Mo Duk Pai kung fu - Promotions Jun 3 2003

Promotions

Sifu Chris Hosman promoted to 5th degree black belt - Jun 3 2003

Sifu Hosman started training 25 years ago this last June 4th. He was promoted to 5th degree on June 3, one day shy. This is the current highest rank that has been given out.

It is considered in the martial arts community the demarcation line between "A Black Belt" and one who has begun to become a Master in the Art. In Mo Duk Pai that means a person has become a Master Student/Teacher: always a student but now able to develop Black Belts with a clear understanding of this Art.

The ceremony was a traditional Mo Duk Pai ceremony at the Black Belt workout on June 3rd with the one difference of "the passing of the flame". The teacher gives the student a candle with no flame and takes a candle, lights it from the closest candle of the eight and uses that now to symbolically pass on the art. It is the tradition of passing of the flame that has been going on for thousands of years and is the first official passing that has occurred in MDP.

There are 3 other 4th degrees, Sifu Blodgett, Sifu Jackson and Sifu DiPrete now. Though Sifu Blodgett will have to retest when he next appears due to being away so long ... :-)

— Professor Fred King