Hello I am not sure if this is totally the correct term or spelling,but does anyone in the cma know if the term "Si Heng" means older brother or senoir student that takes a novice under his wing through kung fu?If so,what is the term for the lower level brother/student? I have heard this term amoung a kf circle and it sounds like I have spelled it Si Heng.I was just wondering what the correct custom is on this as both my kf teachers are very informal.
'Si Hings' in my school are essentially the older 'brothers and sisters' (i.e. the students who are there before you arrived), whilst the younger 'brothers and sisters' (i.e. newbies) are 'Si Dai'.
I see,thank you very much.I really dig my kf teachers but sometimes its nice to learn a little about customs&tradition.They are both all about training,training and more training.
Not all kung fu schools are about tradition and likewise not all kung fu schools are just about fighting. My school (choy li fut) leans towards more fighting/self-defence and the general beasting of opponents but we also retain the traditions and customs (i.e. making offerings to the Kwan Dai, burning incense, the chinese lion dance, forms, stances, paying your respects to past masters, etc. etc.) Fellow MAPer Infrazel and Mano Mano are probably your best bet on customs, traditions, lineages, particularly on CLF. Both have an almost encyclopedic knowledge.
I am a big advocate for learning traditional kung fu and the customs that come along with it. dai si hing = eldest brother dai si jei = eldest sister (note: there can only be one or the other in each kwoon. ie my kwoon has a dai si jei.) si hing = older brother si jei = older sister si dai = younger brother or can mean younger siblings as a group si moi = younger sister si fu = teacher/father (note: traditionally there is only one sifu per kwoon. i've noticed some kwoons have a laundry list of sifu's in their kwoon's arsenal.) si mo = sifu's wife si suk = your sifu's younger brother (si dai) si bak = your sifu's older brother (si hing) si gung = your sifu's sifu si jo = founder of system sorry about my spelling. everyone seems to spell each term differently and most of the time its done phonetically anyway.
This is our kwoons terminology Often Used Terms: Class Position & Rank: 1. Sidai: Male classmate who joined after you 2. Simui: Female classmate who joined after you 3. Sihing: Male classmate who joined before you 4. Sijeh: Female classmate who joined before you 5. Sifu: Your teacher 6. Sisuk Teacher's Sidai 7. Sibak: Teacher's Sihing 8. Sigung: Your teacher's teacher 9. Sijoh: Teacher of Sigung 10. Todei: Students 11. Tosuen: Students of your students 12. Tong Moon: Follower of the same style
I think its safe to say that most kwoons use the same terminology. Although its apparent that some kwoons translate the meaning of each term differently. For instance, someone mentioned that they refer to the instructors as si hings or si jeis. Both terms simply mean older brother/sister, but in their kwoon it refers specifically to their instructors. In my school anyone who is an older student than you is your si hing or si jei. Not all of the older students are instructors.
Haha Chimp that's too much for me to handle. I'm a still a newbie through-and-through. . . . . . . . I do like the bowing to Gwan Gung, Sigung and my Sifu's Godfather (he helped found the school). Peace
A black shash does not equel a Sfu and just because someone is an older student than you and is your si hing or si jei. doesn’t necessarily make them an instructor or even good enough to teach. Take Chimpcheng for instance I he’s my si dai (younger kung fu brother) but I would have no problem training in one of his classes he’s a good instructor, infact he’s a better instructor than one of two of his si hing’s. Infrazael sorry I didn’t get back to you I’m embarrassed to say I forgot.
Black sash can equal sifu... or not... it's not a traditional thing, so the meaning of a black sash is entirely dependent on the individual school or organization Sifu for me is more personal than just teacher... it would be a teacher that I feel truly loyal to and feel like he's familly. Other teachers I'd just refer to as "laoshi" or Mr./Ms./Mrs. etc. BTW, is there a female equivlant of sifu?
Black Sash For example, I am a "si-sook" (first-level black belt) in my Kajukenbo organization but am not qualified to teach until three more levels of black belt wherein I reach "si-fu" level. Best, Steve Lamade
Hence why Sifu means father/teacher. I've seen female sifu's called just that, Sifu. So I'm not 100% sure if thats an accurate title or what.
Female sifu are still called sifu. Note that there are 2 separate characters for the "fu" in sifu. The first is the "father" character. The second means "teacher". Of course both mean teacher, but the first combination of characters implies a familial relationship.
Good information to know. We've always been taught that it means both since kung fu was traditionally only taught to family members. Its hard to believe that information like that would have been missed since Sifu and a couple students both read and speak Cantonese. With all respect.
