Biu Tze ~ "The thrusting fingers form"

Biu ~ Cantonese word meaning: to thrust vb., to make a forceful drive, stab or lunge

Tze ~ Cantonese word meaning: fingers n., the digits of the hand, often excluding the thumb

Tao ~ Cantonese term meaning: way n., a manner, method or means; passage or journey

Biu Tze is Wing Chun's third and most advanced empty hand form. Traditionally it was 'not taught to anyone outside the family door', meaning it was not taught openly and then only to selected students, whom had developed a very high level of skill in Wing Chun.

There were several factors to this closed-door attitude: Biu Tze requires a high level of understanding of Siu Nim Tao and Chum Kiu in order to appreciate and understand the energies and techniques. Biu Tze contains finger, palm and elbow strikes that can do an immense amount of damage and are potentially lethal, therefore should only be taught to students with the correct mentality and approach to Wing Chun. One of the main purposes of Biu Tze is to recover from a mistake; known as Gow Gup Sau (emergency or first aid hand), the movements are designed to recover the centreline when a mistake is made, created or forced upon the Wing Chun practitioner. Finally, it is also fair to acknowledge that Biu Tze was, in part, held back as a further incentive for students to continue their training.

To widely acknowledge Biu Tze, would have been to accept that Wing Chun was not 'perfect' and that it had weaknesses, so it was kept behind closed doors. In reality the weakness lies not in the Wing Chun system, but in human failing. It is people who make mistakes, or opponents who force mistakes. It is fair to say that if a Wing Chun practitioner is extremely skilled at Siu Nim Tao, Chum Kiu and Chi Sao, then they do not require Biu Tze. However, to ignore the human factor would at best, be foolish and at worst, fatal. In fact, it is Biu Tze that makes Wing Chun a complete system by covering all eventualities, accepting the possibility, maybe even inevitability, that mistakes do occur, by practicing recovery techniques.

"You must control Wing Chun, do not let it control you … do not be its slave, be its master "

Sifu Wong Shun Leung

Biu Tze is not just concerned with the recovery of mistakes when an opponent takes advantage of them, Biu Tze also enhances techniques already learnt in Siu Nim Tao and Chum Kiu and continues to develop elbow energies; focussing energy along the entire arm through to the fingertips and learning how to project that energy towards, or even into an opponent. Biu Tze is the logical next step in learning Wing Chun, both in the development and refinement of energy and the relative distance at which it is focussed: Siu Nim Tao's main concern is the elbow position/distance and the focus of energy at the elbow. Chum Kiu extends to focus on the wrist/forearm and leg/foot positions, to receive an opponent's limbs. Biu Tze extends the range even further to concentrate on the fingertips for use both a weapon and as a physical deterrent, to prevent an opponent stepping in and closing the distance.