question for Gene

Gene, are the "36 chambers" just a myth? Or is there any nugget of historical proof to substantiate the existance of this ritual?

Good question!!! I wanna know to.

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But the temple was definately divided into chambers or halls - it is even now to some degree.

Old stories talk about the divisions between the halls by caridnal directions (N,S,E,W) which to some degree confuses the northern vs. southern temple. The current architecture of Shaolin isn't not separated so..

The previous generation of monks, like most of the De and Xing, trained under their particular monk master and was often totally unaware of what another shaolin disciple might be training under a different monk. Even today, there are separations in teachings between the temple, private schools and the different monks. While there is consistency, their is a lot a variation too. I've talked with many of the monks about what more they are looking to learn. They almost always will mention some crazy technique I've never heard of being taught by some senior monk, kind of like moving to the next chamber, at least symbolically. That part is totally fascinating to me.

But as for a standard progression of chambers like in the movie, it doesn't seem to have been like that, at least not so graphically. That's a big point I've been trying to make about Shaolim Monks for years. Each one is really different, especially if you get into their advanced skills, like a different chamber.

Me, I'm still working on carry water... ;)

Gene Ching
Asst. Publisher
Kungfu Qigong Magazine & www.KUNGFUmagazine.com

Thanks for your time on that one. I've never seen the movie, but my Sifu's son mentioned the chambers. Thanx again!

You're carrying the water? Man, I am still trying to run across that **** log! Seriously though have you ever tried to carry water buckets like that? Me and one of my KF brothers did once we bought big plastic garbage cans and filled them up and carried the water across his yard until the cans were empty, it's a pretty cool workout admitingly mostly because of the fantasy of the movie.

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Of course I tried carrying water. I still carry odd things like that - dictionaries, phone books, whatever, at least when in the company of other students who understand such odd behavior. Every good shaolin student should try it.

You don't know how disappointed I was when I foudn out that the water supply for Shaolin Temple (well and river) were right in front. No hill to climb up, no windy mountain trail, only a few level feet of distance.

Gene Ching
Asst. Publisher
Kungfu Qigong Magazine & www.KUNGFUmagazine.com

Bet you didn't strap the knives to your arms though.

Lightweights!!

Interesting about the monks all being different though. I used to think that Shaolin monks all knew very much the same skills but it seems that they do specialize in distinct disciplines.

Shi Yanzhi said that it was their teacher that decided the best specialisms for them to pursue. Each monk had their own ideas on what they wanted to learn but their teacher would make the most appropriate selection for their skills, physique and personality.

"We had a thing to settle so I did him"
Tamai, 43, was quoted by Police as saying.

"You don't know how disappointed I was when I foudn out that the water supply for Shaolin Temple (well and river) were right in front. No hill to climb up, no windy mountain trail, only a few level feet of distance."

Man, Thanks for tellin me :mad: Now every time I watdch an old Shaw movie I just sigh. I'd love to try runing across the log, just to see how hard it would be. Shouldn't be two hard after I saw that movie I did that same kind of thing on my 3 year old sisters stomach with no problem(I practiced it first).

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phoenix-eye: Yep, I'll cop to that. I'm a total lightweight when it comes to water carrying. No knives.
The difference between monks is actually really cool - it makes them into individual resources, like different volumes of an encyclopedia. With shaolin research, you never get to the end.

shaolin dynasty: Was your sister floating on water when you did this?

Gene Ching
Asst. Publisher
Kungfu Qigong Magazine & www.KUNGFUmagazine.com

"Was your sister floating on water when you did this?"
No, she was a bit young to expect her to lay in a pool of water so I could jump and step across her, but she is 7 now so.......

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