View Full Version : Jedi Masters/Shaolin masters
heres a quick idea.... does anybody agree with me that Jedi Masters were based on Shaolin monks, reasons being....in return of the jedi, when Luke Skywalker goes to get the carbonated Han Solo back he walks in with his hands in the Chan meditation style (thumbs touching, and fingers ontop of each other), also te whole concept of the force being chi in an exagerated fashion. and of course Yoda's use of Buddhist text...Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate etc. Just a thought
red5angel
12-05-2002, 09:34 AM
Lucas has talked about this on many an occasion. While he hasnt stated specifically they were this or that, he has mentioned the Jedi order was based on some Eastern Philosophies, although he tends to point towards the samurai as well.
Waidan
12-05-2002, 10:02 AM
I've always equated the jedi with "sci-fi taoism". Yoda is one of the 10 Tigers of the Wu Dan System. :)
Ford Prefect
12-05-2002, 10:12 AM
In every interview I've heard from Lucas (including the ones they put on the Star Wars trilogy tapes), he always mentions the Samurai and "other eastern influences". He's never said Shoalin. Why do you really care?
PHILBERT
12-05-2002, 10:19 AM
Originally posted by Ford Prefect
In every interview I've heard from Lucas (including the ones they put on the Star Wars trilogy tapes), he always mentions the Samurai and "other eastern influences". He's never said Shoalin. Why do you really care?
Look at his profile man, he does Shaolin. He can claim then "I practice the art of the Jedi!" :p I'm only kidding of course.
However I do have to agree about the Jedi being based off Shaolin. Even the Jedi Temple and Shaolin Temple. The Jedi Temple is where the Jedi learned to use the Force and the Shaolin Temple is where the Monks learned to fight.
ShaolinTiger00
12-05-2002, 10:46 AM
In modern times, both are fiction. ;)
GeneChing
12-05-2002, 10:46 AM
I wouldn't limit it to Shaolin, or even Asia for that matter (Although I have also heard Lucas comment on how he was influenced by Japanese film - Star Wars was based on Kurosawa's Samurai Epic, Hidden Fortress.) But even Merlin, or Gandalf, has the concept of the wizard/shaman/wise master.
It's all about fraternities of alchemists. In a way, that's all martial lineage boils down to.
Ford Prefect
12-05-2002, 10:49 AM
Can you guys point out any interviews where Lucus mentions Shaolin? In the trilogy set that came out right before the new scenes were added to the original movies, there is an interview prior to each movie on each tape. He only mentions the Samurai there. In the "Star Wars to Jedi" documentary, he only mentions the Samurai. I was a Star Wars nut when I was younger and before I started MA. When I was first getting into MA, I was looking for JJ and other samurai arts schools because Lucas mentioned them all the time when talking about the Jedi's. I've never heard him mention Shaolin once.
"In modern times, both are fiction."
LOL @ Shaolin Tiger.
red5angel
12-05-2002, 10:53 AM
Ford, he doesnt really mention them, theres the reference to the samurai and eastern philosophy but that is as far as it goes.
however the shaolin were buddhist monks and we all know buddhism is pretty prevalant in most of the popular south-east asian cultures so one could draw a line to it, although I doubt that it was intentional on Lucas' part, I will have to ask him next time we go to lunch ;)
Taomonkey
12-05-2002, 10:58 AM
Check out the source, Lucas did an interview with Bill Moyers, and broke down a lot of his foundations for SW, If you cant find that, I would check out The Power of Myth is the transcript of a conversation between Joseph Campbell and Bill Moyers that took place in 1985 and 1986 at George Lucas's Skywalker Ranch and at the Museum of Natural History in New York. Touching on the stories of the Buddha, Native American legends, Star Wars, and many other subjects, Joseph Campbell offers his illuminating ideas on myths and spirituality.
there is a book and a vidoe series
The Willow Sword
12-05-2002, 11:10 AM
Post this cr@p on a Star wars geek forum. :rolleyes:
red5angel
12-05-2002, 11:33 AM
Willow Sword, I have a better idea, if it bothers you, dont read it? Or even better, if it really bothers you, dont bother replying?
Ford Prefect
12-05-2002, 11:35 AM
But which ones could move things around with their minds? The lightning that Palpatine and later Sidious shoots is obviously from Mothra vs Godzilla which is also Japanese.
Nevermind
12-05-2002, 01:21 PM
There was an interview with Samuel L Jackson shortly after the release of Episode II. In the interview, he states that in preparation for his role as Mace Windu, he tried to get into the mindset of a Shaolin monk. He apparently saw many similarities between Jedis and Shaolin monks and obviously did some research on Shaolin in preparation for his role. So it seems, that although Lucas may not have necessarily had Shaolin in mind when writing these characters, some people closely associated with the films obviously saw a correlation. Cool stuff indeed. By the way, that interview was posted on Yahoo. com. So you may be able to access it in their archives. Someone actually posted the article on the bulletin board at our kwoon. That's where I read it, actually.
Taoism has greatly influenced Star Wars. The Force is a direct allegory of the Tao and theory of Qi. The jedi knights symbolize the samurai of Ancient Japan, but I wouldn't link them with Shaolin warrior monks. The most recent thing that really enlightened was Obi-Wan Kenobi's dialog "This is your life, Anakin" meaning his lightsaber and similarly the sword was considered as the spirit of the Japanese people during the old times. There is a clear link between Star Wars and various aspects of the Eastern culture.
Interesting point, ghthomason.
GeneChing
12-05-2002, 04:10 PM
I still think it's closer to Samurai, especially how the light saber works. If it was more like Shaolin, the jedi would all be using double ended weapons, like the sith lords (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/ezine/article.php?article=258) . Could it be that Shaolin is actually Sith? Ray Park (Darth Maul) is actually a wushu champ, so it makes some sense. And sith lords are bald with bumps on their head. I think you've misread this analogy entirely. :D
TWS: I thought about moving this thread to another forum, but couldn't decide if it should be Shaolin or Martial Media, so I let it stand here. Beware of star wars geeks - the force is with them...:p
Serpent
12-05-2002, 04:40 PM
Originally posted by GeneChing
And sith lords are bald with bumps on their head
So that makes you a Sith lord, Gene!* :eek:
I'm gonna kick your ass!
* See 'Talk to the Got Qi? Girls thread in the Media forum.
Post this cr@p on a Star wars geek forum.
This from the guy who thought Jeet Kune Do meant "Way to f^ck you up" :rolleyes: :D
This thread's actually pretty interesting, lol
prana
12-05-2002, 06:39 PM
http://www.berzinarchives.com/serkong.html
Upon seeing him in Dharamsala, for instance, the makers of the popular film Star Wars decided to use him as the model for Yoda, the spiritual guide of the epic. Rinpoche never saw the movie, but would undoubtedly have been amused at the caricature. Rinpoche’s most outstanding feature, however, was his relationship with His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
Now we know ? :D
SevenStar
12-05-2002, 08:22 PM
hey Gene, that link is broken
Serpent
12-05-2002, 08:34 PM
Originally posted by SevenStar
hey Gene, that link is broken
It's the Ray Park interview in the KFQ e-zine.
The Willow Sword
12-05-2002, 11:20 PM
This from the guy who thought Jeet Kune Do meant "Way to f^ck you up"
If you bothered to read that post BRAD you would see that i am making a humourous reference to words that ARE VERY SIMILAR to the Thai language(to which i can speak a little of and comprehend).
:p
GunnedDownAtrocity
12-06-2002, 04:23 AM
martial artists are just athletic geeks. except for the ones who aren't athletic.
Chang Style Novice
12-06-2002, 07:07 AM
"martial artists are just athletic geeks. except for the ones who aren't athletic."
GDA, may I use this as my tagline?
ShaolinTiger00
12-06-2002, 08:56 AM
An Excellent observation GDA. and very appropriate for this thread.
GunnedDownAtrocity
12-06-2002, 11:44 AM
absolutely csn.
GunnedDownAtrocity
12-06-2002, 11:46 AM
how have you been st? been away for a while so i haven't seen ya post in quite some time.
If you bothered to read that post BRAD you would see that i am making a humourous reference to words that ARE VERY SIMILAR to the Thai language(to which i can speak a little of and comprehend).
See this?: :D It's a happy funny face! aka joking!!! Besides, he was making a reference to aspects of Jedi that are very similar to Shaolin Monk or kungfu legends ;) Practically the same thing lol :p
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