One of the world's best known martial artists and a leading figure in Australia's Chinese business community, Grandmaster Jim Fung, has died in Sydney. Grandmaster Fung, whose International Wing Chun Academy grew from a backyard shed to Australia's largest martial art school, had been fighting cancer for three years. He was 62. Grandmaster Fung's obituary may be read
here.
An announcement has been made following Grandmaster Fung's passing. It may be viewed here.
MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR SIFU JIM
A special memorial service, marking Grandmaster Jim Fung's contribution to Wing Chun will be held at Sydney Town Hall on Saturday, April 14, 2007. The service will run from 11:00am sharp to 1:00pm. Doors open at 10:30am. Martial artists from throughout Australasia are traveling to Sydney to attend and pay their last respects. All members of the public are welcome to attend the memorial.
Grandmaster Fung's own master, Great Grandmaster (Sigung) Tsui Seung Tin (Chu Shong Tin), is coming from Hong Kong especially to officiate at the service. Speakers will draw on their experiences training with Sifu Jim over the years, and there will be extensive film footage from his earliest days in Australia in the 1960s - 70s to the present.
Students and instructors of the International Wing Chun Academy will perform live demonstrations of the Wing Chun forms and various combat techniques.
During the service, funds will be raised for the Sifu Jim Fung Fund for Cancer Research, the proceeds of which will benefit the Queensland Institute for Medical Research and the Oncology Department of St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney.
All IWCA students and instructors must wear full Academy uniform out of respect for Sifu Jim.
For further information, contact IWCA's Sydney office.