Bai Si
Traditional Chinese Discipleship Ceremony
In honour of the occasion of Master Kwok's new book
"Mastering Wing Chun" being placed in the Ip Man
Museum in Foshan, China, Grandmaster Ip Ching
decided to do a Re-Dedication and Re-enactment
of the original Discipleship Ceremony they
performed in 1992 when Samuel Kwok first
became an official close student of Grandmaster Ip
Ching.
The ceremony at the Ip Man Museum was
performed for several reasons. First, as a public
demonstration of the close relationship of
Grandmaster Ip Ching and his long-time disciple
Samuel Kwok. Second, to show the foreign students
in attendance the tradition and proper procedure of
the Chinese Bai Si, or Traditional Discipleship
Ceremony. Acting as Master Kwok's assistants in the
ceremony were his U.S. Student, Tony Massengill,
and European Student, Billy Davidson. The official
witness was Master Kwok's Kung Fu Brother Edmond
Fung who also performed the Bai Si with
Grandmaster Ip Ching.
Below we take you step - by - step
through the Bai Si ceremony.
Master Kwok Kneels and presents the traditional red packet. This red envelope usually
contains a token monetary gift for the teacher. Grandmaster Ip Ching accepts the gift.
Master Kwok presents the tea to his teacher. Grandmaster Ip Ching accepts the tea and drinks.
At this time the first of three bows is performed by Master Kwok.
Billy presents Grandmaster Ip Ching with the gift
that the Grandmaster gave to Master Kwok at the original Bai Si ceremony in 1992. A set of
knives that belonged to his father, Grandmaster Ip Man. Grandmaster Ip Ching then presents
his disciple with the knives.
With the presentation of the knives, the Grandmaster now helps his disciple to his feet and the
ceremony is now complete.
When asked why the ceremony was
performed, Grandmaster Ip Ching replied "Samuel Kwok is my most senior
disciple along with Edmund Foing. Sam has done a lot to promote the Ip
Man Wing Chun method for many years. He
has performed demonstrations at the first and
second World Wing Conferences in Hong
Kong, as well as at the opening of this
museum, dedicated to my father. He has now
written a book that will for many years to
come be a great reference for those that
follow my father's method.
No one has ever performed a Bai Si ceremony here at the Ip Man Tong, so I thought
it would be fitting to perform this ceremony here, in front of the statue of my father.
Although this ceremony was originally performed between myself and Samuel in
1992, I felt it would be a good way to educate the foreign students as to the tradition
of the Bai Si which is performed between a teacher and his very closest students."
