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Thread: Shaolin Warriors

  1. #61
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    Not sure about Dallas but they will be in San Antonio on Oct. 24th at 7:30pm.

  2. #62
    Yes Gene this is the same show . I didnt know there was a shaolin tour until I saw it here and to be honest I hardly ever see martial arts related events in Houston . Outside the loop toward bellaire yes there are numerous schools, but inside the loop there are Tai chi for health, differnt off springs of Yang style, and I believe one chen style and one contemporary wushu and one very traditional school.

  3. #63
    Learn Kung Fu from the Shaolin Monks of China!

    Shaolin Warriors
    Martial Arts Master Class
    FREE
    1:30-2:30 p.m.
    Saturday, October 27
    Melcher Gymnasium
    University of Houston
    3855 Holman

    i saw that on this site http://www.spahouston.org/CalendarDe...ent=56#tickets
    so.....the monks are going to be giving a free class??
    or is this some other teacher giving a free class??
    anyone in houston know anything about this??

  4. #64
    I just saw that class at UH also. It sounds like the monks are doing a free class, so I'm planning on going to that and the show at Jones Hall, but ****... I think I'll be sitting in the nosebleeds. It's pretty expensive!

  5. #65
    Quote Originally Posted by Nards View Post
    I just saw that class at UH also. It sounds like the monks are doing a free class, so I'm planning on going to that and the show at Jones Hall, but ****... I think I'll be sitting in the nosebleeds. It's pretty expensive!
    u saw it at UH??u saw it on campus??
    where did u see it on campus??

  6. #66
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    Looks like they're playing a lot of colleges

    Check out this article from Cal State Long Beach
    Shaolin warriors bring Ancient art of 'Wushu'
    Misako Miyagawa
    Issue date: 10/18/07 Section: Diversions

    Ancient tradition met with martial arts extravaganza as the Shaolin Warriors performed Saturday afternoon at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center.

    The crowd of more than 600 was treated to a stunning display of martial arts prowess involving hand-to-hand and traditional weapon combat.

    But the Shaolin Warriors are no ordinary performers. They are Buddhist monks, most in their 20s, whose combination of rigorous fighting strength and peaceful contemplation makes for an intriguing paradox.

    Popularized in such movies as "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," the image of the gentle yet formidable warrior monk has entertained, if not mystified, audiences around the world.

    But beyond its entertainment value, explanation of the true meaning behind Chinese "kung fu" rarely reaches western shores.

    Adorned in bright saffron-orange attire, the Shaolin Warriors captured the audience with movements of potent grace and exhilarating athleticism known as "wushu." Even the sound of the term seems to embody what it does: humans hurling through space with extraordinary speed, elegance and power.

    In Chinese, the word "wushu" is composed of two written characters: "wu," meaning military, and "shu," referring to art. Together, the term literally means "the art of war," or martial arts, said Eric Chen, head instructor of the National Wushu Training Center in Southern California, and one of the first Americans trained by Chinese wushu teams in the early '80s.

    But far from a prescription for glorified aggression, closer inspection of the same two characters reveals a more philosophical meaning. "Wu" has the appearance of a knife and "shu" can be seen to signify "stop," or the art of not fighting, Chen said.

    An even more esoteric connotation of "wu" is written differently in ancient Chinese. But because it sounds the same, it can be defined as "dancing," Chen explained, while others interpret it as "flowering hand."

    The heart of wushu thus embraces the integration of intensity and fluid aesthetic form based on Buddhist principles of peace, restraint, humility and respect.

    Just so, the Shaolin Warriors demonstrated gentle, meditative formations blended with stylized flurries of weapons such as the sword, spear, three-part-staff, trident and halberd.

    Many wushu styles are also inspired by the natural world. The Shaolin Warriors delighted Saturday's audience with movements unmistakable for their tiger, monkey, crane, frog and scorpion origins, as well as the mythic dragon.
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

  7. #67
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    part 2

    continued
    The performance was accompanied by traditional Chinese music and backdrops of towering Buddha figures and mist-filled scenic terrains, giving the audience a view into another time and place.

    Wushu can be seen in films such as "Hero," "Fearless," "Shanghai Noon" and "Kung Fu Hustle." It also inspired the martial arts sequences in "The Matrix."

    Wushu, however, is not a particular style, but an umbrella term that encompasses all Chinese martial arts and thus accounts for its rich variety of forms, Chen said.

    And contrary to popular Western notions, kung fu literally means excellence or mastery in any endeavor, Chen clarified. For example, it can be said that one's cooking, drawing or basketball "kung fu" is very good. But in the martial arts, the term kung fu tends to reference the traditional and non-contemporary combat version of wushu, Chen said.

    It is said that wushu dates back many centuries, to the monks at the legendary Shaolin Temple in Henan Province, China. Wushu was meant to fortify the body in balance with the monks' long hours of seated meditation, said a representative of the Shaolin Warriors group in an e-mailed statement.

    "It evolved into a fighting art later, when the monks needed to defend themselves [against bandits] in war-torn feudal China," the representative said.

    The Shaolin Monastery eventually fell into neglect and was all but abandoned during the early years of the communist Chinese revolution.

    According to Chen, it was the 1982 film "Shaolin Temple," starring action-movie icon and wushu champion Jet Li, that single-handedly revived interest in the monastery. The temple is now a popular tourist attraction.

    Based on standards established by the Chinese government in the late '50s, modern wushu is a competitive but largely non-combative performance sport, according to Chen.

    But wushu is also an everyday part of life in China. It is practiced by school children nationwide, with a slower tai-chi wushu form commonly practiced among older adults.

    Globally, wushu will gain wider exposure in a non-medal competition in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, according to the official Olympics web site.

    Whether monk, movie star or amateur, the art and discipline of wushu fosters flexibility, endurance and a calm mind and spirit, in forms at once ancient yet timeless, powerful yet beautiful.
    We should rename this thread Shaolin Warriors when the tour is done. Or maybe I'll just merge it to the original 2000 thread.
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

  8. #68
    Quote Originally Posted by Pk_StyLeZ View Post
    u saw it at UH??u saw it on campus??
    where did u see it on campus??
    i mean i just saw on spahouston.org the free class at UH listed.

    i just looked and they have a list of performers. anyone recognize any of them:

    Performers
    Pengfei Chen, Haohao Song, Qinpei Shi, Long Yuan, Tao Hao, Changbao Feng, Yanfei Zhang, Jie Zhao, Chenxi Wang, Chunpei Song, Kunkun Cao, Zhuo Chen, Hao Lu, Weixiao Ma, Long Chen, Dawei Zhai, Chuanqiang Yuan, Xianwei Liu, Xingchao Fan, Husile Wu, Tiancheng Zhao, Xin Liu

  9. #69
    Quote Originally Posted by Nards View Post
    i mean i just saw on spahouston.org the free class at UH listed.

    i just looked and they have a list of performers. anyone recognize any of them:

    Performers
    Pengfei Chen, Haohao Song, Qinpei Shi, Long Yuan, Tao Hao, Changbao Feng, Yanfei Zhang, Jie Zhao, Chenxi Wang, Chunpei Song, Kunkun Cao, Zhuo Chen, Hao Lu, Weixiao Ma, Long Chen, Dawei Zhai, Chuanqiang Yuan, Xianwei Liu, Xingchao Fan, Husile Wu, Tiancheng Zhao, Xin Liu
    look like i seen tht list somewhere before...haha
    then again..i dont know chinese..they all look sound alike...haha...

  10. #70
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    Don't know any of them...

    ...but it's notable that they are all using common names and not Shaolin disciple names.
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

  11. #71
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    Talking Dallas, Tx

    This show is going to be a t McFarlin Auditorium on SMU Campus on 10-25 & 26th. Have heard nothing else about any other appearances or trainings while their here. I will be there Fri. nite,26th.

  12. #72
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    Quote Originally Posted by DRAGONSIHING View Post
    This show is going to be a t McFarlin Auditorium on SMU Campus on 10-25 & 26th. Have heard nothing else about any other appearances or trainings while their here. I will be there Fri. nite,26th.
    Awesome. Thanks for the info
    Master of Shaolin I-Ching Bu Ti, GunGoPow and I Hung Wei Lo styles.

    I am seeking sparring partner. Any level. Looking for blondes or redhead. 5'2" to 5'9". Between 115-135 weight class. Females between 17-30 only need apply. Will extensively work on grappling.

  13. #73
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    And in Buffalo...

    I'm retitling this thread Shaolin Warriors, since it's a national tour. Houston is just the starting point of this discussion. I've also merged it with the original Shaolin Warriors thread, from back in 2000.

    Zen Philosophy Meets Martial Arts in the Shaolin Warriors
    Release Date
    10/23/07

    BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The Center for the Arts at the University at Buffalo will present Shaolin Warriors at 8 p.m. on Nov. 19 in the Mainstage theater in the Center for the Arts on the UB North (Amherst) Campus. The performance is sponsored in part by the UB Students Association.

    In a fully choreographed theatrical production, the Shaolin Warriors bring the remarkable skill, stunning movement and spectacular imagery of Kung Fu to stages throughout the world. The show is performed by disciples of the Shaolin schools, known internationally for their disciplined and deadly martial-arts prowess. These Kung Fu masters have trained from a very young age in mental and physical disciplines, which allow them to perform feats one thought only possible in the movies. The production features many forms of Shaolin Kung Fu, as well as a look at the daily life of the warriors and their Zen philosophy.

    In 525 A.D., when a Buddhist monk from India, Ta Mo, founded the Shaolin Monestery, he probably had no idea that nearly 1,500 years later, the monks of Shaolin would still be held in great reverence while demonstrating their remarkable skill and stunning movement to audiences throughout modern-day China and around the world. The early Shaolin monks embarked on a long process to develop a system of defense by meditating on the attack and defense movements of animals, called wushu, that lived near their monastery. However, even with all of their remarkable fighting abilities, the Shaolin monk's skills are never put to aggressive use.

    Tickets for Shaolin Warriors are $22 general admission and $10 for students. Tickets are available from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday in the Center for the Arts Box Office and all Ticketmaster locations, including Kaufmann's. To charge tickets, call 852-5000; in Canada, call 1-416-870-8000. For group sales, call 645-6771. For more information, call 645-ARTS. The Center for the Arts is a Ticketfast location. Students (of any school) must present valid student ID at the Center Box Office to receive discount.
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

  14. #74
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    Nov 27th. the Tuesday After Thanksgiving they are coming to UMASS AMherst. I plan on going with a bunch of students to support them. Plus its gonna be fun.
    Quote Originally Posted by Psycho Mantis View Post
    Genes too busy rocking the gang and scarfing down bags of cheetos while beating it to nacho ninjettes and laughing at the ridiculous posts on the kfforum. In a horse stance of course.

  15. #75
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    The Houston show

    Xinghao comments

    Oct. 25, 2007, 6:20PM
    Shaolin Warriors take art to new level
    By NANCY WOZNY
    For The Chronicle

    It's best not to enter into a squabble with a Shaolin monk. Although Buddhism espouses a philosophy of nonviolence, the Shaolin Temple is famous for its style of martial arts.

    The monks developed their fighting skills as a way to survive the perils of feudal China, when many monasteries were, like their European counterparts, landed estates that required protection.

    "Shaolin was developed with many influences, including earlier forms of kung fu, yoga and other martial arts," said Zhan Yucheng, manager of the Shaolin Warriors, a 21-member troupe that will perform at Jones Hall this weekend.

    Shaolin kung fu can be slow and fluid one moment, explosive the next. Every lightning-fast move happens in real time.

    "Americans are surprised that the things they see in the show can be done without tricks or special effects," Zhan said.

    The movements themselves imitate animals and other natural phenomena. "The frog teaches jumping, the monkey teaches flipping, the tiger strikes with power, and the scorpion with cunning and speed," Zhan said. "All of these things are important in kung fu."

    The use of weapons — about 20 types — is also a distinct characteristic of Shaolin kung fu.

    "Each performer has special strengths and must train to become an expert with one traditional weapon," Zhan said.

    The performance is a highly theatrical version of the monks' daily life, practices and philosophy. The stage features painted backdrops of the temple and its surroundings. The choreography is flashy but authentic and is accompanied by a dramatic score.

    Shi Xing Hao, who owns Shaolin Kung Fu Academy in southwest Houston, trained at the Shaolin Temple from age 13 to 25. He says the values of Shaolin martial arts remain relevant in the often-harried pace of modern life.

    "It's a philosophy of art that builds self-confidence and motivation," Shi Xing Hao said.

    The monks of Shaolin Warriors train specifically for the show, but their rigorous regimen also includes slower moments.

    "They spend hours meditating and practicing kung fu," Zhan said. "They have a diet rich in rice and spend as much time outdoors as possible."

    "A monk trains his mind perhaps more than his body. Strong mental as well as physical discipline is required," Zhan said. "Without concentration, physical strength is nothing."
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

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