Jan/Feb mag

[norther practitioner]

Gene, wow, might be the best issue ever, I got a copy last night and I am already reading some of the articles over again. I really liked the article on Shi Suxi, gives a good perspective of the temple over the last few decades and debunks a few of the myths over Shaolin in the last few years. Anyone else get the mag yet? What do you think?

[charliec]

Gene, simply amazing. You've surpassed my ****hest expectations. Hopefully this has cleared up some of those *tedious* debates online and now we can concentrate on more importent things... like the new Jet Li movies. ;DD

[GeneChing]

I've been waiting for it to hit stands to announce it. It'll probably be available for online purchase by the weekend, then I'll post the link.

I'll be very eager to read the reaction on this forum from all of you.

amitoufo

Gene Ching
Asst. Publisher
Kungfu Qigong Magazine & www.KUNGFUmagazine.com (http://www.KUNGFUmagazine.com)

[richard sloan]

Going to Border's RIGHT NOW. Just spent an hour on the phone with some seriously weeded individuals and I need a good read and a dose of intelligence so I know that this is all not a waste of energy and lifeforce.

And I need some cookies. And of course, milk. Or maybe a beer. That would be better. A Chimay. Hell, I'm the non discriminatory sort so I'll have it all.

later.

[GeneChing]

...get thee to your wushuguan.
We shipped advance copies to all the NYC monks who participated in this issue - Guolin, Xingpeng & Yanming. They should have them available at their respective temples/schools. IN fact, one of our cover blurbs is "3 N.Y. monks."
All the US monks participated excpet for Hengxin (who was striking out on his own while we were in production) and Yanchang (who we haven't heard from since out last attempt to make contact.) Hopefully we get them next time.

Gene Ching
Asst. Publisher
Kungfu Qigong Magazine & www.KUNGFUmagazine.com (http://www.KUNGFUmagazine.com)

[Songshan]

Hi Gene!!

Hope all is well with you. I picked up the latest and greatest Shaolin issue from Shi Xing Hao. Excellent stuff Gene!! Dieter's hard work paid off for a well done article that tackles some issues we have seen debated around here. Good to hear that PBS special is coming out soon. I have to say you all did an outstanding job this year. A huge thank you to you, Martha and all of your staff.

PS: The Picture on the back cover with the lightning striking the Wushuguan is spectacular!

Still training hard down south,

Adam

[richard sloan]

Okay, now I know what we are talking about.

Great issue, nice job.

We had an audience with Shi Su Xi and despite his Parkinson's the man is a chi radiator. We got to sit with him for a good bit with De Yang and one or two other older monks- whose names I can't for the life of me recall- also in attendance to the audience. He put forth a great effort to speak and visit with us. I felt deeply honored. It was a pretty big deal- everyone was jocking for position at the doors to see what was going on inside, even the other monks, lol...

He looked very happy and was obviously pleased to see the spread of Shaolin flowering abroad and being brought 'home' as he put it. He beamed like a dad watching his kid's first something or other.

One funny thing was when he asked if he could get a picture. Everyone scrambled.

His talk was very inspiring to us to say the least.

It will be interesting to see how the situation develops at Shaolin.

-rs

Gene- thanks for the Monty Python ref. above.

[GeneChing]

Songshan: I gave Dieter a print of that photo a long time ago. I wonder if he still has it. I'm offering a print for our 10th Anniversary Benefit auction - click the Kungfu Magazine logo at the top of the page, then click the 10 Year Anniversary Dragon fire-breath, then click auctions. Right now, there are no bids - we just posted it and are working out the bugs, but the minimum bid is $20.
We'll be expecting more from Shi Xinghao (and Xingda!) - that was a real dense article.

Richard Sloan: Actually, that article was compiled from two interviews, one in '99 and one last Sep. Suxi is definately a qi radiator. I was really trying to get something out on his CR experience, but he dodged every question with the ease of a survivor and Chan master. But I did get a good laugh out of him with my persistence. Then we had the honor of dinner with him in his private quarters in the Temple. What an experience and what a meal - the most amazing veg banquet ever (and I eat a lot of veg banquets.)
I was trying to quote was actually Shakespeare, Hamlet specifically, but Python will do too :p

Here's the new issue for eveyone else:
http://store.yahoo.com/martialartsmart/kunmagjanisk.html

Gene Ching
Asst. Publisher
Kungfu Qigong Magazine & www.KUNGFUmagazine.com (http://www.KUNGFUmagazine.com)

[Songshan]

Thanks Gene. I bidded for the picture!!

[GeneChing]

Good luck!

[Bessho]

Originally posted by richard sloan
<snip>

And I need some cookies. And of course, milk. Or maybe a beer. That would be better. A Chimay. Hell, I'm the non discriminatory sort so I'll have it all.


richard - if you've found a place in ny that doesn't have the watered down chimay (blue) ... PLEASE PLEASE let me know! heck, we could meet up and I'd buy the first magnum :D

I will be on the lookout for this issue. I'm not a siu lum fanatic - but i'd like to see what the hubbub is all bout ;)

<Ken

[GeneChing]

Are you sure you placed that bid? It didn't go through. Let me know because if you did, something is wrong with our auction function...

[chiman]

Gene-

I am a recovering Deadhead and have been clean for several years now. Your addiction is tempting to me - mixing it in with the gongfu I love so much. I simultaneously appreciate and am frightened of the Dead references. I've forgotten the lyrics to most of the songs since that part of my life is shrowded in a smokey haze. It's good to hear the words in a more mature light.

Another splendid Shaolin special!

chiman/heng duo

[GeneChing]

Man, I can't beleive we never discussed this - and after all the miles we logged together!
I actually worked for the Dead for several years doing crises management and dealing with intense psychedelic reactions amongst the deadheads. It wasn't all drugs, so don't be frightened. And a lot of the lyricism was drawn from deeper sources like the Bible, the Duino Elegies, old folk songs, etc. I'll explain more when I get that eZine column up.
Thanks for the props on the issue.

[richard sloan]

...can be had in a few establishments. But you don't like the Grand Reserve? That's the blue one. 9.5% by volume!! I think the last place that was decent enough to have the big bottles was the Gingerman in midtown. Personally, I think Chimay has got to be the BEST beer/ale on the planet. Well, except for the pee jeow I had outside the wushu guan at Shaolin after learning ying zhao chuan. But that was just the atmosphere and definitely not the actual beer.

An interesting note about Chimay- the stuff is like a meal and brewed that way. The monks that make it are allowed to drink it daily but especially during fasting, and the Trappists have some serious fasting. So it would basically keep them alive. You can also age it like wine. I've had the Grand Reserve at about 2 yrs now and it is amazing. Ben Franklin stated that "Beer is proof that there's a God and that He loves us."

There's a classy joint all the way uptown that sells them for close to 10 bucks a bottle (not bad for the type of bar it is) and they have a smoking lounge upstairs. Called Northwest. I think it's on 79th by the Museum of Nat. History.

Then, believe it or not, there's a few divey type joints that have it as well, but the smaller bottles. Blackstar's got it, over on Ave A? ****, I always forget the **** streets until I'm walking around.

If you are buying, I am drinking.

Chiman- In five million years I maybe might have guessed that you were ever into the G-Dead.

-rs

[brassmonkey]

Gene or anyone else, do you know anything about this Shaolin Warrior's tour I saw advertised? If this is actual monks or trained at Shaolin or any details would be good, is it forms, qi gong tricks, 2 person exercises? Also I'd like to request articles on each of the 10 recognized top Masters of China I saw listed, thanks.

[GeneChing]

I don't know much about the Shaolin Warriors tour this year. Last time they came through, it was a demonstration led by one of Yongxin's disciples (although he has a lot of disciples...) I didn't recognize any of the warrior monks who performed, but there are many that I don't know. It was themed by the four seasons and had your typical demo mix of wushu, hard qigong and a tiny taste of traditional. When I went, it got a standing ovation from a sold-out house. I don't know if this tour will be the same - we'll see.

AS for the top ten, I did do an article on Sun Jianyun. She's the only woman to make the list. It's in our JUL 99 issue
http://store.yahoo.com/martialartsmart/kf-903.html
Chen Zhenglei, another of the ten, was on the cover of that issue too. As for the other 7, I'm working on it. Got to find them all first. It's on my 'to do' list...

[brassmonkey]

I dont recognize that cover so I don't think I've read it unless its the one where your teacher was accepted as a student of Sun Jianyun. If its not too personal to ask or out of line how did your teacher get Sun to endorse him as her representitive in U.S. when I've heard of many others who have tried to no success. Oh one last thing I have a bad habit of throwing away the issues after they become in too bad a shape is there any plans in the future to put them on dvd?

[GeneChing]

I think the acceptance piece was something I wrote for Wing Lam when I was working for his mail order company. To my knowledge, Sun has many disciples now, last I heard it was near 100 and that was a while ago. She had been hesitant to accept anyone, but in the past few years, changed her philosophy. As for Wing Lam being her "official" representative, did he say that? He has certainly been one of the pioneers of Sun style in the US, but then so has Aiping Cheng, along with others. She is certainly 'endorsed' but I don't think Sun limited it to any one 'official rep'.
I think people think of Wing Lam since his video series is so high profile. Please find me an exact reference if possible.

No plans to put the issues on DVD, VCD or any other format. Sorry. You'll just have to take better care of them. We were once considering putting our sold out issues online, but that probably won't happen for a long time, if ever.

[brassmonkey]

Interesting how Sun has taken so many disciples as well as your article on Shi Yanming's process for disciples in your issue. Obviously I'm mistaken with Wing Lam being the U.S. representative most likely I read that on the net somewhere.

[GeneChing]

It's a very individual process, bound by rules of formality that are quite secular. Everyone does it differently.

BTW. Chiman, did you ever see the interview I did with Mickey Hart?