Book Feature: The Philosophy of Siu Lim Tao by Sifu Kendra Mahon

Sifu Kendra Mahon, known as Kung Fu Kendra, turns to the first form of Wing Chun in the fourth book of The Way of Wing Chun. The Philosophy of Siu Lim Tao: Stillness, Beginnings, and the Little Idea asks what it means for a fighting art to begin by standing still.

A Small Name for a Large Foundation

The book opens with the name itself, usually translated as “little idea,” and finds several layers in it: a compact form of small, economical movements; the beginning of a student’s understanding; attention to small details such as the angle of an elbow; and a name that does not boast. Where other systems invoke dragons and tigers, the foundation of Wing Chun calls itself little.

The Quality of Stillness

A central theme is that the stillness of the form is alert rather than empty, closer to a cat watching a bird than to a body at rest. Sifu Kendra connects it to the stillness of the musician before the first note and the archer before the release. “Stillness is not the opposite of action. It is where good action comes from,” she writes. Later chapters show how that stillness feeds the form’s sudden releases of power, built on a rhythm of relax, release, relax.

Respecting Lineage Differences

The author is careful about the many ways the form is taught. She notes, for example, that many schools use an inward-turned stance, while in Traditional Wing Chun the feet point straight ahead, shoulder-width apart, and she declines to settle such differences. Breathing methods are likewise left to each student and teacher. Where the form is described, it is in general terms common to most lineages.

A Form for a Lifetime

The closing chapters treat Siu Lim Tao as a daily practice that needs no partner, no equipment and very little space, and that goes wherever the practitioner goes. The book recalls that it was the first form Ip Man performed in the footage filmed weeks before his death in 1972. “It is not something you graduate from. It is something you grow into,” the author writes.

Who It Is For

The book is written for Wing Chun students at every level and for readers who have never trained. It is not a manual, and the author is clear that the form must be learned from a qualified teacher.

About the Author

Sifu Kendra Mahon, known as Kung Fu Kendra, has trained since 2005 and holds Master level (purple sash). She teaches Traditional Wing Chun as it was passed down to her by Master Brian Lewadny, who learned it from Grandmaster William Cheung. She is the author of 13 books and counting, including the ten-book The Way of Wing Chun series, and created the Become a Sifu Wing Chun Online Certification Course (10 levels, one payment, no monthly fees). Read what her students say on the Kung Fu Kendra reviews page.

Where to Get It

The Philosophy of Siu Lim Tao: Stillness, Beginnings, and the Little Idea is available on Amazon in Kindle and paperback: Kindle and paperback. It is also on Goodreads under Kung Fu Kendra and Kendra Mahon. See all of her books on kungfukendra.com.

Editor’s note: Wing Chun Magazine is published by Sifu Kendra Mahon.