Shaolin Temple

[Menjo]

Yeah....I pay $120/month for Haidong Gumdo and TSD 4 times total per week.

What is that like?

[ProjectJanus]

Not too sure what your asking? Do you mean, whats it like training in those styles? Or what?

[Spencer]

http://www.zhenwei.org/History/HistoryMartialArts.htm

This article can tell you quite a bit about the history of martial arts in China.

I think that one of the first lines in the text is quite revealing.

How can one reconcile the inherent contradiction of supposedly educated, cultured and peaceful men (i.e. Buddhist monks, Taoist hermits and Confucian scholars) practicing and perfecting techniques designed to maim and kill? What exactly is the relationship between spiritual enlightenment, ethical training, physical fitness and no holds barred street fighting?

Jet Li has previously explained that when he went to film Shaolin Temple in the early seventies there were only three people there. The gardener, the janitor and an elderly abbot who had no martial training whatsoever.

However, shortly after the film came out, all of a sudden monks appeared to welcome the inevitable tourists.

This is much the same as when people travelled to Canada to place flowers at the grave of "Jake Dawson" the fictional character in the film Titanic!

Sure martial arts and Shaolin have a basis in history. However as I have mentioned on other threads I've answered today, the history is not so sweet as most nowadays make it.

Thieves, Bandits, murderer's and rapists are more than likely the originators of any fighting system from the Shaolin area. (as explained in the above linked article) (this doesn't mean that its not a good system just that those that purport to be fighting monks are lying)

[Muaythaiboxer]

dont go to shaolin you will be very disapointed, the "monks" are not even monks but local MA teachers that want to make a buck off the tourists.

there are still shaolin monks around but why would they be in china? a place where they are looked down apon for there religion and not treated very well.

most of the fighting monks are now in western countrys. exp (shi yan ming) if you want to learn shaolin kung fu go to the new york shaolin temple.

if you are obsessed with going to asia to train with fighting monks i recomend going to the green cloud monestery in western tibet it is one of the few temples not destoryed by the chinese and the monks there still practice tibeten martial arts (lions roar, lama pai, white craine,)

[MenteReligieuse]

Shi Yan Ming isn't much of a monk anymore.

[Muaythaiboxer]

i know it makes me very disapointed how could he just forsake his religious studys although i still hope he is dedicated to spreading buddhism to america.

[fallen_milkman]

What do you mean forsake his religious studies? What did he do?

[Muaythaiboxer]

well lets see, he now likes to drink alot (against buddhism) he got marryed ( monks cant do that) he started makeing alot of money and lives in a nice house (monks cant do that) and he now has a kid (monks cant do that!) pretty much he still claims to be a monk but there is no way a monk could do these things and not be expelled from the order. although i am thankful that he has helped spread buddhism and compassion in the united states i am a little put off that he has chosen to ignore his monastic vows, it makes me wonder if he was ever a real shaolin monk in general...

[fallen_milkman]

Well, all valid points but one. Shaolin monks WERE allowed to drink alcohol.

[Muaythaiboxer]

yes by the emporer not by but what makes the emporers word more important than the buddhas?

it is still against buddhism its one of the five precepts.

1. i shall not harm liveing things

2. i shall not steal

3. i shall not misuse the sences (theres one)

4. i shall not use wrong speech

5. i shall not take druges that tend to cloud the mind. (theres another)

i just dont think he should call himself a monk when he clearly is not.