Here are basic etiquettes that I find very important for everyone! Please read and learn!
Everyone in my lineage or coming by for help, this is Jee Sifu from Tin Yat Dragon YouTube/Podcast/TikTok/whatever else. I am making an official post here on my blog to tell you guys this- DO NOT CALL ME “SIR,” and here is why.
It was over countless times this year and last year, and people came to me and started going “SIR MODE” on me. I know they are just trying to show respect, but it annoys me more than it makes me feel good. You are using the wrong title to address me; let me explain why.
SIR has a few meanings out there. One is the later form of “Sire,” which originates from Latin and usually refers to someone with a “high social status,” like a king or someone important. Another one you might come by is “Slave I Remain.” I don’t know which one you are using it for, but both don’t fit me.
Anyone who comes to me can refer to me as Jee Sifu 紫師傅. Jee is the name; Sifu is the title. This Sifu means a very knowledgeable professional teacher of a certain subject; in my case, Taoism and Taoist Magic. I am knowledgeable and skilled at it, and I accept disciples, teach them, etc.
Once a person has been initiated or ordained into our lineage, they call me Ju Cia Juan 紫師尊, which is in Saamlawnese. Ju is the word for Jee, in another dialect we use in the lineage. Cia Jua is Si Juen in Cantonese, which means the highest teacher. In our lineage, there are three Cia Juan(s) at the top, who is the highest authority in the lineage which you can read about in the lineage structure book. The word 尊 Juan is as in 尊卑 (Juan Bi). Juan sets the rules in a system, like a person in charge at the top is always Juan. We can have many Sifu 師父 in the lineage who are like the “teachers,” but they would not be in charge of the lineage and set rules for the system. Only three Cia Juan in our lineage has the power to do this. Therefore, Cia Juan is the correct and precise title to use. However, if you are not in the lineage, you are not in the system, which means the Cia Juan title doesn’t apply to you.
Calling people the right way is a form of respect and virtue because you teach your heart the right order of things. When you set yourself at the lower, the upper can flow to you, just like water always flows downward and not upward. When you call me Cia Juan, it intends that you agree I am the one who sets the rules and is in charge of the lineage, and you follow the rules as a good disciple. If the mindset is aligned with reality, you are doing well with your virtue!
When you want to talk to someone in reality, you would often wave, say hi, or do something to get their attention first. Same as talking on the internet. Remember to start by saying a greeting phrase to connect to people before you speak to them if you have not been connected yet.
Start with saying “Cia Juan Gi Jiang” 師尊，吉祥！ It means Cia Juan, auspicious!
What is Auspicious? 吉祥 (Gi Jiang) means something good and positive is happening. The intention of this is similar to saying “good morning” or “good evening,” you are greeting Cia Juan (me) with a “good” start, and how is it good for me? Well, it depends on what you are saying next; make it good for real with your content! You said “Cia Juan, Gi Jiang” to attract and pull me over as if something would make me happy, so what is it?
I will be happy if you ask me questions, showing me that you want to learn and love learning here.
I will be happy if you show me feedback after learning from my blog posts or videos because it means you have learned well.
I will be happy if you tell me how magic has helped you, witnessed the power, strengthen your faith, etc.
Some people only say “Gi Jiang,” and then they disappear, or when I talk, they are not responding or “vanish.” That is not happy or auspicious; that is disappointing. It is like the story of the three little pigs and the wolf blowing up their house. When you lie to me like that and say Gi Jiang every day while you are not making me happy or bringing me any auspicious energy, I consider you a liar and the more you do, the more you are breaking your commandments as a disciple because you are not honest, truthful and respectful anymore. Think about it, if you tell your boss at work, “Hey, good morning, boss! (smile) here is my resignation letter!” (Smile again) Such a GREAT morning! Do you get it? I hope you do!
Great that we are talking now after the greeting. However, I hate it when people finish with what they are saying, and then they vanish like I am no use to them anymore. It’s like you are talking to someone on the phone, and suddenly, you just cut the phone after “you” are done talking and getting what you want. The guy on the other end is like, “what the heck? You just cut me?”
In E-mails, most people have common sense and know to put an ending at the end like “Respectfully” or “Sincerely,” etc. If we talk on LINE or Zoom, you should always learn to conclude and end the conversation by agreeing. ATTENTION: Your Cia Juan is the one who set the rules in the lineage, right? Then watch your mouth. Sometimes, I got annoyed by disciples setting rules for ME to follow them back.
“Cia Juan, See you tomorrow; I got to go!” They expect me to “drop the call” immediately. That isn’t polite. It seems to be common sense at work, but some people still don’t know about this kind of thing these days.
You should say something like, “Cia Juan, I will have to eat dinner soon,” Your Cia Juan would know what you mean and say, “oh sure, we will talk again next time.” You can continue by ACCEPTING my rule and saying, “okay! Talk again on LINE, then! Thanks for the teaching, Cia Juan! I will leave now!” Cia Juan would approve and dismiss you. This is common sense and respect, always let the upper dismiss you and not let you dismiss the upper. Especially if you are at work, this will piss your boss off very badly if you decide to do whatever YOU want and set your own rule, no boss at work like that. Do not corrupt the system, and watch your attitude!
The worse ones are those who didn’t even conclude and disappear or vanish after they are done talking or getting answers; it’s annoying to see and makes me not want to talk to them next time. Even a short “thanks!” would be nicer than a complete drop-dead cut.
Your Cia Juan loves questions from the disciples and teaching the disciples, but it doesn’t mean the disciples can spit out whatever they like and not care about Cia Juan’s feelings.
Sometimes, a disciple brought up his “theories” and such from other sources and started “discussing” it with me. I told them already that they want to learn when they come here, then learn; I am not here to discuss with you; I am here to TEACH you. If you want a discussion, find your friends in a forum. However, you should know what your Cia Juan would like and not like, so you are ruining the relationship and your future in the lineage if you decide to bring up topics he dislikes. How about if your boss at work hates playing video games, and you go to him and ask him about video games and try to get him to try gaming? Do you think you are getting anything good out of that?
How do you know your Cia Juan’s preference and such? Well, you can observe! That’s why you must ask questions, learn by observing, talk to him, and ask him this and that to build the relationship!
“I am new to this!” “I am a newbie, so I don’t know this….” “Please bare with me. This is my first time using this program; I am new to this….” Anything on that line is banned. I hate this kind of useless excuse. I know you are new, I am not blind, and I am not stupid. Do you see a baby always telling their parents, “I am just a baby, I need time, this is just NEW to me”? No way! That baby would sound so weird, or even worse, is complaining!
I have taught enough disciples to know what newbies are like and what they have problems with; I will understand and know how to deal with newbies. You need to focus on being a baby and stop whining, giving me attitude, or excuses. Be like a baby, have FAITH in your Cia Juan that he would understand and know how to teach you. If you keep saying you are a newbie and such, you do not have faith in your Cia Juan that he would understand and know how to teach you! Be faithful; Cia Juan knows what to do for you and will understand ALL your newbie stuff; it’s okay!
These are common sense, but it is always good to have a guideline for all the newbies so they will be aligned and know how to behave to get the most out of their experience here. Learning from this page and applying it to your work life will greatly improve your career’s interpersonal relationships. Good luck learning in the lineage!
