Shi Deqian has passed on

[GeneChing]

Shi Deqian succumbed to stomach cancer on August 24. His funeral is today.

Shi Deqian was the author of the Shaolin Encyclopedia (Shaolinsi wushu baike quanshu). I first met him when he was on that first tour of Shaolin representatives in 1992, alongside Shi Xingkong, Shi Xingmin, Shi Xingwei, Shi Yanming, Shi Guolin and Liang Yiquan (see The Dragon and the Eagle: The Shaolin Diaspora in America). I published an article on him, The Shaolin Scribe: Shi Deqian and the Shaolin Encyclopedia, in our Jan Feb 2007 Shaolin Special. We'll have that article live for you by the end of the day.

As a Shaolin researcher and practitioner, I cannot tell you what a tremendous loss this is to our community. The Shaolin Encyclopedia stands as one of the most significant works to come out of Shaolin in the last half century.

[Lucas]

Very sad news, pretty big loss.

My best wishes.

RIP

[GeneChing]

The Shaolin Scribe: Shi Deqian and the Shaolin Encyclopedia is based on an interview I did with Grandmaster Deqian in 1993. It was a great honor for me to spend a day with Deqian at his school in Dengfeng. To this day, I frequently reference his research.

[Lucas]

Do you know if he was successfull in finding the snow lotus ?

[GeneChing]

I always thought the snow lotus was totally mythical. During the interview, I couldn't tell if he was having me on with that. Shaolin masters can be that way. It's sort of like koan zen, if you will. So I let that issue drop during the interview, and moved on to other things.

[hanguolaohu]

My condolences. He made great contributions to the community.

[SimonM]

Shi Deqian succumbed to stomach cancer on August 24. His funeral is today.

<snip>

As a Shaolin researcher and practitioner, I cannot tell you what a tremendous loss this is to our community. The Shaolin Encyclopedia stands as one of the most significant works to come out of Shaolin in the last half century.

My heartfelt condolences Gene to you and everyone else in the community whose life he touched.

[jow yeroc]

My condolences. RIP.

[rapier6360]

We honor him for the difference he made in the lives of others.

Gene, If they don't already know, could you let the Fremont Shoalin know. Maybe some of them knew him personally. Master Shi Yanjia may wish to lead prayers for him.

[Sal Canzonieri]

Wow, I went on tour aand just got back and found out. This is very sad.

Stomach cancer? Seems to happen to too many people out there in China.

[richard sloan]

Amitabha.

We were just reminiscing about some stories with him....

Sad day.

[Pk_StyLeZ]

wow......

rip

[Shaolinlueb]

that sucks,

[iron_leg_dave]

that sucks,

On the real.

Shocking and terrible news.

[Tea Serpent]

I always thought the snow lotus was totally mythical.

I Hope He Was Able to find the Snowlotus

R.I.P.