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Thread: Stephen Chang - Hung gar Grandmaster?

  1. #16
    People clearly abuse titles like "master" and "grandmaster," but the titles of "sigung" and "sitaigung" have been used in some schools for centuries.

    In some schools, such as that of the late Ark Wong, "sitaigung" is specifically used to denote a master who has trained another master - a teacher of masters. AW didn't pull this usage out of his nether-regions, he used it because his teachers were Shaolin and Shaolin have used these titles *inside* their organization for a *very* long time.

    To the public, however, the only term used is "sifu".

    I realize this usage is rather different than the Hung Gar usage mentioned by CT and JB - who explain how these terms are used within the context of a pai.

    But the point is simply that different usages of these terms are not "new" and "western" in some cases. All said, I AM an advocate for teachers only representing themselves as "sifu" outside the confines of their own school.

  2. #17
    This 11 year old post is pretty funny. Starts out with an ask for anyone with experience with Sifu Chang and drifts off into relevance or irrelevance of titles.

    I trained with Sifu Chang for about 7 years and it was a long time ago.

    Like any other public personality (or like you and me) he has his good and bad. Definitely very, very high knowledge on Hung Gar and without doubt he loves to teach and he loves to spread the word and that is, kung-fu is good for everyone.

    I think he is 80 now. I bumped into him recently. He was jogging early in the morning.

    I think we benefit from less talk on titles and more emphasis on being healthy at 80 through constant practice of kung-fu.

    I have no regrets for my years with Sifu and I always admire his persistent positive, upbeat attitude.

    Definitely a recommend.

    Best regards
    Last edited by ursa major; 06-25-2015 at 01:42 PM.

  3. #18
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
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    Just a thought! Isn't the criteria to see if the teacher knows of what he speaks and you can distinguish the BS from the other stuff, regardless of what one imagines he is called.
    If a teachers refers to himself as a Grandmaster, he is indeed a Grand Masterdebator, don't ya think. Anyway my sifu was a taxi driver, BTW.

  4. #19
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
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    Canada
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    Learn more about Stephen Chang

    http://www.kungfumagazine.com/magazi...e&article=1014

    Here is an interview from Kungfumagazine on Stephen Chang...although it seems like they spend half the time asking him about Bruce Lee.

    I cannot offer an opinion on Stephen Chang character but my Sifu has mentioned to me that his Hung Gar is very traditional.

    I think it's not that easy to find quality hung gar in Vancouver. There are instructors but the instructors maybe more focused on promotion and neglected their training or mixes in wushu into the curriculum. So if you want genuine Hung Gar it is worth your time to check out Stephen Chang. I had a friend who learned at length is another Sifu in Hung gar but when he learned from Stephen Chang he said he finally understood the finer details on the system.

  5. #20
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    Canada
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    736

    He explains the Grandmaster title in this article

    "PH: What was it like being an Asian in America around the time that martial arts exploded big time onto the US scene?
    SC: Amazing. I was treated as "the New Bruce Lee” by the white guys as my physique was very much like his. I also trained like him and the hair and body almost like him in those years. I especially fought like him with the look of eyes and spirits. I spread out into 8 schools and taught all myself. I went from Master to Sifu to Grandmaster or Sigong. See when your student open their schools and teach their students they call me Grandmaster / Sigong - it's the way of life - like your son's son calls you Grandpa."

    http://www.fareastfilms.com/customPage/45.htm

    I have been taught that in Chinese you are a "Sifu" to someone who learns under you and you refer to someone as "Sifu" when they are a master of their craft.

    "SiGong" or Grandmaster is purely exclusive their own lineage of when their student becomes a "Sifu" and their students refer to their teacher's teacher as "SiGong"

    BUT to the public you would not be "SiGong"
    Last edited by iron_silk; 07-17-2015 at 11:39 AM.

  6. #21
    I agree. These labels are either closed door or a matter between the relevant individual.

  7. #22
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Hong Kong
    Posts
    490
    Yep, the English terms mentioned here are not English translation of the Chinese terms. And furthermore, the use of these English terms - Master and Grandmaster, have been abused as reflecting the knowledge and skill level of the instructor said. So, if I were a MA school operator, I would use terms like sifu, sigung, or instructor, senior instructor, etc. in my school.



    Regards,

    KC
    Hong Kong

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