太極娟

There is a frequent misunderstanding about Salutations in the Chinese Martial Arts. The purpose is not to humble or demean yourself before your Sifu (teacher) or senior student, but rather to honor the hard work and dedication (gong fu) that your Sifu, your fellow students, and yourself, as well as for all Gong fu and Tai Chi practitioners past and present. The word gong fu refers to a skill acquired over time through hard work and dedication. The term can apply to skills and artforms other than martial arts. A salutation is performed by covering your right fist with the palm of your open left hand. Traditionally, a salutation is performed when entering or leaving a practice space for any reason, including using the restroom; at the beginning or conclusion of a class or practice session; before and after addressing the person leading the class; and when a visiting instructor enters the Kwan.There is also a tradition for performing salutations tournament and other martiaarts event such as demonstrations

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1. The Tradition of the Red Envelope  

   • I’m writing about the Kung fu tradition of giving your Sifu red envelopes, because some of our students have asked me about this practice. In Chinese Martial Arts it is traditional, but not obligatory for students to remember their Sifu with a gift from time to time. The red envelope, called Hongbao in Manadrin or Laise in Cantonese, represented a gift to given one’s Sifu periodically to help with their expenses or on special occasions like Chinese New Year, their birthday and other holidays. Students would gift their Sifu with a red envelope, rather than pay tuition, because Chinese Martial Arts whether Kung fu or Tai Chi was traditionally never intended to be a commercial endeavor.

Rather, the students would take care of their Sifu in a way corresponding to how they would care for their own parents. Traditionally the Chinese believed that there is no way that the students could ever repay their Sifu for sharing a vital and precious art like Gongfu or Tai Chi; just like we can never repay our parents for giving us life. In the tradition of gift-giving with a Red Envelope to you Sifu, you would greet them with a salutation and then you would present the envelope with both hands.

The red envelope which represented good luck would contain even amounts of money, especially multiples of eight which is considered a lucky number. White envelopes, odd numbers and the number four were avoided as they were associated with funerals and death. The cash offered in the red envelope was traditionally intended to help cover the teacher’s living expenses, as well as to display goodwill and gratitude toward one’s sifu.It is traditional for the sifu to avoid opening the envelopes in front of the students out of courtesy. However instead, to receive an envelope, to thank their student and return the salutation.

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1. Titles  & Ranks In the Chinese Martial Arts​

Traditionally, Chinese Martial Arts doesn’t use belt ranks to indicate one’s status within a club, school or style. The belt ranking system originated with Judo for the purpose of matching equally skilled competitors and that system was soon adapted by other martial arts styles as a useful motivational tool. However, Chinese Martial Arts didn’t adapt this system since we already have a time-honored system of standing or rank based on traditional Chinese family relationships. The titles used in a Chinese Martial Arts Club (or Family) correspond to traditional titles that would be used for ones own family in China

Originally, the title of Sifu was reserved only for your teacher because it referred to specific teacher student relationship and the title Laoshi was used for instructors not related to your kung fu family. However, in modern times the custom has become to call all Chinese Martial Arts teachers by the title Sifu, whether they are your teacher or not. In this newer convention, for teachers other than ours, we would use the title Sifu and then attach either their first or last their name. Generally, it’s considered appropriate in the Chinese Martial Arts to address our instructors, assistant instructors and fellow students by these traditional titles when we are in class or at an event or function related to Chinese Martial Arts, like tournaments, demonstrations, or seminars.

• Below are some of these traditional titles. 

  • Sifu …………Your teacher/ Gong fu Parent 

  • Sigung ……   Your Sifu's teacher, Gong fu Grandparent

  • Tai Sigung…..Your Sigung's Sifu, Gong fu Great Grandparent

  • Si Bahk …… Your Sifu’s Senior Kungfu Brother  

  • Si Guma …… Your Sifu’s Senior Kungfu Sister

  • Si Sook …… Your Sifu’s Junior Kungfu Brother  

  • Si Gu Jie ……… Your Sifu’s Junior Kungfu Sister

  • Si Hing ……….Male Assistant Instructor or Senior (Advanced) Student/Your Gong fu Older Brother.

  • Si Jie…………..Female Assistant Instructor or Senior (Advanced) Student,Your Gong Fu Older Sister.

  • Ho Ho Dia …….Talented Martial Arts Classmate, not necessarily senior to you