Terminology question

[joedoe]

Is the term 'Soke' Chinese or Japanese? And what exactly does it mean?

[Shadow Dragon]

Jodeoe.

It is japanese and can be used in a few different meaning:
1.) Founder of a MA style
2.) Head of a MA Style
3.) True Inheritor of a MA style.

Usually the Soke is the person that holds the "Densho" scrolls, the scrolls with all the accumulated knowledge of the style/system.

Traditionally there were only 3 ranks in japanese MA:

1.) Menkyo Holder = Instructor/Teacher
2.) Menkyo kaiden Holder = A person who has received "FULL" transmission and thus can make changes and found a new style.
3.) Soke.

Hope this helps.

[SevenStar]

Japanese - I think it means grandmaster.

[joedoe]

Thanks for clearing that up. The reason I ask is that I stumbled across the website of a fellow Ngor Chor student that I met a few years ago at our Sifu's birthday. He was alright but not flash but had taken the title of sifu anyway.

Now he calls himself Soke on his website!

While this annoys me in a way, it also amuses me too :).

[Shadow Dragon]

Joedoe.

Nearly everybody now seems to call himself a Soke, Dai-Soke (dai = great), Grandmaster or Great Grandmaster.

The same as many people now managed to study multiple Arts (4+) and receive high ranks (6th Dan and above) in about 20~30yrs.

It looks like every 2nd or 3rd Guy now started his own system and/or is the TRUE Inheritor of the Style and Skill.

I often call them "Sokemon" for the fun of it.
Twist on "Pokemon" which is short for Pocket monster.
And thus we get "Soke Monster".

Cheers.