Shi Yanzi

[golden monk]

Greetings to fellow forum peeps.

Would like to know if anyone has trained at Shi Yanzi's Shaolin Temple in the UK? Or is a current student ?

* Does he teach most of .. if not all classes?
* Is the majority of the training wushu or is there a strong focus on "Traditional Shaolin" forms or is it a mix of the 2?
* Are the classes mostly taught in Mandarin ?

Like to hear positive and negative feedback, as I am considering going to the UK to train with him.

Cheers

Golden monk

[qixingmantis]

Good day all

Yip have had the pleasure of training with Shifu shi yanzi

The yu bai ban classes which are the beginner classes are taught by his disciple monks....he does how ever interact.....after youve completed and done the grading he will instruct you.

all classes are taught in mandarin... the names of the runs and the first basic forms

element such as wulong panda, zou you kai gong shi, mabu jia da and the first basic form wubu chuan are all taught in mandarin...all names ie the stretches basic kick and flexability are given in chinese.

after the grading you do the first form xiao hong and various sanda elements...shifu shi yanzi says that if you dont know how to use your gong fu to fight you dont know gong fu....hes very much into the fighting side .....you will understand all the applications to xiao hong and the various elements within xioa hong such as silk reeling and the sanda fighting apps.....very potent form and i rekon if you just knew xiao hong youde kick anyones proverbial ass......he is very tough on students but hes the most awesome person ive ever had the pleasure of meeting in tha martial world.....he is very traditional...you can also learn the baduan qi gong as well as chan budhism and also rou quan.....do yourself a favour and train with shifu shi yanzi i got pics of him and you can see the size of his arms hes just awesome power...hes an amazing instructor...and a monk in the true sense

namo ami to fou

chris

[golden monk]

How about Chinese lion dance. Does Shifu Shi Yanzi teach this ?

[qixingmantis]

Hi there

yes have both those syllabus......all 1 have to say is that Shifu shi yan zi is from shaolin temple sent by the venerable abbot of shaolin at song shan...so as far as im concerned it's the real deal...I've seen wushu and know one or two wushu forms...and shi yan zi is def not wushu...he showed me an application using me as the attacker...and let me tell you he can generate massive power from where only he knows...it felt like my lung was gonna explode....1 weigh 92 kilos and he is shorter than me....but 1 went down like no man put me down before...1 wanna learn shaolin gong fu from a man like that....1 was a military paratrooper and we had to do many hand on hand combat scenarios .....I've never been punished that hard before as when shi yanzi demonstrated the seven star posture and application...so imagine he really meant to hurt someone...thats shaolin gong fu.

so any critic who wants to say any negative against shi yan zi ...step up to the plate...and this goes for shi yan ming and shi goulin the all 34 gen monks...you cant say anything till youve been in their presence....as for the monks who do the wheel of life show...those guys are also awesome...yes it's a show and lots is coreography...but I'vemet them too and played some forms with them...they also know their ****e...and they will also teach any of us westerners a thing or seven ....1 travelled 17 000km to train with yanzi...and 1 go back once a year...

so yes its as traditional as it gets....shi yan lei ...his gong fu brother...is also awesome...see if ya can get to work with him too...hes got the most hectic round house kick...and just by working with him my kicks have improved 100 times....and 1 thought 1 could kick...what a joke...

all 1 can say to those who have nothin good to say about the monks sent out by shaolin temple......rather respect what what you don't know......being a monk is about virtue and respect when you meet him youll see that hes a monk in the true sense

no i dont think he does lion dance...was none of that when i was there...he specialises in iron jacket

namo ami to fou

chris

[qixingmantis]

classes are not that big...but you have to be there a bit earlier or they wont let you in....id say about +- 10 per class sometimes more sometimes less....see its not a set class...so anyone can join the yu bai ban clas (beginner) that is generally taught by disciple monks....then with shi yan zi the disciple monks are in the class with you......those classes have about the same no. of students

yea it does help to speak or understand basic mandarin...shi yan zi not so hot at english.....but you get a very good idea of what hes saying coz. he demonstrates really well....

you can do as many classes a day as you like....its better that they small get better tuition....just be a bit fit and a bit supple before you go...coz. you will take strain if ya unfit....specially with shifu yanzi...there a small hill that goes past the front of the temple....more of a driveway...but sprints up the hill and down for a few minutes takes its toll...make sure you got good gong fu shoes...you can buy fei yues at the temple...and they are a life saver...

[golden monk]

The repetition is understandable. I think it is a good indication that the foundations are drilled at early stages.

The classes sound promising. So long Shifu is teaching and holding the classes himself most of the time. Everyone's allowed a break! We are all human, after all!

Have any of you tried the classes held by Shi Yanlei ? Are they similar to Shi Yanzi's?

I figure that you guys are living in the UK or nearby, are there any other " monks" that have the equal passion, teaching qualities and martial explosiveness as Shi Yanlei and Shi Yanzi ?

How old are the 2 Shifu's ? I ask this as, I've seen how older Shifus sometimes tend to slowly teach less and less.. so senior instructors take over.

Is there any emphasis on Chan Buddhism. Or is this up to the student to request for it ? I'm not sure whether in the UK .. there is any interest in this aspect of Shaolin.. or is everyone more keen to get into the San Shou?

I read a lot about Shi Yanzi been a very good San Shou coach and achieveing some good results for his students.

Cheers!

[qixingmantis]

good day to all

Im south African...and they welcomed me when 1 was there, there was Australians so anyone can come visit the temple....but you have to pay per class when you get there...there's a sign at reception that says no payment no gong fu....and one that says and 1 quote “ if you are late come early” which 1 thought was classic...

repetition is a big factor so be prepared to do drills over and over...in the foundation class...shifu yanzi will take 3 movements from xiao hong and you'll drill those moves over and over....

h's about 30 id say hard to tell but don't worry he's got heaps of energy and you wont tire him...you'll be finished long before he will...remember he coaches all day everyday...

shifu Shi yan li now runs the Birmingham branch to he is no longer based at STUK but maybe you'll be lucky and heel be in London when you get there......

1 knew xiao hong, da hong, etc before 1 got to STUK but when 1 left there 1 understood it...big difference between knowing and understanding it...1 find many that many seminars I've attended and forms I've learned...have just been empty hand and leg movement many instructors know these empty shells...yan zi shifu made me understand the forms.....he taught me to be substantial and insubstantial...now 1 feel 1 can move....to be in one place and then just by shifting your weight appear in another......1 found we as westerners forgot how to walk we just want to run...so go there with an empty cup....

you are not forced to study chan Buddhism .....but yan zi shifu says you can not separate chan and gong fu.......so 1 think it's a good think to understand chan....not saying you need to be Buddhist...but see why shaolin gong fu is what it is because of chan.

in south africa we have the biggest chan buddhist temple outside of china...1 go there a few times a year to retreat...and simply calmness of mind will let you over come even the biggest problem.

namo ami to fou

[BoulderDawg]

good day to all

Im south African...and they welcomed me when 1 was there, there was Australians so anyone can come visit the temple....but you have to pay per class when you get there...there's a sign at reception that says no payment no gong fu....and one that says and 1 quote “ if you are late come early” which 1 thought was classic...

repetition is a big factor so be prepared to do drills over and over...in the foundation class...shifu yanzi will take 3 movements from xiao hong and you'll drill those moves over and over....

h's about 30 id say hard to tell but don't worry he's got heaps of energy and you wont tire him...you'll be finished long before he will...remember he coaches all day everyday...

shifu Shi yan li now runs the Birmingham branch to he is no longer based at STUK but maybe you'll be lucky and heel be in London when you get there......

1 knew xiao hong, da hong, etc before 1 got to STUK but when 1 left there 1 understood it...big difference between knowing and understanding it...1 find many that many seminars I've attended and forms I've learned...have just been empty hand and leg movement many instructors know these empty shells...yan zi shifu made me understand the forms.....he taught me to be substantial and insubstantial...now 1 feel 1 can move....to be in one place and then just by shifting your weight appear in another......1 found we as westerners forgot how to walk we just want to run...so go there with an empty cup....

you are not forced to study chan Buddhism .....but yan zi shifu says you can not separate chan and gong fu.......so 1 think it's a good think to understand chan....not saying you need to be Buddhist...but see why shaolin gong fu is what it is because of chan.

in south africa we have the biggest chan buddhist temple outside of china...1 go there a few times a year to retreat...and simply calmness of mind will let you over come even the biggest problem.

namo ami to fou

Thanks for the info.

I think I will go and attend a class. As I've mentioned I've only been exposed to the philosophy of my school and Master. It will be refreshing to see other points of prespective and to learn from others half a world away. Even if it is just for one class.

The Mardarin will be fun to try and diciper.

[qixingmantis]

Good day all


yes have trained with shifu shi yanzi.......most awesome experience ....if you ever get tyhe chance...i say train with shi yanzi

all the best
chris

[GeneChing]

Shaolin: It’s a knowledge, it’s a master key


You learn a philosophy: Shifu Shi Yanzi brings the way of Shaolin

Published: 14 July, 2016
by STEVE BARNETT

HIDDEN away in the province of Tufnell Park is a martial arts temple guarding “the master key to life”.

Many are familiar with the giant red gates in Junction Road, but what lies behind them is as mysterious today as it was when they first appeared in north London some 18 years ago.

For many, martial arts is a codified system of combat, practised for a vast variety of reasons, ranging from self-defence, military and law enforcement, to physical fitness or simply letting off steam after a hard day at the office.

At the Shaolin Temple UK, however, students learn “the truest translation” of martial arts: the art of not fighting.

Founded in 1998 by 34th generation fighting monk Shifu Shi Yanzi, the Shaolin Temple UK is an official emissary of the 1,500-year-old Shaolin Temple in Henan Province in China.

The first disciple of the Abbot Venerable Shi Yong Xin, Shifu Shi Yanzi has dedicated 35 years to Shaolin, which he describes as “three cultures in one”.

As the Grandmaster recalls: “I first started training at the Song Shan Shaolin Temple in Henan Province in China when I was 16. I wanted to join the army, but I was too young. So instead I moved to the Shaolin Temple. It was my dream.

“In 1998 I came to London to set up the first Shaolin Temple in the UK. It was quite hard at the time because I didn’t speak English. But if you know what you’re doing, if you’re passionate and have heart, you will make it work.

“In the beginning I didn’t have any students, so I taught all around London so that people knew who I was.

“I went everywhere.”

Shifu Shi Yanzi now lives in King’s Cross and, with great calm, he explained what students learned behind those giant red gates was more than just martial arts – it was a way of life.

“Normally people teaching martial arts, like boxing, kickboxing or Thai boxing, they just teach,” he said.

“They don’t talk about life, about wisdom, or about karma.

“Shaolin is a really rich culture, it’s three cultures in one – Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism.

“That’s why it is so famous and well-known.”

Explaining the importance behind the temple’s discipline, Shifu Shi Yanzi added: “You cannot learn the proper kung fu if you have ego, anger, or selfishness in your heart.

“That’s why when I teach you, I have to make sure that the seeds grow properly.

“I’ve been here for 18 years. I have a lot of students who come back to say thank you, to say that they appreciate what they have been taught.

“Shaolin is knowledge, it’s a master key. You learn a philosophy that will help calm you down, it will help you find answers and give you direction.

“If you come here, and Shaolin gives you direction, and gives you the energy you need to guide your life, then I’m very happy – but you don’t have to thank me too much because it’s my duty. It’s my job.”

The Shaolin Temple UK holds regular classes, including Kung Fu-Ch’an, Qi Gong and Ch’an Buddhism. Details: call 020 7687 8333 or visit www.shaolintempleuk.org

The painting in that photo looks like it was based on Yanneng.

[GeneChing]

Wow, Yanzi is 51 already. How time flies. I should really split this off into an indie thread for him, because he's one of the pioneers.

Follow the link for a vid:

51-yr-old Shaolin master prepares for fighting competition
1 2018-10-19 15:17:52 Ecns.cn Editor : Gu Liping

(ECNS)--Shi Yanzi, aged 51, is a prominent Gong Fu master. He is one of the chief disciples of Shi Yongxin, abbot of the Shaolin Temple in China. Shi is currently training for the Chinese Martial Arts World competition where he will face a famous Tanzanian fighter on the evening of October 19 in Zhengzhou.

[GeneChing]

That's it. I'm creating a new indie Shi Yanzi thread off the Shaolin Temple UK thread. That began focused on Yanzi but then digressed to include other UK monks. I copied all the mentions of Yanzi, but I did that off a search so I probably missed a few comments.

[GeneChing]

Live fights in PRC often seem to come out so.

Shaolin fighter KOs African ‘boxing champ’ in 43 seconds. Boxer turns out to be international student.
Looking for some part-time work in China?
by Alex Linder October 29, 2018 in News



Recently, China’s “kung fu capital” showcased a match between a Shaolin-trained fighter and an African “boxing champion” with the boxer losing by knockout in just 43 seconds.

The match was held in Henan’s Dengfeng city, home to the mythical Shaolin Temple. Around 30,000 people watched their hometown boy, Shi Yanxi, a 51-year-old Shaolin disciple who has trained under head abbot Shi Yongxin, best the Tanzanian boxer, named “Gabriel,” who was touted as having a record of 14-1.

However, after the match, netizens began to question the credentials of this African “boxing champion,” finding evidence that he was actually just an international student at Shenyang Aerospace University.

Soon, Gabriel was forced to admit that he was no professional boxer, explaining that while studying in China he had been offered the chance to participate in some fights to make some money. So far, he has won just one of the six matches that he has fought in.

The organizers of the match have admitted that there are flaws in their selection and review process of fighters, promising to take measures to ensure that this does not happen again in the future.

The fight follows a massive controversy last year over the efficacy of traditional Chinese martial arts, sparked by an MMA fighter’s 10-second KO of a tai chi “master.” In the aftermath, the “master’ blamed his loss on his “slippery shoes” and holding back his true power so as not to kill his opponent.

[GeneChing]

Chinese audiences outraged after event sponsor pays African student to lose to Kung Fu monk
By Christina Zhou and Bang Xiao
Updated about 2 hours ago

An African man touted to be a "brave warrior of boxing" was knocked out by a Chinese monk in just 43 seconds at an international martial arts tournament in China.

Key points:
The Tanzanian boxer is an international student and only ever fought in 10 matches
Organisers recruited foreign fighters to make the tournaments look "more international"
Chinese netizens felt ashamed by the farce and questioned if the mix-up was deliberate

Chinese state media — who were quick to trumpet the news of the swift defeat and how it demonstrated the power of Chinese Kung Fu — later found out the African man was an international student who was reportedly paid 6,000 yuan ($1,200) by event sponsors.

The sponsors claimed they failed to verify the 30-year-old Tanzanian's background, which was provided by his brokerage agency.


PHOTO: Shi Yanzhao said his "heavy punch and heavy kick" might have landed on Gabriel's ribs. (Weibo: China News)

Last month's "Six Country Boxing Championship" was organised by the central Henan province and held in Dengfeng city, known as China's Kung Fu capital, where hundreds of thousands of people have learned the martial art.

In the pre-event marketing, organisers said the highlight would be a much-anticipated boxing match in the 80-kilogram class, between 51-year-old Shaolin disciple Shi Yanzi and the Tanzanian, known only by his first name, Gabriel.

"The brave warrior has a recent record of 15 games, with 14 wins and 1 loss," said the announcer who introduced Gabriel.

The match ended in just 43 seconds with Gabriel's defeat and several Chinese state media outlets highlighted the fact that "a black brave warrior of boxing" was defeated by a Shaolin monk.

"I only intended to go in the boxing ring to learn and exchange some skills with him and see if I could use more Shaolin Kung Fu techniques," Mr Shi told China News after the match.

"But I didn't expect to win him in a single round.

"My heavy punch and heavy kick might have landed on his ribs."


INFOGRAPHIC: Poster of the martial art festval (Six Country Boxing Championship)

'Fake food, fake history, fake news … and now fake fighting'

But the media's celebration of the monk's seemingly incredible win was short-lived.

A director of a boxing gym in China's northern Liaoning province, known only by his surname Qiu, recognised Gabriel as an international student from a univeristy in Shenyang city who went to his martial arts school.

Mr Qiu told state media China Youth Daily that all of Gabriel's matches ended in his defeat or even abstention, and that his boxing skills were "lower than that of our many amateur members".

He said many competition organisers in the industry specifically recruited foreign fighters to make the tournaments look "more international" and that he had previously arranged three competitions for Gabriel.

"The [payment] was more than 1,000 yuan ($200) for each competition, regardless he wins the game or not," he said, adding that he did not even make it to the third competition because he missed the train.


PHOTO: Shi Yanzi told local media he hoped to meet a stronger opponent next time. (Toutiao: Sasha)

In the same China Youth Daily report, Gabriel clarified that he was not a "boxing master" and had only ever participated in ten competitions, including six games in China.

Many Chinese netizens said they felt ashamed by the farce and even questioned if the organisers deliberately matched the Shaolin monk against an amateur.

"Fake food, fake medicine, fake technology, fake news, fake history, fake theories … and even have fake fighting," said one Weibo user with the nickname Liudana_Cilouhua.

"As an ordinary student who has just left school, he is just a boxing enthusiast. Why was he promoted to be a black boxing champion?" said a post by another user, Ouyang Kaka.

The organisers of the Six Country Boxing Championship defended the mix-up and claimed the match was only decided the day before the competition.

Shi Yanzi told China News after the match that "he didn't enjoy the competition that much" and hoped to meet a stronger opponent next time.

If you're going to stage a fall, find a better fighter.