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Last night my Yiquan teacher Yao and I did a traditional baishi ceremony, where he accepted me as a “close” student (sometimes known as a “disciple” in martial arts). It was a nice evening; some warm speeches were made, followed by a nice dinner with my kungfu brothers and sisters, which ran quite late into the night.
Being a martial arts disciple is actually a fairly serious commitment; it’s a signal that you will devote yourself to your teacher and their art, and do your best to develop it, both in yourself as well as the world. You have, in effect, joined your teacher’s martial arts family.
It’s a responsibility I fully intend to honor and he knows it.