BudoMan500000- You have two dans in two years? Wow. Are you an uchideshi? Under whom have you received your dan rankings? Is one of them in aikido?
Before trying to unify the arts, perhaps a bit more than 2 years of study into what the arts actually are is required.
Completely OT
[QUOTE=red_fists;124557] Next we will all be wearing white suits, have barcodes on our Bodies, eat the same food, work the same Job,etc.
[/QUOTE] This was all that came up when I searched ‘barcodes’ and I gotta post this somewhere on this forum. It’s my job. 
Earlier today about a dozen women were spotted strutting together around the streets of Beijing in black underwear with “use me” written on their backs and barcodes stamped on their butt cheeks.
What secret did this butt barcodes reveal? Alas, that is not yet known. Police rushed quickly to the scene to investigate around noon, but the ladies had all disappeared without a trace.
Popular speculation is that the girls were part of a cleverly-designed marketing ploy for a software company. If that’s true, it is certainly something we can get behind.
Hopefully, future promoters use the idea to liven up the next regiment of Spartan warriors to march through town.
[Images via NetEase]
Real Kung Fu is not a fashion statement (i.e. belt color matters less than practice)
The “Bar Codes” is certainly an interesting approach.
Red_Fist sums it up nicely with: Ever heard of:
“I don’t fear the thousand techniques you practiced once, but the one technique you practiced a thousand times”.
Each person’s martial evolution is unique, even within a system. My views change every decade, as my experiences develop. By the time I tested for black belt, I had learned over 30 forms (although this does include tan tui, weapons, and Tai Chi). Another 20 forms later, and it occurred to me that I was not really mastering any of them. So I tried cutting down to three Shaolin forms for regular practice (not including Tai Chi or weapon sets), which I then decided needed three basic forms for support, and then added three praying mantis forms because I enjoy them. So would this have made me a yellow or orange belt, or later green or brown? How then does over 25 years of practice factor in? And I still practice the other 19 or so empty hand forms once a month, to keep them to at least some degree.
Fast forward 8 years, and I am back to practicing 20 or so empty hand forms in a session more often, for one primary reason - it is fun, and I like the variety. Since I am not fighting in the UFC, nor living in a dangerous area, the deadly focus on one or a few forms did not seem so critical. But, that said, the fun and variety of many forms is a trade off for higher states of mental focus and practice of a few or even one form. Ask me again in five years, and I may be back to attempting to truly master one form. As it is, more often I go through all my forms, other days I focus with all my intent on just a handful. And of course, everyday Tai Chi.
One last note - two of my favorite Kung Fu people - one was an old man in the park - best long sword I have ever seen. He looked like a true master, and was one of the few people I have every seen which decided I wanted to learn from. It turns out that he only knew that one form, and had been practicing it for over 35 years. He started when he was 50, when he decided that he needed to take up some form of exercise. The other was a young Chinese gentleman who worked out at a Karate club which I also frequented. Every session, he would show up with a different belt. Some days white or yellow, other days green, blue or brown, and sometimes black. He had fantastic skill, and a great attitude.
In Respect, KF
Hi Kung Fu
What is your Major Kung Fu system ?
Hi Firehawk4
Longfist/Shaolin (out of Shan Dong Province) is my favorite, plus some Plum Flower, Eight Step, and Seven Star Praying Mantis. I also have a passion for traditional Yang Style Tai Chi. I also dabbled in Bagua and Hsing-i, just to get some understanding and first hand experience with the style. Too much for one cup, but I do enjoy the variety.
the official kung fu grading system of the medieval chinese government in the ming dynasty
Good 1 Good 2 Good 3
Middle 1 Middle 2 Middle 3
Bad 1 Bad 2 Bad 3
Official kung fu grading methods:
weight lifting:
drawing testing bow up to 200 lb
spinning testing da dao 180 lb
lifting testing stone up to 400lb lb (500 lb hero stone available)
aggression:
draw lots and wrestle, observe aggression
melee weapon:
sparring against another melee weapon with wooden stick wrapped in cotton covered in chalk
successfully bypass tester wielding spear within time limit
knock down short poles (infantry) and tall poles (cavalry) within time limit
spears:
sparring against spear with wooden spear with cotton tip dipped in chalk
successfully keeping tester with melee weapon at spear tip within time limit
knocking out 5 wooden balls with 5 stabs allowed under time limit
ranged weapons:
shooting target three times
rewards and punishments after testing
gain one rank: reward with money
gain two rank+: reward with extra money
rank same after testing once: no punishment
rank same after test twice: fine money or flogging 5 times
rank same after three times: increasing fine or flog 10 times
rank decrease: fine or flog 10 times
rank not increase after more than 5 times testing: flog 40 times, expel
rank display: wooden identity badge
name rank
facial description
height and weight
strength speed endurance
test ranking
which chinatown rainbow sash sifu is brave enough to try implement this at his hobby lobby without losing 99% of his ricebowls
From this day forth, I’m going with a 9 tier bawang system.
Bawang 1 - how to type
Bawang 2 - using the internet
Bawang 3 - how to troll
Bawang 4 - Troll the internet
Bawang 5 - know your history
Bawang 6 - Ridicule posers
Bawang 7 - Get some practice time in before dinner
Bawang 8 - Break a brick
bawang 9 - Transcend all beings and take a seat as the god head of Kung Fu
For only 19.99 USD, Certificates will be issued with your misspelled name! They will be FDA certificates and will show that your meat was indeed inspected and that it passed for human consumption.
History
Let’s consider the history of ranking/grading. Once a pupil has learned material in the curriculum he then moves on to something else. He does this until he has learned all that is required of him (forms, exercises, techniques, philosophy, ect).
Also we look at the history of the belt/sash. It was for all intents and purposes to keep ones pants up(like any actual belt). Due to rigorous training, the belt darkened with blood,sweat, and dirt. This kind of thing happens when train outside. It wasn’t until the 40’s that we actually had a color ranking system.
The attitude of your instructor should either be a sense of calm or a red flag.
[QUOTE=BCV;1290737]Let’s consider the history of ranking/grading. Once a pupil has learned material in the curriculum he then moves on to something else. He does this until he has learned all that is required of him (forms, exercises, techniques, philosophy, ect).
Also we look at the history of the belt/sash. It was for all intents and purposes to keep ones pants up(like any actual belt). Due to rigorous training, the belt darkened with blood,sweat, and dirt. This kind of thing happens when train outside. It wasn’t until the 40’s that we actually had a color ranking system.
The attitude of your instructor should either be a sense of calm or a red flag.[/QUOTE]
Let’s consider all the trappings and circumstance that have forced dilution of traditional martial arts and in many instances turned them into ineffective and anachronistic fantasy realms. Rank being one of those things as it is almost completely irrelevant in this new world we live in. It has no meaning of real value anymore because the average kwoon attendee or dojo rat or whatever is not in a filial military environment.
Not that one can’t learn effective skills as a martial artist, because one can and one can do it under a traditional model. However, that is typically what many call “closed door” training.
People who train for sport have a much shorter vector to achievement than those who train for art. People who train for war, have a different training arc again from those two.
getting back to a belt is to hold up your pants is important in regular joe world. Achievement can come through the hands more clearly than what’s tied around your waste. 
2 cents
The belt system was adapted by Jigoro Kano from the game Go. His ingenious idea has guaranteed a steady flow of income to martial arts organisations ever since. The kids love it and I don’t mind as long as you get something worthwhile in return.
WingChun has perfected the method of course. I’ve never seen as many ranks as in Leung Ting’s European branch and you loose all of them once you leave.
