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What does it mean to be a Si-Fu?
A title? A rank? A milestone on the path?

Or something far more…

Just over a month ago, at the end of the third London seminar, one of my students approached me and asked a simple yet profound question:
— Sifu, what does it mean to you to be a Si-Fu?

At the time, I gave a short answer: responsibility and honour.
But the truth goes much deeper than that.

The word Si-Fu means father. Head of a family.
And that says it all.

It is not a name you choose for yourself.
Not something you earn on paper or receive after an exam.
It is a name given to you by your students.
And with it, they entrust themselves to you.

My master has devoted more than 40 years to Wing Tsun. His master, Si-Jo Leung Ting, has been walking this path for over 60 years. This is not a hobby. This is a life.

And as you walk this path, you begin to realise:
you are no longer only learning — you become responsible for the growth of others.

Chum Kiu, “seeking the bridge,” is not just a technique.
It is not only about finding the shortest path to your opponent.
It is also about finding the people who will carry forward what you represent.
The masters of the future.

And this is where Wing Tsun becomes more than a martial art.
It becomes a legacy.

Being a Si-Fu also means you don’t always believe excuses.
Not because you are harsh —
but because you remember.

You remember the rain you stood in for hours.
The long walks you took just to attend training.
The sacrifices you made without question.

And while you may no longer expect the same,
you still expect the mindset.

Because Wing Tsun is not just about techniques.
It is about attitude.

Being a Si-Fu also means being a teacher. A mentor. Sometimes even a psychologist.
Someone who does not only teach movements, but shows a path.

At the beginning of my journey, I only wanted to fight.
Today, I want to teach.

To pass on what I have received.
To show others the path that shaped me.

And there is no greater feeling than seeing someone understand.
When it “clicks.”
When that moment of realisation is born.

When your student begins their own journey.

And perhaps one day, they will teach as well.

That is the moment you realise:
you didn’t just teach — you passed something on.

The path of Wing Tsun is a lonely one…
yet you are never truly alone.

Because you are part of a family.
And your Si-Fu is the one walking ahead of you, holding the light on the path.

If I had to summarise it in one sentence:

Being a Si-Fu means giving back everything you have received from Wing Tsun — with all your heart, for a lifetime.

With these thoughts, I would also like to wish a happy birthday to Si-Fu Máday!