This is my first time to become an apprentice. I can say that the master’s achievements in this field are respectable, and I have a sincere heart to learn my own skills. I hope that I can learn from him in the future. Make progress under guidance.
General apprenticeship etiquette is divided into four procedures:
1. During the apprenticeship, a portrait of the martial saint Guan Gong or the ancestor of the sect is usually hung in the middle of the hall, which is called respecting the ancestor. An Eight Immortals table should be placed in front of the portrait to represent all directions. The tablet or portrait of the ancestor or master should be placed on the table to show respect for the inheritance.
In front of the tablet is an incense burner with two red candles on both sides. The two waxes represent the south fist and north leg, the south branch and the north skill, the south path and the north monk, the south softness and the north strength. They also represent the two lines of wax lighting and darkness. A stick of incense represents the civil and military family. Two wax candles
should be lit before the ceremony, and a stick of incense should be lit by the master himself at the beginning of the ceremony. When applying incense, hold the incense with your thumbs and index fingers, and close the remaining three fingers. Hold the incense flat with both hands to your eyebrows, or hold the incense straight up to your eyebrows. When lighting incense, do not blow on it to extinguish the flame, but allow it to extinguish on its own.
After inserting it, step back half a step and stand still for a moment. It is advisable to use one incense stick. If you want to add three incense sticks, insert the first stick in the middle, the second stick on the right side, and the third stick on the left side. After offering the incense, the master stands (or sits) at the right end of the Eight Immortals table, and the recommender and the guardian stand (or sits) at the left end of the Eight Immortals table. In ancient times, the left was respected, which was called guest living on the left and host living on the right. The guardian must hold an eight-foot-long wax pole, also known as the poke pole, which represents the martial arts masters from all directions as a witness. The other guests line up (or sit) in two compartments.
2. Perform the apprenticeship ceremony. Under the command of the master of ceremonies, the disciples hold the invitations to worship their master and enter the door to perform the ceremony of handing over the invitations and kowtow. The apprenticeship post is custom-made, red, four inches wide, four openings, and seven inches long, containing seven emotions. The content should clearly state the name of the disciple, the date of birth, and the date when he worshiped the master on a certain day of a certain year. It is necessary to indicate the school you studied and the names of the ancestors and masters you inherited. As well as the names of recommended teachers and guardians. The ceremony of handing over the post requires a grand ceremony of kneeling three times and knocking nine times.
Kneel once when entering the door, for the sake of being there, which means recognizing the door; kneel three times, for three invitations, which means asking for the master’s teachings; three times of worship (bowing) means standing with your hands together on your chest, and your knees slowly Touching the ground, the upper body is crawling forward), which is the three talents, referring to the heaven, earth and people; Jiu Kou (knock, the body is prostrate and the head is touching the ground) is the nine points, which represents the three important points (the first is the most important technology, the second is the transfer of martial arts) If there is a Tao, the three must be to pass on the Dharma according to the rules), the three relatives (the first one is the same teacher as the brother, the second one is the same disciple, the third one is the same skill), the three rules are (the first rule is not allowed to deceive the master and destroy the ancestors, the second rule is not allowed to divide the sect, the third rule is Regulations do not allow division of doors).
The so-called three bows and nine kowtows, that is, kneeling and prostrating once is one bow, and knocking the head three times to the ground is three kowtows. Three bows and nine kowtows are called three bows and nine kowtows (three kneels and nine kowtows). Then, the apprentice holds the post above his head with both hands, and the mouth of the post of worship is facing upward, showing that he respects his teacher as much as heaven. The master takes the apprenticeship invitation, and the apprentice serves tea. After drinking the tea, the master gives the apprentice a stage name, usually according to the order of the sect. After that, the new apprentice pays homage to the senior. This is called sorting. After that, the new apprentice thanked the recommender, the mentor, and all the guests.
3. The master gives instructions, announces sect rules and bestows names, etc. The instructions usually teach the apprentices to respect their ancestors and abide by the rules, encourage them to be clean and honest, and to study hard and so on. During the apprenticeship ceremony, the master and two or more witnesses sign the "Apprenticeship Letter" and a series of procedures before they can enter the master's door and become the master's entry-level disciple.
Beginner disciples are also called direct disciples. The first disciples who enter the sect are called senior brothers, also known as the founding disciples; the last disciples who enter the sect are called the junior disciples, also known as the closed disciples. ; The older ones who start at the same time are senior brothers, and the younger ones are junior brothers.
Those who have not gone through the above procedures, have learned boxing skills from the master and are good at it, and are recognized by the master, are also disciples of the master, but they can only be called registered disciples, not entry-level disciples. He is not an entry-level disciple, nor is he a registered disciple. He just learned boxing skills from his master and is called a student, student or apprentice.
In addition, there are some problems with entering two masters at the same time. In principle, the master will no longer worship other masters while he is still alive. It is taboo for a disciple to enter two schools to learn the same boxing technique. But people from different sects can still worship. Before worshiping other teachers, you must obtain the consent of your current master. There are many masters who are upright and upright. They not only support their disciples to become masters, but sometimes also recommend teachers with superb martial arts skills to their disciples.
The master can teach or not teach his apprentices. There is no such close relationship as apprenticeship:
The apprentices are like family members. If anything happens to Master, you should treat it as your own business. Master should also be as concerned about your affairs as he is for his own children.
In the "three festivals" (August 15th, the Gregorian calendar year, and the Spring Festival) and "two birthdays" (the birthdays of the master and his wife) after the initiation, you should visit the master's home if possible. Learning boxing is not like taking a big class like students, where dozens or even hundreds of people leave after giving lectures. After you enter the school, the master must be responsible for you, teach you in accordance with your aptitude, and teach with all your heart. What is kept secret from students will not be kept secret from disciples. Disciples must also be responsible for their master. After you leave, your behavior, your Kung Fu display, and the public's reputation towards you all represent the master and are related to the honor and disgrace of the master. We must be able to bring glory to our sect in our conduct and skills.
After you enter the school, the master must be responsible for you, teach you in accordance with your aptitude, and teach with all your heart. What is kept secret from students will not be kept secret from disciples. Disciples must also be responsible for their master. After you leave, your behavior, your Kung Fu display, and the public's reputation towards you all represent the master and are related to the honor and disgrace of the master. We must be able to bring glory to our sect in our conduct and skills.
A "successor" is a person who can pass on the legacy. Those who can be called a successor in the martial arts world are by no means ordinary people. First of all, as a "successor", you must inherit the teacher's teachings, integrate theory and method, and fully learn the essence of the teacher. Secondly, it is necessary to digest and absorb what you have learned and turn it into your own. Furthermore, it is necessary to carry it forward, not only to innovate but also to pass it on.