Shaolin Orphanage

[GeneChing]

Shaolin Temple helps stricken youngster
Updated: 2012-12-07 20:32

The Shaolin Temple in Henan province, China's best known Buddhist temple, has offered free school education to a child whose father died under an overpass.

Liu Chunjie, 10, accepted the invitation from the Shaolin Orphanage on Thursday after his father, Liu Hongwei, was found dead on Nov 30 under an overpass in Zhengzhou, the capital city of Henan.

His father slept under the overpass for nearly a month and developed symptoms of hypothermia before his death. The Henan Business News reported that an official from his village in Qixian county said the boy’s father left home seven years ago without leaving any contact details.

The boy's mother disappeared soon after his father left, and he had to live with his grandfather, with little income, the report said.

On Wednesday, he heard of his father's death from a village official, and wept on being told the news.

Shi Yongxin, abbot of the Shaolin Temple, invited the boy to the Shaolin Orphanage for free food, dormitory accommodation and education.

The Shaolin Orphanage is a non-governmental and non-profit organization founded in Dec 2004. It has adopted 50 orphans from Henan, according to the Shaolin Temple website.

Sorry it took so long to get a thread on the orphanage started. I had heard about it, but not seen any news reports until now.

[GeneChing]

A fund raising project to support the Shaolin Orphanage

Shaolin Orphans

[breeze]

There is more about the orphanage and the project on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTu6VBv60v0

The idea behind the project is very interesting, and for the orphans a new orphenage surely would be great. That the "poor Shaolin temple" does not have enough money for the orphanage, is another thing ..............

But Shaolin also has a funny side, as you (hopefully) can see here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k56dD...ture=endscreen

[ngokfei]

Not saying what they are doing isn't a great thing but an expected thing since its always been the role of temples to take in orphans.

I think there are enough orphanages right in California that could use $$ so why not raise money for them.

Shaolin temple has got millions of dollars so I really don't think they need our help

[breeze]

It doesn't help the children, if the temple has money, but doesn't spend it for them. The orphanate looks deplorable and unhealthy in the video. What is better? Sigh that the temple just doesn't help and turn your back on this or just do and give a positive example?
It's not to help the temple, it's to help the children.

BTW, Shi Yongxin in 2011 in an interview with Xinhua and again at the beginning of this year has plead for more support of orphenages: http://boxun.com/news/gb/china/2011/...03111557.shtml and http://bodhi.takungpao.com/ptls/gong...1/1411658.html

[breeze]

... and if it works, maybe Californian orphans are the next ... ?!

[sha0lin1]

[QUOTE=breeze;1235295] The orphanate looks deplorable and unhealthy in the video. What is better? Sigh that the temple just doesn't help and turn your back on this or just do and give a positive example?
It's not to help the temple, it's to help the children.

I can see you are speaking from a very western perspective. Most of China looks deplorable and unhealthy, it is a cultural thing. Most Chinese are very poor. Cleanliness is just not a priority when you are trying to earn enough just to eat and have a roof over your head.