Interview with Master Benny Meng

[William E]

I am honored to have the privilege to interview Master Benny Meng during his upcoming visit to the San Francisco Hung Fa Kwoon later this month. Sifu Meng is a very unique individual who not only “talks the talk” but also “walks the walk”. As the Curator of the Ving Tsun Museum in Dayton OH, Master Meng has traveled around the world many times and has personally met and interviewed many Wing Chun Masters and Grand Masters. According to its mission statement, the Ving Tsun Museum has the express mission of preserving and advancing the Ving Tsun art into and beyond the 21st Century by:

• Documenting and researching its history
• Archiving its treasures and artifacts
• Updating its training methods with proven scientific teaching aids, tools, and certifications
• Expanding its practitioners' comprehension and use of the system through examination and distribution of knowledge
• Recognizing its greatest contributors, both past and present
• and providing a home for all Ving Tsun families to gather and share their rich heritage, regardless of lineage, in an atmosphere free of prejudice, personal gains, or political considerations.

For those of you who do not know Master Meng I have highlighted some of his accomplishments at the bottom of this post which are taken from his web site (http://home.vtmuseum.org).

If you are truly interested in submitting a question for Master Meng, please forward them to me via PM. This is a great opportunity for Master Meng to share his recent research and for you to ask those questions that are on your mind. We will try to answer all of the questions submitted but due to time constraints cannot guarantee yours will make the final cut.

William E.


An internationally renowned martial artist, instructor and referee, Benny Meng has devoted his entire lifetime to the field of martial arts starting from age 10. He has been featured by national news and major martial arts publications as among the world's best martial artists. He has fought and won against some of the "world's best," both in the U.S. and in the Orient. Master Meng has also performed numerous international martial arts demonstrations nationally, astounding on-lookers with feats of concentration, speed, and special techniques!

Master Meng studied martial arts all over the Orient. He started his martial arts training in Hong Kong (1970-Judo). He began broadening his skills and knowledge with Tae Kwon Do training in 1974 under Grand Master Y.C. Kim (9th Dan, WTF) in the United States. Additional Tae Kwon Do training included Grand Master K. J. Park, former Head Judge at the Kuk Ki Won, the Korean Headquarters for Tae Kwon Do. He has enjoyed the privilege of studying under several famous Kung Fu Grand Masters from various styles. Beginning in 1981, Benny Meng embarked on an extended study of martial arts that took him to: Hong Kong (1981-Tai Chi Mantis & Ving Tsun) Mainland China (1983-Shaolin Temple and Sichuan Sports University), Korea (1985-Tae Kwon Do with the Korean National Team) and Taiwan (1985-Shaolin, Chi Kung).
Benny Meng began his Wing Chun Kung Fu training in Hong Kong in 1982 under the movie star Sifu Lee Hoi Sang, a student of Jiu Wan. Jiu Wan had completed training in the Wing Chun system through Chan Yiu Min in China prior to beginning his training with Yip Man. Chan Yiu Min was the son of Chan Wah Shun, the first teacher of Yip Man. Benny Meng’s training under Lee Hoi Sang was interrupted after 1½ years of intense study by his return to the United States. He resumed full time training under Sifu Moy Yat in New York City in 1985. He officially started teaching Wing Chun in 1987.

In 1994, Benny Meng began another journey through the system with Sifu Moy Yat through private lessons. With Moy Yat's blessing, he began another journey through the system in 1995 via extensive private lessons with his Sibaak (kung fu uncle) Yip Ching. The Ving Tsun Museum, the Ving Tsun Athletic Association, and the Moy Yat International Ving Tsun Federation certified him as a Senior Instructor (7th Degree).
With the establishment of the Ving Tsun Museum project in 1993, Benny Meng's passion for Wing Chun research has been fueled at an ever-accelerating rate by his position as Curator. To broaden the knowledge of his original Wing Chun system, he sought further research and training from numerous lineages different from the Yip Man style. Benny Meng had the privilege of studying under Sifu Garrett Gee, inheritor of the Hung Fa Yi Wing Chun lineage in 1998. In the summer of 2000, Benny Meng became Sifu Gee’s first disciple.

Master Meng's school is recognized worldwide, affiliated with the International Moy Yat Ving Tsun Federation (USA), the Ving Tsun Athletic Association (Hong Kong), the Fatsaan Jing Mo (China), the Wushu and Kuoshu Kung Fu Federations (USA), and the World Tae Kwon Do Federation (USTU).

Master Benny Meng:
 A principle founder and Curator of the Ving Tsun Museum in Dayton, Ohio
 7th Level Senior Instructor, Ving Tsun Athletic Association, Hong Kong
 7th Degree Kung fu Black Sash (IMYVTKF)
 5th Degree Tae Kwon Do Black Belt (WTF)
 Instructor in Chin Na and Tai Chi Chuan
 Noted Author of Books and Magazine Articles
 State and National Championships in Kung Fu and Tae Kwon Do
 Outstanding Instructor and International Hall of Fame Awards
 National Director & Referee, WKF Wing Chun Competition Events
 A.S. Degree in Acupuncture
 Master Instructor for the Chinese Cultural Centers in Dayton and Cincinnati, Ohio