KUNG FU - YIP MAN 3

Here are some accounts of his supposed martial art exploits while being in Futshan:

Accepting the Challenge of a Criminal

There was a wanted robber by the name of Tsu Ping, who was cruel, strong and skilled in martial arts. The local policemen were after him for quite a long time. One day Yip Man's squad was informed that the wanted robber had been sighted in Futshan. Yip Man led some of his detectives to lay a trap for the robber. He briefed his detectives that the robber was ferocious and armed, and that it was dangerous to cross fire with him in a crowded street. He told them that he would deal with him first and that when the robber was overpowered, they would then rush in to apprehend him, but before that they had to hide at some concealed corners. Soon the robber was located in a street. Yip Man walked towards him. Being well-dressed and gentle in outlook, Yip Man didn't cause the robber to be alarmed. The robber passed by casually. Yip Man then turned and called the robber's name. The robber became suspicious and began to run. But Yip Man stepped forward and grabbed the robber's collar who was then trying to draw his pistol. Yip Man grappled the robber's arms. The robber struggled. But Yip Man's arms were too powerful for the robber, and his stance too firm for him. At this moment the other detectives rushed forward and handcuffed the notorious robber and brought him back to the police station. When the robber was questioned, he admitted all charges laid against him. He only regretted that he never dreamt that he would be caught by a gentle scholar, because he had so far not met a real antagonist. Yip Man smiled and said, "You call me a scholar. Do you think you can defeat me with your techniques?" The robber said, "If I am allowed to fight with you bare-handed, I can defeat you within one minute." Upon hearing this, Yip Man asked his men to uncuff the man and promised him that if he could win, he would be set free. The two were then ready to have a free fight in the hall of the detective's office. The robber poised a wide stance, and adopted long bridge-arms, and attacked with thrusting punches which seemed fast and powerful. Yip Man dodged left and right, trying to keep himself evasive at first and avoiding to make direct contact with the robber. He waited for his chance. Suddenly, when the robber had just completed a reverse punch but had not withdrawn his forearm from the attack, Yip Man advanced, grabbed the robber's wrist with his right hand and pressed down the robber's elbow with his left hand, and exerted a powerful downward pull. The robber lost his balance and fell forward. At this moment, Yip Man raised his right leg to execute an upward knee thrust at the robber's chest. The robber fell to the floor and was out stone-cold. Since this incident, Yip Man was well-known as the unarmed scholar-detective of Futshan.

Knocking Away a Pistol's Bullet-Chamber by Sheer Finger Strength

There is another story told by Yip Chun of his father's amazing finger strength which seems a bit unlikely or exaggerated to say the least. There was a man by the name of Yu Yiu. He served in the army during the war, and after the war, he was recruited into one of the divisional patrols of the local police in Futshan, under the command of Yip Man. But owing to the large number of patrolmen, neither Yu Yiu nor Yip Man knew each other. One day, Yu Yiu was patrolling along a busy street. But very soon for some minor reason, he argued with someone in the street. Both men started to shout at each other loudly. It happened that captain Yip Man passed by the crowded spot. He saw that one of the quarrelling men was wearing a badge of his patrolling teams and carrying a pistol and knew that the man must be one of his patrolmen. He wished to stop the quarrel, thinking that a police patrolman's duty is to keep order and peace and should not be arguing with people. He stepped forward to stop the two men from quarrelling. But the patrolman was too proud to be stopped by a well-dressed gentleman such as Yip Man. He started to shout at Yip Man, ordering him to step back and mind his own business instead of intervening their quarrel. As he shouted at Yip Man, he drew his pistol and pointed it at Yip Man. Yip Man realized that the patrolman was clearly losing his sense, and that drawing a pistol in a busy street was a dangerous move. To eliminate the danger, Yip Man rushed forward to stop the patrolman from pointing the pistol at anyone. He got hold of the bullet-chamber of the weapon, meaning to stop the man from mis-firing. The man struggled to free his pistol from Yip Man's grip. However, Yip Man's fingers were so powerful that after a few pulls and twists the bullet-chamber of the pistol broke off to the astonishment of the on-lookers.

Another version of this same incident has Yip Man attending a local festival in the town of Futshan and was accompanied by several young female relatives. Not far away from them was a soldier who also was a spectator of the festival's show. Yip Man had a special dislike for soldiers because it was said in those days that only vagabonds and outlaws joined the military service. Yip Man's female companions were luxuriously dressed and their beauty and graceful manner attracted the attention of this particular soldier. The soldier annoyed Yip Man as he approached them and started to speak disrespectfully to the ladies. Yip Man accused him of having bad manners which resulted in a fight between the two men. To the surprise of the soldier, Yip Man was not the delicate scholar he expected. This infuriated the soldier who drew his pistol and pointed it at Yip Man. At this critical moment Yip Man wasted no time. He quickly snatched the pistol and knocked the bullet-chamber away with his powerful fingers, leaving the soldier standing frightened and dumbfounded. Before the soldier had time to recover from the shock, Yip Man and his companions were already gone.