Our Senior Wing Chun Instructors

Tristan Fung

Level 5 Senior Instructor

Senior Instructor Tristan began training in the children's class at Sydney HQ in 1991. As the son of Grandmaster Jim Fung, he knew from a young age that he had big shoes to fill. He has many fond memories of watching his father's public demonstrations and accompanying him on annual family trips to Hong Kong, where his father trained with his master, Chu Shong Tin.

Although he was born into Wing Chun, Tristan quickly developed his own interest and completed the Instructor Course by age 15. He continued training diligently into adulthood, learning at the Academy and directly from his father, while also receiving tuition from Chu Shong Tin.

Tristan has long been fascinated by Wing Chun's connections to other aspects of life, from its parallels with music to the application of its biomechanics in sport and its philosophy in everyday situations. Above all, its concepts of internal power and 'thought force' continue to amaze him. He sees Wing Chun not only as a powerful martial art, but as a lifelong pursuit of mastery over mind and body.

When his father died of cancer in 2007, continuing his legacy became Tristan's lifelong commitment. Since then, Tristan has led the Academy into the future, preserving his father's teachings while helping new generations of students and instructors discover this incredible art. He also founded and runs the Sifu Jim Fung Memorial Fund for Cancer Research, which raises donations through lessons, workshops and social events at the Academy.

Andrew Mason

Level 5 Senior Instructor

Senior Instructor Andrew began his Wing Chun training at the Academy's Manly school in April 1987. Despite his tall stature and experience playing contact sports, he wanted to learn to protect himself and stop feeling intimidated by troublemakers when out with friends.

An advertisement in the Manly Daily caught his attention: Grandmaster Jim Fung launching a padded student through the air with a side kick. Inspired to find out more, Andrew attended an introductory lesson, where the welcoming atmosphere and the skill of a slightly built female instructor who easily countered his strength convinced him to enrol.

Andrew was impressed to learn that his Wing Chun skills could continue to improve as he grew older, in contrast to his experience with other sports and physical activities. He credits Wing Chun with teaching him to move more efficiently and powerfully, and with developing a calmness and inner confidence that have helped him handle stress and avoid physical confrontations.

Andrew has found that teaching at the Academy deepens his own understanding of Wing Chun. Working with students who move and react differently challenges him to explore how and why the techniques work, making each lesson a source of discovery. After nearly four decades, he finds Wing Chun more fascinating than ever.

Michiko Umebayashi

Level 5 Senior Instructor

Senior Instructor Michiko began her Wing Chun training at the Academy's Sydney HQ in 1998. Having previously practised Kendo in Japan, she wanted to explore a new martial art in Sydney. The Academy's convenient city location and extensive timetable, with classes seven days a week, encouraged her to try Wing Chun.

Michiko fell in love with Wing Chun from her first lesson. She initially found the physical challenge invigorating, but became hooked when the practical self-defence techniques began to work for her. Since then, developing her Wing Chun skills has been a constant source of joy and satisfaction.

Training in the Academy's mixed-gender environment gave Michiko insight into what it might feel like to be attacked by a man. She credits this experience with helping her defend herself in a dangerous real-life situation, when she believes she otherwise would have been powerless.

Michiko is committed to continuing Wing Chun's longstanding tradition of passing knowledge from one person to another. She wants every student to leave each lesson feeling they have improved, and to share the satisfaction of learning that continues to motivate her own training.

Simon Wong

Level 4 Senior Instructor

Senior Instructor Simon's biography is coming soon.