The Shaolin Temple has long been a symbol of religious serenity
and Chinese martial arts or kungfu. With a growing international
enthusiasm for Chinese kungfu in recent years, Shaolin Temple
branches have taken root outside of China, started either directly
by the main Shaolin Temple in China or by its disciples. In
addition to martial arts training, these overseas branches are
giving disciples an introduction to the profound culture that is
Chinese kungfu.
Journalists from Banyue Tan (Fortnightly
Review) recently visited two such overseas Shaolin Temple
branches; one in New York, USA, and the other in Budapest,
Hungary.
Shaolin NYC
Located on 41st Avenue, Flushing District, the Shaolin Temple in
New York, covering a total area of 750 square meters, was set up in
1995 by Master Guolin, the Dharma heir of the 30th abbot of
Shaolin. Today, it has about 400 disciples, half of whom are of
Asian descent.
Of these disciples, three are monks and the others lay
disciples. The lay disciples are as young as four or five, and as
old as 70.
Contrary to popular belief, Shaolin disciples are a mix of
monks, lay disciples (su jia di zi) and warrior monks (wu seng.)
Unlike the fully fledged Shaolin monks, lay disciples and warrior
monks do not take all ten Buddhist vows.
What stands out about the New York branch is the fact that it
has female disciples. Master Guolin said: "Anyone who loves Shaolin
kungfu, regardless of their religious background, can be our
disciple."
Master Guolin admitted that what motivates most foreign
disciples to join Shaolin is kungfu. However, he found that they
gradually develop an interest in the deeper meaning of kungfu
during the course of their training. He explained that the Shaolin
culture is a part of traditional Chinese culture, which includes
the art of Zen, martial arts, and traditional medicine.
Shaolin doesn't only teach kungfu; it also provides guidance on
solving everyday practical problems through its Buddhism and Zen
teachings.
Among his foreign disciples, Master Guolin is most proud of Jamal
Brown. 37-year-old Brown won two gold medals at the World
Traditional Martial Arts Festival in 2004. He has mastered the 18
Martial Arts of Shaolin and is an exponent with the spear, sword,
lance, shield, axe, whip and in hand-to-hand combat. Brown has
kungfu students of his own, with between 40 and 50 disciples in
Brooklyn. Brown has even proudly said that he will devote his life
to the teachings of Shaolin and Shaolin Temple is his home.
The New York Shaolin Temple is also actively involved in
charity. Under Master Guolin's leadership, the Shaolin Kungfu
Performance Group regularly organizes fundraisers to help poor
children attend school and in support of disaster relief.
In addition, Master Guolin conducts self-defense classes for
non-Shaolin members.
Shaolin Temple, Budapest
Twenty kilometers northeast of Budapest is the Shaolin Kungfu
Training Center. Its entrance is an exact replica of the Shaolin
Temple in China, resplendent with its red walls, gray tiles and
distinctive Chinese design.
The center was set up in 1998 by an American Hungarian. In 1999,
Shi Xinghong, a 32nd generation Shaolin monk, left his teaching
post in Italy to take over the Hungarian center, which has trained
more than 20,000 foreign disciples.
The Hungarian government has lent enormous support to the
center, which includes a 1,000-square-meter piece of land that it
gave to the center, free of charge. In 2003, the government invited
Master Shi to lead the training of the Hungarian elite police
force.
The center employs 20 martial arts coaches, most of whom have
been practicing kungfu for more than 10 years. They give lessons at
the center from eight to 10 in the morning before going out to
schools and sports clubs. There are also night classes for those
who work during the day.
Martial arts levels in Hungary are among the highest in Europe,
with Hungarian exponents having won more than 500 prizes and
trophies in international martial arts competitions. The talented
pugilists who win the top three places at the annual national
Chinese martial arts competition are sent to China to experience
life at the original Shaolin Temple, sponsored by the
center.?
In addition to kungfu, Master Shi also teaches Chinese
philosophy and culture basics, typically in the last 20 minutes of
every class, including teachings in Zen, Taoism and
Confucianism.
For a more in-depth study of Chinese culture, students can
attend summer camps and retreats that include lessons on tea
culture, Chinese calligraphy and traditional Chinese medicine.
(China.org.cn by Wang Qian, November 5, 2006)
