Recently I want to talk about “ xiansheng”. Literally, it is someone earlier than you were born. Later, people with knowledge, status and qualifications can also be called “xiansheng” in China. In ancient Chinese, it is honorfic title to the learned, but not everyone can be called it. Now ,this mean still used in Japanese,Korean and Vietnamese(越南语）.It also has a long history ,which appeared for the first time in the book of Qu Li.
When we call someone for this, generally have the following conditions. The first, it can be used to who is the educational worker, like the ten great master of the Repulic of China(民国十大先生). In their identities, only the “xiansheng” is gentle and dignified.
The second, it has a special use, which is applicable to call other people's husband and my husband. At this time, “Your” or “My” always come before the “xiansheng”. The third, old times, it is an accountant. In addition, it has many uses, suah as the geomancer（风水先生）, the man who was born in 80s, the doctor when you fell ill and so on.
Sometimes, we can address woman as “xiansheng” to express our respect, for example 冰心先生.
