Why is Wing Chun increasingly falling behind in the Chinese martial arts scene?

When discussing Wing Chun, reporter Liu Fei of Foshan Radio (a town famous for this martial art) once described Wing Chun as dangerous due to its flexibility, ability to deliver numerous short-range strikes with power and agility. The brilliant development of Wing Chun in the 20th century was largely thanks to Master Ip Man, who transformed it from a secret martial art into a renowned style.

Wing Chun has lost its prestige.

Through films, the image of martial arts master Ip Man (played by Donnie Yen) has left many people astonished as he defeated numerous opponents from different martial arts schools in China, Japan, and the United States (boxing) with his incredibly fearsome close-combat style. Prior to this, Chinese cinema had successfully explored this martial art.

Wing Chun martial artist Yao Zhongqiang once concluded that while it may seem gentle, it contains immense inner strength. He shared: “If you are strong, I cannot use strength to attack. If you are hot-tempered, I cannot confront you directly. Following nature, using gentleness to counter strength. Though soft, it is not weak. That is the essence of martial arts as well as the principle of human life.”

However, the reality is that in China, the birthplace of many traditional martial arts, Wing Chun is losing its prominence and falling behind many modern martial arts. According to the New York Times, young people in parks are more interested in hunting Pokemon than practicing martial arts. Today's youth believe that traditional Chinese martial arts (including Wing Chun) no longer hold the same appeal.

Mak King Sang Ricardo, author of a book on the history of Chinese martial arts, shared: “The era when traditional martial arts were an important part of people’s leisure life is over. In the past, after work, people would often go to martial arts schools, cook together, and practice until 11 pm. But sadly, that’s all in the past now.”

The Wingchundummy blog post poses the question: "Why is Wingchun becoming increasingly outdated?" One opinion suggests: "Despite its long history and legendary status (popularized worldwide by figures like Ip Man and Bruce Lee), many martial arts masters, practitioners, and commentators believe that this martial art is unlikely to remain effective in real-world combat, sports competitions, and modern self-defense."

Another opinion is that traditional Wing Chun training methods are too boring and lack combativeness. This makes the martial art less appealing to young people today compared to MMA (mixed martial arts), boxing, karate, etc.

“One of the most frequently mentioned limitations of Wing Chun is its training method. Many schools focus on pre-arranged forms, exercises, and partner drills. While these can develop coordination and agility, they do not simulate the dynamism and unpredictability of real combat.”

As a result, trainees often fail to test their skills against full resistance, a missing element that may leave them poorly prepared for real battles or competitions,” he stated.

This viewpoint was also commented on by Armorthoughts in an article titled: "Wing Chun in the Modern World : Is Traditional Chinese Martial Arts Being Stuck in the Modern World?".

This newspaper states: “Traditional Wing Chun is built on structured principles and repetitive movements, such as the famous ‘punching sequences’ and exercises that familiarize you with the ‘sticking hands’ technique.”

Although effective in their designed contexts, these models can become predictable if not supplemented by adaptive responses to the randomness of real combat. Critics argue that in a real battle, effective techniques must be developed through exposure to a variety of fighting styles and pressures, an element that structured and pre-set exercises alone cannot provide.”

Falling behind modern martial arts.

Foshan is considered the place where Wing Chun has flourished most brilliantly in China. According to statistics, as of 2013, there were as many as 100 Wing Chun schools in the area. However, Master Yao Zhongqiang, a renowned figure in Foshan, remains silent when discussing the state of martial arts there. This is due to internal conflicts within the community. Consequently, lacking unity, Wing Chun in Foshan, and in China in general, fragmented and gradually disintegrated.

Liu Yongfeng, President of the Foshan Martial Arts Association, recognized the need to improve the teaching of Wing Chun to adapt to the times and incorporate more innovation in order to attract young people. However, this failed to attract young people because Wing Chun lacked practical combat effectiveness.

Meanwhile, the rise of sports like MMA has reshaped global perceptions of what constitutes an “effective” martial art. In competitive arenas like the UFC, techniques from Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, wrestling, boxing, and kickboxing prevail because they have been rigorously tested and perfected through regular competition.

Because Wing Chun was not developed as a sport and its techniques are often considered illegal under competition rules (e.g., striking the eyes or groin), its application and presence in modern combat sports are limited.

In short, Wing Chun, like many traditional Chinese martial arts, is struggling to find its place even in its own country (not to mention the international arena). They are fighting against the rule of "obsolescence," lacking practical combat effectiveness and being less efficient compared to integrated training systems that prioritize adaptability, physical fitness, and rigorous stress testing.

In particular, Xu Xiaodong's relatively easy victories over traditional Chinese martial arts masters over the years have made reviving and developing Chinese martial arts increasingly difficult.