I lost the magic of kung fu

[r.(shaolin)]

......
The western market, the US specifically, played a really minor role in the
......

Although Bruce Lee was popular in Hong Kong before his role in the Green Hornet it was after Bruce Lee became an international star, that Chinese martial arts became popular internationally.


Underground to over-ground is very much part of how American consumer cultural has worked since the 50's. Having said that, keep in mind that in 1973 Fists of Fury, Deep Thrust - the Hands of Death and Five Fingers of Death were listed in Variety as top box office draws - not too shabby. This would not have happened with out great success of the TV series both the 'Green Hornet' and 'Kung Fu'.

Through Bruce Lee's role in Green Hornet via the TV series 1966-67 and the comics (Green Hornet comics included bios and background on kung fu), many people in the west (including my self) were first exposed to the Chinese martial arts. If you look at the dates you will notice that most of the internationalization of Hong Kong cinema took place the 1970's. I think that includes India and Indonesia etc. Bruce Lee became know there after his successful exposure in the US.

Kwan Tak Hing on the other hand, although big in Hong Kong long before Bruce Lee, did not have any impact on the internationalization of kung-fu.

In-spite of the PR spin that Shaolin monks have made the name famous through out the world, it was generations of lay students, lay schools organization and secular writers that have kept the name alive over the centuries. In more recent times it has been the entertainment industries both Asian and Western that accounts for much of the success Shaolin is experiencing.
..........
YinYang Dagger wrote:
LOL BM - Every movie you named I thought SUCKED.
............
Although I agree the kung fu series was a caricature of Shaolin, it also had a positive side. Unlike the 'bloody action" of the Hong Kong kung fu movies, (parodied in the Kill Bill movies) Kung fu presented a 'peace and brotherhood'
side of the martial arts. There was no spurting blood in the series. Villains were subdued and rarely killed.
r.

[johngreenhow]

Antonio,

A little off topic for this thread, but at least I know you read this one...

Just wanted to say that the San Da vs. Muay Thai article was (for me) your best yet. Nice one.

John

[blooming lotus]

ditto.........top article.........In fact, kind of considering thailand now myself as a result. For ma of course..........How about a run down

I know they speak english, but
Where should we go for best instruction, how much is cost of living, what facilities can we find ......etc etc......Particularly inteested in the monestary teachng.how much is that, is it easy to get a shifu???..oh and food........what can we eat there??


Cheers BM



Ps.......judging by your artice and lack of elbows at shaolin, that'd have to mean mizong is wushu????

[cerebus]

Heh, heh. First you were all Gung-Ho for Shaolin, then you were returning to Australia to "pick up some Wing Chun certs", now you're considering Muay Thai. Got a little Attention Deficit Disorder going on there BL? By the time you get settled down, you'll be well versed in "Chop Suey- Do".

[blooming lotus]

actually, it was a comment from yourself about hangng in there, good luck, soldier on etc etc that kinda made me review my plan......I just want to study gongfu, and at the mo, with the state of the temple and moves etc, it's really not as viable for foreigner to study there full time until the Tianjin site opens in '08. I thought about WC in Aus, but generally speaking, western instruction is BS. Appologies to everyone I no doubt just offended. I did read Anthonys' article and I think the throws and elbows he described would be a nice addition to my arsenal. God knows where I'll end up........I'll go where the gongfu is, and shaolin I will always always carry with me where-ever I am and return often.

Cheers C'bus

[cerebus]

Cheers!

[blooming lotus]

[johngreenhow]

After my 6/7 months in Shaolin, I came here to Australia to earn some hard cash to get back to Asia. Met some Southern Mantis folk in HK on my way, and have just started training in that here in Sydney - same people. There's always kungfu.

Quality teaching matters, but so does what you put in. If you've got Shaolin with you - then I think you gain something from any class, anywhere.

And as to going lots of places and learning lots of things - all the better, just gives you a wider view of the world and a better understanding.

I did hear about Muay Laos on my way thru, and figured it was just the local Muay Thai - besides, there's enough automatic weapons about in the countryside that no-one'd bother with kung fu..

Personally, something I'd like to learn more of is some of the Japanese locking / grappling stuff. Only, Japan's a little expensive for me. It's supposed to exist in Shaolin ("qi na?", but it's very hard to find anyone who knows much about it.

The best I managed was the stuff my Jiaolian used to teach to those army guys in the barracks on the way out to the temple. Powerful stuff, but not as smooth as some of the things I've seen Shorinji kempo (sp?) or Jujitsu guys do when they get hold of your arm...

Anyway, safe journey...

[blooming lotus]

dong......I understand, and I think personally I'm looking at incorperating native Japanese arts ( more ninjitsu and ??? some judo type jazz), better elbows,hk aerials and whatever else I discover meantime...... and if I can pick up some forms that'll give me something I can apply real life or ring - wise, I'll consider it a bonus.


kow the feeling on the budget, while being a foreign teacher or even a teachers teacher / lecturer is locally in asia quite lucrative, it comes at a price.......you are expected to live breath eat and sleep work and on 3 hrs a night and off/on food poisoning and dodgey nutrition ( even the students complain)........training is twice the mission it should be......



cheers John, sure you'll make it back and better equipped when you do ..........

Ps.....what did you find gongfu wise sydney side???

[Brooklyn Monk]

John,

good to hear from you again. please send me an email at my hotmail address when you get a chance. i was wondering if you were still in contact with anyone from shaolin.

i wish i had some answers about kung fu. now i am fighting professionaly again, and feel like i have never been further from where i started.

i may be fighting in australia soon. let me know where and when you will be there.

antonio_graceffo@hotmail.com

[GeneChing]

...and the rest of you - my email imploded two weeks ago and we're still trying to sort it all out. Check your emails to me and make sure that they are going to gene@kungfumagazine, not info@kungfumagazine. Also, if anyone has emailed me this month and has not recieved an answer, that email was probably lost. Please try again.

[Shaolinlueb]

Originally posted by GeneChing
...and the rest of you - my email imploded two weeks ago and we're still trying to sort it all out. Check your emails to me and make sure that they are going to gene@kungfumagazine, not info@kungfumagazine. Also, if anyone has emailed me this month and has not recieved an answer, that email was probably lost. Please try again.

i was suppossed to send you something but I do not remember................ you probably dont remember either. lol

[blooming lotus]

Originally posted by Brooklyn Monk
John,

good to hear from you again. please send me an email at my hotmail address when you get a chance. i was wondering if you were still in contact with anyone from shaolin.

i wish i had some answers about kung fu. now i am fighting professionally again, and feel like i have never been further from where i started.

i may be fighting in australia soon. let me know where and when you will be there.

antonio_graceffo@hotmail.com

I'm about to hit Aus soon ( sep -ish, ?? post shaolin fest 04) myself, being that I can't find and no -one here'll help me find a link or school elsewhere....it's risky .......moving on though, ....please let us know where you'll be fighting..........I'm confident in your abilities and It'd be a pleasure to make the hike to check out your stuff in the ring.cheers antonio ....BL

[GeneChing]

You were supposed to send me $50.

OK, I don't remember either. dimmakseminar was supposed to send me some sparring video of a monk vs. some TKD champ, but I can't remember you promising me anything. No worries. Make it $100.

[Brooklyn Monk]

Blooming Lotus

I dont know for sure when i will be in australia. but i will be going there. if you are looking for a teacher, i have contacts in melbourn (spelling?) and they would prbably be able to direct you to teachers in other parts of the country.