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Thread: Economic State of Shaolin Temple today

  1. #151
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    Succinct soap opera synopsis

    The Shaolin Soap Opera
    2013-08-05 11:41

    Summary:Three years ago China National Travel Service took control of the Shaolin temple with promises of greater investment. But the investment never materialized, and now the UNESCO World Heritage Site is plagued with conflict and scandals.



    By Liu Jinsong (刘金松)
    July 16, 2013
    Economic Observer Online
    Translated by Laura Lin
    Original article: [Chinese]

    Three years ago, the local government of Dengfeng City in central Henan Province ceded their controlling stake in the “Shaolin Monastery Scenic Area” to China National Travel Service (CTS). The price was very low in order to attract greater investment, and the CTS vowed to carry out several major construction projects around the ancient site, the birthplace of Chan (Zen) Buddhism and symbol of Chinese marital arts.

    But as time has passed — with CTS pocketing huge profits via the monastery — the projects it promised have never come to fruition. On July 1, the Dengfeng government finally and forcibly took over control of the entrance to the scenic area. But just one day later, thanks to the intervention of higher authorities in Beijing, CTS had reclaimed managerial rights over the site.

    This is but the latest plot twist in the ongoing Shaolin soap opera. Since this famous monastery was declared a national scenic location (and UNESCO World Heritage Site), and became a for-profit entity, all parties that have anything to do with the temple want a slice of the money-making pie. In the name of discovering Kung Fu stars, martial arts matches are organized; beauty pageant candidates appear, in bikinis, at the sacred monastery to attract extra media coverage; new businesses everyday use the holy name as their brand, including Shaolin Automobile and Shaolin Hotel.

    Protesting Monks

    Of course, the local government and the monastery remain the greatest beneficiaries of this ready source of revenue, the Shaolin itself. Ticket sales of all attractions around the temple make up the considerable sum of 150 million yuan (about $25 million) annually, allocated at 70 percent and 30 percent respectively.

    But conflicts exist even between the two biggest winners in this free-for-all. Shi Yongxin, the Shaolin abbot, once complained to a newspaper, “We are the passive party of the ticket sales and take whatever the local authority deigns to give to us. As to how many tickets are really sold, we don't have a say.”

    Seeking outstanding payments from the Dengfeng government, Shaolin monks once even petitioned at 2 a.m. in front of Henan Provincial Government\'s doorway. “Monks are there to chant their scriptures,” one official retorted. “What do they want so much money for!?"

    There are also moochers who exploit the monastery, which was founded in the 5th century. These freeloaders include operators of kung fu shows and matches, hotel owners, crooks who build fake shrines nearby for “incense money” donations, or even fortune tellers pretending to be monks.

    Many even regard the abbot as a businessman-at-heart. When he appeared at the monastery's gate to receive the kneeling homage of the hundreds of foreign disciples of kung fu from America, the local crowd applauded with admiration: “Yongxin has got the goods!”

    Buddhist Divo

    Naturally, fame and wealth also bring trouble. A while ago, one rumor was circulating that Shi Yongxin was accused of possessing tens of billions in savings as well as having a young female student from Beijing University as his girlfriend. Several cameras were discovered in Shi's bedroom, and certain Shaolin staffers believe that the spying devices were installed because the monastery had managed to halt a hotel project.

    In addition to the direct financial interests, Shi's frequent media coverage has also been the source of local jealousy and disharmony. Some government officials say privately that he is self-centered and pompous, and always winds up standing in the middle whenever group photos are taken with VIP visitors, including the first time a head of state, Russian leader Vladimir Putin, paid a visit to the temple to watch a kung fu demonstration.

    The birthplace of Zen seems incapable of learning its own ancient lessons about inner peace.
    Let's see now - here are some related threads:
    UNESCO
    Cameras in the Abbot's bedroom
    bikinis & shaolin
    Gene Ching
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  2. #152
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    Local Perspective

    Gene,
    I checked out the new Shaolin school down the street, the one I msg'd you about and it seems the Monk understands economics quite well. When discussing training fees, it would be $300+ per month to train no contract, unless I signed a three year contract which dues would then be in the $130-150 range. Wow...

    Who signs a three year contract? That was similar to the numbers I saw at White Tiger Kung Fu.

    Wonder what the rates would be in China for a local to train at Shaolin?
    "if its ok for shaolin wuseng to break his vow then its ok for me to sneak behind your house at 3 in the morning and bang your dog if buddha is in your heart then its ok"-Bawang

    "I get what you have said in the past, but we are not intuitive fighters. As instinctive fighters, we can chuck spears and claw and bite. We are not instinctively god at punching or kicking."-Drake

    "Princess? LMAO hammer you are such a pr^t"-Frost

  3. #153
    Quote Originally Posted by GeneChing View Post
    Let's see now - here are some related threads:
    UNESCO
    Cameras in the Abbot's bedroom
    bikinis & shaolin
    The birthplace of Zen seems incapable of learning its own ancient lessons about inner peace.
    Birthplace of Zen? Own ancient lessons about inner peace? Name:  tztztz.gif
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  4. #154
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    Shaolin Temple news is so interesting lately

    Perhaps it's the upcoming festival that's generating buzz. Or perhaps that's just more of the buzz.

    Shaolin Temple sues govt for $3m in delayed ticket earnings
    2014-09-18 14:36 Ecns.cn Web Editor: Qian Ruisha


    File photo of the Pagoda Forest, a scenic spot inside Shaolin Temple. (Photo: CNS)

    (ECNS) – Shaolin Temple is suing the local tourism office for nearly 50 million yuan ($3 million) in delayed ticket dividends and over 2 million yuan ($323,000) of default fine.

    Shaolin Temple, built over 1,500 years ago in Dengfeng, Henan province, is China's best-known Buddhist monastery and the birthplace of kung fu. The time-honored temple welcomes well over 1.5 million visitors each year, charging 100 yuan ($16) for each full price entry.

    In December 2009, the temple struck a deal with the local scenic area management committee over management of its ticket income. According to the deal, Shaolin Temple gets 30 yuan ($5) of each 100 yuan ticket, which the committee pays the temple every month.

    However, the temple says that from November 2011 to October 2013, it did not receive full payments. According to the temple's statistics, the committee owes a total of 49.7 million yuan, plus a penalty of 2.32 million yuan.

    But the committee says it has a different method of calculation, arguing that even though the full ticket price is 100 yuan, certain groups of people are charged half price, or not at all.

    "Some visitors enter the temple for free. In these cases we don't get a single penny. How do we give money to the temple?" said a person on the committee.

    It's not the first time the two parties have gotten into a dispute over money.

    In 2005, the temple reported to the Zhengzhou government about delayed ticket dividends from the committee. By 2011 it was still unsettled, and multiple local governments stepped in. At last, the Dengfeng municipal government offered the temple 15 million yuan ($2.4 million) and settled the debt incurred from 2005 to 2010.
    Gene Ching
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  5. #155
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    Better check their math on that one... 50 million Yuan is more like $8 million.

  6. #156
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    Do I hear $10 million?

    Dang. Now I have to do the math.

    Let's see now, themoneyconverter.com gives me $8.15 mill. WTH? Clearly they should hire us as financial consultants, ShaolinDan.

    Shaolin Temple sues county tourism office, says owed $10.32 million in ticket sales
    Published on Sep 19, 2014 3:51 PM

    ZHENGZHOU, CHINA - China's famed Shaolin Temple is making headlines again, this time for suing the local tourism office for nearly 50 million yuan (S$10.32 million) in owed ticket receipts.

    Built over 1,500 years ago in Dengfeng county in the central province of Henan, Shaolin is China's best-known Buddhist monastery and the birthplace of gongfu.

    In December 2009, the temple's abbot Shi Yongxin signed a deal with Dengfeng county's Songshan scenic area management committee to manage its ticketing income, Chinese media reported. Under the deal, Shaolin was to get 30 yuan for each 100-yuan admission ticket to its compound sold by the committee. The latter was obliged to pay the temple its cut every month and was also responsible for costs.

    However, the temple, which sees over 1.5 million visitors each year, claims that it did not receive full payment from the committee between November 2011 and October 2013, China News Service reported Friday. The temple says the arrears amounted to a total of 49.7 million yuan, plus a late-payment penalty of 2.32 million yuan, according to the report.
    Gene Ching
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  7. #157
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    More on the ticket revenue lawsuit

    Can I call this revenue dispute 'ticketgate'? I know the -gate suffix doesn't have much meaning outside of the U.S. but that name amuses the heck out of me.

    Shaolin Temple kicks out at administration over ticket revenue
    Xinhua
    2014-09-26
    10:29 (GMT+8)


    Tourists waiting to enter Shaolin Temple, July 18. (Photo/Xinhua)

    A legal showdown between a renowned Buddhist temple in central China and its administration agency hit the headlines as the two battle over ticket revenue distribution for the tourist site.

    On Wednesday, Guangzhou's Southern Metropolis Daily reported that a group of monks staged a small demonstration on Saturday at Shaolin Temple in Henan province, renowned as the home of Chinese kung fu, demanding to know the whereabouts of money from ticket sales, which is managed by the administration committee of Songshan Shaolin Scenic Spot where the temple is located.

    The demonstration came almost a year after the temple sued the committee for failing to give a portion of ticket revenue to the temple. According to a contract signed by both parties in late 2009, for each 100-yuan (US$16.30) ticket sold, 30 yuan (US$4.89) should be reserved for the temple.

    The committee failed to give almost 50 million yuan (US$8.1 million) worth of ticket money to the temple between January 2011 and October 2013, according to the lawsuit files. They demanded the money as well as a penalty of more than 2 million yuan (US$326,000).

    An official from the committee denied the request and reportedly told the newspaper that "monks don't need that much money anyway," fueling a wave of debate on the internet.

    On microblog Sina Weibo, a post about the case has been forwarded more than 3,000 times, with many users unleashing a flurry of scathing comments.

    "Why do officials need that much money anyway?" said one, mocking the official's comment.

    "Why not just open the temple to the public free of charge? This way it would solve your quandary," read another.

    Shi Yongxin, the abbot of Shaolin Temple, told Xinhua that their financial staff had taken pains to ask for the money from the committee multiple times, but were constantly ignored.

    "They have violated the interests of the monks in Shaolin Temple, and I believe the court will give us justice," Shi said.

    The high-profile monk, who has courted controversy himself for developing money-spinning business operations such as kung fu shows, said that the ticket money is necessary for the temple's maintenance, the monks' daily expenses, and occasionally in Buddhist rituals. He said the committee's actions have seriously affected their activities.

    The Zhengzhou Intermediate People's Court has been trying to help the two sides reach an agreement, but a disciple of Shi said that efforts have not been successful or they wouldn't have filed the lawsuit in the first place.

    The committee is standing their ground, saying the ticket fare problem is largely a result of different understandings of the contract clauses.

    A staff with the committee told Xinhua that the temple counts the ticket fares on the actual number of visitors, but a good number of visitors tour the site with discounts or free of charge.

    According to official statistics, from January 2011 to October 2013, at least 670,000 visitors toured the site free of charge, while 840,000 people bought half-priced tickets.

    "If we are not getting money from these tourists, how do you expect us to give you money?" said the staff, who requested anonymity.

    The lawsuit is currently proceeding, and the court will open a trial and announce a verdict should reconciliation efforts fail.

    The administration committee of Songshan Shaolin Scenic Spot was formed in 1984, and has been designated in charge of the Shaolin Temple since. Over the years, the committee has been involved in several disputes with the temple over ticket revenue. In 2011, the Dengfeng city government allocated 15 million yuan (US$2.4 million) to the temple to ease tensions.

    In recent years, China has seen a host of cases that have strained the relationship between government agencies and Buddhist temples.

    In June, the Xihu district of Nanchang in Jiangxi combined three small temples into a big one to make way for a housing development, forcing monks and nuns to live together.

    In 2013, the Famen Temple in Shaanxi province refused visitors in protest after the operating company of the temple built walls at the mountain gate without the temple's permission.
    Gene Ching
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  8. #158
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    Slightly OT

    Zen and the art of moneymaking
    Local officials make a packet from a religion of self-denial
    Jun 27th 2015 | SANYA


    Enlighten your wallets here

    THE white steel lady overlooking the South China Sea has three heads, three bodies and toenails bigger than human heads. Guanyin, the Buddhist goddess of mercy, stands atop a temple on a man-made islet, each of her heads facing a different way. Her public-relations staff call the six-year task of putting her there, in the resort town of Sanya on tropical Hainan island, “the number one statue-project in China”. The structure’s height, at 108 metres, was intended to be auspicious: Buddhists consider the number sacred.

    Good fortune was certainly on the minds of local officials when they approved the project, in which the local government has a share. It was intended to be a money-spinner. It costs 60 yuan ($9.66) just to get in the lift that whisks visitors up to pray at those giant feet. That is on top of 126 yuan to enter the Nanshan Cultural Tourism Zone with its Auspicious Garden, Temple of 33 Guanyins and colourful Dharma Door of Non-Duality with its 94,000 portals. Guanyin is clearly not intended as a magnet for the faithful who have given up worldly possessions. Visitors are gouged without compassion, even having to pay for tassels “blessed” by souvenir salespeople. Gift stores are everywhere, selling knick-knacks such as prayer beads and Buddhist statuary. For visitors who want to sleep in the presence of Guanyin, a room at the site’s hotel can cost more than $280.

    Cheni Foo, a tourist from Copenhagen, surveys the goddess from a boardwalk connecting the islet with the shore. She wrinkles her nose and says she has seen enough. “For me, it’s a little bit too fake. It’s built for the purpose of tourists.” Ms Foo is right. Buddhism is big business in China. In the 1980s the government, which once preached the evils of faith in anything but the Communist Party, began loosening restrictions on the building or restoration of temples—most of which had been damaged or destroyed by Maoist mobs during the Cultural Revolution. New shrines sprang up everywhere, most of them small and discreet. In recent years, however, domestic tourism has boomed, as has curiosity about once-banned religions. Local officials have smelled a moneymaking opportunity.
    Advertisement

    In 2008 China completed what was described as the world’s biggest statue—the 128-metre Spring Temple Buddha in the central province of Henan. The company that built Hong Kong’s 34-metre-tall Tian Tan Buddha on Lantau Island and Sanya’s Guanyin has been working on erecting ten more mega-Buddhas around the country. The government in Gansu province, in the north-west, hopes to create a theme park linking the historic Mogao Caves in Dunhuang (home to remarkably unscathed thousand-year-old Buddhist frescoes) with the sand dunes of a nearby tourist attraction. It wants to sprinkle the desert strip with fake temples and folk villages.

    China’s Buddhism business is also going global. The faith’s most famous commercial site, Shaolin Temple in Henan, which is renowned for its kung fu-trained monks, plans to build a $297m, 500-bed hotel complex and temple—including a martial-arts academy and a 27-hole golf course—in Australia. Tibetan Buddhist temples have been more reserved, however. The government still treats those as highly sensitive religious sites. Chinese and foreign tourists are drawn to them as well—but the complexes are kept under close observation by security cameras and plainclothes police.

    Even in non-Tibetan areas of China, some Buddhists are riled by the commercialisation of their faith. At Famen Temple in the northern province of Shaanxi, which houses a finger-bone relic of Buddha, monks protested in 2009 against both an increase in entrance fees and the construction of a wall that would have restricted their access to their temple’s door, says Francesca Tarocco of New York University. Last year seven monasteries in Jizu Shan in the south-western province of Yunnan reportedly closed their gates to visitors, incensed that a developer wanted to charge an entrance fee. “Religion is for practice. It’s not for show,” says Xue Yu, a former monk who is now director of Buddhist Studies at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

    While many tourists are dazzled by the glitz and mystique of China’s ersatz temples, some carp about extortionate prices. Visitors to the Guanyin statue in Sanya, however, are allowed one small concession by the park’s operators: incense joss-sticks are free.
    I almost posted this on Shaolin-Temple-OZ but figured this would be better.
    Gene Ching
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  9. #159
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    Getting down to business.

    A lot of odd peripheral discussions are coming out of That MMA vs Taiji Fight Everyones Talking About
    including Economic State of Shaolin Temple today. I'm delighted to see that it has opened up some discussions. Even though many of them are pretty shallow, discussion is good.


    See what I did there?

    Clear business models hard to establish due to lack of uniform standards in traditional martial arts
    Source:Global Times Published: 2017/5/9 19:03:39

    Fighting for profits

    On April 28, a video emerged showing 37-year-old former mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter Xu Xiaodong knocking out self-proclaimed tai chi master Wei Lei in about 20 seconds. The video quickly went viral on Sina Weibo. Later, Xu proclaimed that he had exposed what he called "fake martial artists." The video has drawn attention to the state of traditional Chinese martial arts. The Beijing News reported on Friday that Shaolin Temple, the famous birthplace of one of China's martial arts, has broadened its business interests beyond teaching martial arts into martial arts performances, tourism and medicine. Other traditional Chinese martial arts have tried to follow its example, but have had less success. Given the early stage of the development of traditional Chinese martial arts, industry experts said that there are no clear business models for martial arts at present.


    A man practices kung fu at Shaolin Temple in Central China's Henan Province in November 2016. Photo: CFP

    China may be home to one of the most famous names in martial arts, but the people behind the country's traditional martial arts have had trouble turning their disciplines into profitable businesses.

    Among China's traditional martial art schools, Shaolin Temple has had the most success in developing its brand of kung fu into a profitable business. The temple, nested on Songshan Mountain in Central China's Henan Province, is involved in an array of businesses such as martial arts education and performances.

    Although there are at least 13,968 companies in China with the word "Shaolin" in their names, Shaolin Temple has only invested in four of them, with an accumulated investment of 8.51 million yuan ($1.23 million), The Beijing News reported on Friday.

    Of the four companies, Shaolin Temple Culture Communication (Dengfeng) Co, with registered capital of 1 million yuan, develops and operates films, TV programs, theatrical performances and video games, the report said.

    Another company, Shaolin Yaoju Co, sells medicine, according to Shaolin Temple's website.

    The temple's core platform is Shaolin Intangible Assets Management Co. Established in 1988, the company focuses on protecting Shaolin Temple's brand and trademarks.

    In 2014, the company's deputy general manager Yuan Mingzhu said that the temple has registered more than 200 trademarks in dozens of countries and regions, The Beijing News reported. In total, Shaolin Temple owns 475 trademarks and its brand is its primary source of income.

    Other styles of Chinese martial arts, such as Emei and Wudang, haven't fared as well. Experts said it is hard to turn them into businesses because the forms lack uniform standards.

    The first Emei school opened when Wang Jian, former president of the China Emei Kung Fu Research Association, set up Leshan Giant Buddha Martial Arts School in 1993, the Beijing News report said. The school has since become the largest martial arts school in Southwest China's Sichuan Province.

    In 2008, Wang established Emei Martial Arts Culture Communication Co, which hosts martial arts performances and sells crafts, among other businesses.

    In 2012, Wang told news media that the combined cost of the school and the company was about 6 million yuan a year and the total profit was 2 million yuan in 2011.

    In July 2016, the local regulator accused the company of "abnormal operation" for failing to release its 2015 financial report on time, according to The Beijing News.

    Wudang is less involved in business.

    "*Wudang has *developed slowly over the years, mainly due to systematic problems and the Taoist belief in avoiding fame or fortune," Zhong Yunlong, the former abbot of Purple Heaven Palace, the main Taoist temple at Wudan Mountain, once said in an interview, according to The Beijing News.

    No clear business model

    It's too early to make a business out of traditional Chinese martial arts, considering their diversity, said Zhang Jiayuan, partner at Beijing-based Ransenhuizhi Investment Fund Management Co.

    "Thanks to government incentives, investment in the country's sports industry has grown in recent years, though its scale remains below international levels," Zhang said. "In addition, given that the martial arts industry remains in an early stage of development, no clear, concrete business model has emerged."

    The traditional model for a martial arts business is to open schools and charge students to learn the discipline, The Beijing News reported.

    However, these schools don't have a large profit margin, said an employee of Xu's Battle Club, a school started by former mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter Xu Xiaodong.

    "These schools have to pay for rent, instructors and utilities, while their only income comes from charging for classes," the employee told The Beijing News.

    Schools for other martial arts have come up with other ways to make money. Taekwondo schools charge for classes, uniforms and level tests, according to The Beijing News. They also accept a wide range of students and have a diverse group of practitioners.

    Given that there are no uniform standards among China's various martial arts, it is hard to form standard competition principles like the ones established in taekwondo, Zhang said.

    Although many MMA fighters can earn tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of yuan from each fight, they have to share the income with their agents and teams, The Beijing News said, citing an industry expert. In addition, most match hosts still lose money due to the limited audience.

    However, in the process of exploring business models for Chinese traditional martial arts, a new model that integrates martial arts and tourism and culture has been gaining attention.

    For example, Wu Xianfeng, director of the management committee of the Wudang Mountain special zone in Central China's Hubei Province, said the zone will step up efforts to boost tourism by integrating Taoist culture, Wudang martial arts, healthcare and the Internet, the domestic news portal people.com.cn reported on April 28.

    Sports tourism is the fastest-*growing segment of the global tourism industry, the China Sports Daily reported on Monday, citing World Tourism Organization. China has great potential, given that the country's sports tourism market represents around 5 percent of the domestic market, compared with 20 percent in foreign countries, it noted.

    This story is based on a report by The Beijing News.
    Gene Ching
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  10. #160
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    urbanization

    Didn't quite know where to post this. Here will do.

    The Big Picture: Shaolin survival
    1 2017-09-13 13:48 CGTN Editor: Mo Hong'e ECNS


    Master Shi Yanzhuang teaches Chang Tianci Shaolin Kung Fu. (Photo/CGTN)

    *China's urbanization drive started decades ago when 80 percent of the population lived in the countryside. Today, China has more than 160 cities with a population of a million and above. And the country's urban population accounts for more than half of its total.

    CGTN correspondent Han Bin went to Shaolin Temple in central China's Henan Province. There, he found urbanization is changing that once isolated place.

    The morning call to prayer rings at 4 o'clock every day. It's part of life at Shaolin Temple. For thousands of years, the ritual has never changed. The temple is the spiritual and physical home for the warrior monks who practice Kung Fu.

    17 year-old Chang Tianci has been seeking the martial arts since he was 6. He's been following Master Shi Yanzhuang, the head of the warriors at Shaolin. He says Kung Fu is a state of achieving the pinnacle of skills. He's found himself through the practice.

    Shi Yanzhuang, head of warrior monks introduced that practicing Kung Fu is a unique way of life that is under challenges from urbanization.

    In regard to the temple's booming tourism, Master Shi Yanzhuang said that it is a noble merit to enable more people to accept such physical and spiritual cultivation achieved by the ancestors. "I don't see anything wrong with its opening up to tourism. Precious gifts should be shared by all," he said.

    Shaolin Temple is letting the outside world in. Today, it's a tourist spot with Kung Fu as the big show. Gone are the days the monks practiced in isolated mountains. In modern China, growth is the concept everywhere. Ancient temples can be a big business.

    Some people have criticized the Shaolin Temple of being too commercialized. But the monks there have different perspectives.

    "Without urbanization, Shaolin Temple would still be unknown to the outside world. I think there's nothing wrong with the so-called commercialization, as it helps promote the temple," said Chang Tianci.

    "We can't refuse urbanization. We have to accept the reality of what's happened and what's to come. The only thing that doesn't change is change itself," said Shi Yanzhuang.

    Yet, how to remain true to its spirit and traditions in the face of growing urbanization is a challenge facing all masters and monks.
    Gene Ching
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  11. #161
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    $71M land bid

    SOURCE / COMPANIES
    Company backed by Shaolin Temple bids for land worth of $71million
    By Global Times
    Published: Apr 07, 2022 05:40 PM Updated: Apr 07, 2022 05:37 PM

    Shaolin monks practice martial arts at Shaolin Temple in Dengfeng City, central China's Henan Province, July 8, 2021. Located on the Songshan Mountain, Shaolin Temple is the birthplace for Shaolin Martial Arts. (Photo: Xinhua)
    Shaolin monks practice martial arts at Shaolin Temple in Dengfeng City, central China's Henan Province, July 8, 2021. Located on the Songshan Mountain, Shaolin Temple is the birthplace for Shaolin Martial Arts. (Photo: Xinhua)

    A company backed by Shaolin Temple, a renowned temple in central China, has reportedly won a land auction with a bid of 452 million yuan ($71million) on Wednesday.

    The land, about 38,200 square meters in Zhengdong New District is zoned for retail, catering and hotel development was acquired by Henan Tiesong Digital Technology Co.

    According to company information searching platform Tianyancha, Tiesong Technology was established on March 22 with two major shareholders -- Henan Tietou Comprehensive Development Co and Henan Yuanhan Industry Co.

    Shaolin Intangible Assets Management Center, an agency afflicted with Shaolin Temple, holds 70 percent equity of Yuanhan Industry.

    A representative from Shaolin Temple said that he is not familiar with the land acquisition in response to an inquiry from the Global Times on Thursday.

    According to Shaolin temple's official website, the Shaolin Intangible Assets Management Center was established in 1998 with a mission to ensure the preservation and sustainable development of the brand of “Shaolin”. The company mainly carries on the effective protection to Shaolin Temple's trademark, brand and other intangible assets.

    Shi Yongxin, current abbot of the Shaolin Temple holds an 80 per cent share of the Shaolin Intangible Assets Management Center, according to Tianyancha.

    Due to the special status of Shaolin Temple its land acquisition has attracted much attention however from the perspective of business operation there are no restrictions on similar organizations when it comes to acquiring land, Yan Yuejin, research director at Shanghai-based E-house China Research Institute, told the Global Times on Thursday.

    “It can be seen that Shaolin Temple is actively expanding in cultural and tourism sector which is also conducive to build a richer cultural tourism industry in the area,” Yan said.
    intriguing...
    Gene Ching
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