What exactly is the difference in meaning between what the ancients called master and shifu?

"Master", the earliest refers to the teacher, and later is the artisan with specialized skills of respect, master, should be a general reference to teachers engaged in teaching, education, educating people, etc., is the practitioner of the teaching of the title of respect.

Shifu, which should refer in general to a teacher engaged in teaching, education, and educating people, is an honorific title given by practitioners to those who teach them. The Southern Tang Dynasty's "Tales of the Middle Kingdom" by Yuchi Gamen recorded that during the Xiantong period of the Tang Dynasty, there was an illusionist who performed in the capital city. After one of his performances failed, he apologized to the audience by saying, "I came to the capital and have not been able to worship all the masters, so I would like to pay my respects here. Northern Song Dynasty Feigon's Liangxi Manzhi recorded that Gaoyou robber Yujiu, fast-footed and good walker, traveling hundreds of miles a day, with a fierce and strong temperament, eating and drinking in the daytime, and stealing at night. One day at breakfast, was a Taoist "called for the master, and worship". Here, one is good at illusion and the other is fast-footed and good at walking, both are people with special skills.

From the actual situation, the word "master" is most often seen in the field of martial arts, theater, performance and other traditional skills, that is, it is difficult to achieve significant results for a while, and it takes decades to master the tricks of the trade. It means teacher, and the term "shifu" is also commonly used to honor monks. The word "shifu" is much more emotionally charged: "A teacher is a person who teaches and explains things". "Master" with a small range. Until Southern Song Dynasty, the word "master" began to be used in civil society. It was mainly used to address the farmers and industrialists.

The word "master" is extended to all walks of life of the scholar-agricultural-industrial-industrial people, although these people to act as their own "master" may not mean much, or even relatively unknown, but for the sake of showing respect and regard, people are still The first thing you need to do is to get a good understanding of what you're doing and how you're doing it. "Master" word emotional color is a little light, only as a profession as a person's name, if you do not know how to call each other, say a "master" can be. Currently in society, this "master" of the name is still very common.

Let's start with the word "master". The word "father" means father, and the image of a father in everyone's heart is great, and a father's love is as high as the sky and as heavy as the mountain. To worship a master, one must perform the ritual of worshiping a master, burning incense and withholding one's head, performing the great ritual of worshiping a master! Also have to ask the guarantor guarantee, and line into the instrument, lifelong shall not betray the master of the door, really a word.