What constitutes a Grand Master?

[LFJ]

I say look past the title and see what the person is all about.

That's something usually an experienced MAist will learn to do. A complete newb to the MA world can easily be duped because they assume these titles mean something more than they usually do, especially when they're young and impressionable. That's where the danger of misused titles and made up ranks come in.

[stonecrusher69]

That's something usually an experienced MAist will learn to do. A complete newb to the MA world can easily be duped because they assume these titles mean something more than they usually do, especially when they're young and impressionable. That's where the danger of misused titles and made up ranks come in.

Yeah your probably right but they will learn in the long run. I was duped my self a few times,but you live and learn and move on.

[Phil Redmond]

I was just at a very large Chinese MA event in L.A. The Chinese Sifus introduces some of the other teachers as Grandmaster. Even some Chinese are using the term now.

[xiao yao]

Its just a mis translation of Sifu/Sigung

Sifu is teacher, Sigung is grandteacher. The character Shi (si in cantonese) can have the connotation of "a master of a skill" for example calling somebody like an amazing chef or artist Da Shi (great master). But Shi normally refers to teacher.

So by this understanding, grandmaster just means the teacher of your teacher.

Sigung is not an objective title somebody obtains through skill or rank, it just means he is the person who taught your sifu, as opposed to somebody who teaches you directly. To somebody outside your style/organisation, they shouldnt call him Sigung.