我的詠春拳主題曲 - BEYOND【海闊天空】My Wing Chun Theme Song

我的詠春拳主題曲 -  BEYOND【海闊天空】

當談到武術相關的歌曲或音樂時，通常許多人會想電影「洛基」 或「黃飛鴻」的音樂。當然最近幾年很受歡迎的電影「葉問」的音樂也受很多人喜愛。我也喜歡上述的音樂，不過香港樂團Beyond的【海闊天空】在我的內心裡佔有一個特殊的地位。可以說這是我的詠春拳主題曲。

這首歌對我來說具有著特殊的意義，因為它是我的師父林文學(Gary Lam) 多年前的手機來電答鈴聲。當時我在師父的後院練拳，我幾乎每天都會聽到幾遍【海闊天空】。因為這首歌是廣東歌，我不懂廣東話，所以當時無法理解它的歌詞。不過，我喜歡它的旋律。當師父心情好時，有時他會跟著唱幾句。雖然我有問過師父歌手的名稱，因為我在美國很長一段時間，對港台的藝人我已不熟悉。所以問了等於沒問。後來我回到台灣，試圖找過到這首歌，但沒有成功找到。直到我看到了有關香港佔中/黃傘運動的新聞，我才知道這首歌的歌名和歌手的名字。我上網找到【海闊天空】的歌詞，發現對當時的我這是一首完美的歌曲。當時的我是在人生生涯的一個十字路口。我辭掉了在紐約的一個好工作，正為下一步該做什麼相當地困擾。該留在美國繼續發展嗎？或者回亞洲/台灣？後來我決定先成為師父林文學的入室弟子每天日夜學習詠春拳，等到我想清楚後再做出重要的生涯決定。我想好好地利用這一段時間來苦練希望能把我的詠春提升到更高的層次。一些親友不能理解我這樣的選擇。當時我有師兄弟從德國，阿根廷，加拿大和美國的其他城市千里迢迢到洛杉磯和師父學拳。像我一樣，他們都離開了自己的家鄉，工作，和親友去追求自己的詠春夢想。這對很多人來說是相當不容易的。就像這首歌鼓勵人們追求自己的夢想和理想一樣。

現在每次當我聽到這首歌，在師父的後院練拳的場景總會歷歷地浮現在我的腦海裡。相信練詠春，或其他傳統武術，的人大概都有經歷過他人異樣目光，甚至冷言冷語的嘲諷如「都什麼時代還在練這個？！！練這個有什麼用？！！」。諷刺的是這種情況在台灣比在國外更嚴重。在學拳過程中其他挫折和障礙幾乎都一定會出現。因此，許多人最後都半途而廢。我個人感到非常慶幸，這些年來我還在練詠春拳也還保有我詠春拳的理想。也希望大家永遠不要輕易地放棄自己的詠春拳/傳武夢。

「多少次 迎著冷眼與嘲笑

從沒有放棄過心中的理想

…

原諒我這一生不羈放縱愛自由

也會怕有一天會跌倒

背棄了理想 誰人都可以

那會怕有一天只你共我」

My Wing Chun Theme Song

When thinking of martial art related songs or music, the music from the movie “Rocky” usually would be on top of people’s list.  Lately, the music from the movie “Ip Man” is also very popular.  I also like abovementioned music, however, to me the song that would be always close to my heart is a song from the Hong Kong band called Beyond.    The literal translation of the name of the song is – “Unbounded Seas and Sky”.

This song has a special meaning to me is because it was the cellphone ringtone of my Sifu, Gary Lam years ago.  When I was training at Sifu’s backyard, I would hear it almost several times every day.  Because the song is in Cantonese and I didn’t understand Cantonese, so I couldn’t understand the lyrics.  However, I did like its rhythm.  When Sifu was in a good mood, he would even sing along.  One day I asked Sifu who the singer was and he gave me the answer, since I wasn’t familiar with singer in Hong Kong so it didn’t register with me.  When I came back to Taiwan, I tried to find this song but with no avail.  Until I watched news on the Umbrella Movement in Hong Kong, then I found out the name of the song and the name of the singer.  (The Umbrella Movement used this song to rally its supporters.)  I went online to find its lyrics and found it was a perfect song for me at that period of time.  In short, the song encourages people to overcome all the obstacles to pursuit one’s dream or belief.  My life at that time was in a crossroad.  I quit a good job in New York and was at loss of what to do next.  “Should I stay in the US?  Or, go back to Asia/Taiwan?”  I decided to take times off to learn Wing Chun full-time under Sifu, hoping this would take my skill to a higher level.  Some of my family members and friends didn’t quite understand my decision.  At that time I had Kung Fu brothers from Germany, Argentina, Canada and other parts of the US.  Like me, they all left their hometowns, jobs, friends and families to pursue their Wing Chun dreams.  This wasn’t easy for most people.

Whenever I hear this song, the images of me training at Sifu's backyard flashes through my mind.  People who practice Wing Chun, or other traditional martial arts, probably all have experiences of people questioning or even scorned at their decision.  For example, “why do you practice that??!!  It’s useless!”  Ironically, this problem is more sever in Taiwan than in the US.  Other frustrations and obstacles of learning traditional martial arts are bound to happen along the way.  Thus, many people give up somewhere along the way.  Personally, I am very happy that I have kept practicing Wing Chun all these years and I still dream to keep improving my skill.  I wish all my Wing Chun brothers and sisters don’t ever give up their Wing Chun dream.

Following is the lyric of the song in English.

“How many times have I faced ignorance and humiliation

Never have I given up my dreams and determination

....

Forgive my passion for freedom, and the untamed heart

Even someday I am also frightened, I could fall hard

Everyone has a choice to betray their believes

Even someday I have nothing but you, I wouldn't be scared”

Source of the English lyrics is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FM1cVadVZA8