Tag: Kung fu family

All kung fu schools are very much family oriented. They are set up like a family and try to instil family values to their members. Family names are used to show respect to instructors and other students. At Yee’s Hung Ga we have many branches so it can be difficult to keep track of who is who and what the proper name should be. The following are the family names and meanings that you will commonly hear at a Yee’s Hung Ga school.

If you are a student at Yee’s Hung Ga in Inverness, anyone who has been training longer than you at the school, depending on their gender, you would call Si-Hing or Si-Jeh. Anyone who begins at the school after you would be your Si-Dai or Si-Mui, depending on their gender. They would call you Si-Hing or Si-Jeh. Sifu Hepple would be your Sifu and his wife would be called Si-Mo. Sifu Bruce Clark would be your Si-Gung. Sifu Pedro Cepero Yee and Sifu Yee Chi Wai would be known as Si-Tai Gung. Si-Jo is another name which Sifu Yee Chi Wai may also be known as. This means lineage holder.

If visiting another local Yee’s school, the students of that school would be your cousins. You would address them just as if they were training brothers or sisters at Inverness, Si-Hing, Si-Jeh if more senior and Si-Dai or Si-Mui if junior. The Sifu of that school would be your uncle. You would call them Si-Bahk or Si-Guma if they were Sifu Hepple’s Si-Hing or Si-Jeh. If they were Sifu Hepple’s Si-Dai or Si-Mui, you would call them Si-Sook or Si-Guje.

This might seem rather complex and difficult to learn but it is important to maintain the traditions of the kung fu school so that we can pass on our heritage for future generations. The important ones to remember are your Sifu and Si-Mo/Si-Jeong. Showing further respect to their teacher, Si-Gung/Si-Poa, and their teacher, Si-Tai Gung/Si-Tai Poa is also expected. Everything else can be worked out and nobody else is likely to take great offence if you call them the wrong name. If you are unsure, it is always best to ask, just like anything else that you may be uncertain of.

It is also worth noting that a senior uncle/aunt/brother or sister are senior only by the length of time practicing and not necessarily of a higher rank. Your Si-Hing is, and always will be, your Si-Hing. Just as an older brother can never be demoted to a younger brother, no matter how much you may wish for it to happen.

Other important terms that you may hear is the Kwoon or Kung Fu School itself. We shall look at the etiquette within and around the Kwoon in a future post. Suffice to say though, that it is important to remain respectful and uphold composure whilst in and around the Kwoon. Inside the Kwoon is the Sun-Toi or ancestral altar. We will also discuss this in a future post too. To show respect to the ancestors, who have passed down our art from generation to generation, we bow to the Sun-Toi. We use the traditional ‘sun and moon fist’ to bow to the ancestors, whilst entering and leaving the main training area. You may also hear your Sifu or instructor counting punches or kicks etc in Cantonese. The following table will help you to learn numbers 1 to 10:

Perhaps you have heard a term that you are unsure of that is not listed here. Please feel free to let us know and we can discuss. If you enjoy our posts and wish to be notified of further posts, notices, discounts and events, pop your email address in the box below and we’ll give you a shout when new posts are added. You can also like and share on Instagram, twitter & Facebook