This is a pair of vintage butterfly swords that were given to Bruce Lee as a gift from his teachers at the Ip Man Wing Chun School in Hong Kong. Ip Man was arguably the most famous Kung Fu master in history.
Bruce Lee would go on to become Ip Man’s most famous student. after studying under him in Hong Kong for a number of years. Lee would later move to California and open his own Kung Fu schools, bringing much of the required equipment over with him.
Above Video: Bruce Lee was famous both for his martial arts prowess and for his philosophical approach to life. This interview gives a good look into his more philosophical side.
Ip Man, also known as Yip Man, was a Chinese martial artist and a grandmaster of the Wing Chun style of Kung Fu. He was born in Foshan, in Guangdong Province, China in 1893. Ip Man started learning Wing Chun at the age of 13 under Chan Wah-shun.
In 1949, he moved to Hong Kong, where he began teaching Wing Chun. His method emphasized practicality, speed, and efficiency in self-defense – making it distinct from the more traditional and ceremonial types of Kung Fu that were then popular.
Ip Man’s influence on martial arts is profound, especially in popularizing Wing Chun worldwide, and his life has been depicted in several films, most notably the “Ip Man” series starring Donnie Yen. He passed away in 1972, leaving behind a significant legacy in the world of martial arts.
The Ip Man Wing Chun School in Hong Kong remains open to the current day, taking in students from Hong Kong and around the world.
Bruce Lee would develop his own martial art named Jeet Kune Do, which was heavily influenced by Wing Chun Kung Fu as well as Ju Jitsu, boxing, and others. In some respects, it was one of the first examples of true MMA or mixed martial arts.
As noted in the introduction, this pair of butterfly swords are historic, having been gifted to Bruce Lee by his teachers at the Ip Man Wing Chun School in Hong Kong. One of those teachers was Ip Man himself. Lee later took them with him to the United States and used them while teaching Kung Fu in Seattle and Oakland.
Butterfly Swords are an integral part of Kung Fu, and the Wing Chun school of Kung Fu in particular.They’re now being offered for sale with a letter of authenticity from Mary Lee that mentions that Lee died before being able to use this weapon type in one of his films – possibly in the planned Bamboo Dragon or Northern Leg, Southern Fist.
The two swords are now being offered for sale as a set with a decorative stand as part of an online auction by Julien’s. If you’d like to read more about them or place a bid you can visit the listing here.
Images courtesy of Julien’s
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