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Nightingale

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do many Chinese MAists go to China for their black belt (black sash?) tests? I hear a lot about people going to Japan or Korea, but I don't hear China much. I was just wondering what the policies usually are. Does your own instructor test you? or do you have to test in front of the head of your organization?
 
T

Taiji fan

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Many CMA's don't actually have a ranking system and belts or sashes...unless made up by a club or self styled association. Quite often any form of ranking just comes directly from the teachers who then may 'authorise' you to teach their stuff, this just means teaching with their blessing. In taijiquan particularly, there are not all that many western taiji players who have even worked with the style'f family founders compared to the amount of people actually teaching (or claiming to teach) taijiquan. It is pretty much unregulated and the onus tends to fall on the student to seek out a suitably experienced teacher. Unfortunately CMA's in the west have been open to much missinterpretaion and even charletans who profess to know much more than they actually do. Politics are rife and so it is a bit of a mine field. Of the people who do go to China for recognition it can be simply a photograph taken with a waiter and a piece of caligraphy on some paper.....who is ever going to know in all honesty....stick Master in front of a Chinese name and hey presto, instant recognition.:(
 

7starmantis

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Originally posted by Taiji fan
Many CMA's don't actually have a ranking system and belts or sashes...unless made up by a club or self styled association. Quite often any form of ranking just comes directly from the teachers who then may 'authorise' you to teach their stuff, this just means teaching with their blessing. In taijiquan particularly, there are not all that many western taiji players who have even worked with the style'f family founders compared to the amount of people actually teaching (or claiming to teach) taijiquan. It is pretty much unregulated and the onus tends to fall on the student to seek out a suitably experienced teacher. Unfortunately CMA's in the west have been open to much missinterpretaion and even charletans who profess to know much more than they actually do. Politics are rife and so it is a bit of a mine field. Of the people who do go to China for recognition it can be simply a photograph taken with a waiter and a piece of caligraphy on some paper.....who is ever going to know in all honesty....stick Master in front of a Chinese name and hey presto, instant recognition.:(

This happens but is not allways the case. Many Sifus will go to china for differnet training sessions and such and then bring what they learned back to their students. My sifu travels to China quite a bit to train and learn. It isn't really about the belt or rank, but about learning from the masters that makes it worthwhile.

7sm
 
K

KEMPO DAVE

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I believe not traveling to China to test was more a question of practicalty rather then tradtion.
(not to mention M/A was being supress at one point)
It was not that long ago when travel to China by a westerner was very difficult( if you could get a visa) and restricted once you got there. Japan and Korea have been easily accessable (and open for business) for over 50 years. I think it is possible you might see more of this in future since China's effort to develop western tourism has made traveling to and around China much easier and affordable.
 

7starmantis

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We must also remember that for a student to be invited to test or train he must first have the attention of one of the masters. Not any student can just go over to china and expect a busy person to give them several hours of their time. Even Sifus who are teaching now are extremely honored to have a chance to train with a master of their system. Most lineages travel upward staying in America now for quite some time.

7sm
 

someguy

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also there are the occasional(very rare) styles that are taught only in america as they were force out of china and the top people of the style live in america
 

7starmantis

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Originally posted by someguy
also there are the occasional(very rare) styles that are taught only in america as they were force out of china and the top people of the style live in america

What styles are you refering to?

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someguy

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Im refering to a style of wing chun. I'm sure there are more than one style that no longer exist in china though. Thhey still may be hidden though.
 

7starmantis

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Originally posted by someguy
Im refering to a style of wing chun. I'm sure there are more than one style that no longer exist in china though. Thhey still may be hidden though.

Would you mind sharing what style of Wing Chun you are talking about?

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7starmantis

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I'm not understanding why you believe Hung fa yi is non existant in China now.

It would be hard to prove that any CMA is non existant in China, I would think.

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someguy

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It would be hard to prove that any CMA is non existant in China, I would think.
Point taken. Allow me to attempt to explain my self better. It is not that the style is nolonger in China but it is open to the public in America. It could still be in China.
I should also attempt to explain myself better about being forced out of china. It is not some much the style was forced out it is that the style was force to stay hidden. Then as some people came to America it came with them. I did not do a very good job explaining that right now.
I am prone to mistakes and saying things wrong. Sorry about that.:idunno:
 

7starmantis

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Your not saying it doesn't exist in China anymore, but that it exists heavily in America now.

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