Teacher Titles

Wai Jia: The Kung Fu Forum Kung Fu Forum
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[QUOTE=GeneChing;1270264]I’ve been at odds with the term ‘sifu’ for years. . . . I keep in mind that the term can be used informally for any position of authority in Mandarin, for a taxi cab driver or the manager of a restaurant.

What amuses me more is this trend of people using the title ‘sigong’ or ‘sihing’. I supposed they think that ‘sigong’ is a higher ranking title than ‘sifu’ and that ‘sihing’ is more modest, but to use either as a title is out of context. Those are terms that are used within a family, so they don’t really work as a formal title to people outside their lineage.

As for my slaves who call me ‘master’, my boots need cleaning again.[/QUOTE]

You are right, even the title, ‘Shifu’ is a relational term and used in context of a ‘teacher/student/ relationship ( shi tu). Sometimes non-practitioners will address a martial arts teacher as ‘shi fu’, even though they are not students of the person, but that is generally out of politeness.
Terms such as shigong, etc. are relational and, as you say, used it context of the ‘family’. The same person can be addressed as "Shifu’, ‘Shigong’, ‘Shi Tai Ye’ or any of the terms below depending who is talking to him or her.

Students: di zi or tu di
Students of your masters brother: tong men
Grand students: tu sun
Your senior brother: shi xiong
Your junior brother: shi di
Your senior sister: shi jie
your junior sister: shi mei
Your teacher: Shi fu
Your teacher’s senior brother: shi bo
Your teacher’s junior brother: , shi shu
Your teacher’s female classmate: shi gu
Your teacher’s wife: shi mu
Female masters husband: shi zhang
Your teacher’s teacher (grandmaster): or shigong; shi ye; or shi zu
Your grandmaster’s senior brother shi bo gong
Your grandmaster’s junior brother shi shu gong
Your grandmaster’s female classmate: shi gu po
Your grandmaster’s wife: shi lao; or you can use shi po
Your Great Grand Master: shi tai ye; or you can use shi tai zu

r.
[SIZE=1]www.shaolinwushu.com[/SIZE]

22

[QUOTE=mooyingmantis;1270006]If you are a kung fu instructor, what title do you go by: sifu, coach, master, grandmaster, Mr./Ms.? Why have you chosen this particular title?[/QUOTE]

When I taught my own group for a few years, I went by the title of Sifu. I taught as a extension/branch of my own (CLF) Sifu, and was expected to use that title. I will always, happily and with full respect, refer to my Sifu as ‘Sifu’, because that is who and what he is. To my students, he was ‘Sigung’. He’s been a MAist since before I was born, and I’m 51 now. But for myself, I would have been fine, and more comfortable, if my own students addressed me by the formal version of my first name (James).

I consider myself a lifelong practitioner, and would feel particularly uncomfortable if someone called me ‘master’. Once while I was helping to officiate at a tournament, the head official referred to us as masters to the division’s competitors prior to starting, telling them to “respect these masters who have been where you want to be”. Deep down inside, I cringed a little when he said that. I guess it’s a little personal hang up of mine.

My Northern Mantis teacher in Taiwan didn’t go by ‘Shifu’, but simply ‘Laoshi’.

23

Everyone calls me Coach.

24

I’m gonna start referring to myself in the third person, as “Mountain Lord.”

25

[QUOTE=Dale Dugas;1270329]it is not the title thats the issue, its people calling THEMSELVES Master, Grandmaster, Sigung, Sijo. Others call you those titles if deserved and warranted. [/QUOTE]

Yep. Last year I quit a school of whom the chief instructor uses the title Ten Dan Grandmaster on his name card and info on Facebook. I resent it a bit, and still joined the school because I can tolerate such commercial business practice. But at the end that chief instructor misbehaved. And that was why I left.

Regards,

KC
Hong Kong

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[QUOTE=GeneChing;1270264]As for my slaves who call me ‘master’, my boots need cleaning again.[/QUOTE]

Dang Gene, you sound like you may know a thing or two about the ‘lifestyle’ haha.