FOB monks

[GeneChing]

I gave up keeping track of the new monks coming to America. At our last TCKFMC (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=53126), about a dozen monks came in. You can see their performance in our DVD. (http://www.martialartsmart.com/dvd-ca114.html) I didn't even bother to learn all their names. Last Saturday, I saw a small troupe of about half a dozen new monks at Berkeley CMAT 18 (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=36106). I didn't bother to engage them. There's just too many now.

But still, all that being said, I feel there's a place for this thread now and will start to list new monks as I get to know them here. I hope some of you other Shaolin family will help me in this endeavor.

I'll start with the new one at our school, USA O-Mei Kung Fu (http://www.tritigerdesigns.com/demo2009/usaomei/wu/). We once had three wuseng: my coach Yan Fei, Yanxing (Su Xing - who went to Yanran, and recently went independent (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=37527&page=8)) and Yanming (not the NY Yanming, but Tong Mingguang who is with He Tao (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/magazine/article.php?article=855) now). And this is just our school. Now you see why I can't keep track of everyone else here in the Bay Area. We just got a new one - Yantuo (Wang Lu). I hope we can keep him.

[sha0lin1]

Alright, as mentioned we now have Shi Yongfei at our school in Houston, bringing the Houston area to five. He is disrobed and goes by Zhang Xue Fei, his given name.

[Shaolin]

I wish we had a Shoalin monk in Az, I'd hire him as my schools head coach and let him run classes. Then I could go and get the extra training I want.

[shaolin_allan]

Hi Shaolin how is everything going for you? Are you still training for MMA fights? I was wondering since you were a student of Shi Yan Ming if you ever had a chance to learn any of his praying mantis?

[LFJ]

Alright, as mentioned we now have Shi Yongfei at our school in Houston, bringing the Houston area to five. He is disrobed and goes by Zhang Xue Fei, his given name.

so then that makes five what?

[sha0lin1]

so then that makes five what?

Monks. But I guess you can't really call them that, I think that my Shifu is the only one who remains a true monk.

[GeneChing]

Shi Yantuo was by our office yesterday. Here's a pic.
http://c3.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/122/l_ba514eb7ee0f42aeacdcc67793b14692.jpg

He came over with a troupe of a dozen monks last year for our inaugural tournament TCKFMC (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=53126). He said most of that troupe is now in L.A. and the S.F. Bay Area.

[Scott R. Brown]

Shi Yantuo was by our office yesterday. Here's a pic.....

I like her dress!:D

[GeneChing]

Click for vid (which is amusing because of the incidental background music)

Amazing Kung Fu Feats (http://www.kplr11.com/news/kplr-spiritual-side-of-kung-fu-121510,0,5393591.story)
4:23 p.m. CST, December 15, 2010

St. Louis, MO (KPLR) —
Kung Fu was developed 1500 years ago at the Shaolin temple in China. Master Shi Xing Xue lived and studied at Shaolin temple for 15 years. He has opened a Kung Fu School in St. Louis. He'll be demonstrating Kung Fu. Peter Chang is the interpreter.

Master Zing Shway's school is the International Shaolin Wushu center at 8604 Olive in University City.It is near Olive and Interstate 170. Phone (314) 308-3683

[sha0lin1]

Click for vid (which is amusing because of the incidental background music)

Hey he ripped off our schools name.

[Shaolindynasty]

Yanming (not the NY Yanming, but Tong Mingguang

I learned Tai Zu Chang Quan from him when I went to shaolin in 09. I like him he has a good sense of humor

[Songshan]

lol....Gene...the title of the thread? hehe:D

[GeneChing]

Lots of links to click. I didn't click any of them. I hope they are all SFW. :rolleyes:

The Ancient Chinese Shaolin Kungfu Temple Celebrate the Opening of the Boston Shaolin Kungfu Center With Exciting Show (http://www.prweb.com/releases/2011/8/prweb8705649.htm)
Goddess Inc. in conjunction with Weymouth Bank launch a sold out show for the newly open Boston Shaolin Kungfu Center.

Boston, MA (PRWEB) August 10, 2011

On June 19, 2011, at the North Quincy High School Auditorium, Goddess Inc. http://www.TheGoddessInc.com and Weymouth Bank http://www.WeymouthBank.com celebrated the opening of Boston's own Shaolin Temple and Kungfu Center, http://www.bostonshaolinkungfucenter.com/ with a showcase of awe inspiring performances by some of the Shaolin Temples most revered performers.

Monks and black belt performers from America's three major Shaolin Temple/Kung Fu Centers in Chicago, New York and now Boston displayed extraordinary breathtaking skills and talents to the amazed crowd.

12 Year old, singing sensation Syra Mehdi, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgPegr9UJ5E, sang the National Anthem to kick off the event, and International Recording Artist Heather Schmid http://www.heatherschmid.com, widely successful in China, performed 'Mo Li Hua' to the sold out crowd as a Half Time Show.

The director of the Boston Shaolin Kungfu Center, Shifu Hengzhen demonstrated his 'iron fist' by breaking two bricks with his bare hand. Sifu Hengzhen was admitted to the Shaolin Temple at a young age and spent over a decade perfecting his art. Along with the esteemed monks, he meditated daily, trained from 5am to 7pm, ate only vegetarian food and learned over 80 different forms weapons and animal forms.
Dr Rafay Mehdi, http://www.primaryandpreventivecare.com a Harvard University instructor, branding and image building specialist explained the 500 audience health benefits of Shaolin QiGong, Shaolin TaiChi, and Shaolin Kungfu.

Shaolin Kungfu differs from all Martial Arts because of its 4 dimensions. Hard, Soft, External and Internal. QiGong are breathing exercises that help develop an internal vital force Qi. Once Qi is developed, you experience good health, greater energy and stamina, more strength and power, and it helps develop connection to highest consciousness. Once at that level, common phenomenons in the western world like anxiety depression, and lack of focus, all disappear. They are replaced by calmness, desire free, a sense of contentment, inner peace, and forgiveness. Developing Shaolin Kungfu skills externally help connect to the internal. The goal is to connect to the universal positive energy forces that we so often lack but desire to have.

About:
HEATHER SCHMID:
Heather Schmid is an international recording artist performing all over the world in 10-20,000 seat arenas. Heather is touring with her latest album 'The Goddess Awaits' which was in the first round of the Grammy Awards for 2009. Some performance highlights are: First ever International Artist to perform in smaller cities of China, Live Performance for Miss Tourism World on CCTV for 200 million viewers, International performances for President of Pakistan, Lahore, Islamabad, Rome, Paris, Milan and Vienna, Dubai, UAE-Abu Dubai, India, China. As well as being the celebrity spokesperson for several high profile brands, Heather has a TV show called 'The Ambassador' on CCTV 9 that follow her travel, performances and charity. Every show Heather performs donates to a local charity.

As a classically trained opera singer and graduate of Boston University, Heather has been strongly influenced by the many multicultural influences in her day-to-day life. Currently, she is working on her new music concept One World Music in collaboration with multinational celebrities to help build broken bridges between East and West.

RAFAY S. MEHDI MD
Dr. Rafay Mehdi is a primary care doctor. He was a clinical instructor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. His Internal medicine training was done at Boston University. His preventative medicine training was done at Yale University Program. He was a brain research associate at the brain Research institute at UCLA. He was a clinical instructor for Boston College and Simmons College for the nurse Practitioner program. Dr. Mehdi was a staff physician at new England Baptist hospital, a staff physician at south shore Hospital and later he was a staff physician at Brockton Hospital. Now he is a medical director in primary and Preventive care and a primary care doctor in Hanover. Dr. Mehdi comes from long lineage practicing holistic medicine and science. Over ten years, Dr. Mehdi has attended to over 50,000 medical visits in the south shore area. He is also fluent in five languages.

Dr. Mehdi is also a successful entrepreneur. His latest endeavor is an entertainment and branding corporation called Goddess Inc. founded locally from south of Boston and now has global outreach. Goddess Inc. branding division is the only corporation in America that uses sophisticated scientific tools to develop biometrics and psychometric indexes, quotients and algorithms that have made many brands successful. Small, to multinational corporations utilize these proprietary metrics to stay ahead of the curve in this highly competitive and volatile market. These brands are now finding stability and longevity in their brand.

[wutangforever]

Just saw your post about Boston...

Just a little more info on my friend Shifu Heng Zhen. He is the top disciple of Shi Yan Ju of Chicago. Heng Zhen was previously head coach at the Shaolin Temple Overseas Headquarters under Shi Guolin, and then head coach at Chicago Shaolin Temple under Shi Yan Ju. He's still in his mid 20s and he works hard. He's good at a lot of different forms, hard qigong, taiji, san da and qin na.

I was lucky enough to learn from him in Chicago. His school is actually in Quincy, Mass.

[GeneChing]

Maybe I need to create a new thread titled "Shaolin Diplomats". follow the link for pix...


Chinese delegates meet with city leaders, agribusiness reps (http://www.pattersonirrigator.com/view/full_story/18974552/article-Chinese-delegates-meet-with-city-leaders--agribusiness-reps-?instance=lead_story_left_column)
by Jonathan Partridge | Patterson Irrigator
Jun 14, 2012
A 30-minute tour and a handshake were all it took last week for Qing “Laura” Li of the Sino American Trade Development Association to offer Patterson apricot grower Dave Santos an opportunity to sell his crop in central China.

The interaction was the product of a budding relationship between a handful of Stanislaus County mayors, including Luis Molina of Patterson, and a two-person delegation from China that traveled through the area within the past week.

Just four weeks ago, local mayors Virginia Madueño of Riverbank and Ed Katen of Newman were in China, attending the Mayors’ Forum on Sustainable Development in Zhuzhou, where they met Li.

Less than a month later, from Wednesday, June 6 through Monday, June 11, Li and Master Shi YanDong, a kung fu master from central China’s Shanxi province, were in California’s Central Valley, meeting political leaders and touring Lucich-Santos Farms’ Blossom Hill apricot packing shed, along with other local industries.

Li hopes to create trade agreements between the U.S. and China, with a focus on exporting Central Valley crops to China.

YanDong, who does not speak English and had Li translate for him, seeks to forge sister-city relationships between communities in Stanislaus County and central China.

The two delegates, who stayed at Madueño’s home, have invited Molina, Madueño and Katen to attend a sister cities event in China within the next few months.

In addition, Li hopes to host an agricultural expo for U.S. commodities in China at some point.

“I think it could be life-changing,” Katen said of the newfound ties between Chinese leaders and the Stanislaus County mayors. “I think it could open up doors. not only in Newman and Stanislaus County. but in the whole Central Valley.”

Katen’s participation in the China trip came about as quickly as many of the business deals forged within the past week.

He got word in early May that Oakdale Mayor Pat Paul could not go to the sustainable development forum and was invited to go in her stead. Four days later, he was on a plane.

Katen said the entire trip — paid for by the Chinese Ministry of Commerce — was memorable, as he sought to soak in the culture.

Madueño said the opportunities to do business with China were an unexpected bonus that arose from the sustainable communities event.

As she talked with Li about the agricultural commodities grown in her hometown region, she learned that the Chinese have a need for farm products, just as the Central Valley has a need to expand its markets, she said.

“It felt like a very fruitful experience,” Madueño said.

Li said both she and YanDong were impressed with the quality of the Central Valley’s crops.

Li expressed amazement at the focus on customer service and quality control at Stewart & Jasper Orchards' almond processing facility in Newman. Often, nuts in China are with chunks of mud, and people are forced to spit them out, she said.

Likewise, she said the cherries and apricots she ate at Lucich-Santos Farms were much sweeter than those grown in her native land.

“Now, I understand why America has such quality — that you treat your customers like royalty,” Li said following a dinner party at Madueño’s Riverbank home Friday, June 8.

“He felt the same,” she added, motioning in YanDong’s direction.

On the other hand, YanDong was unimpressed by some of the waste he saw in the United States, according to Madueño and Li. He believed it was wrong to let food go uneaten, both because food comes from living plants and animals and because many children in his home country have only two meals per day, they explained.

Madueño noted with a smile that the kung fu master asked for help from her sons to finish a fajita dish when they all went out to eat at a Mexican restaurant one night.

The delegates had a busy schedule, visiting agribusinesses; the Gallo Center for the Arts, where the group inquired about having YanDong's students perform a demonstration; and “American Graffiti” displays in Riverbank and Modesto.

They also met with various city leaders and with officials at the Port of Stockton and toured a building in Riverbank that formerly housed a U.S. Army ammunition plant, which local companies could potentially use as a hub to sell their goods directly to the Chinese, Madueño said.

On Friday, the Chinese visitors shared a bit of their own culture. YanDong led Madueño and some dinner guests, including Katen and Paul, in “ba duan jin” — a series of breathing and movement exercises that appear similar to tai chi to the casual American observer but are part of another tradition, according to Li.

He also threw a needle through a plate of glass held by Katen and Molina, popping a balloon on the other side. YanDong is one of only five people in the world who can perform the feat, Li said.

Li shared gifts with some of the Americans the pair visited, such as a booklet about YanDong’s monastery in central China and Chinese apricots that were individually wrapped to ensure their preservation.

Molina said the relationships forged with the Chinese delegates were an example of the positive attributes of the Stanislaus County Mayors Working Group, composed of the mayors of the county’s nine cities.

The group has been scrutinized in recent months for its dinner expenses and for discussing policy matters behind closed doors. But Molina emphasized the benefits it provided to the county.

“This is another thing that the mayor’s group brings to the table, to bring some leverage,” Molina said.

[GeneChing]

There's a vid if you follow the link.

The Ancient Art of Shaolin Kung Fu Found in LA (http://newsblaze.com/story/20130612175138ente.nb/topstory.html)
By The Hollywood Sentinel
Shaolin Kungfu is an ancient art form originating over 1500 years ago in the Shaolin Temple located in the Songshan Mountains of Dengfeng, Henan, China. There are different theories as to how the Shaolin Kungfu technique came about; some say that Bodhidarma, a Buddhist monk from India, began teaching the monks movements to improve their health and fitness and that these movements gradually evolved into what is now known as Shaolin Kungfu.

http://newsblaze.com/pix/2013/0611/pix/master_xjrun.230.jpg

The Feats of Shaolin Kungfu
Others say that monks from all of China brought varying fighting techniques to the temple, which were used to defend the temple against hostile invaders. Shaolin Kungfu is a powerful and extraordinary art, and some of its most skilled practitioners can perform astounding feats, like Iron Body, in which a Master can be struck with sticks and metal bars, lay down on spikes, hang by the neck, and be pierced with spears with no injurious consequence- this was practiced as the ultimate form of self-defense; do a pushup or handstand with only two fingers; throw a needle through a pane of glass to pop a balloon on the other side, and many other amazing feats.

Shaolin Kungfu and Buddhism
Shaolin Kungfu refers to the traditional cultural system that has formed in the particular Buddhist cultural environment in Shaolin Temple of Songshan Mountain over long history. It is based on a belief in the metaphysical power of Buddhism and fully reflects the wisdom of Chan Buddhism. The martial arts practiced by monks in the Shaolin Temple are its major form of expression. Shaolin Kungfu encompasses a complete technical and theoretical system, with martial arts and its' specific techniques as its major form of expression, and Buddhism belief and Chan wisdom as the bridge between body, mind, and spirit.

http://newsblaze.com/pix/2013/0611/pix/JinWuBanner.230.jpg

Shaolin Kungfu and the Quan Styles
Shaolin Kungfu is a huge and well-developed technical system as opposed to the many "schools" or "Quan styles" of other martial arts. Chinese martial arts are complicated in structure and abundant in school. According to historical records, Shaolin Kungfu is the one school among a myriad of Chinese martial arts schools, which boasts a long history, a complete system and the highest level of skills. Those Quan guidebooks handed down over many generations in Shaolin Temple show that there are as many as several hundred series of Shaolin Kungfu skills of which several dozen are widely known and practiced. There are 72 unique sets of skills and all kinds of special bodies of Kungfu techniques such as Qi Gong, grappling, wrestling, disjointing, attacking a vital point of the body, and more. This wide body of skills and knowledge constitute a huge and orderly technical system organized according to special categories and levels of difficulty.

Yin and Yang
Shaolin Kungfu is presented with the movement of the human body such as attack, defense and wrestling as its core and the series as its basic units. Series are made up of a group of movements. The design and arrangements of these movements are based on the medical knowledge of ancient China and conforms to the rule of movement of the human body. Movements and series put special emphasis on the combination of movement and stillness, the balance between Yin and Yang, the complement of toughness and softness, and the inclusion of the spirit and the form.

Six Harmonies
The most well-known principle is 'Six Harmonies', composed of the three external harmonies (shoulders and hip, elbows and knees, hands and feet) and the three external harmonies (mind and intention, intention and Qi, Qi and force). The ancient Chinese belief in 'the unity of human and nature' suggests that only those movements that fit the natural structure of the human body can be called proper. Shaolin Kungfu has long been tested by history, during which it has kept its Chan Buddhist essence while weeding out from itself what was undesirable while continually undergoing change and self-reformation. As a result, Shaolin Kungfu gives full play to the potential of the human body and has achieved an optimal form of movement for the human body which allows room for its practitioners to develop and thrive.

New Shaolin School for Westerners to Train in the United States
Until recently, many American's had to be very wealthy to travel to China in order to hope to be accepted by the temple and train with the true peaceful warriors of the ancient temple. Today, One only needs to travel as far as to sunny California, in downtown Los Angeles in Chinatown, to get some of the real experience of training in authentic Shaolin Kungfu. With the founding of Jin Wu Kung Fu, headed by Master XJ, who trained in the Shaolin Temple, starting that elite opportunity is now just a phone call away.

Granted, one may not have the desire to devote the years of discipline needed to master all of the skills described above, but one can still benefit greatly from the true inner and outer power of training even part time in the true form of the art that so many Westerners have come to appreciate and love.

The office of The Hollywood Sentinel, Jin Wu Kung Fu, and affiliates do not endorse any advertising that may appear on or in connection with this story.

For bookings of Jin Wu Kung Fu or Master X.J., contact Starpower Management at 310-226-7176.

Bruce Edwin is editor of The Hollywood Sentinel and President of Starpower Management, the celebrity model and talent firm. Contact Bruce at TheHollywoodSentinel.com. f

[GeneChing]

Kung fu master leaves ancient Chinese temple for Costa Mesa (http://www.ocregister.com/articles/kung-644219-temple-shaolin.html)
Shi Yanqing is the only Shaolin master in Orange County.

http://images.onset.freedom.com/ocregister/gallery/ng2kgy-b88253390z.120141204095313000gjf6ac6c.40.jpg
Master Shi Yanqing lived and trained in China's ancient Shaolin Temple for 17 years moving to Orange County last year and opening a Costa Mesa kung fu studio in September. He is a master at the the bare-hand and sword-wielding forms of the ancient Shaolin drunken combat style.
COURTESY OF SHI YANQING

By JORDAN GRAHAM / STAFF WRITER
Published: Dec. 4, 2014 Updated: 4:23 p.m.
Orange County Shaolin Temple Cultural Center

Where: 375 Bristol St. No. 45, Costa Mesa

Schedule: Classes offered seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., including adult sparring, adult self defense, kids kung fu, tai chi, Shaolin qigong and meditation and free lessons in Chinese language and Shaolin culture.

Contact: 949-701-8810 or shaolinyq@gmail.com

About the culture

In A.D. 464, the Indian Buddhist monk Batuo traveled to China to teach the religion. Thirty-one years later, Emperor Xiaowen of the Northern Wei Dynasty built a small Shaolin Temple for the monk, locating it on the sacred Mount Song, where Batuo liked to meditate.

Legend tells that in A.D. 526, another Indian monk, Bodhidharma, arrived at the temple and discovered the monks had become weak and unhealthy from their lengthy meditations. In response, Bodhidharma developed Shaolin kung fu to strengthen the monks' bodies. Paired with Chan Buddhism, it forms the basis of Shaolin culture.

Since then, Shaolin kung fu has expanded to include 708 series of movements (ranging form grappling to disjointing), 72 unique skill sets and 193 weapons series (for spears, staffs, swords and broadswords).

The Shaolin philosophy of improving general wellbeing also extends to herbal medicine and fine art.

Source: Shaolin Temple website

Like many kids growing up the early ’90s, Master Shi Yanqing watched Jet Li movies and dreamed of being a hero.

Unlike most of those kids, Yanqing lived only 170 miles from the 1,519-year-old Shaolin Temple, where Buddhist monks have practiced a meditative version of kung fu for centuries.

By age 12, Yanqing moved away from his family and joined the temple in the pursuit of becoming a Shaolin kung fu master.

Nineteen years later, Yanqing, 31, said he is one of only 600 Shaolin masters in the world – and the only one in Orange County.

After winning a kung fu world championship tournament and mastering both the bare-hand and sword-wielding forms of the ancient Shaolin drunken combat style, Yanqing opened the Orange County Shaolin Temple Cultural Center – a Costa Mesa kung fu studio – in September. In doing so, he completed the first step of a mission he was assigned by Shaolin Temple Abbot Shi Yongxin: to improve Americans’ well-being by spreading the Shaolin discipline stateside.

Yanqing recently spoke through a translator about his love for kung fu, his growth into Buddhism and what it is like to venture into Southern California after 17 years of living and training in an ancient temple.

Q. How did you come to kung fu and the Shaolin Temple?

A. My parents had a retail store, selling chemicals and supplies to farmers in the village of Handan, in Hebei province. In China, kung fu is very popular in a few cities and provinces, including my hometown, and I started to have interest in it when I was 8 years old.

I insisted to my parents that I wanted to learn it. I read kung fu books and saw kung fu movies, watching Jet Li, Yu Chenghui (a famous Chinese actor and martial artist). That’s all I wanted. I wanted to be a hero.

I went to the Shaolin Temple at age 12. To be accepted by the temple, you have to be very moral – a good person and good at kung fu. You don’t have bad habits. You have to treat your parents well. At that time, my master was Shan Duo Duao. I learned with him a couple of years, and he introduced me to the temple.

I ended up staying there for 17 years and would return home only once every five years. My parents wanted to see me sometimes, but I did not miss my family because I was used to it. In China, people say, if you are a good boy, you can go anywhere. You should not just stay home. As a man, you should leave your family earlier. Then, you can be more solid, more independent. The simple life will make you have a better moral center. The quiet lifestyle will nurture your heart.

Q. What was life like in the Shaolin Temple?

A. A lot of routine. It is a religion. I got up at 5 a.m. every day. At 5:30, I prayed. At 6:30, I ate. Then school and Buddhist teachings for four hours. Then lunch and an hour nap, followed by five hours of kung fu lessons.

You would practice kung fu by yourself a lot. Everybody would practice what you choose. If you like broadsword, then you do that. My specialty is drunken fist, drunken sword and drunken stick (a fighting style that mimics the movements of a drunken person). It was difficult. You need your body to be totally loose and flexible but still powerful when you need to be.

At the beginning, it was kung fu that attracted me to the Shaolin Temple. Later, I learned Buddhist concepts. I learned that you have to have love for all the people in this world. The concept made me see something very, very big. After five years in the temple, I felt that I wanted to become a monk.

At a young age, we liked kung fu because we wanted to win something. Later, we learned Buddhist concepts and winning was not important. Winning is something outside. It is not inside of things. I changed a lot and got inner peace. Winning and losing were not important anymore. I was trying to meditate myself to ensure I had an unchangeable heart and a stable mind. So no matter what happens outside, I could always be at peace.

Q. How did you end up in Orange County?

A. I am here to represent Shaolin Temple. Shaolin monks travel to many countries. The master trusted me and authorized me with this honor. We moved to Irvine last year. Before that, I was the world champion at a Korean international kung fu competition, and I saved money from my tournaments and performances to help open this Costa Mesa studio.

But now, I am not a monk. For my whole life, I will be a Buddhist, but to be a monk is a lifestyle change, and you cannot do 200 forbidden things. My master sent me here to promote culture, and being a monk would make that difficult. Monks cannot do business. Sometimes, you go out to talk business, and people offer you a little wine. But monks cannot drink any alcohol. Sometimes you try not to hurt someone by telling a kind lie. But monks cannot lie.

Q. What do you hope to accomplish here?

A. I hope for all of America to have a new lifestyle by practicing kung fu and meditation. To make them healthier. That’s how our concept benefits people. Physical health by practicing kung fu. Inner peace by balancing the mind through meditation. Shaolin monks use meditation to strengthen their internal energy. After you practice meditation, you will not feel tired during kung fu.

So far, we have 30 students and growing. The difference between American and Chinese kung fu students is very big. The kids here, most of them just want to exercise and have fun, and they don’t study as hard. But in China, those kids really love kung fu and make the effort. But we do have a few kids here who really like it and want to be good. We don’t teach ethics, but I put the (Buddhist) concepts into the lessons sometimes: to strive for greatness, awareness, braveness, effort and equality.

I felt like I had a responsibility to promote the Shaolin culture. There is a fear it will die out. Human beings already have too much in this world. We own almost everything. We have had enough. Sometimes, we really need some development of the spirit.

Q. What is it like to go from living in a 1,519-year-old temple to living in Irvine and teaching in Costa Mesa?

A. It’s hard to communicate. My English is not good, but I’m learning.

Sometimes I feel uncomfortable here, and the big cities have too much technology. People also carry guns too easily, which scares me, even though I know kung fu.

But the American lifestyle is simple. I like that. Sometimes it’s quieter. I like traditional American culture. I love old Western towns. I watched cowboy movies and would love to go to visit those smaller villages. I like small villages and would like to experience them. Especially places with historical things. I like the feeling of experiencing older things.

Q. Do you hope to settle in America or return to the temple one day?

A. Just follow the heart. Wait and see.

Contact the writer: 714-796-7960 or jgraham@ocregister.com

More pix online....

[GeneChing]

Same story as before, but there's also a vid if you follow the link.


KUNG FU MASTER LEAVES CHINA TO CALL COSTA MESA HOME (http://abc7.com/society/kung-fu-master-leaves-china-to-call-costa-mesa-home/502864/)

A kung fu master, who joined an ancient Chinese temple at the age of 12, has left China behind to call Orange County home.

By Greg Lee
Tuesday, February 03, 2015 02:26PM

COSTA MESA, Calif. (KABC) -- A kung fu master, who joined an ancient Chinese temple at the age of 12, has left China behind to call Orange County home.

There are only 600 Shaolin kung fu masters in the world, and one of them is now living in Costa Mesa.

Through a translator, 31-year-old Master Shi Yanqing says he began studying at the ancient Shaolin Temple in China at age 12 and spent 17 years practicing kung fu and studying Buddhist teachings in an extremely disciplined environment.

In 2013, his master sent him to Orange County to share the shaolin culture. Last September, he opened the Orange County Shaolin Temple Cultural Center to teach the arts of kung fu and meditation.

[Songshan]

Cali is starting to become a little Deng Feng. So many shaolin schools there now. Curious though, where did the author get the number 600 for the shaolin masters in the world?? :confused:

[curenado]

I think the author is about as authentic as his subject and in it to sell tickets. Makes ya feel like you're missing the circus - and you're glad.

[ShaolinDiva]

Cali most definitely has the most concentration of FOB monks especially in the Los Angeles area but then again it is becoming the new China here too. the most aggravating to the native ABCs here to say the least who have paved the road for many Chinese …. you know how generalizing and racial profiling can become ..

But we are also vey fortunate to have some of the best FOB " Shi Yan _____ " guys out here too. some wanna be(s) state they come from the main lodge of the temple because it helps them with their tuition . In the end of the day , we still are lucky to get some traditional form training and it beats going to China to train.
The authentic ones have a very strong Buddhist connect to them so that's how you know if you're in with the in crowd or not . :) I"m just saying'

[GeneChing]

Cali most definitely has the most concentration of FOB monks especially in the Los Angeles area but then again it is becoming the new China here too. Indeed so, but I'd argue that the highest concentration is here in the S.F. Bay area. In The Gold Mountain Monks: 38 Shaolin Immigrants to the San Francisco Bay Area By Chen Xinghua and Gigi Oh, we documented 38 Shaolin monks in the S.F. Bay Area, and that was in our Shaolin Special 2007 (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/magazine/article.php?article=729). In the past 7+ years, we've had many more immigrate to our area, so many that we never published a follow-up article because it was too much work to chase them all down. Some have left the area since then, but we still have a lot.


the most aggravating to the native ABCs here to say the least who have paved the road for many Chinese …. I feel ya there, sista. ;)

[GeneChing]

Posted February 19, 2015 - 2:00am
Chinese martial arts teacher seeks to aid students in finding peace (http://www.reviewjournal.com/life/community-organizations/chinese-martial-arts-teacher-seeks-aid-students-finding-peace)

http://www.reviewjournal.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/media/web1_HE-SHAOLINCENTER_020315DB_007_0.jpg?itok=nPFZdFBO
Kung fu master Shifu Chang Yuan leads a young class at the Shaolin Tai Chi Cultural Center on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2015. Yuan is a 33rd generation master Shaolin monk, and recently opened the Tai Chi Cultural Center at 9310 S. Eastern Ave. in Henderson. (David Becker/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

By CAITLYN BELCHER
View Staff Writer

Five children in blue uniforms run around the room at the Shaolin Tai Chi Cultural Center, practicing their poses and punches before class.

At the instruction of Shifu Chang Yuan, they race to the center of the room and sit cross-legged to begin meditating.

“Because little kids don’t have life experience, Shifu Yuan must set a good example,” said instructor BeeLee Young. “He’s strict, but they know he cares about them so much.” Shifu is the Chinese title for teacher.

Yuan and his staff offer tai chi, kung fu, meditation and Chinese cultural classes at the center, 9310 S. Eastern Ave., Suite 123, which opened last June. His goal is to help the public find peace.

“Our body is sometimes controlled by our mind, so I want to help people use their mind to find peace even when they’re busy,” Yuan said while Young translated. “I wanted a place people could come to and relieve their stress.”

Born in China, Yuan was 12 when he was invited by his cousin to study tai chi at the Shaolin Temple, a monastery similar to a martial arts boarding school. After two days of thinking, he agreed and joined his cousin and eight other neighborhood children at the temple.

“The day before I left, my dad asked me if I thought the decision through because I had never been away from home before, and I would have to stay at the temple for at least a year,” Yuan said. “I didn’t answer him because I couldn’t imagine what my life was going to be like, but because of my decision, I lived at the temple for more than 15 years.”

Within six months, Yuan and his cousin were the only two from the original 10 who stayed at the temple. After nine months, it was just Yuan.

“In the Shaolin Temple, it is very strict,” he said. “You have to study kung fu eight hours a day, but kung fu is just a very small part of your daily life. The (teacher) will also teach you how to sit, how to speak to people properly, how to eat properly. It’s more like how to be a good human being.”

Yuan’s name was given to him by his teacher at the temple. Although there is no direct English translation, it’s similar to the “fate” of meeting someone who changes your life.

“It’s just like someone walking on a path, and one day meets someone that changes that path,” he said. “You start to live a very different life from before, and that’s what I did when I was 12.”

After becoming a 33rd-generation master Shaolin monk, Yuan performed around the world and played a role in the “Soul of Shaolin,” a Chinese production shown on Broadway. He returned to China in 2005 to teach tai chi and kung fu.

“I was invited by my kung fu brother to come teach at the Shaolin Kung Fu Chan school in Las Vegas in 2011,” Yuan said. “Then I opened this center in June 2014. The schools are connected because in the spirit of the Shaolin Temple, there is no ‘you’ or ‘me.’ Everything is together.”

Yuan is also offering free classes to Clark County School District teachers to help them be at peace and teach in the “best condition possible.”

“Our lives are given to us by our parents, but the intelligence and wisdom we learn in life is given by teachers,” Yuan said. “If the teachers learn how to find peace and how to calm down, it will benefit their students.

“I want to create a good foundation for children because, just like a plant, the roots start very young. If I give good guidance to a child, they will become a good person as they grow up.”

Instructor Zoe Lin teaches the Classical Chinese class using the book “Guide to True Happy Life: Di Zi Gui,” which follows the philosophies of Confucius.

“We recite the beginning of the contents in Chinese for the first 30 minutes, which is a good exercise for the tongue movement,” Lin said. “Because that’s harder Chinese content, when I start teaching them basic Chinese conversation, the tongue is already loose, and they reduce their accent. It’s a piece of cake for them.”

In addition to the language, the book also teaches students how to differentiate between right and wrong and how to respect others.

“The love parents have for their children is unconditional, so if you make a mistake, they will give you a second chance,” Lin said. “However, once you leave home, you don’t get second chance. If their mother doesn’t teach them, the world will. So the Chinese philosophy is to set the foundation of respect that children will carry for the rest of their lives.”

While some may learn martial arts for self-defense, the goal of Yuan’s classes is to promote peace and harmony within the body.

“My English is not very good, so I ask people to listen to my body language,” Yuan said without a translator. “If they can look into my eyes, they can see my heart and feel the peace.”

Young and Lin are set to participate in the Chinese New Year event Feb. 21 at the Galleria at Sunset, 1301 W. Sunset Road.

For more information, visit shaolintaichicenter.com or call 702-570-5120.

Contact Henderson View reporter Caitlyn Belcher at cbelcher@viewnews.com or 702-383-0403. Another monk in Vegas?

[curenado]

Only the authentic ones... (jus say-yin)