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Thread: The Shaolin Grandmasters Text

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  1. #1

    The Shaolin Grandmasters Text

    A new book on Shaolin history, Buddhism, and martial practice is available at

    www.shaolintemple.org

    This is not a "how to" or picture book, it is a 300 page text filled with *information* on all things Shaolin.

  2. #2
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    Who is the author?

    And why isn't the author more forward about who he or she is?
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

  3. #3

    question

    Quote Originally Posted by GeneChing
    And why isn't the author more forward about who he or she is?
    most of shaolin will prefer not to have credit for their acomplishments. read the book and you will understand.

  4. #4
    As a representative of the publisher, I can say that the book contains a detailed description of why the authors have chosen anonymity, and also contains lineal information. The book is the completion of a project begun many decades ago by three deceased masters. Their names can be found on the amazon.com's description page for the book.

    Very few living sifu were personally acquainted with these priests, and fewer still trained under them - but if you have concerns of legitimacy, talk to sifu who were active in NYC Chinatown between 1930 and 1965.

  5. #5
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    Curious, but which temple were these Shaolin priests supposed to be from?

    Just wondering, because the list of core styles seems like kind of an odd collection:

    Southern Tiger (which has absorbed Shaolin's Leopard, Eagle Claw, and Monkey styles)
    Crane (both White Crane and Black Crane)
    Snake
    Dragon (both Southern Dragon and Northern Dragon)
    Northern Praying Mantis
    Southern Praying Mantis
    Pak Mei (White Eyebrow)
    Wing Chun (Blessed Springtime)

    Also, is there any more info about all this that can be found outside of the book? What makes it different than any other "Shaolin" book on the market? Are there any photos/videos or other information out there about the OSC?

  6. #6

    quetion

    many styles have absorbed other forms to enhance their style and to understand how to combat them
    Quote Originally Posted by Brad
    Curious, but which temple were these Shaolin priests supposed to be from?

    Just wondering, because the list of core styles seems like kind of an odd collection:

    Southern Tiger (which has absorbed Shaolin's Leopard, Eagle Claw, and Monkey styles)
    Crane (both White Crane and Black Crane)
    Snake
    Dragon (both Southern Dragon and Northern Dragon)
    Northern Praying Mantis
    Southern Praying Mantis
    Pak Mei (White Eyebrow)
    Wing Chun (Blessed Springtime)

    Also, is there any more info about all this that can be found outside of the book? What makes it different than any other "Shaolin" book on the market? Are there any photos/videos or other information out there about the OSC?

  7. #7
    Brad, different temples. Abbot Li was trained at Fukien, but served as abbot at Honan (and for the entire order). Hua was his "chancellor," I guess you'd call it. Master Ben served as one of the last abbots at Fukien. These priests were joined in NY by other Shaolin priests and masters (some who were not ordained) representing a few other temples as well.

    The old core of Shaolin was the Five-Formed Fist, meaning Dragon, Tiger, Cobra, Leopard, and Black Crane (in the north). But Shaolin was kind of like a university where many subjects were studied, and where martial styles were experimented with and developed. So, the priests added material to their curriculum if they felt it was up to snuff. Southern Praying Mantis is a good example. The style was originally developed 1800-1830, and practiced in Shaolin from that time, as well as in Jook Lum - but the Fukien council of masters did not adopt the style officially into the temple until the mid/late 1800s.

    Regarding videos, I know of no plans to ever produce any.

    I think the book is fantastic, yet I respect others' skepticism and caution. You can always wait for more reviews.

  8. #8
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    Any new book is welcome...

    ...but the anonymity thing is really odd. Legitimacy resides not within the name but within the work.
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

  9. #9

    I agree

    Quote Originally Posted by GeneChing View Post
    ...but the anonymity thing is really odd. Legitimacy resides not within the name but within the work.
    I am really confused as to why it is that everyone is embracing the negative and disregarding the positive . I thought we were supposed to embrace the positive and disregard the negative.

    I am not saying ignore it but, if it does not follow what it is that someone believes why say it is BS?

    Everyone has the right to practice and teach things with their own flavor and create their own traditions.

    It is funny how if things do not fall or coincide with ones beliefs ,how quickly they are to dismiss it.

    I have the book and read it . There are discrepencies but ,isnt there in everything, depending on the sources??

    If you read the book you will find that 1/2 if not 2/3rds of what is in there is right on with everything else that is written about shaolin. They just have their own traditions.

  10. #10
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    Reiterating something that is known from other sources, and then lacing those knowns with your own set of directives that in turn back an agenda to make money is not exactly on the up and up.

    It has nothing to do with embracing positives or negatives, it has to do with calling a spade a spade.

    So, there are many who will not support the actions of the producers of this book and there are many others that will continue to be duped with the "traditions" associated with the people who put together said book.

    Maybe I'm not so forgiving, so what, who cares, that's my tradition. At least I'm not anonymous about it.
    Kung Fu is good for you.

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by tattooedmonk View Post
    I Everyone has the right to practice and teach things with their own flavor and create their own traditions.

    It is funny how if things do not fall or coincide with ones beliefs ,how quickly they are to dismiss it.

    I have the book and read it . There are discrepencies but ,isnt there in everything, depending on the sources??

    If you read the book you will find that 1/2 if not 2/3rds of what is in there is right on with everything else that is written about shaolin. They just have their own traditions.
    The question is not one of "truthiness" (to quote a colbertism) but rather one of factuality. What I am asking is not "gee it's wierd the authors want annonymity, why?" it is "is what the authors assert factually verifiable?"
    Simon McNeil
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    Be on the lookout for the Black Trillium, a post-apocalyptic wuxia novel released by Brain Lag Publishing available in all major online booksellers now.
    Visit me at Simon McNeil - the Blog for thoughts on books and stuff.

  12. #12
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    These people in Seattle have been sued in court over 20 years ago for fraud.
    They keep restarting over and over.
    Now they are publishing.
    Its a book of pure baloney, just like their schools were.
    I saw video tapes of some of their students fighting back in the early 80s, it was laughable "animal" positions like in the movies. All you had to do was step up and punch them out, they left their center lines wide open while they did funny animal hand positions with their arms above and behind them. Very silly!

  13. #13
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    Gene should sue them too for ripping off materials from his writings over the years, re wording it, embellishing and putting it out for a profit.

    "village boxing" for instance. lol
    Kung Fu is good for you.

  14. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by Sal Canzonieri View Post
    I saw video tapes of some of their students fighting back in the early 80s, it was laughable "animal" positions like in the movies. All you had to do was step up and punch them out, they left their center lines wide open while they did funny animal hand positions with their arms above and behind them. Very silly!
    I would love to see that.

  15. #15

    Re: Any new book is welcome...

    Originally posted by GeneChing
    Legitimacy resides not within the name but within the work.
    Exactly!!!


    I hope people find the book informative and useful.

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