Grandmaster Lee Shing was born in 1923 in Hoxan in Southern China. He first studied Gulao (Pien San) Wing Chun at an early age in mainland China under his first teacher Fong Yee Ming, who himself had learnt from Wong Wah Sam who had learnt from Leung Jan.

Lee Shing was inspired to research the different styles of Wing Chun, he therefore, researched, & went on to study under Fung Sang who was one of the central points of Pien San Wing Chun, having studied under his father Fung Lim and his uncle Koo Siu-Lung (both students of Wong Wah Sam). He then went on to learn from the famous Kung Fu Master Ng Jung , Lee Shing moved to Hong Kong where he met and became friends with two Wing Chun experts, Lok Yiu and Jiu Wan. They were two of the four leading practicioners of Wing Chun in Hong Kong who became known in Wing Chun circles as the four 'Kings of Wing Chun'. The other two were Leung Sheung and Tsui Shan Tin. It was not long before an exchange of styles took place between Lee Shing, Lok Yiu and Jiu Wan. While working, an older gentleman entered wearing the traditional Chinese dress. Lee Shing noticed that the others greeted the man very respectfully, so much so that he was curious to know who he was. It was then that the stranger was revealed to be none other than Grandmaster Yip Man, the teacher of the 'four kings' of Wing Chun; In-fact Lok Yiu, a former master of another kung fu style, was Grandmaster Yip Man's first student in Hong Kong.

Lee Shing was formally introduced by Jiu Wan to Grandmaster Yip Man. At the time Grandmaster Yip Man was teaching Wing Chun in Hong Kong's Restaurant Workers' Union. Lee Shing was fortunate enough to be accepted by Grandmaster Yip Man as a student and received instruction privately from him on a one-to-one basis. He was known only to Grandmaster Yip Man's senior students and later to Grandmaster Yip Man's eldest son Yip Chun. Over the years, Lee Shing learnt the complete Wing Chun system. He had mastered the three hand forms, the wooden dummy form, the six-and-a-half point pole form and most importantly of all Grandmaster Yip Man had taught Lee Shing the complete butterfly knife form and its applications. This last form was of particular importance as it represented the highest point of learning in Wing Chun. At the time Grandmaster Yip Man had taught only three people the complete knife form.

He was allowed to open up a school on Hong Kong Island in the early 50s - with the opening ceremony being conducted by Grandmaster Yip Man himself. It was at this time that Lee Shing met Yip Chun who had resumed his studies in Wing Chun. The two became firm friends and henceforth when Yip Chun came to England, he would always stay at Lee Shing's home. Grandmaster Lee Shing with his student Joseph Cheng was a key figure in promoting the art of Wing Chun at this time. He had begun studying under Grandmaster Lee Shing in 1965 and was the first person to teach Wing Chun openly in the U.K., opening the first Wing Chun School in Europe in 1970. In 1976, with Grandmaster Lee Shing's blessing, Joseph Cheng wrote the first book ever published on the hitherto secret techniques of the wooden dummy form of Wing Chun called 'Chong Woo Kwan Wing Chun' - The Art of Simultaneous Defence and Attack'. Grandmaster Lee Shing brought Wing Chun to Europe and was a major influence on the development of Wing Chun in the western world, for many years Grandmaster Lee Shing had a close friendship with Grandmaster Yip Chun, eldest son of Yip Man. There was great mutual respect on both sides. After Grandmaster Yip Chun's arrival in Hong Kong from China they were introduced in the famous Yang's restaurant by Grandmaster Yip Man. Whenever he visited the U.K. Grandmaster Yip Chun would visit Grandmaster Lee Shing and stay in his house as an honoured guest to discuss amongst other things the further promotion of Wing Chun in U.K. and Europe.

Though he was always one to shun the spotlight, the late Grandmaster Lee Shing should be given full credit for bringing the Chinese martial art of Wing Chun to United Kingdom. Thanks to him, a whole new generation of kung fu instructors have spread the art far and wide. Those who trained under the grandmaster are many and varied. They include Hau Bin Sum, Chan Man Kune, Joseph Cheng, Eddie Yeoh, Sam Kwok, Simon Lau, Nigel Fan, Austin Goh, Joseph Man, Kenny Chan and, of course, Joseph Lee.