A question about "Shaolin"

[jules]

I remember a bunch of so called "Shaolin" monks being sent ot korea by the Chinese governmetn because they didn't know certain prayer rituals and meditations... How can today's shaolin even be called shaolin? The monks don't even know how to meditate...

[Szczepankiewicz]

What source do you have for your information?

[Thai Bri]

Episode 6 of the Jackie Chan cartoon.......

[Szczepankiewicz]

Yeah, I saw that one... good training.

[jules]

my sorce is that they were welcomed on the korean news over 50 buddhists at the airport. I am not saying that korean buddhism is so great that they came. Logically it makes sense that the chinese government chose korea. I mean look at the other nations that are in the same "branch" as chinese buddhism; are they going to send their monks to Japan (i don't think so) or are they going to send them to Taiwan( a hellllll no). It's logical that they chose korea.

[tai-gip]

or its all a scam korea that close to china hmm wonder who rules there ????

and anytime you see shaolin on the news or pretty much anywhere its crap...

there are chinese martial arts classes in melbourne westerners cant get into but yeh they can pay to go to shaolin lol

[Drunken Munky]

Episode 6 of the Jackie Chan cartoon.......

LMAO, nice one Thai Bri.




Thought I would bring this back from the dead, because I'm bored and insecure enough to display to others, what I find funny.

[Richard Kerr]

I remember a bunch of so called "Shaolin" monks being sent ot korea by the Chinese governmetn because they didn't know certain prayer rituals and meditations... How can today's shaolin even be called shaolin? The monks don't even know how to meditate...

I think that you will find that they went to study the Koreans way of meditation as part of there education. Bhudda said to his followers you should respect all religions. Therefore I believe alot of Monks may actually study other countries rituals and beliefs. This actually could be considered as a way of enlightenment and also shows how open minded the Shaolin Monks can be.



This is something you should remember; if a French man teaches an English man to speak his language in America then does this change the way the French man teaches or the English man learns? This is relative to the Shaolin Monks in Korea, the Monks are caplable of learning and improving their understanding of their discipline anywhere, incuding Korea.

[47MartialMan]

Whenever someone gets into a martial art- Especially attaching to one for namesake, glorified influences, fad, or curiousity, their expectations are high.

With these high expectations, the desire for results, or any progress, is so great. But, given that every individual is different, and that some do not develop like others, only time and hard practice will prevail. Unless, the instructor is not qualified or have the knowledge.

To get into a martial art for the sake of performing something specific, or special feats because of seeing others do it, or the namesake of it, has some fallacy and illusion.

This is why I have stated that Shaolin gets to the point of namesake. Although someone had stated that Shaolin, per its Buddhist practice, is not separated from its martial art one-it is definitely recognized for martial arts first and foremost. Therefore for its martial art namesake. Therefore, people are lead by namesake/fame instead of the wholeness or full aspect of it.

Everyone that states that they teach or learn "Authentic Shaolin Kung Fu", I find disturbing. Even those that state they teach or learn Shaolin Kung Fu, are curtailing on the name for namesake. Something to be recognized or gained.

Now if this is the case with other systems, per stating that they have a lineage to Shaolin, then for that matter, many other Asian arts, if one is to study the ancient civiliization of Asian man, would see that some of theirs had come from other sources like India, for example. (Including Shaolin.) And those others, in the surrounding provinces, can state a lineage to Shaolin.

Authentic Shaolin Kung Fu would be kung fu practiced the same way it was in Shaolin, with the same methods, techniques, etc. What I was trying to say is that if there was "Authentic Shaolin Kung Fu" out there, its still not what many people believe it is. I dont think Shaolin Kung Fu even olden days of Shaolin, is actually what so many people think it is. Given that the term, of its deveopment, was not called Kung Fu.

Authentic Shaolin is like Authentic Christianity. Everyone wants it, need it, uses it, capitalize off it, without truly “following it in authentic form”. (For sure, Christ had over-turned the tables of money in those temples. Where is it written that he wanted to open a temple and collect like those priestans?). Trademarking it (Shaolin) would find the same difficulties such as trademarking Christianity/Jesus Christ.

I just have a little strange feeling when I see something worded that is beyond the actual representation. (Like Ultimate Fighting-which has a set of rules and is not truely "ultimate".) So, let it be noted, that I do not intend to bash or discredit any school, or anyone, I think that the term and usage gets way out of proportion.

Simply- "I respect anyone who gives everything they can in training, Mcdojo or not, I think that hard work can show you the way."


Here are some interesting articles:

http://www.spiritualminds.com/articles.asp?articleid=1886

http://www.spiritualminds.com/articles.asp?articleid=1833

http://exn.ca/Stories/2003/06/09/51.asp

http://wongkk.com/answers/ans00b/sep00-1.html

http://www.theallineed.com/news/0411/212488.htm

http://www.shaolintemple.org/essay.htm#trademarking%20shaolin

http://www.shaolinbrand.com/shaolinbrand/htmherbs/sx050002.htm

Yeah. That plus the fact that there's really no such thing as a "Traditional kung fu uniform". The thing that people wear is just traditonal Chinese clothes...common dress up some time in the fifties (and you can still see it on old men in HK). The Chinese wushu teams actually train in tracksuits.

And is there no such thing as "Authentic Shaolin Monks." Because of traditional apsects.

But when MA was becoming big in the US in the seventies, people expected a cool costume, so if you were teaching kung fu, you either used a gi, or came up with the "kung fu uniform" that they use now.
Or worked out with old clothes anyway.

The uniform bit never bothered me much. I've got a set of monk robes I bought at the Wushu Guan at Shaolin.
Sure it has botherd or influenced you, why else would someone buy monk's robes?

Here is a interesting link on uniforms:

http://www.spiritualminds.com/articles.asp?articleid=2021

[Tom Yum]

Great response and insight from the martial man. Pos rep.