In some of the other threads there have been arguments between which lineages is better, whether it is Seven Star’s argument between CCM and WHF or Wah Lum or 8 Step. It is a common internal argument between practitioners of the same style and usually only by the students and not the sifus. Are we living in our master’s shadow? We respect and honor our master but their fame was earned by their hard work. Because we study in a famous master’s lineage, does that in turn make our mantis any better?
Lou Guang Yu of seven star fame trained thousands of students and today we only talk about 3 or 4 of them (WHF, CCM, CCY …). They were well known and respected masters not because of their training with LGY, but because they were good at what they practice. They honored and proved that LGY was a master by taking what he taught and being able to use it. You disgrace a master when the only accomplishment you have made is being a student of his. The only fame you have is by association. In another thread there is this argument over a technique missing/added to a form. We must all agree that there are changes and differences between different lineages. Does having more forms or techniques make you a better fighter? I think that question has been answered by many past masters. One needs to be a master of the basics.
The late Brendan Lai was not inducted to two hall of fames because he was a student of Won Hong Fun. I will argue that when he first started teaching in America only a handful of people knew anything at all about mantis. He is famous because he earned it himself. He was the one fighting not WHF. That WHF was a great master and teacher is evident in Brendan Lai, Al Cheng, ….. That Chu Chi Man was a great master is evident by Chu Leon, Lee Kam Wing ……. I think WHF and CCM would like to be honored with good students that continue their work. WHF and CCM certainly didn’t need their students to defend the additions or changes they made. They more eloquently defended it by demonstration. Everybody acclaimed them as masters because their students cleaned house.
I think we students should look more at what we do and how we train. One day when I meet a sifu or student of another lineage I want him to say “That was good, who was your sifu? Ah that is a good lineage.”
Let me again say that these arguments are usually by younger students and not the sifus. Arguing about whether the blue power ranger could beat up the red power ranger is fun, but let us not forget that they are both power rangers and as such would never fight each other because they are the Power Rangers.
mantis_seeker
Onjai