I also just got back from Shaolin

[Shaolindynasty]

I went with Shi Yanju to shaolin temple and just got back. It was my first time there.

I trained at the temple for about 4 hrs a day and went sight seeing after afternoon training. I learned Tai Zhu Chang Quan (with apps) met with Abbot Shi Yongxin, trained at shi Yanlu's school and got to stand in the foot imprints at the temple(I pretty much could go wherever i wanted). overall a very sweet trip.

[sha0lin1]

Sounds like you had lots of fun too. Was it what you were expecting?

[GeneChing]

My teacher Yan Fei started showing me Taizu some time ago, but he stopped abruptly and we went on to something else. I think it was too much for some of the students. Lately, we've had some attrition in the class, which has whittled us down to a core group, so Yan Fei has started teaching it again. So I've been working this one lately.

One of the FOB wuseng that demonstrated at our Tiger Claw’s KungFuMagazine.com Championship did a Taizu. Check out our webcast (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/info/tournament/index.php)- it's in the Kung Fu Demonstrations segment.

There's a lot of Taizu threads on this forum. Check out:
All these movements are the same (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=51407)
Links between Tai Tzu, Tongbei, Chen taiji and Shaolin? (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=51392)
Taizu Longfist Vids (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=43356)
The Ten Songshan Shaolin Forms (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=46255)

Shoot, we need a master thread for Taizu, like our qixing & changhuxinyimen (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=51555)thread.

[Shaolindynasty]

Sounds like you had lots of fun too. Was it what you were expecting?

I had a blast. As for my expectations, I went in kind of nuetral. I've wanted to go to shaolin since i was a kid but with so much coverage in recent years from kungfu taichi magazine and other sources like american shaolin and monk from brooklyn I think I went in with a more realistic view of what the temple was and could be.

I tryed to downplay it in my mind but when i got to the front court yard for the first time I was electric. I had goosebumps all over and was so excited i had to fight back tears lol.

Anyway the thing that shocked me was how peaceful the temple felt even when th tourists were there. I heard tourism complaints before i got there but shaolin has little tourism compared to other temples in china.

As for training I new what to expect as I've been training with Shi Yanju and his instructors. It was more of the same only more intense.

Gene,

Taizhu is an awesome form, I drilled it so much at shaolin I think I can do it in my sleep lol

[Blacktiger]

Its a special place - I cant wait to go back again - well done :D

[sha0lin1]

I had a blast. As for my expectations, I went in kind of nuetral. I've wanted to go to shaolin since i was a kid but with so much coverage in recent years from kungfu taichi magazine and other sources like american shaolin and monk from brooklyn I think I went in with a more realistic view of what the temple was and could be.

I tryed to downplay it in my mind but when i got to the front court yard for the first time I was electric. I had goosebumps all over and was so excited i had to fight back tears lol.

Anyway the thing that shocked me was how peaceful the temple felt even when th tourists were there. I heard tourism complaints before i got there but shaolin has little tourism compared to other temples in china.

As for training I new what to expect as I've been training with Shi Yanju and his instructors. It was more of the same only more intense.

Gene,

Taizhu is an awesome form, I drilled it so much at shaolin I think I can do it in my sleep lol

Yeah, I had the same reaction. You grow up wishing you could train there, you see it in movies, documentaries, read about it in books, and then you go and you are actually standing in front of it and yeah, I had an emotional reaction too. As well as at my discipleship ceremony. Yeah, there were tourists there but not really all that much. I didn't find it very commercial either, there is a little commercial aspect to it but I am sure other places like the Vatican, etc. are far worse. I learned Tai Tzu Chang Quan a long time ago. It was interesting that when we were kind of performing our stuff for the monks and they would perform theirs, they did a very different version of it, it was longer and had different movements added in there, but it was very cool.

[Royal Dragon]

SD,
Sounds like you had fun! When I have wheels again, I'd be very interested in getting together and working on the apps to the Tai Tzu Chang Chuan set. I am kind of lacking in that department.

If you were only taught the standard version of the form, I know it more in depth, and can show you a number of details commonly left out, if you don't already know them.

My set comes from Sal Canzonieri. He taught it to me when he came to Chicago to play a Gig for his band. Plus I have like 14 versions documented, and I can show you most of the major variations commonly performed, and where the differences are.

This is by far, my favorite set. It's virtually an entire style in one form. Also, being a core root to most of the Sung dynasty era styles that came out of Shaolin at that time, as far as I am concerned, it is a must know for all Shaolin enthusiasts.

[Royal Dragon]

Question, how much did the whole trip cost? I have been wanting to do a trip to Shaolin myself. I can't afford it right now though, but maybe next year.

Of course, I'd have to get my fat behind in shape first though. 4 hours wold kill me right now, and probably trigger a gout attack, crippling me for 3 days. If I am to go to Shaolin, I have to be ready!

Did you do more than Tai Tzu? What about Xiao Hong Quan? Or was Tai Tzu your main focus?

Either way, a trip to Shaolin is an experience of a life time. Do you plan on going again sometime?

[Shaolindynasty]

Did you do more than Tai Tzu? What about Xiao Hong Quan? Or was Tai Tzu your main focus?


I already learned xiao hong before I left. I did practice it some at the temple as well as a few other elementary sets like lian bu, ba bu etc. That I learned from Shi yanju but I was learning Tai zhu so it was the main focus, other than the hours spent on conditioning and basics everyday.

I'll most likely go back to the temple again at some point.

If you want to go I would recommend lots of running and stretching first and training with Shi Yanyue in westmont

[Royal Dragon]

Yeah, can't argue that.

I have actually been in the Westmont school a few times. The monk there ran me through Lian Bu. I discovered the original version I had learned was an abridged version from that. Apparently the form has another short section to it that I was never taught. The one I knew came to me form a guy named Rob, who had learned it form Shi Yan Ming, I think. well, he was from NY, and Shi Yan Ming was the only monk there at the time.

[Shaolindynasty]

I discovered the original version I had learned was an abridged version from that. Apparently the form has another short section to it that I was never taught.

There isn't a single shaolin fist or weapon form that I've learned that I haven't seen another school do differently. Even within Shi Yanju's school the instructors teach different variations of the same form.

[Royal Dragon]

It's more than that though. I asked around, and found I was in fact taught an abridged version of it, and the one I was shown at the Shaolin school in Westmont is the full set.