A popular legend tells us that the current Wing Chun Dummy originated when a total of 108 seperate dummies from the Shaolin Temple were combined into 1 dummy. This was the work of the nun Ng Mui, who wanted to make training more effective. This is why the Wing Chun Dummy uses an arm- and leg configuration to practice both fighting skills as well as chi.
Older versions of the dummy were usually placed in the ground. This modern design has been created by Yip Man in Hong Kong, as an adjustment to modern day life in an apartment or smaller home.
The Wing Chun dummy contains three arms and a leg to represent the body of the opponent in different positions, as well as the power lines a body can give. The wooden slat on which the muk yan jong is mounted, has a resiliency that is comparable to the involuntary response of an opponent and gives the user the chance to absorb energy in his posture. Because of this resilience, this type of dummy is seen as a ‘living’ dummy and is the older version usually called a ‘dead’ dummy.