kungfumagazine.com & russbo.com [Archive]

GeneChing

02-12-2003, 11:36 AM

Right now, I'm in Vegas on assignment covering Cirque Du Soleil (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/magazine/article.php?article=265). I'm staying at the Temple Russbo, the home of my good disciple brother Dr. Rich Russell, the madman behind russbo.com. He has a great computer room which sitting in right now. Since he's been such a gracious host (as always) I'd like to take this moment to thank him here. Check out russbo.com if you hven't already. It's a great shaolin site.

David Jamieson

02-12-2003, 05:34 PM

Is he giving you beer to type those things gene :D

I've always liked Russbo. Down and dirty, nitty gritty perspective on the modern temple. Pretty cool stuff to dispell the mysticism surrounding the place and to help the student open their eyes to the reality of hard training.

I like KFQG too mind you :) because of the connections to the masters who got the stuff to train the stuff over here in the west and abroad.

cheers

harry_the_monk

02-13-2003, 06:40 AM

I also enjoy the site and have been visiting it for a long time now. (not as long as I have here though):)

It would be good to visit the Vegas Temple some time. It is good to clear the mysticism a bit, I think it is an essential part of buddhism to cut through the hype and see life as it is.

Hopefully all the new features are up and running now, might go and check out the website now.;)

Amitofu.

GeneChing

02-14-2003, 10:56 AM

We are both disciples under Shi Decheng and went to Shaolin together in 1995.

As for his videos, he was working on them while I was there. He has his own server now. I expect his site will really start rocking soon.

As for beer, no, he didn't buy me a beer. He did buy me some meals and let me stay in that mansion he lives in and ride around in his black porsche.

As for the temple, he has opened a school. It's very modest now, but it just opened. We are expecting great things from there very soon.

GeneChing

11-10-2004, 11:06 AM

Rich and I (and Boo) had a nice dinner last night in North Beach, SF. He was on his way back from Thailand.

He mentions some of his future plans and I made an analogy to him and Col. Walter E. Kurtz. He snapped back that that would make me Capt. Benjamin L. Willard. Ahhh, it's always good to see him.

Shaolinlueb

11-10-2004, 01:01 PM

gene and rich pimping in the black porsche. :cool: sounds worth it to me :D

Serpent

11-10-2004, 04:16 PM

Originally posted by GeneChing
As for beer, no, he didn't buy me a beer. He did buy me some meals and let me stay in that mansion he lives in and ride around in his black porsche.
And who says you can't make a good living from the martial arts!

:eek:

GeneChing

11-10-2004, 05:37 PM

He didn't make that in the martial arts. He's a doctor.

richard sloan

11-10-2004, 10:12 PM

any iron head training at church?

Serpent

11-10-2004, 10:26 PM

Originally posted by GeneChing
He didn't make that in the martial arts. He's a doctor.
Oh really? I thought the Doc thing was an affectation!

Well, good for him.

******, we nearly had a role model there for making a profit from MA's and retaining integrity.

:mad:

:)

unixfudotnet

11-11-2004, 07:23 AM

I saw his site long ago. I thought it was a joke or something, some white guy all caught up on shaolin, and getting his picture taken next to as many monks as possible.

This guy is for real? How can you be an honest monk with huge material possessions, something I do not understand.

Obviously, I do not know him, but it all seems like some guy that likes the idea of shaolin and is playing in the fantasy of it. How can any buddist drive around in a black porsche?

Maybe I am seriously missing something, yet when I went to his site a few years ago, all I could do was sigh and couldn't believe that there would be someone so sad.

He may be a nice guy, and has friends here obviously. I just question if it is all for real, or living thru some fantasy of being shaolin.

What am I missing here? I am not meaning to insult anyone, but last time I went to his site years ago, it seemed a joke and not to be taken seriously someone chasing a dream that would never come to them.

MasterKiller

11-11-2004, 10:51 AM

He spent his own money to open up a Shaolin branch in Las Vegas and has monks from Shaolin teach there. Seems like he caught whatever dreams he was chasing...

GeneChing

11-11-2004, 11:23 AM

What's real is a tricky question when it comes to Shaolin. Perhaps it's tricky everywhere, at least thats what the dharma tells us, but it seems overwhelmingly more pronounced at Shaolin - it's warrior zen , if we coined that term. All of the Shaolin practioners have different stories, unique challenges. Doc's challenge is his health ironically, and perhaps that he's rich. I'm very proud to be his martial borther, and that's not just because he takes me for a spin in his porsche. He has taken Shaolin to a new level. I'm not the one to judge if that level is good or evil, but it is certainly fascinating. Like I said, we're still deciding if he's Col. Kurtz. He certainly looks the part. And I often feel like Willard, at least in the opening scenes of that movie ;)

Seriously, all of the Shaolin followers are a bit edgy in their own way. Combining Zen and martial arts is some serious personal alchemy - a little too much of this or that and you might create a monster, but a little too little and you may never reach enlightenment.

And no church, rs, we were in SF, not sin city.

norther practitioner

11-11-2004, 11:44 AM

Originally posted by unixfudotnet
I saw his site long ago. I thought it was a joke or something, some white guy all caught up on shaolin, and getting his picture taken next to as many monks as possible.

This guy is for real? How can you be an honest monk with huge material possessions, something I do not understand.

Obviously, I do not know him, but it all seems like some guy that likes the idea of shaolin and is playing in the fantasy of it. How can any buddist drive around in a black porsche?

Maybe I am seriously missing something, yet when I went to his site a few years ago, all I could do was sigh and couldn't believe that there would be someone so sad.

He may be a nice guy, and has friends here obviously. I just question if it is all for real, or living thru some fantasy of being shaolin.

What am I missing here? I am not meaning to insult anyone, but last time I went to his site years ago, it seemed a joke and not to be taken seriously someone chasing a dream that would never come to them.

Everything...lol

Monk? Who said anything about monk.

Like Gene likes to say, think outside of the box, because for shaolin, there usually really isn't a box for shaolin at all.

MasterKiller

11-15-2004, 07:40 AM

Gene,
You guys doing a Thanksgiving thing again this year? I'm heading to Vegas Sunday for a few days.

norther practitioner

11-16-2004, 08:38 AM

Originally posted by MasterKiller
Gene,
You guys doing a Thanksgiving thing again this year? I'm heading to Vegas Sunday for a few days.

russbo (http://www.russbo.com/main.html)

Looks like doc is dong monksgiving again.. .second story down.

MasterKiller

11-16-2004, 08:43 AM

Cool. I'm going to try to swing by Doc's school while I'm out there. I don't post on Russbo, but I lurk a lot. Do you know what their operating hours are?

GeneChing

11-16-2004, 10:49 AM

I'm sure it's on their website.

MasterKiller

11-16-2004, 10:54 AM

That page is down. That's why I asked.

jun_erh

11-16-2004, 03:47 PM

I went there once. I saw them doing a tai chi class. I always wonder if the shaolin guys are dissapointed. I mean kung fu is so much bigger in China.

GeneChing

11-17-2004, 10:29 AM

I've talked to some of the monks about this and I'm not sure that disappointment sums it up well. I think they all realize that they are missionaries in a way. The tough part is more of the culture shock. I know that one monk dreamed of building a live-in martial arts university where many styles would be available, something akin to the schools in Dengfeng, something with hundreds of live-in students. Of course, that just won't fly in America now. So that was disappointing for him, but mostly because he had the wrong notion of the state of American martial arts. It's a challenge, no doubt.

MK: you could ask on their forum...;)

jun_erh

11-17-2004, 02:12 PM

that's exactly what I was thinking when I saw him teaching three people tai chi. I hope he suceeds and builds that live in school one day. I think there are plenty of people who would enjoy it a hell of alot more than whatever it is they are doing. there is a karate temple near me here in Boston. I think it's like 700 a month to live there or something. SHim gum do or something.

GeneChing

11-17-2004, 02:58 PM

For a live-in MA school to work, MA has got to be perceived as a viable career. Who can afford to be in a live-in school here? It would have to be like some sort of college. And for such a college to be viable, that diploma would have to have value in the working world. The whole notion of a martial arts teacher would have to change here in the USA. Maybe someday, but as of now, no one needs any sort of diploma to open a school, so why bother?

unixfudotnet

11-18-2004, 06:08 AM

Seems like an awesome idea though. I would love to train all day and nite, with someone there to help me and give me guidance :)

Right now it is I go to classes 3 times a week and work on that at home, which keeps me busy as my time is limited.

If only I could just drop everything and study cma all day long.. but I think I would miss computers (i am a software engineer/developer) and sex, heh.

Yung Apprentice

11-19-2004, 05:05 AM

I've heard about the temple (school?) here in town when it first opened. Hadn't had a chance to visit. Even if I did I couldn't join. (still low on the funds) I had totally forgot about the tour that was done here at the MGM in '98.

I had recently had heard a lot of talk here in town about it though. Two of my co workers recently went and checked it out last week. Plus a guy that works near me trains there and was handing out lots of flyers. He also had the article on the Shaolin monk there, that was published a little while ago in the KungFu magazine. Pretty interesting.

I'm surprised there are a few ppl making there way out here. (Gene and Masterkiller) I've always thought Vegas had a small but strong martial arts community.

Plus it's nice to see that the "Monk of the West" is here in Vegas and not California.

BTW, I also learned that the Lo Man Kam Wing Chun school moved in with the Russbo Temple. Found that interesting.

unixfudotnet

11-19-2004, 07:29 AM

When I lived in Reno, there was not much work there other than light industrial (NV is the top state in the USA for it), which is working in a plant on a line, or working for the one of many casinos. I liked Vegas, yet do not know if I could live there without a strong computer industry, especially related to software development.

There just did not seem much to Reno or Nevada other than towns ran by casinos. If you took them away, you would kill the economy of the towns, and they would probably dry up like the rest of the NV desert.

When I was in Vegas last, I did see monks in the Luxor casino, and thought that was interesting. I thought to myself, "whoa, monks... I suppose the times are changing and they are making money off americans too". Granted, they may use the money they make for more unselfish purposes, but it is nice to know that they seem to have tapped into a rich money source to use to further their whatever it is they further.

I apologize, my knowledge of shaolin monks and what exactly they are and what they do (other than Buddism or Taoism + kungfu [thanks Bohidarma]). Hopefully they do not lose sight or get jaded, but then again, I would imagine, that they are more disciplined that I will ever be :)

For those that know some real shaolin monks, what is their reasons for coming to the US and teaching us? Do they hope to spread Buddism and kungfu to the masses and stuff? Do hope to make money to build more temples?

I realize I am very ignorant of this, can someone help? I want to understand :)

GeneChing

11-19-2004, 10:24 AM

Contrary to popular belief, the individual monks seldom make much money coming to America. A few have been successful, some of the NY monks, but it's been the result of a lot of work and they tend to put a lot of that money right back into their temples and schools. You can make money at the martial arts in general, but unless you go the franchise route, the villified mcdojo scheme we always dis around here, running a school is a constant struggle.

The monks that come out on tours are paid a small stipend. Most of the money made on the shows goes to the house and the promoters. With some of the shows, a portion may go back to the temple. As for the monks in China, well, you aren't paid to be a monk. They rely mostly on contributions from followers. Many monks in Asia rely on begging to get their daily meal. In China, this has been frowned upon since the Cultural Revolution, but there are still some who have undertaked a traditional kuxingseng (bitter walk monk) which is a pilgrimage from temple to temple, begging for food all the way. Shi Goulin, now one of the most successful of the Shaolin monks transplanted to the USA, undertook such a journey, which I reported in his cover story in Aug 2000 issue (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/magazine/article.php?article=122). In Asia, such sacred journeys are common. In India, you might see a top executive take a few years off to live as a saddhu, a renunciate, and walk the length of the Ganga river from holy site to holy site, living only on begging. The community supports that. Here in America, the notion of sacred poverty, or even renunciation of material goods, well, it's a hard sell in the land of Hummers and Porsche Cayennes. I remember a good friend of mine once said "I'd do the starving artist trip if I could afford it". The only thing that really keeps you from renouncing everything and becoming a monk is you. Well, you and and the sum of western materialist culture...;)

unixfudotnet

11-19-2004, 10:59 AM

thanks for the information :)

The only thing that really keeps you from renouncing everything and becoming a monk is you. Well, you and and the sum of western materialist culture...

I could become a bum in a second, true. I would love to drop everything, that would be so liberating. Just may be easier to beg for things in China? In America that is only Christianity :( Anything else is just extra in the views of most [ignorant] Americans, and the homeless and people that need our help are ignored... Yet people will give money to some foreign country when there are people starving in their own country and town.

I hate America, though I am thankful I can live in a country where I can hate it sometimes and say what I wish :)

Yet, it would be hard now to drop everything with a gf and kids. heh.

jun_erh

11-19-2004, 02:53 PM

another thing that makes vegas a good fit for shaolin is ther are a ton of asian people there. Asian people like to gamble like irish like to drink

GeneChing

11-19-2004, 04:39 PM

I remember when I told a buddy that there was a McDonalds near Tiananmen - he started jumping up and down shouting "We've won! We've won!" I asked him how many Chinese restaurents there are in the US and he shut up.

There is the notion of sacred poverty and non-materialism in Christianity too. Take Saint Francis of Assisi. For that matter, Jesus was poor. But the whole church and state thing is sideways in America, probably the product of this strange experiment in democracy. With so much religious diversity, it makes it delicate and for all the wrong reasons. I love America personally, especially what our founding fathers set out to do. But it has it's problems, especially now.

Monks in China take the name "shi" because they leave their family, and leave their old name behind. A basic tenet of Buddhist monks is that they are not supposed to be homeowners - the case of Shaolin is particularly tricky since Shaolin has owned land since the Tang, by imperial decree no less. As pop buddhism rises, we tend to forget that the root of Buddhism was strictly a discipline for monks - it only openned to lay practitioners later.

unixfudotnet

11-19-2004, 07:01 PM

Originally posted by jun_erh
another thing that makes vegas a good fit for shaolin is ther are a ton of asian people there. Asian people like to gamble like irish like to drink

hey, us Irish like to eat too :)

I live in scranton, pa. Back in the mining days, the Irish were the only ones that could read and write english of the immigrants, and were highly valued then. Downtown Scranton is Irish, yet there are many Italians too. Good food here :D

unixfudotnet

11-19-2004, 07:06 PM

Originally posted by GeneChing
I remember when I told a buddy that there was a McDonalds near Tiananmen - he started jumping up and down shouting "We've won! We've won!" I asked him how many Chinese restaurents there are in the US and he shut up.

There is the notion of sacred poverty and non-materialism in Christianity too. Take Saint Francis of Assisi. For that matter, Jesus was poor. But the whole church and state thing is sideways in America, probably the product of this strange experiment in democracy. With so much religious diversity, it makes it delicate and for all the wrong reasons. I love America personally, especially what our founding fathers set out to do. But it has it's problems, especially now.

Monks in China take the name "shi" because they leave their family, and leave their old name behind. A basic tenet of Buddhist monks is that they are not supposed to be homeowners - the case of Shaolin is particularly tricky since Shaolin has owned land since the Tang, by imperial decree no less. As pop buddhism rises, we tend to forget that the root of Buddhism was strictly a discipline for monks - it only openned to lay practitioners later.

I agree that the true meaning of Christianity has been lost. It is not a group of rules to be followed, and the act of transcendense (sp?) has been lost.

Bohidarma intended Buddism teachings to be only for monks? Why would he want enlightenment only for a few sects of people?

I like being an American, but so many things are wrong. World, we are not all selfish ignorant fat bigs.

jun_erh

11-21-2004, 07:01 AM

I'm sure all the marxist dictators and crooks at the UN appreciate that

GeneChing

11-22-2004, 10:08 AM

Bohidarma intended Buddism teachings to be only for monks? Bodhidharma didn't found Buddhism, he founded Zen. Buddha founded Buddhism and he actually didn't beleive that women could be part of the sangha originally. They say there's no such thing as a stupid question, but I'd argue that there is such a thing as a wasted question. Perhaps you might do a little research on Buddhism before continuing along this line of inquiry.

GeneChing

02-03-2005, 09:54 AM

Sorry unixfudotnet, I didn't mean to come off so harsh. It must have been a stressed out day for me.

Anyway, to bring this thread back OT, I'm just about to leave for Vegas for the Gala Premiere of KA. Ot course, I'll be visiting my disciple bro Rich. He's just about to leave to Thailand so it'll be a really quick trip. And I'll be back here in the office by tomorrow too. Less than 24 hours in Vegas - fear and loathing, fear and loathing - just enough time to hit the MEGABUCKS. :D

norther practitioner

02-03-2005, 10:58 AM

Good luck Gene...

Bet 10 on red for me... Oh, and appologize to doc for booting blooming loonie.. now she posts on his board.. lol.

In Cheri's xanga blog she was talking about the opening... should be great.

Shaolinlueb

02-03-2005, 11:02 AM

Originally posted by norther practitioner
Good luck Gene...

Bet 10 on red for me... Oh, and appologize to doc for booting blooming loonie.. now she posts on his board.. lol.

In Cheri's xanga blog she was talking about the opening... should be great.

got link to xanga?

Starchaser107

02-03-2005, 11:26 AM

u guys are stalkers

Yung Apprentice

02-03-2005, 11:28 AM

Megabucks was at 9 mil last I saw.:D

norther practitioner

02-03-2005, 12:02 PM

Originally posted by Starchaser107
u guys are stalkers

why 'cause I'm interested in a cma person that is applying their knowledge in a show?

Yeah I am....:mad: :cool:

Shaolinlueb

02-03-2005, 01:09 PM

Originally posted by norther practitioner
why 'cause I'm interested in a cma person that is applying their knowledge in a show?

Yeah I am....:mad: :cool:

wheres the linkage?
and yeah SC i will give you the link when i get it ;)

Starchaser107

02-03-2005, 01:17 PM

thanks, you know I really appreciate that kind of thing.

Shaolinlueb

02-03-2005, 01:25 PM

Originally posted by Starchaser107
thanks, you know I really appreciate that kind of thing.
aww your welcome. ;) :o :p

i just have to wait for the link from NP

norther practitioner

02-03-2005, 01:37 PM

here you go you freakin' creap... (http://www.xanga.com/home.aspx?user=wushubabe)

Shaolinlueb

02-03-2005, 01:46 PM

i'm not creap. ask my gf. :o

Lokhopkuen

02-03-2005, 07:15 PM

"Is he giving you beer to type those things gene?"

GC will do almost anything for beer, Huh Gene?

GeneChing

02-04-2005, 02:49 PM

I didn't even see Rich. We only talked on the phone. He was way too busy with preping for his Thailand trip today. I was way too busy with KA. I did see Xingwei. I took him as my guest to the KA Gala Premeire and the afterparty (which only ended a few hours ago). I just flew back. I didn't sleep at all last night. That was some party. Absolutely amazing. And I've been to a lot of parties. Open bar pouring premium liquors, including one just devoted to my fav, Guinness on tap. Gourmet snacks. Caviar, truffles, food by Emeril, and more. I'll tell you more when I'm more together, more recovered, assuming I can remember.... Got a deadline to meet this afternoon, and then the weekend. Maybe by Monday I will have sobered up. Hopefully not. ;)