Lineage: Does it really matter?

[les paul]

Does lineage really matter? In my travels I've found it doesn't. I've seen people with great lineages that had very poor skills (one was a complete drunk and would try to teach class in a stupor. It was funny needless to say I didn't stay long.)

I would rather learn from someone who had knowledge and skill with no lineage, than from someone who had a great lineage that either withheld information and had poor skills.

To me it's just an indication of where that person got his information and skills from. It does not make them the sole authority on the subject or the best place to go to study that art.

However, more than not the opposite is true.

Does anybody got any stories of real Druken masters out there?

[RENEGADE_MONK]

lineage does matter, think of it like this.
You walk in a school to learn Kung fukaratewhatever. you ask the sifu about the systems history fighting concepts ect... he responds. oh well... i learned from Charlie, who learned from frank who learned from a friend who learned from his friend. I would question the fact what i'm about to learn is real fighting applications and concepts of the system. having a strong lineage does not have to mean learning from a well known sifu i.e...Yip man to William cheung ect... but I would not want to learn from someone who's lineage is full of question marks.....i.e.. Paulie Zink..its your choice but it is important to know where your sifu gained his knowledge because its something to go by, to let you know that maybe you are getting quality instruction

[ascan]

Lineage does matter, but it's not the only point to look for. Lineage is important to ensure that you are learning the authentic thing, and not some made-up stuff. But in addition to having lineage, the instructor has to be able to teach the art and also to apply it in real combat.

[MonkeySlap Too]

If you want to learn something, learn from someone who can do it.

However, someone whose lineage goes back a ways, and the skill level is not up to par with the original master, well then lineage is a pretty silly thing.

I am a big beleiver in luck. The more I work, the more luck I have.

[hasayfu]

Lineage is very important but not the way many people seem to be using it.

The most important reason to preserve lineage is to honor those that came before you and to set the bar for your own ability.

Lineage should be used as a meter for the instructor. If they claim lineage from XYZ then you should expect their instuction should resemble XYZ. If you go to other people in XYZ line, you should see similarities. In fact, lineage gives you a door to other lines and practices to help further and understand your own practice. It can also help you understand why certain things are done the way they are done.

Claiming a lineage should never be used to say ANYTHING about the quality of the person themselves, only those that came before.

Those that don't claim a lineage are hiding something unless they just woke up one day and invented their art. Even founders of new styles claim a lineage so the evolution of the style can be seen.

[Sil Lum Palm]

I agree that it is important for one to know where their style came from. For example, school's like the one I attend have certified lineage charts and such . But I agree also that if the teacher is bad ( which he shouldn't be if he is a lineage holder) , then of course the art will suffer as well.

[patriot]

Doesn't matter at lower levels. Essential for high level - how else are you going to get transmission of the real good stuff?

[Shaolindynasty]

Lineage could be very important. It could also mean nothing. In my case(see the shaolin kungfu post "rare shaolin")it is not the most important thing I will develop my skills fine without it. For learning purposes it would help but is not nessecary. Some times if someone doesn't have a complete solid lineage it could be due to another fact other than they made up their system. Sometimes things get mixed up in translations and from moving to different countries. For chooseing a school I don't believe it is important. You should make your choice based upon the instructors and students skill level not the lineage. Knowing the lineage has advantges though, like having other people with knowledge of your own style to disscus and compare notes with.

Witness the Dynasty!!!
www.shaolindynasty.itgo.com (http://www.shaolindynasty.itgo.com)