Our University LOGO

Logos are used by most people for their organization or their business or their products. One Chinese person said the problem with out University LOGO is that it has no meaning. She said the Yin and Yang symbol has a deep meaning but our LOGO stands for nothing.

I informed her that this LOGO was thought up by a good student of ours who is a graphic design artist by the name of Andres Mastai. Andres said that the LOGO does have meaning and the geometry was to bring Wing Chun into the modern world.

Five ideas:

1. Wing Chun with it’s theories about economy of motion, the four quadrants, the centerline theory, the 108 count in the forms, the five element theory etc. is very mathematical in the theory part. Hence having a LOGO that looks mathematical and geometrical is very appropriate.

2. Wing Chun and parts of China is sometimes just referred to as small circle Kung Fu. All actions consists of small economical circular motions. The Palm up hand spirals, so does the bridge hand and so does the Wing hand. Circles are everywhere and don’t just belong to Chinese arts like Ba Gua and Xing Yi. Hence the circle plays a big role in the art of Wing Chun. Attacks are often very linear but defenses often employ circular actions, circular turning of the stance.

3. Wing Chun uses the idea of a triangle being the strongest structure. Defense hands often use the wedge idea. The neutral training stance is like forming he shape of an Eiffel tower or that of a pyramid. So triangles are also everywhere in the art.

4. Then there is the concept of energy coming from the center and going out in all directions. Wherever you turn some Wing Chun force will get you. Fighting a Wing Chun Master is like fighting an Octopus with attacks coming from his center to all parts of your body in totally unpredictable patterns. Hence the use of ray’s coming from the center.

5. Finally. the mathematical symbol in the middle has four points like the wing Chun four quadrant theory that is contained in the “Little Idea Form.” and forms the basis of our economical defense system which is similar to the Western Fencing idea.

The University is an academic institution where higher level ideals exist. Wing Chun is not just about fighting but was developed for that of course.

So there you have it. For me, Wing Chun is an art that is very suited to educated people. Having five ideas is also good because of the Chinese 5 element theory that originally was part of the art.

Ip Man wanted to delete references to those kinds of theories but the system he taught Wang Kiu still consists of 5 pieces of 108 movements each. The 108 number is also a good topic to discuss next.