The Shaolin Temple by Ashley Croft

[GeneChing]

Anyone read this one? It's pretty expensive for a 210 page paperback.

[ghostexorcist]

I probably won't buy this one because I do not know enough about the author's academic background. I do know that Croft has written several books on Karate. One of them says this about him on the back cover:

Ashley Croft is a fifth dan in Shotokan Karate and fourth dan in Ao Denkou Jitsu. He has trained with some of the top instructors in the world and has studied in China under the instruction of a Master from the renowned Shaolin Temple …

I don't see how this past training qualifies him to write a book that claims to be "the culmination of pioneering research into the genesis and development of both Shaolin martial arts and Zen philosophy." I guess he never read Shahar's book, which came out 2 years before this one. Also, the mention of an unnamed Shaolin master seems a bit fishy. I hate to jump to conclusions without reading the book, but it smells like another Shaolin Grandmaster's Text to me.

[Dale Dugas]

Pass on this pablum and read Gene's book!!!!

[David Jamieson]

Are there any mysterious monks at Shaolin who don't give their name when they teach you?

No?

Hmmmn.

[GeneChing]

I'm always amazed how many non-Chinese speaking students don't get the name of the monk that they are training under. It's not like it's that hard. Nowadays, it's only the last character you have to remember because it's usually a 'Shi Yan ... "

Same goes for students nibbling at kung fu/wushu in China. If you only knew how many people tell me "I studied under Master Wang!" and I ask "Which Wang?" and they look back at me dumbfounded as if I'm supposed to know.

[ghostexorcist]

Pass on this pablum and read Gene's book!!!!

I can see it on my bookshelf from where I'm sitting. A giant orange book tends to stand out!

[sha0lin1]

I'm always amazed how many non-Chinese speaking students don't get the name of the monk that they are training under. It's not like it's that hard. Nowadays, it's only the last character you have to remember because it's usually a 'Shi Yan ... "

Same goes for students nibbling at kung fu/wushu in China. If you only knew how many people tell me "I studied under Master Wang!" and I ask "Which Wang?" and they look back at me dumbfounded as if I'm supposed to know.

The big one of course! Da Wang.

[sha0lin1]

I'm always amazed how many non-Chinese speaking students don't get the name of the monk that they are training under. It's not like it's that hard. Nowadays, it's only the last character you have to remember because it's usually a 'Shi Yan ... "

Same goes for students nibbling at kung fu/wushu in China. If you only knew how many people tell me "I studied under Master Wang!" and I ask "Which Wang?" and they look back at me dumbfounded as if I'm supposed to know.

Well I think what happens is that the monks don't tell you their name because of the language barrier and maybe they think foreigners don't care anyway. I have always had to ask the name of those training us when we were there. No one ever really formally introduced us our Master at Shaolin, Yan Wen just always would give us some words of welcome and encouragement and say this is your teacher and that was it. After you ask their name they usually seem very happy that you would care to know.

[GeneChing]

foreigners don't care anyway.

They do tend to not be forthcoming, but you would think the students would want to know, especially if they intended to write a book about it.

Speaking of which - and I didn't purposefully intend this when launching this thread - here's my book: Shaolin Trips. I include all the names. In many cases, I include both monastic and secular names.

[shaolinboxer]

Didn't know you had written a book, Gene. I'll pick one up as soon as I overcome my addiction to J. Crandall's Bagua translations.

Best from Brooklyn!

[GeneChing]

After you read my book, you can comment on our thread here: Shaolin Trips by Gene Ching