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Artistic Vision |
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The Origin of Shaolin Temple The Shaolin Temple was established in 495 A.D., during the Northern Wei Dynasty of China. The Wei Emperor Xiaowen
built the temple on Song Mountain of Henan Province to host the Indian high monk Batuo. In 517 A.D., South Indian Buddhist monk
Bodhidharma arrived at the Shaolin Temple. He spent nine years meditating in a cave on Mount Wuru behind the temple and
founded the Ch’an School of Buddhism. Legend has it that for physical fitness between his long meditation sessions, Bodhidharma
created a series of exercises to stretch his limbs and strengthen his body. These exercises were taught to Shaolin monks to improve
their health, and thus began the tradition of Shaolin Kung Fu and Shaolin Kung Fu monks. Shaolin Temple is revered as the ancestral
home of Ch’an Buddhism (known to the Western world as Zen Buddhism), and is the cradle of Shaolin Kung Fu. Shaolin Kung Fu and Shaolin Kung Fu Ch’an For 1,500 years, Shaolin Kung Fu has been passed down from
generation to generation as a unique cultural and spiritual system that
embodies not only the essence of Chinese martial arts but also the
wisdom of Ch’an Buddhism as a result of the cultural exchange
between ancient China and India — two great ancient civilizations of
the world. It is a unique cultural phenomenon founded on Buddhist
teachings of "no self"and "inconstancy." The wisdom and courage
inherent in Shaolin Kung Fu teaching is widely recognized and
respected by people of different cultures as an integral part of
humankind’s spiritual heritage. Shaolin Temple monks emphasize that
Ch’an and Kung Fu are the two essential aspects of their Buddhist
regimen: Ch’an meditation leads to spiritual enlightenment, while
Kung Fu maintains physical health necessary for the pursuit of Ch’an.
They call their training "Shaolin Kung Fu Ch’an." Through the
centuries, Shaolin Kung Fu evolved from simple exercises to defense
techniques against bandits and foreign invasions, and then to a
profound and complex martial arts discipline that offers benefits for
spiritual and physical health.
Stepping into the 21st century, under the leadership of Abbot Shi
Yongxin, Songshan Shaolin Temple embarked on the monumental
task of unearthing and compiling precious Shaolin classic manuals such
as 72 Shaolin Supreme Teachings, Shaolin Medicine, Shaolin Wellness
Kung Fu, Yin Jinjing (Change of the Sinews) and Xi Suijing (Marrow
Cleansing) that have never been revealed to the world. The purpose
was to preserve and elevate these treasures for the benefit of the
world, to improve people’s health and build a harmonious society.
Shaolin Temple is the only temple in China that trains martial
monks. The popular 1982 kung fu movie Shaolin Temple starring Jet Li
brought Shaolin Temple onto the world stage. Thousands of martial
arts enthusiasts from around the world visit Shaolin Temple each
year requesting to learn kung fu from the masters. In recent years,
many masters of Shaolin Kung Fu have been invited to teach classes in
universities all over the world. The Shaolin Kung Monks Corps have
toured over 60 countries and performed their art for world
audiences and many heads of states. Shaolin Temple USA In 2006, the Venerable Abbot Shi Yongxin of Songshan Shaolin
Temple appointed 34th generation Shaolin monk Shi Yanran to lead a
team of Shaolin monks to California in search of a location to
establish the first North America branch organization of Shaolin
Temple, in order to more directly share Shaolin culture with the
American people. In February 2008, Shaolin Temple USA officially
opened as a Zen Buddhist Temple and Shaolin Kung Fu Academy in
Fremont, California. Master Shi Yanran serves as Director and
continues to search for a suitable site to build a permanent home for
Shaolin Temple USA. The Temple now offers daily Buddhist studies
and meditation as well as Shaolin Kung Fu, Qigong and Shaolin
Wellness classes to people of all ages, faiths and backgrounds.
The Shaolin masters who participate in this collaboration are
among sixteen 34th-generation ordained Buddhist monks of Songshan
Shaolin Temple, now stationed at Shaolin Temple USA. Trained from
childhood in Buddhist teachings and Shaolin Kung Fu under Abbot Shi
Yongxin, they have served as ambassadors of Ch’an Buddhism,
Chinese culture and Shaolin Kung Fu in many cultural exchange
missions in over 60 countries performing for audiences including
Queen Elizabeth II, President Vladimir Putin of Russia and former U.S.
Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. Many of them have participated in
theatrical productions featuring Shaolin Kung Fu such as Wheel of Life,
Shaolin Warriors and The Temple.
On March 21, 2004, a Songshan Shaolin Temple Delegation led by
Abbot Shi Yongxin was honored by the California State Assembly
with the proclamation of "Shaolin Temple Day." Master Shi Yanran
was a member of the delegation. Shi Yanran (Birth Name: Li, Xiaolong) Born into a Buddhist family in 1982 on the Buddha’s Nirvana Day
(February 15 in the lunar calendar), Master Yanran began studying
under Abbot Shi Yongxin at Songshan Shaolin Temple when he was 9
years old. Appointed coach of the Shaolin Kung Fu Monks Corps in
1999, he has since accompanied the Abbot on many Buddhist and
cultural exchange missions to over 30 countries worldwide, including
Brazil (as part of Chinese President Hu Jintao’s entourage in an official
visit in 2004). He was Deputy Leader of the Shaolin monks cast in the
theatrical stage production Wheel of Life on a 3-year world tour, led
Shaolin Kung Fu Monks delegations on many official visits abroad to
promote Shaolin culture, and served as kung fu coach for the Shaolin
Monks Training Program. On March 21, 2004, he visited Sacramento
and San Francisco as a member of the Songshan Shaolin Temple
Delegation led by Abbot Shi Yongxin for the Proclamation of Shaolin
Temple Day by the California State Assembly. In 2006, he was
appointed by Abbot Shi Yongxin to lead a team of Shaolin monks in
search of a site in California to establish a branch organization of
Songshan Shaolin Temple in California. Master Yanran now serves as
Director of Shaolin Temple USA. Master Yanran specializes in
Shaolin Hard Qigong Iron Jacket, Shaolin Luohan Fist, staff, and
broadsword. Shi Yansong (Birth Name: Zhang, Ensong) A native of Liaoning Province in Northeastern China, young En
Song was admitted into Songshan Shaolin Temple in 1990 at age 10.
Under the guidance of Abbot Shi Yongxin he soon excelled in
Buddhist studies and Kung Fu training. His profound level of mastery
in Shaolin Kung Fu led to his appointment, by the Abbot, as Head
Coach of the Shaolin Kung Monks Corps and Deputy Director of
Shaolin Temple Guards Institute. He has visited over 40 countries as
a member of the Shaolin Kung Fu Monks Corps representing
Songshan Shaolin Temple in official capacities and Shaolin Kung Fu
exhibitions. He is a member of the original cast of the British
produced Wheel of Life in 1,500 performances of the theatrical
production. Master Yansong is well known and highly respected in
China’s martial arts community. With the Abbot’s blessing, at the
invitation of martial arts institutions outside of Songshan Shaolin
Temple, Master Yansong also served as advisor, coach and head judge
in martial arts competitions to share Shaolin culture with even more
people. Master Yansong is currently Head Coach at Shaolin Temple
USA. He specializes in traditional fist forms, Baduanjin, drunken
forms, eagle form, Hard Qigong, Shaolin weapon form, the Shaolin
classic Yi Jin Jing wellness exercise, Chen and Yang style Taichi. Shi Yanguo (Birth Name: Chen, Yanguo) Master Yanguo is a native of Hebei Province just north of
Songshan Shaolin Temple. He entered Shaolin Temple in 1991 and
studied under Abbot Shi Yongxin. He served as Team Leader of
Shaolin Kung Fu Monks Corps on cultural exchange missions to many
countries worldwide. In 2001, he was appointed Head Coach of
Shaolin Kung Fu Monks Corps Reserve Unit. In 2004, he participated
in a Buddhist music and Shaolin Kung Fu stage production jointly
presented by China’s Ministry of Religion, China Buddhist Society and
Taiwan Buddha’s Light Temple in Hong Kong, Macao, the United
States and Canada. He specializes in traditional Shaolin fist forms,
monkey staff, Shaolin weapon forms and Hard Qigong such as Double
Spears at Throat. Shi Yanliang (Birth Name: Yi, Liang) Born in the Northeastern Province of Liaoning, Master Yanliang
entered Songshan Shaolin Temple in 1999 and studied under Abbot
Shi Yongxin. He has attended many Buddhist symposia with the
Abbot. He has also visited many countries as part of the entourage of
national leaders and participated in large-scale Kung Fu exhibitions
and theatrical productions about Shaolin Kung Fu, including Shaolin
Warriors and The Temple in which he played leading roles. Master
Yanliang specializes in Shaolin animal forms, classic Shaolin fist forms
and Hard Qigong such as Iron Jacket. Shi Yanzhong (Birth Name: Li, Guoqiang) Master Shi Yanzhong is a native of the northeastern province of
Shandong in China. He has studied under Abbot Shi Yongxin since
1996 and joined the Shaolin Temple Kung Fu Monks Corps in 1998.
He frequently attended Buddhist functions with the Abbot and has
visited many countries on cultural exchange missions including visits
with Chinese President Hu Jintao and former Chinese Premier Li
Peng. He also performed in a number of popular theatrical
productions featuring Shaolin Kung Fu, including Shaolin Warriors
and The Temple. He specializes in Shaolin animal forms, Shaolin
broadsword, spear, drunken sword and classic Shaolin fist forms. Shi Yankuan (Birth Name: Ma, Ruikuan) Now twenty-four years of age, Master Shi Yankuan has studied
under Shaolin Temple Abbot Shi Yongxin since 1992 and joined the
Shaolin Kung Fu Monks Corps in 1998. He has visited many countries
with Abbot Shi Yongxin in cultural exchange missions, including Japan,
Korea and Sweden. He toured Australia with the Kung Fu theatrical
production Shaolin Warriors in 2004. He performed for the visiting
Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2006. He has served as judge at
many martial arts competitions. He specializes in Shaolin
Dahongquan, Luohan staff, broadsword,
3-section staff, and Qigong. Shi Yanlong (Birth Name: Yu, Zhenlong) At nineteen years old, Master Yanlong is the youngest of the Shaolin Temple monks stationed at Shaolin Temple USA. The Henan Province native joined the Shaolin Kung Fu Monks Corps in 1998 and visited many countries including Singapore, Japan, Malaysia, Hong Kong and the United States on cultural exchange missions and kung fu exhibitions. In 2006, he performed for the visiting President of Russia Vladimir Putin at Shaolin Temple. He has been invited to serve as judge in many martial arts competitions since arriving in the United States. He specializes in Shaolin Qixin Fist, animal forms, Ditang Fist, double broadsword and Shaolin staff. |
Chan Buddhism