Leung Jan

Who was Leung Jan?

Leung Jan was a Wing Chun practitioner. Leung Jan was a Chinese herbal doctor in Foshan. His name became well-known due to his wins in competitive bouts. He was called Mr. Jan from Foshan.

Leung Jan, originally named Leung Dak Wing, was born between 1816–1826, though accounts vary on the exact date. Leung Jan’s father was a herbal doctor and ran a pharmacy on Fai Jee Street. Leung Jan was the youngest of two sons born to Dr. Leung. The eldest son, Leung Dak Nam, became a businessman, while the younger Leung Dak Wing followed in his father's footsteps with his love of medical knowledge. Leung Dak Wing took over the family pharmacy on Fai Jee Street in the mid-1850s, after his father died. Because of his occupation he came to be called Jan Sin-Sang or more simply rendered, Jan Sang by the locals.

Leung Jan began learning Wing Chun during the 1840s from members of the King Fa Wui Goon Opera Troupe. It is commonly believed that Leung Jan started learning under Leung Yee-Tai, a Mo Deng performer /poler, apprenticing on the Red Boats from the 1840s to 1850s, up until his father's death, whereupon he left to run the family pharmacy.