baisi

[mun hung]

Has anyone here ever "baisi" to their SiFu? How important is it? What are the procedures for this ceremony? Is it a neccesity? Does it really matter these days? And if it does - how does it?

Should the tradition be kept alive?

[yenhoi]

When you find the buddha, kill the buddha.

[prana]

Originally posted by yenhoi
When you find the buddha, kill the buddha.

only in Zen, and only for the fairly realised....

___________________________________-

original question > yes its important.

[scotty1]

What exactly is "baisi"?

[dezhen2001]

Baisi is the term given for a traditional ceremony when a master accepts a student as a disciple... :)

david

[Grays Anatomy]

For those who don't really know what it is - there is a pretty good article on it here:

http://www.wingchunkuen.com/journal/features/crescione_baisi.shtml

[Liokault]

Yup I had to do this. Not to my teacher but to his teacher when I had been training long enough to be shown the "secret" nei kung sets.

Was kind of weird but was somthing that every one had to do. i have now seen about 30 guys go though this.

[Tainan Mantis]

This is a tradition that goes back to ancient times. Different schools have different formats, but for the most part it is when you are formally accepted as a disciple and your teacher becomes your shr fu(even though you have been calling him that for some time).

There is a written binding document that usually includes some rules.
In some cases it also specifies punishment for infractions.
The manuscript is usually written in an archaic Chinese style on a special type of paper.

I recently was sent a copy of a Baishr type of certificate that another famous Mantis teacher is using to prove his authenticity in the states.
Unfortuneatly for him, if you haven't done baishr then you can not fake it.

[mun hung]

Thanks for all the replies. Good links. Very helpful indeed. I have not done this myself, but...you never know. Just doing a little research.

Are there really people out there who are low and desperate enough to forge "bai si" papers? - Incredible.

[mono68]

Mun Hung: It is a great honor when you do the Baisi ceremony. The student feels more closer to the Sifu and this is when the name of Teacher/coach becomes more Teacher /father. (this is when reading the characters for Sifu in Chinese.) Also it is true there are some individuals which will do this for personal,monetary gains and this just has a bitter feeling to a student who gives all for the system and the sifu.

[joedoe]

I have done it. In our school all it entailed was offering tea to my sifu, his wife, and a few senior students. Then sifu chanted a little and then taught each of us a form that then becomes 'your disciple form'.

I found it made me feel closer not only to sifu, but also to all the others who had done the ceremony before and after me. Kinda made you like a big happy family :).