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Thread: People’s Council of North Wales Pol Wong, a 33rd generation shaolin monk

  1. #1
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    People’s Council of North Wales Pol Wong, a 33rd generation shaolin monk

    I had to read this article several times. I'm still trying to fathom it.
    Wrexham Council leader slammed over ‘sub-region’ plan
    Published date: 20 August 2009 | Published by: Phil Robinson

    THE leader of the People’s Council of North Wales (PCNW) says he is disappointed at the ‘aggressive’ attitude of Wrexham Council leader Aled Roberts to the petition to stop the West Cheshire sub-regional strategy.

    Responding to news of the 8,000 signature petition earlier this week, Cllr Roberts accused those who supported it of having ‘extremist views’.

    But PCNW leader Pol Wong, a 33rd generation shaolin monk, said: “Through the Deffro’r Ddraig campaign we have been trying to bring about genuine engagement, communication and discussion with the people of North Wales about this plan.

    “The petition is about bringing those views to the Welsh Assembly and our local councils, our aim is simply to request that our leaders listen to the concerns expressed by local people and take them on board.

    “Having studied this plan for a number of years I am extremely concerned about the fact that it acknowledges it will damage Welsh identity, language and also the environment.

    “As a welsh speaker and a local person I am also very worried about the fact that this massive plan, which has created a new sub-region has been adopted without any consultation with local people.”

    He added: “I am saddened by the response of Aled Roberts to the petition and struggle to understand his aggressive reaction.

    “My masters have taught me that to be a true leader, you must truly represent and feel for your people. Yet, Aled Roberts chooses to insult and belittle us.

    “I think it reflects that Aled is very uncomfortable with his involvement in this affair, so much so that he would rather try to blacken my name and the 8,000 people (so far) who have expressed the same concerns about these plans, rather than talk openly about them.”

    Mr Wong added: “I will be contacting my masters in Shaolin Temple for guidance in this matter, as despite my intensive training I have never come across such a level of defensiveness and fear, especially from a leader.

    “At the end of the day, we only want to discuss the council’s plans concerning the formation of a new sub-region between North East Wales and the North West of England, which for some reason have never been spoken about openly.

    “We have many supporterswho have serious concerns about our communities, our environment and our identity.

    “I don’t think it’s appropriate that the leader of our council slanders and accuses them of being extremists.

    “Extremists are aggressive, sometimes violent people who do not engage in the democratic process. We are none of these things.”

    Details of the petition can be found at www.RightToBeWelsh.com
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
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    a little websearch helped

    I found his facebook site too. I think I'll ask him to befriend me.
    Thursday, 21 November, 2002, 17:35 GMT
    Monk helps build kung fu school
    Pol Wong and Shi Xing Du

    A monk has travelled from China to Wrexham to help open a special temple to teach the ancient discipline of Shaolin.

    Shi Xing Du will draft a syllabus for students to learn the Shaolin way, which includes kung fu, Chinese medicine, Buddhism and meditation.

    He has been brought over to north Wales by Wrexham-born Pol Wong, who runs a kung fu school in nearby Ruabon.

    Master Wong wanted to build a specific Shaolin school which incorporates the culture's philosophy.

    The centre of the discipline's teaching is the Shaolin temple in the Henan Province of China, which is a Buddhist temple.

    Only a handful of people outside the temple have been allowed to teach the ancient skill.

    Shi Xing Du said he knew instinctively that north Wales was the right place to create a temple.

    "Wales is beautiful and I think it is the right place to set up a school," he said.

    Speaking through his disciple Pol Wong, he said the area surrounding the school in Ruabon was similar to the area around the Shaolin temple on the Song Shan Mountain.

    "He compares it all the time to China," said Pol Wong, whose Shaolin name is Shi Yong Jie.

    Monastery

    Kung fu master Shi Xing Du has lived in the temple since his mother took him there as a child.

    The 80 monks who live in the building take a number of vows including one of celibacy.

    Pol Wong, who visits the monastery annually, said he had asked the 33-year-old master to visit him many times.

    "Over the years that I've been going over there, I've been speaking to Shi Xing Du about teaching Shaolin kung fu in my country and he's been saying 'maybe one day I'll come and see'".

    "He's very fussy about who he'll teach. It took me five years to get into the close family circle of the Shaolin temple.

    "Hopefully we can build a syllabus together so people can learn Shaolin kung fu in this culture and lifestyle.

    "To learn Shaolin kung fu is very difficult, but especially in our lifestyle and culture.

    "The main emphasis is on learning the Buddhist mind, it's actually a tool to discover your own mind.

    Master Wong said he was committed to creating an authentic school.

    "At the moment in the West and in China a lot of places say they teach Shaolin kung fu but they don't."

    "Very, very few people actually know real Shaolin temple kung fu," he added.
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
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  3. #3
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    It was only a matter of time before Shaolin returned to it's real origins of Welsh Politicking.

    ;D

    Cymru!!!!
    Kung Fu is good for you.

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    More on Pol

    Llangollen centre creator stunned as Assembly puts plan on hold
    Published date: 19 April 2010 | Published by: Phil Robinson

    THE man heading a scheme to turn a former hotel into an international community and learning centre says he is “stunned and depressed” the Welsh Assembly Government has put the project on hold.

    Pol Wong, a Shaolin monk and martial arts expert, has spent the past five years working with the Assembly government on his dream to transform the disused River Lodge in Mill Street, Llangollen, into a venue for residential courses in all aspects of martial arts training.

    He also plans to provide residential Welsh language courses and use the building as a base for guided historical tours and events.

    All these activities, he believes, would attract people not just from Wales and the UK but also from around the world.

    His aim is to plough all profits from the enterprises back into the centre and into the community,

    River Lodge, on the banks of the River Dee, was bought by the Assembly government in 2007 with a view to making Mr Wong’s plans a reality.

    Powys Fadog, the social enterprise organisation he represents, negotiated an agreement to lease the property and, according to Mr Wong, has since spent £90,000 on producing and constantly updating a business plan and other issues connected to revitalising the building.

    But he spoke of his disappointment at constant delays and obstacles being put up by the Assembly.

    These, he claims, have led to the building deteriorating beyond recognition over the last five years.

    Mr Wong said: “We have worked extremely hard as a group of local people for years now and have a superb business plan and community strategy.

    “Everybody in Llangollen has been waiting for this work to start.

    “In fact, we have had a completed schedule of works for some six months now and contractors ready and waiting to start the refurbishment.

    “We know that Ieuan Wynn Jones, the Minister for the Department of Economic Development and Transport, approved the project in January

    “But since then we have not been given any reasonable explanations by the Assembly as to why the project has not progressed.”

    Mr Wong’s concerns are shared by Conservative AM Mark Isherwood, who visited the site and has written to Mr Wyn Jones demanding to know what is going on.

    An Assembly government spokesman said: “The Permanent Secretary instigated an internal audit review in relation to the acquisition and subsequent proposals for the disposal of the River Lodge site in Llangollen.

    “The interim conclusions include the recommendation that any future use of the property should follow a full options appraisal of the future use of the site.

    “This process is now under way.”

    Mr Wong said of this: “I am stunned and so depressed to learn of this review after we have worked so hard and spent so much money on the project.”
    plough all profits!
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
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    More on Pol

    He's still struggling with this...hope he makes it happen.
    3 September 2011 Last updated at 04:09 ET
    Inquiry call on monk's Llangollen hotel centre plan


    Pol Wong wants to transform the disused River Lodge in Llangollen

    Two Assembly Members want a public inquiry into the Welsh Government's handling of plans by a Shaolin monk to open a cultural centre in an old hotel.

    Pol Wong represents a group called Powys Fadog, which wants to transform the disused River Lodge in Llangollen into a venue for martial arts training.

    The Welsh Government has ended the lease on the building, and said the group failed to show it had funding.

    Mr Wong said he had worked on the plans with the Welsh Government since 2005.

    He said it would provide 30 jobs, childcare facilities and training for employment and business.

    He said there would also be courses in the Welsh language, martial arts and environmental awareness.

    "In December 2009 we had negotiated a package with the responsible [government] officers and had appointed contractors to start work.

    "However the project was stopped for some reason.

    "The reason we have been given now, after two years, is that we don't fit with [Welsh Government] policy.

    "Our whole business plan revolves around tourism."

    He said the group had invested £90,000 in the project and had secured £250,000 investment in the site from their project partners with a commitment of a further £25,000 if the project went ahead.

    But a spokesperson for the Welsh Government said when Powys Fadog agreed a lease in 2009 it had two years to demonstrate it had secured sufficient funding to undertake a detailed programme of repair and improvement works to the property and to pay rent.

    "As they were unable to meet this requirement the Welsh Government has notified Powys Fadog of the termination of the agreement for lease," said a spokesperson.

    Plaid Cymru AM Llyr Huws Gruffydd and Conservative AM Mark Isherwood have written to First Minister Carwyn Jones asking for a public inquiry into the way the project was handled.
    'International links'

    Mr Huws Gruffydd said: "The business plan, which has been in the government's possession since 2005 and has already gone through many rounds of approval, describes how the project will provide guided heritage tours, residential courses and cultural events and activities.

    "Further, the project will bring much-needed out-of-season tourism to Llangollen and will enhance the area's many international links.

    "The building has been empty since the government bought it and has suffered many break-ins and deterioration.

    "It's unbelievable that public money is being wasted like this in such difficult times.

    "There are many questions that need answering about the way officials have handled this and that's why I have asked the first minister for a public inquiry into the matter."
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
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  6. #6
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    Welsh Martial Arts.

    Does anyone on here know any Llap Goch ?.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by GETHIN View Post
    Does anyone on here know any Llap Goch ?.
    Pretty sure LLap Goch is a Monty Python joke. (My mom's side is all Welsh and they haven't a clue as to what that is. lol)

    Welsh were never fighters really.
    That's why Welsh is still spoken in Wales.

    They're like Canadians that way. An invading army shows up at the border and the Welsh ask "yes, can we get you anything? Nice cuppa tea perhaps? scone?" That sort of thing.

    ...anyway, here's the head instructor and founder of Llap Goch
    Kung Fu is good for you.

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    Martial Farce

    I was wondering where this was going. I should have guessed...
    Assembly Watch: Edwina Hart’s modus operandi; and the first Shaolin martial arts centre outside China
    Matt Withers
    Jun 15 2012

    Long-time followers of Welsh politics will note that Business Minister has a particular modus operandi, one which served her well in Health and has been carried over into her current portfolio.

    It is this: she identifies an issue which needs to be examined carefully. She commissions a report, to be headed by an expert of note, to look forensically at said issue, leave no stone unturned, and come up with some clear, unambiguous answers. She receives the fulsome report. And then... announces that the issues need to be looked at.

    And the latest example is with business rates, which Ms Hart commissioned Brian Morgan, professor of entrepreneurship and director of the creative leadership and enterprise centre at Cardiff Metropolitan University, to write a report on last year.

    This week he reported, saying the Welsh Government should seek to have business rates devolved as well as incentivising local authorities by allowing them to keep half of any additional rates raised.

    These were just two of 19 recommendations in a report, entitled Business Rates Wales Review: Incentivising Growth, from an independent task and finish group into business rates in Wales, which generate around £1bn a year.

    While business rates are partly devolved in terms of their level and related reliefs being set by the Welsh Government, the group recommends that full devolution of the tax is considered by the Silk Commission – which is currently examining whether Wales should have borrowing, as well as tax varying and tax raising powers.

    Under the current arrangement the business rates element of the Welsh Government’s budget from the Treasury is based on business rates and relief support mechanisms in England.

    It’s a big suggestion alright. So Ms Hart has jumped into action by... saying she will be responding to the recommendations after consulting with Cabinet colleagues over the summer.

    “I have invited Prof Morgan to begin a dialogue with key stakeholders over the coming period,” she said, simultaneously triggering the jargon klaxon and the question of what precisely Prof Morgan did in the seven months of writing this report if not having “a dialogue with key stakeholders”.

    “I want him to explain his findings,” she added, as if the report didn’t, “and get feedback from a range of partners including the enterprise zone chairs, sector panels and others”.

    Well, at least we might get a clearer idea of whether the Welsh Government plans to pursue the ideas after the end of the summer. But what if, like so many recent years, we don’t get a summer? That would give Ms Hart a get-out clause.

    QUOTE OF THE WEEK

    “I thank the First Minister for moving the motion this afternoon. In his closing remarks on the Green Paper, he gave me a few ideas about how to deal with some problematic Members, and perhaps I should explore one or two of them.” Welsh Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies does his best to refute rumours some of his AMs are plotting against him by confirming them.

    MARTIAL FARCE

    It’s official, if it ever needed confirming: the Welsh Government’s decision spend £1.8m buying a run-down hotel with a view to converting it into a martial arts centre was a waste of money.

    In case that scenario sounds too unlikely to be true, it was the subject this week of a report by the Auditor General for Wales.

    The former River Lodge Hotel in Llangollen was bought in March 2007 for the purpose of facilitating the Powys Fadog community development initiative. A local “centre for health, healing and learning”, included the first Shaolin martial arts centre outside China, was promised with an estimated 15 jobs within three years.

    But the report found that the purchase price of £1.6m was not supported by a full valuation and the available evidence suggests the Welsh Government paid more than the property was worth.

    Quite what a government was doing buying a shabby old hotel to build a martial arts centre is not answered in full, although former Finance Minister Andrew Davies has been quick to use it as evidence that the controversial decision to wind up the Welsh Development Agency was right.

    The problems were compounded by a significant conflict of interest and insufficient action was taken by the Welsh Government to mitigate this conflict or establish strong governance around the issue, the report found.

    The Welsh government official who negotiated terms with the vendor was Amanda Brewer. In one of those pieces of serendipity, she was also a director and the company secretary of... Powys Fadog. The report says she has since been dismissed but is challenging the decision at an employment tribunal.

    Paul Dimblebee from the Wales Audit Office was fairly ****ing.

    “It had not undertaken any due diligence checks on the organisation to ensure it had the financial backing to refurbish the property and pay any rents,” he said.

    “And it had not identified any alternative uses for the building should the deal with Powys Fadog fail.

    “It was certainly a high risk project as a consequence of them not undertaking these various steps they should have been undertaking.

    “The Welsh Government has had absolutely no return on its substantial investment of public money.”

    Still, there are some positives. “We clearly accept that there are a number of lessons for us to learn,” said a Welsh Government spokesman. Quite. Not building martial arts centres might be one.

    BITS AND BOBS

    A consultation on new measures to improve literacy and numeracy standards in Welsh schools has begun. “Nothing is more important than ensuring all of our young people have the skills they need to read, write and communicate!,” hoorayed Education Minister Leighton Andrews, a mere 13 years after devolution.

    The Silk Commission has held its eighth meeting over agreeable tea and biscuits. A communiqué published after the meeting showed one of the issues discussed was “the economy”, which seems a bit broad.

    Plaid Cymru have launched something called a ‘Sustainable Communities Commission’, which may or may not be heard of again.

    The Assembly’s standards commissioner is to investigate AMs’ and Ministers’ dealings with political lobbyists. “What we’ve asked the commissioner to do is to basically carry out an analysis and investigation and consultation with AMs, the other legislatures and other similar bodies etcetera,” said the Standards Committee’s chair, Mick Antoniw, sounding like he was boring himself.

    And the latest meeting of the Council for Economic Renewal was “very productive”, the First Minister unsurprisingly said. “Our discussions on the state of trade showed some signs of optimism, but the headline statistics remain a concern,” he said.
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

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    Bad time for Shaolin Europe

    First Spain, now UK
    4 June 2013 Last updated at 01:58 ET
    Public money 'wasted' on Llangollen kung fu lodge plan

    A community group wanted to turn the former hotel into a Shaolin centre

    The Welsh government has been criticised for wasting £1.6m of public money on a failed scheme to turn a derelict hotel into a kung fu centre.

    A report by the public accounts committee said there had been flaws in civil service processes over the purchase of River Lodge in Llangollen.

    Community group Powys Fadog wanted to turn it into the first Shaolin centre outside China.

    The Welsh government said it would carefully consider the report.
    Pol Wong Pol Wong said his centre would have created jobs and paid rent

    The River Lodge was bought by the Welsh government in 2007, with the intention it would be leased to Powys Fadog, led by martial arts expert Pol Wong.

    But the deal collapsed and since then has been subjected to an investigation by the Wales Audit Office last year and the assembly's public accounts committee which published its findings on Tuesday.

    Both reports said the Welsh government wasted £1.6m of public money on the purchase and highlighted a conflict of interest for a Welsh government official.

    In addition, the public accounts committee made 21 recommendations for improvements to its governance and management processes.

    "This inquiry into the Welsh government's acquisition and action to dispose of the River Lodge Hotel has been one of the most illuminating and troubling ever undertaken by the committee," said Darren Millar AM, the committee's chair.

    "The fact that over £1m of public money has been wasted as a result of the various decisions taken in the course of this troubled project is concerning enough in itself.

    "But it is the flaws in civil service systems and processes which this inquiry has exposed, and which are coming to light in our wider inquiry into the Welsh government's grants management, which have left us deeply uneasy."
    'Heart breaking'

    Pol Wong from the Powys Fadog group said he was sad that the building had fallen into disrepair, but also that an opportunity had been missed.

    Welsh government

    "It's just a wreck and that for me is heart breaking," he said.

    "That was a dream that we'd achieved. We got permission from the Shaolin temple in China - these things don't come easy. To stop it like that is heartbreaking. It's been almost like a bereavement.

    "More importantly it's the five years that have been wasted when we could have been employing people and bringing health and fitness to people."

    A Welsh government spokesman said: "We recognise that there were shortcomings in the way in which the acquisition and disposal of the former River Lodge Hotel, Llangollen were dealt with.

    "The former Permanent Secretary commissioned the Wales Audit Office to produce their report, which in turn led to the public accounts committee's report on the same issue.

    "We will carefully consider the public accounts committee's report as we continue to implement the lessons learned from River Lodge, across the Welsh government. We will respond formally to the committee in the usual manner."
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
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  10. #10
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    There's a flag waving vid behind the link.

    4th July
    International Eisteddfod: Southern Temple Shaolin Monks make British debut with intense performance

    By Arron Evans

    ONE of the most eye-catching performances on day four of the Llangollen International Eisteddfod came from a team of monks who had travelled all the way from China to perform.

    The Southern Shaolin Temple Warrior Monks, first formed 15 years ago, had been performing all over South East Asia over the last year before appearing in North Wales on Thursday.

    The performance group train six hours a day, six days a week at the monastery in Putian, China and had previously visited Llangollen back in March.


    The Southern Temple Shaolin Monks at the International Eisteddfod

    They say they were inspired to return to the Town thanks to the “peacefulness and beauty” of Wales and the “warmth of the people”.

    During a high-energy performance at the Eisteddfod on Thursday, the monks showcased their kung fu mastery.

    The group, whose members are as young as nine years old, performed routines with swords and whips and even broke a piece of iron in half.

    Kung Fu Master Pol Wong, who teaches classes in Wrexham and is the go-between between the Shaolin Monks and Europe, said: "This is the first time in the Temple's 1500 year history that this group have performed in Britain.

    "They've really enjoyed being here and everyone else seemed to enjoy watching them as well which is great."

    After a dazzling performance in front of a large crowd out on the grounds, the monks took to the globe before performing alongside other international acts at "The Gathering" headliner.

    On Sunday, the Monks will be performing once more at the William Aston Hall in Wrexham for 7pm before heading back to China next week.

    Made famous by the 2000 film ‘Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon’, the Shaolin style of kung fu dates back 1,500 years and brings with it the traditions, power and majesty of 32 dynasties of kung fu fighting.

    Shaolin fighting monks hold the reputation throughout China as highly honourable, courageous and greatly skilled. Their model of fighting serves today as virtuous and spiritual representation of the Great Spirit present in each living being.
    THREADS
    The Modern Southern Shaolin Temple
    Pol Wong
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
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