How to reach Grand Master Status

[hskwarrior]

Hey,

this is for everyone :)

After reading a few websites, i have noticed that there are a good number of people out there using the "Grand Master title". Other times I've read " I've tested in front of my master and was promoted to the Grand Master level".

This is where I'm a little unsure. In traditional CMA it was always my understanding that CMA never had ranking systems, even going back to the old days. So, what I'd like to hear from each of you from different styles, especially Lama since he has over 550 students, is how does someone get the "Grand Master" title bestowed upon them? What testing goes on? What are the Cryteria (Criteria? :confused: ) to reach that status?

As far as I'm concerned, a master doesn't reach "Grand Master" level until he's dedicated most of his life to martial arts. I believe the title is more of a sign of respect, and the title is sometimes given as a sign of respect towards that specific individual for devoting most of his life to the martial arts.

As well, another way of becoming a "Grand Master" is by his students having students, within his own organization he automatically elevates to that status because the students of his students would refer to him as Grand Master So and So.

So, what I am asking is does your organizations have testing to become a grandmaster, and if so, what do you base this testing on? How many years does it take to reach that level? Should CMA have testing to become a grandmaster?
Do you believe that someone under a certain age should carry that title? If so, what's the age someone reaches before he can authentically become a Grand Master?

Thank you everyone for participating in this.

HSK

[Ou Ji]

Personally I think too much is put into the title Master and Grandmaster. They are not titles of rank.

The Master of your school is the guy in charge, the head of the school. That's the only difference I see between Sifu and Master. Sifus are instructors while Master is the head instructor.

Grandmaster would be the head of the system, usually with Masters running their own schools under him with Sifus under the Master helping to teach class. It's a hierarchy that does not neccessarily indicate skill level although it is assumed that skill increases the higher you are in the system.

[hskwarrior]

But you understand where i'm coming from right? how does one test to become a grand master?

Technically, i can be called a grand master because my some of my students now have some of their own. I know that within my own school i am called their sigung, but i feel like I'm way too young to even consider it.

I too believe that word is thrown around so easily and nonchalauntly. but when my sifu called me this morning i told him of this thread and he asked me what do I feel it takes to become a grand master? I answered him by saying "time and age" and he basically agreed.

Basically, I was just asking if the commercial schools have a test for the Grand Master Level, because i feel it is only a title of "respect" shown to an old teacher who has devoted his life to the martial arts.

thanks, Ou Ji, How ya doin? :D

hsk

[hskwarrior]

no one else has anything to add? :confused:

[yutyeesam]

If the head of a school promotes someone to grandmaster, does that mean then that the head instantly becomes a great grandmaster?

Maybe grandmaster is a title masters give themselves after they've produced people who they feel are ready to be called masters.

It's all labels to influence commerce nowadays, it seems. I wouldn't imagine a master who ISN'T concerned with status, reputation, business, social perception would ever consider themselves a master.

I personally like the term Lo Si better than Sifu/Grand/Master, even though that's not what's done in traditional Kung-Fu.

I'm doubting that schools have test for grandmaster status, but if they do, that must be a he11a wicked test!! We should create some standards right here on this forum. I propose that they must be able to catch the "blue" arrow, like Bruce Leroy. :D

[hskwarrior]

If the head of a school promotes someone to grand master status then the head of the school should already be referred to as something higher. but a self promotion via the back of someone elses promotion is not a good thing.

i would agree a grand master test would be a sight to see.

but why a blue arrow? didn't bruce lee roy catch a bullet in his teeth?

peace out........Grand Master flash!

[Gold Horse Dragon]

These are titles based on a family system where Sifu=teacher/father, Sigung=teacher/grandfather, DaiSigung=teacher/great great grandfather. In Hong Kong, China, Taiwan and Chinatowns throughout North America, Sifu has taken on the meaning of Master (teacher, head instructor, head of the school) of the Mo Gwoon (Kwoon) when used in a martial art context. Master is not higher than Sifu...but there are some Kwoons out there that have given it a new meaning which is 'master' being one level higher than Sifu...but in the Chinese language there is no such title. If as a Sifu, you give a student permission to open his own Kwoon, then you have given him the title of Sifu and his students would then become your grandchildren and address you as Sigung. Some have given Sigung the meaning of grandmaster, but again this is not really correct.

GHD