing chun stile , and, I would like to take lesson in your school to Chongqin . if you can send me all information about your school and info for stay in your city for 1 month . I think come next year if you give the possibility to do.
with my best regards
Leonardo D.
Italy __ leodinca@hotmail.com
i pray to be you Disciple in the days to come ,and learn ,practice and gain the skill from your wisdom ,you are a great master. Love you master Tu
thank you for giving me balance, I’m learning your style the right way, I’m from Louisiana. and its the best I’ve ever felt in my entire life, thanks for teaching me the way,