Where to go?

[Hudson]

I'd like to train in China this summer, and am looking for an authentic place to train, one that isn't too costly, and very, very intensive. I'd like to train Shaolin because it gives me a place to train all day long, which I can't do now.

[Master Jules]

Fukien China is where most of the Okinawan masters went .....seems like a good place to start.

[Hudson]

I'm currently thinking about either Chang Zhuang Shui Ku in Zhengzhou Or Siping City Shao Lin Martial Arts Academy.

[Master Jules]

I wish I could join you......thats one of my "dream trips"......best of luck.....enjoy !

[Ricochet]

Do you know Mandarin, Hudson? Cause, you know, that might help. Unless the folks at the school speak english, or there are translators. Something to look into.

[47MartialMan]

Forget the Shaolin. It is a tourist trap. Go to HK, Taiwan, Maccau. Good luck because most of the good ones will not take in a "casual" foreign student.

[Drunken Monkey]

depends on what you want and what you want from it.

 

at the end of the day, if what you want is to learn shaolin forms and you can afford it, then there is no reason why you shouldn't go for the shaolin camp thing.

 

personally i wouldn't.

 

as i've said, the majority of mainstreamish styles left china a long time ago and you'd find them dotted around the surrounding outposts as it were.

 

only problem is, the nature of the outposts mean that if you go there to lstay long term and train and live, it'll cost you.

 

a lot.

 

the yip man wing chun school in hk offers a sort of summer training.

 

i think it's HK$5000 but that's just for lessons.

 

again, living, unless you go for the ymca is going to cost you but that's on the other end of the road at the tsim sar tsui end and quite a trek.

 

also, in the summer, the weather is best described as oppressive.

 

the good thing though, is being on the nathan road you'd be close to lots of little food places that are dirt cheap.

 

but then again, don't rely on them knowing english.

 

trust me, the level of english there is not that great.

 

they have a really screwed up way of teaching english.

 

and then again, wing chun is probably as different to shaolin fist as you can get within the chinese styles so maybe not your cup of tea.

 

one of the most respected white crane schools is in tai wan and might be more your thing

 

but i don't have much info about them except that the linage is possibly the most 'pure', as it were.

 

they've taken foreign students before but usually those who already have a base in their style.

 

i'll ask around and see what i can dig up for you.

 

general warning though, from what i have experienced, china itself probably has more 'mcdojo' schools that the rest of the world combined.

 

the rest of them are then going to be wushu schools.

 

if you want a more 'fighting' art, it most probably wont be in china.

[Shane]

sounds awsome, let us know how it is

[Hudson]

Well, my main purpose for going isn't to go and learn how to beat somebody up. I hear good things about Chang Zhuang Shui Ku and they train all day in Shaolin forms which is exactly what I'm looking for. I don't expect to go flying or walking on walls, but knowing some new forms would be cool.