Official Shaolin Temple Cultural Centers

[Sal Canzonieri]

And I'm not trying to be bitter about all of this or anything like that. I would like nothing more than for Bei Shaolin to, at the very least, be considered an original Shaolin style along with all of the Lohan and various Cannon and Tongbei fist forms that are claimed to be authentic. There are, after all, many similarities between Songshan Shaolin and Bei Shaolin. This video is of Shi Yanzi demonstrating applications and postures found in both Songshan Shaolin and Bei Shaolin. His style seems very similar to that of a Bei Shaolin stylist in terms of how you would actually use Shaolin techniques. Some of those moves are basically the same ones found in the Bei Shaolin forms.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93k9svGQJ0Y

Well, it doesn't change anything at all about Kuo's legacy. it doesn't refute anything nor change the story. In fact, it supports the story of Bei Shaolin.

Bai Shaolin came from Henan Shaolin, fact.

What it most likely came from was Kanjia Quan.

Anyways, it's not anything original I came up with, there have been articles in Chinese magazines for the last 10 years stating the same thing.

Why? Because the same people are named in the linages, the forms are very similar, and the techniques are very similar.

Bei Shaolin's stuff is most like the Kanjia, it is not like other systems at Shaolin.

Plus, it's timeline matches that of Kanjia's too, such as when it was made, why, where it went, to who, etc.

This is not news to people researching this topic.

Other people here in this discussion list over the last 10 years have mentioned this as well, its' not just me.

Shi de Jun has released VCDs of some of the Kanjia set, look at them and compare I guess. But he does them like in the Shaolin Encyclopedia, which aren't the streamlined versions, they are far longer with many repetitions on each side.

There's nothing much to say about this topic at this point.

You do the research now, you read the Chinese articles and so on.

When I have anything more substantial to present about this, I will post it here, thanks!

[Siu Lum Fighter]

I still can't see the Buddhist monks coming up with 13 sets. 10 is a significant number throughout Buddhism. 10 is also a common number throughout many Shaolin related styles. Why would monk Chih Yuan or whoever it was inherit 13 sets? Why would he categorize them in such a way? This doesn't sound like the way the Shaolin monks did things. As far as I can see, you're basing the evidence that the sets were condensed into what we know as Bei Shaolin from what some Kan Jia Chuan practitioners told you out in the countryside some 15 years ago and some post-Shaolin revival magazine articles. Some of those magazines are full of hype. I would put more faith in the Real Kung Fu Chinese Edition magazines that came out in the 70's.

That just doesn't seem like conclusive evidence to me. If anything, the Kan Jia sets are cousins and came from Bak Siu Lum. Once again, it's not like everyone knew the style. There were no big schools teaching hundreds of students Bei Shaolin or Bei Shaolin Lohan. Those styles were kept more or less secret for over a hundred years. Back then kung fu knowledge and techniques were the equivalent to the top secret Stealth bomber technology of today. You could train a militia in hand to hand combat and weapons techniques and cause real problems for a reigning emperor. That's why kung fu masters and teachers in general were targeted during the Cultural Revolution. Because Mao didn't want people listening to their old teachers or historians or anyone who wasn't connected to him and his government and his ideas about what society should look like.

[Siu Lum Fighter]

Can someone tell me if there is an English translated version of the Encyclopedia of Shaolin Martial Arts? I'm sure Shi De Qian and Shi De Yan did a comprehensive study I just wish I could read it. Speaking Mandarin or Cantonese is definitely easier than reading it for me (and most other westerners). I'm working on it though.

[GeneChing]

The Shaolin Temple school on Geary was just blessed by Venerable Abbot Shi Yongxin as an official Songshan Shaolin Temple Wenhua Zhongxin (cultural center).

[GeneChing]

From Shi Yanran's site:

• Opening July 17, 2010 •
Shaolin Temple Culture Center
314 Victory Drive
Herndon, Virginia 20170
Tel: 703-787-0214 • Fax: 703-787-0607
Email: Herndon@ShaolinUSA.us

Shaolin Temple USA is proud to announce the upcoming opening of our 3rd Shaolin Temple Culture in Herndon, Virginia on July 17, 2010. Situated in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, Herndon is the third largest city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The new center will offer Shaolin Kung Fu and Wellness programs similar to those offered at our San Francisco and Fremont Culture Centers.

Open House
You are cordially invited to our Open House on Saturday, July 17 from 11 am to 3 pm at the new center and enjoy a free lesson, Shaolin monks performance, refreshment and fun.
For more information, please call 571-449-7087.

The opening was posted on our calendar this week. A rep from VA extended an invitation to me, but it was too short notice. Besides, that's the week of the USAWKF nationals here in San Jose.

P.S I'm changing the Sil Lum Fighter's thread title from "I dropped by the new Shaolin Temple USA school" to "Official Shaolin Temple Cultural Centers" as this thread is branching out as they are.

[Siu Lum Fighter]

Fine by me Gene. I was actually surprised to see this thread active again! I haven't been posting much this last year. I guess you could say I've been swept up in the whirlwind of life lately. Maybe this will be a catylist for me to start posting again.

[GeneChing]

I wonder how much money they got from this?

Fed boost for Mandarin program
August 30, 2010, 03:30 AM By Heather Murtagh Daily Journal Staff

Lillian Meng, left, and Caroline Zheng lead kindergarten students enrolled in the immersion program at College Park Elementary School in a song. Meng and Zheng are principals from Shanghai who visited the San Mateo program last fall.
Mandarin could be the newest language mastered by San Mateo students as a five-year, $1.4 million grant will help educators expand offerings of internationally-inspired lesson for students in preschool through college.

Last week, the San Mateo-Foster City Elementary School District announced it would receive a $1.4 million federal grant over the next five years to support expansion of the Mandarin program at College Park Elementary School in North Central San Mateo. Kindergarten through third grade students at College Park can participate in a Mandarin immersion program. With the grant money, the district plans to partner with a number of organization to expand offerings of the language to students in preschool through college.

“It was a giant gamble that paid off,” said Principal Diana Hallock.

The $1.4 million Foreign Language Assistance Program grant is part of a larger expansion plan that partners the district with the University of California at Berkeley, the National Center for Chinese Language Pedagogy, College Park Mandarin preschool, the Shaolin Chinese Cultural Center, the Kaui Le Mandarin after-school enrichment program and the San Mateo Union High School District.

“Our Mandarin Scholars program provides students of all languages and backgrounds the opportunity to learn one of the most influential languages of the 21st century. Our bilingual and trilingual students learn the California standards in both English and Mandarin for all academic subjects including language arts, math, social studies, science and physical education. What a rare and fabulous opportunity for our fortunate students at our school,” Hallock said.

Together, the district hopes students will have the ability to retain and master Mandarin better with access to classes through college.

College Park hosts three Mandarin preschools on campus and has immersion classes offered for students in kindergarten through third grades. About half of the third-grade students are in the program. But all new students are enrolled. The transition to becoming a school-wide Mandarin immersion program will grow one grade at a time over the next two years, said Hallock.

Doing so should create a more inclusive community, she said.

At the same time, the district will begin planning for a Mandarin program in middle school. The current proposal would be to offer classes at THE Bayside S.T.E.M. ACADEMY, where many of the students would transfer anyway. Creating a program off campus rather than expanding the grade served at College Park will allow students access to other great middle school experiences like sports, music and dances, said Hallock.

Students from the San Mateo-Foster City Elementary School District transfer to the San Mateo Union High School District for freshman year. Three schools — Aragon, Hillsdale and Mills — offer Mandarin programs.

Matt Biggar, assistant superintendent of instruction for the San Mateo Union High School District, expressed excitement for the growing program for younger students, noting it should allow for a stronger partnership, curriculum planning and more professional development opportunities for teachers in both districts.

Grant money will be used for training and Hallock plans to extend the invitations to teachers at Bayside and from the San Mateo Union High School District to attend, adding educating more teachers will only improve academic offerings for all the children.

Mandarin classes were introduced at College Park Elementary in San Mateo in 2005 as an elective. It became so popular, students were interested in taking the class a second and even a third time. The interest got the district thinking there was a growing demand.

After an interest was expressed by Asian parents in the district, a group was formed to discuss the idea of furthering the language option. Three options were considered: a preschool, a kindergarten and summer school classes all at College Park. The preschool would require about 15 students. It would be like a regular preschool but primarily conducted in Mandarin.

Mandarin expanded to a part-day program in 2006 at College Park Elementary School, Magnet Programs Director Irving Phillips previously said.

The district has actively looked for ways to improve the program since its inception.

Last year, for example, the school participated in the Shanghai-California Principal Exchange Program, which allowed Hallock to host two principals from Shanghai. Two more will visit in this school year. Another benefit of the grant is connecting with their partners in Shanghai with video conferencing online.

Parents interested in the Mandarin program at College Park Elementary can get more information by visiting www.mandarinimmersion.com or calling 312-7691. Program tours begin in November.

[GeneChing]

Shaolin martial arts center in Austria
Updated: 2011-10-28 13:06


Austrian children pose in Chinese Shaolin martial arts gestures at the Shaolin cultural center in Vienna, Austria, which was officially set up this month. According to master Shi Yanliang’s introduction, the center has attracted over 200 students to register since its opening, with the youngest at 5. Most of them are local, but some have traveled from other cities in Austria to learn martial arts. Currently, about 40 Shaolin cultural centers are in operation around the world.

I was under the impression that the Vienna CC was already in operation.

[David Jamieson]

Some Days on the forum I open it up to this:

[ShaolinDiva]

Dang - Shaolin Temple Culture Centers ARE everywhere now! What's next? Space mission monks!!!

[GeneChing]

My master, Shi Decheng, was in Austria very early on. Consequently, the first big professional Shaolin shows came from Austrian promoters: Herbert Fechter & Georg Hartman (also Gerhard Perner, who was independent of them). That's why I thought Austria already had a STCC. It was actually one of the earliest places outside of China where Shaolin monks landed and started teaching.

[GeneChing]

Shaolin is mentioned at the end of the article.

Bonding through classical cultures
Updated: 2011-10-31 06:49
By Chen Nan and Bao Chang (China Daily)

BEIJING - The mission to export Chinese culture throughout Europe has received a major boost thanks to a deal struck with an Austrian art enterprise.

China Arts and Entertainment Group will sign a memorandum agreement with a Vienna-based performance company during President Hu Jintao's four-day visit to the country, which started on Sunday.

The move is aimed at setting up a new cooperative model to introduce Chinese culture to more Europeans, Xinhua News Agency reported.

"It's the first tie-up between Chinese and European entertainment enterprises," said Shi Mingde, Chinese ambassador to Austria.

The Chinese and Austrian companies will each hold a 50-percent stake in the venture and will look to introduce their entertainment products to Asian and European markets.

Culture is an important area of cooperation for China and Austria. To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties, Austria has launched a series of activities this year under the title Year of China.

One of the first events was the Chinese New Year Concert on Jan 25 in Vienna's Golden Hall of Musikverein, the traditional venue for the annual New Year Concert, which was organized by the Austrian-Chinese Cultural Exchange Association.

President Hu earlier said the Year of China activities will serve as a platform to deepen exchanges between the people of both countries.

"I believe (the) activities will further enhance mutual understanding and friendship, promote bilateral exchanges and cooperation, and contribute to the diversity of culture and growth model around the world," he said.

The Golden Hall, founded in 1870, is considered to be one of the top three concert halls in the world. It is a beautifully ornate auditorium. Holding concerts at the venue is regarded as a great honor for artists.

In 2003, Song Zuying, one of China's most famous sopranos, became the first soprano in a traditional Chinese vocal style to give a recital there, performing signature songs such as Beautiful Life and Spice Sister, as well as Jasmine, one of the most famous Chinese folk songs.

Conducted by Li Xincao of the China National Symphony Orchestra, the concert also featured erhu artist Song Fei and bamboo flutist Zhang Weiliang.

"The Austrian audience impressed me greatly as I had not expected foreigners to love Chinese traditional songs so much. They called me 'Chinese Jasmine'," Song said in an interview.

Since then, a range of famous Chinese artists have performed at the venue, including sopranos Tan Jing and Lei Jia, tenor Wang Hongwei, pop singer Li Yugang, pianist Lang Lang and the Oriental Jasmine Girls Band.

Yet, it is not just the Golden Hall. In recent years, Chinese artists have performed all over Austria to showcase traditional and modern culture.

This year, contestants from the popular TV show China's Got Talent, including past winner Liu Wei, an armless pianist, visited Austria as part of a world tour.

The Chinese Calligraphy Concert in June also took Viennese audiences on a magical journey at Hofburg Palace, featuring a live calligraphy display by master Li Binquan.

In August, the Central Chinese Orchestra also became the first traditional Chinese music group to be invited to play at the 91st Salzburg Music Festival.

Following these landmarks, Chinese performance companies have turned their attention to Austria.

One of them is Heaven Creation International, which has just started the first Sino-Austrian cultural joint venture with Vienna City Hall. The project is focused on the planning and implementation of cultural activities, including drama, music, acrobatics and stage performances.

Cao Xiaoning, the company's chief executive, said he hopes to promote communications in culture, artistic creation and performances through new platforms.

As well as performances, other cultural events have also been held to enhance cultural exchanges between the two countries.

In 2006, Chinese filmmakers visited Vienna to attend China Movie Week. Also, this month, China's world-famous Shaolin Temple opened the Shaolin Cultural Center of Austria to help Westerners learn more about Shaolin and Chinese Buddhist culture.

From Jan 1 to Feb 5 next year, Meet in Vienna Austria-China Art Festival will be held in Vienna and other places around Austria.