She Came to Accompany Her Daughter, but Fell in Love with Wing Chun

Wing Chun Practice with Yin Studio in Shanghai's park

When first met this mother and daughter from Russia, it seemed clear who had booked the class.

The daughter was the one who discovered Wing Chun and wanted to try it during their trip to Shanghai. She had never practiced martial arts before, but the idea of learning a traditional Chinese Kung Fu style sounded exciting and different from the usual tourist activities.

Her mother joined simply to accompany her.

At least, that was the plan.

As the class began, our instructor quickly adapted the lesson to suit their experience level. Since neither guest had any martial arts background, he focused on practical exercises, partner drills, and interactive movements that allowed them to experience Wing Chun through practice rather than theory.

To make the class even more relevant, he also introduced several self-defense techniques often useful for women in everyday situations.

What surprised me was how quickly the mother became engaged.

Although she had never practiced martial arts, she had a background in gymnastics. Many of the movements felt natural to her, and she picked up the techniques with impressive ease. As the lesson continued, her enthusiasm seemed to grow with every exercise.

At one point, it almost felt as if she was enjoying the class even more than her daughter.

The daughter remained curious and focused throughout the experience, while her mother eagerly practiced each movement, asked questions, and embraced every new challenge.

Moments like these are one of the reasons we enjoy hosting cultural experiences.

Sometimes guests arrive with a clear expectation of who the experience is for. Yet the person who is "just accompanying" someone else often ends up discovering something unexpected for themselves.

After the class, the mother left a wonderful review in Russian on Trip.com, sharing how much she enjoyed the experience.

For us, however, the most memorable part was not the review itself.

It was watching a mother who came simply to support her daughter gradually become fully immersed in learning Wing Chun, finding confidence, enjoyment, and perhaps even a new appreciation for Chinese martial arts along the way.

Experiences like these remind us that you do not need previous martial arts training to enjoy Kung Fu.

Memorable photo after the WingChun class

Sometimes all you need is curiosity—and someone you love to share the experience with.