Editing Wing Chun (section)

== Etymology ==
In Chinese, this martial art is referred to as {{lang|zh|咏春拳}} (simplified script) or {{lang|zh|詠春拳}} (traditional script). Though it is written in an almost identical way in traditional and simplified, it is not pronounced and transcribed in the same way according to the regions and their dialects: '''Yǒngchūn quán''' in [[Mandarin pinyin]], '''Wing-Chun keen''' in [[Cantonese]] [[Wade–Giles]]. It is made up of 2 terms: {{lang|zh|拳}} (quan/kuen) which means "fist, boxing" and the term {{lang|zh|詠春}} (wing-chun, in Cantonese) meaning "singing spring". The full name is thus translated as "singing spring boxing".<ref name="meaning N">{{cite book|title=Mantis fist in Wing Chun|date=2016|first=Neskorodev |last=Semyon |page=4|quote=The origin... One of them states, that this style was created by five masters of Southern Shaolin, who made this work in the Hall of Praising Spring. Other legend says, that the style was elaborated by [[Yim Wing Chun|the women Wing Chun]] (Singing Spring), the daughter of novice of Southern Shaolin}}{{Self-published source|reason=CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform|date=January 2023}}</ref><ref name="meaning W">{{cite book|title=Sport as Symbol: Images of the Athlete in Art, Literature and Song|date=2003|first=Mari |last=Womack|page=93|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=RJPuAAAAMAAJ&q=sing+spring|publisher=McFarland & Company|isbn= 978-0-7864-1579-3|quote=village girl named [[Yim Wing Chun]], which means to sing spring}}</ref>

In its short designation, the martial art is simply designated by these two sinograms:
* the sinogram {{lang|zh|詠}} yǒng/wing: "to sing, to sing..."
* the sinogram {{lang|zh|春}} chūn/chun: "spring, vitality..."

This martial art is sometimes referred to by {{lang|zh|永春}}, characters different from {{lang|zh|詠春}}, but pronounced and transcribed in the same way: They are literally translated as "eternal spring", the character {{lang|zh|永}} meaning "eternal, endless". These characters also designate the Yongchun region near the city of Quanzhou (Fujian).

If the use of {{lang|zh|詠春}} seems privileged today for Wing Chun styles, {{lang|zh|永春}} still appears in the name of other Southern Chinese martial arts (with {{lang|zh|永春}} often transcribed '''Weng Chun'''); for example [[Weng Chun|jee shim weng chun]] and [[Fujian White Crane|Yǒng Chūn Bái Hè Quán]] ({{lang|zh|永春白鶴拳}}).<ref>Use of {{lang|zh|永春}} by several branches, including [[Pan Nam]] himself, attested by [[Leung Ting]] in ''Roots and Branches of Wing Tsun'' and by the authors of ''Complete Wing Chun'' . See also http://weng-chun.com and http://www.yongchunbaihechuen.com</ref>{{additional citation needed|date=January 2023}}

=== Romanization ===

In the West, the name of this martial art has been transcribed variably due to the use of different or personal Chinese language romanization methods, and differences in pronunciation between Chinese languages (but Cantonese was often preferred) or according to Western languages. In addition, some Wing Chun masters voluntarily created their own terms, in order to dissociate their personal teaching from traditional teachings. For example, [[Yip Man]]'s Ving Tsun or [[Leung Ting]]'s Wing Tsun.

{{blockquote|The consequence is the ability to determine a lineage, a student-teacher family tree, just by spelling.|Wayne Belonoha<ref>The Wing Chun compendium</ref>{{Full citation needed|date=January 2023}}}}

Finally, this martial art is pronounced quite identically in the West but is written with many spellings: Ving Tsun, Wing Tsun, Wing Tsung, Yong Chun, Weng Chun, Wyng Tjun, Ving Tjun, Wing Tzun, Wing Tschun. Wing Chun is the most common form, used to apply to all lineages of this martial art.<ref>« As the art grows in popularity, many different romanizations for the Chinese character "wing chun" continue to be created, often as a result of the local dialect and pronunciation. This results in the ability to determine a lineage, student/teacher family tree, or origin, by the spelling alone. The most common spelling is "wing chun", which applies generally to all families. » - Wayne Belonoha, The Wing Chun compendium, p.20</ref>{{Full citation needed|date=January 2023}}<ref name="mil.news.sina.com.cn" />{{additional citation needed|date=January 2023}}

=== Context ===
Context of the name Wing Chun varies between various [[branches of Wing Chun]]. Common legend is that the name is derived from [[Yim Wing-chun]], the mythical progenator of the martial art, who was a student of the legendary Abbess [[Ng Mui]].<ref>Chu, Ritchie & Wu 2015, pp. 4–27</ref><ref name="Ritchie2007">Ritchie, R. (''c.'' 2007): [https://web.archive.org/web/20061112065319/http://www.wingchunkuen.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=4 What's in a name?] Retrieved on 9 May 2010.</ref><ref name="Crudelli_122">{{cite book|author=Chris Crudelli|title=The Way of the Warrior|year=2008|publisher=Dorling Kindersley Ltd|page=122|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QlI0fxSm1vgC|isbn=978-1-4053-3750-2}}</ref>

According to the Hung Suen / Hung Gu Biu lineage, the Ng Mui / Yim Wing Chun legend was conceived to protect the identity of Cheung Ng, a Shaolin monk who survived the Manchurian massacres and took refuge at Red Boat Opera. The "Yim Wing Chun" name was chosen for specific reasons, as Yim could be understood as the word for "Secret" or "Protected", and "Wing Chun" refers to Siu Lam Wing Chun Tong (the Always Spring Hall). With "Yim Wing Chun" being a secret code for "the secret art of Siu Lam Wing Chun Hall."<ref>Chu, Ritchie & Wu 2015, pp. 83–89</ref>

In the [[Pan Nam]] lineage, the "Wing" in Wing Chun comes from Chan Wing-wah, one of the founders of [[Hongmen]].<ref>Chu, Ritchie & Wu 2015, pp. 69–77</ref> According to the Pao Fa Lien lineage, the name Wing Chun is a shortened form of the revolutionary motto, "Wing yun chi jee; Mo mong Hon Juk; Dai dei wu chun." A secret code that allowed the anti-Qing revolutionaries to recognize each other. Eventually, the codeword was shortened to Wing Chun (Always Spring.)<ref>Chu 2015, pg.78</ref>