Hong Kong. Bruce Lee and his master, Ip Man, have become legends in the martial arts world.

Ip Man was the grandmaster of the kung fu martial art of Wing Chun. He had taken young Bruce Lee under his wing. Ip Man’s story even got adapted to four movies starring the famous Hong Kong actor Donnie Yen as people wanted to get to know Bruce Lee’s teacher better. 

But then comes the question: Who would win in a fight: Bruce Lee or Ip Man? Hong Kong’s Wing Chun master Robin Tsang recently spoke with The Jakarta Globe’s sister publication Beritasatu.com on who he thought would be the winner.

“I don’t have a definite answer. I really don’t know. I have never really thought of it before. To me, these two are like heroes,” Robin said in his martial hall in Tsim Sha Tsui in Hong Kong on Wednesday local time.

Robin admitted that he really looked up to Bruce Lee. To him, Bruce Lee is more than an incredible martial artist but also an inspiring individual.

“I watched his movies back when I was younger. He was the reason why I started to learn Wing Chun. I was very inspired by his physical prowess: his fast kicks, his strong punches, and the fact that he was able to take down bigger opponents,” Robin said.

Robin told Beritasatu.com that he was impressed by Bruce Lee’s way of thinking. The San Francisco-born martial artist is known for his quote of the need to “empty your cup so that it may be filled; become devoid to gain totality.”. It teaches one to be open-minded if they truly wish to learn something.

“If your cup is filled, how can you receive the coffee that I’m offering to you? This philosophy has taught me to always be open-minded so I can think objectively,” Robin said.

At the same time, Robin considered Ip Man a “true martial artist and fighter.”. Despite being only around 160 centimeter-tall, Ip Man had left a huge legacy in the martial arts world. Robin has heard many stories of Ip Man from the latter’s former students who are now aged between 80 and 90 years old. Robin’s very own teacher, Leung Ting, even trained under Ip Man.

“His former students would often talk about how fast and amazing Ip Man was, especially how he could effectively use his opponent’s strength against them. Just take a look at the pictures of [Ip Man’s students]. Many of them were much bigger than [Ip Man], but they still remained loyal and respected him,” Robin said.

Wing Chun: Using Opponent’s Strength Against Them

Beritasatu.com had visited Robin’s martial hall as part of a tour sponsored by the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB). Aside from the Bruce Lee versus Ip Man debate, Robin also talked of the art behind Wing Chun.

“It is more than physical strength. Wing Chun is also for the thinkers. It is more than a kung fu style, but the philosophy of life. Every motto is applicable in our everyday lives,” Robin said.

What sets Wing Chun apart from the other forms of martial arts is that it lends itself to people who are smaller and physically weaker. A core principle of Wing Chun’s fighting style is using an opponent’s force against them. Robin even explained this principle with a hilarious analogy.

“Imagine I ran out of cash. I then befriended Bill Gates. When we dined together, I told him that I had forgotten my wallet, so I asked [Bill Gates], ‘Could you pay off the bill?’. The principles are the same. We ‘borrow’ or use our opponent’s strength to our advantage,” Robin said.