BLACK BELT? HOW LONG...?

 by Yang Shuangxing

If I had a dollar for every time a prospective student asked me how long it would take him to earn a black belt, I could have retired a lot sooner. My usual knee-jerk response was that for about six bucks (belts were much cheaper back then), I could have one for him in about ten days...

Of course, that wasn't what he wanted to hear. For those who I felt were seriously interested but simply ignorant, I would explain it to them in this fashion: All things being “average”, which included his or her fitness level, coordination, intelligence...and attending class an average of three times each week, the average time was usually about 3-4 years. However, if any of the involved factors weren't average, the whole equation changed.

I have known a good many instructors who were very surprised at my answer. “Only THREE OR FOUR years? Why, in my school it usually takes about TEN years...” They were always surprised to learn that, in Japan, the average time required to reach shodan was three to four years (bear in mind that the Chinese systems, at that time, provided no ranking system at all). They misunderstood the whole concept of shodan, believing that receiving the coveted black belt indicated that one was an “expert” of some kind. This notion originated in the West and is a far cry from how the grade is considered in the East.

The idea of issuing black belts to senior students originated in judo. Dr. Kano (the founder) determined that it would be a good way to distinguish seniors from juniors and the more junior students could easily identify those who could assist them. It was never intended to indicate that anyone was an “expert”, whatever that is. In time, kyu (junior) belts of various colors came to be.

Shodan means “first grade.” That's all. Nothing fancy. It means that you have learned the fundamentals and can perform them correctly, more or less. Kind of like a high school diploma. In arts such as karate, the average time required for this (all things being average and attending class three times weekly) is about three years. In Japan the grade of shodan in arts such as iaido may be achieved after one or two years of training. Of course, no special colored belt is worn. A certificate is awarded and that's it. When I see someone who claims to be an iaido practitioner sporting a colored belt (especially if it's worn on the outside of the hakama), I strongly suspect that an overactive ego is involved. It is the first grade given to adults; kyu grades are for children. Only after iaido began to become popular in the U.S. were kyu grades given to adults. Kind of changes your perspective, doesn't it?

I have met instructors who, as part of the shodan examination, require participants to undergo extremely rigorous physical exercises...some of these would make a Navy SeAL blush. Such fanfare isn't seen in Japan as part of an examination. Students may engage in vigorous physical conditioning exercises as a part of training, but not as a part of an examination.

To keep things in proper perspective, there are minimum time requirements for grades beyond shodan. A minimum of two years after receiving shodan is required before a promotion to nidan (2^nd grade black belt). Three years after nidan before sandan (3^rd), and so on. To receive a godan (5^th grade) requires considerable time! Just do the math. In Japan, you won't find any (legitimate) twenty year-old godans... Nor will you find any shodans or nidans acting as chief instructors of schools. There was a time when one had to reach a minimum grade of yondan (4^th grade) before one would be permitted to have his or her own school.

Gong-fu has never utilized colored belt grades because they were, for the most part, originally taught within the confines of one's family and everyone knew who was who and how skilled everyone was. Times change, however, and nowadays these arts have grown far beyond the boundaries of blood kin. I feel, as do many other gong-fu instructors, that a grading system of some kind is desperately needed. The All-China Sports Federation (of mainland China) instituted upper-level grades some time ago (known as “duan”), but achieving such grades requires performances of various modern wushu routines. For traditionalists, this was (and still is) regarded as unsuitable. I agree with them.

So, many different schools of traditional gong-fu have adopted their own grading systems. I would prefer to see them somehow become standardized as has been done in the different styles of karate but I doubt it'll happen in my lifetime.