Das auf der EWTO:
http://www.alt.wingtsunwelt.com/artikel.php?id=985
finde ich auch belustigend
GGM Leung Ting calls them "cancerous tumours"
Dear Si-Fu,
The events of recent years have probably been the most drastic since I joined the EWTO. Numerous senior teachers have "left" the association. During a discussion in San Francisco on 2nd November Si-Gung referred to these events as a "cleansing filter", and even spoke of "cancerous tumours that should be removed in good time". As you have already said, the WingTsun weapons have become prestige symbols. Understanding, absorbing and particularly PRACTICING have faded into the background and become all but secondary. The feeling of having done all the movements at some time, or as many express it in their dilettantism being FINISHED or THROUGH, is prevalent. What's more, this perfectly suits the present-day mentality. People live for the future, work for the future and therefore think only of the future. The way has lost its meaning and only what has not (yet) come is valued. The here and now no longer exists. The world is merely a fantasy and an illusion. As a result the past becomes a growing rubbish-pile of dissatisfaction. And naturally what has been sown will also be reaped. In the future of course.
People now want to learn in one weekend seminar what was once passed on over several decades. Probably the most amusing example is the 6th Practician who joins forces with a 2nd Technician, who then appoints himself a 7th Practician, in order to learn a handful of new (haphazardly assembled) poses. You have to ask yourself what this Master could have understood previously. You have mentioned pride, avarice, egotism and envy as negative characteristics against which we are fighting a great "Jihad". I think pride probably no longer applies in some cases, don't you?
What annoys me personally is the constant level of discontent. The unknown, whether physical or intellectual, can give rise to uncontrolled curiosity in some. They want what they do not have. I am absolutely sure that if you were able to change the priorities of the system at will, it would still lead to the same reactions. For a few years (not seriously, dear Si-Fu) you could introduce the long pole form for students between the 1st and 4th student grade as a "physical training" exercise – and then only teach the "secret" Siu-Nim-Tao form above the 5th Master level. But in STRICT SECRECY! The same paradox would occur. After just a short while the young students would become bored with long pole training and start looking for the higher "secrets" of the WingTsun system.
I have been asking myself the following in recent weeks:
"Aren't the separatists making room for those who really want to learn WingTsun?"
"Doesn't this clear the way for the few genuine Masters who are always happy to see themselves as students, and are prepared to take the long road that requires constant learning and development?"
Indeed I think you should change nothing. For what purpose? Whatever you do they (those who have left) will imitate everything anyway, as they haven't the confidence to do things for themselves. Without you these mainly self-appointed Masters and Grandmasters would not exist. They copy your organisational structure, the training programmes, the grading system, use similar logos etc. etc.. But they will never be students again, and never learn more from GGM Leung Ting and you.
Your To-Dai
Klaus Brand, 4th Technician WT, 1st Technician Escrima