People began to use “master” in an ironic way after reports revealed several cases of illegal medical practices by quacks who were self-proclaimed masters.
Wang Lin, who claims to be a master of qigong, a traditional martial art combined with meditation, was reported to have amassed large sums of money by fooling celebrities through a claimed ability to cure diseases even though he had no medical practitioner license.
The poisoning to death of a postgraduate student at Shanghai’s Fudan University in April was used in an online joke that suggested college students “thank roommates for the grace of sparing their lives” in their graduation speech.
“Although some netizens may have taken the chance to vent personal spite, the smear on these Chinese terms shows that the roles played by certain individuals in society have committed serious dereliction of duty, prompting great public disappointment,” said Yang Erhong, a professor at the Beijing Language and Culture University.
It is of equal importance that the wrongdoers in these events re-examine their social responsibilities and discipline themselves, and the public do not make a foregone conclusion on a certain group of people only because of the nonfeasance conducted by a few individuals, said the professor.
The tease and ridicule may appear annoying for those who work in the professions, while some find it entertaining and believe that in time the original meaning of the words will come back.
Miao Zhuang, an undergraduate majoring in linguistics at the Communication University of China, has been studying the phenomenon. He said that along with the settling down of events, public focus will shift and these discredited titles will regain their positive connotations.
“People may make fun of words every now and then, but this will not affect their use in formal occasions. On the bright side, these terms have obtained new content and enrichment,” Miao said.
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