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kingwilly · 19-08-2009, 09:28 AM

Any martial artist afficindo will know of the stories of martial arts orgininating with Chinese biddhist monks in the Shao Lin Temple, now, despite the veracity or not of this legend, Shao Lin Temple Monastery is a well known, though perhaps not well visited place in China.

Having studied Kung Fu for a number of years, I was very interested in visiting the alleged birth place of Kung Fu.

Shao Lin Temple is located about 80km westwards of Zheng Zhou in the middle of China....

We had previously visited Xi'an, so then a bus and a minicbus to ZhengZhou, and then to dengfeng, staying in local accomodation.

kingwilly · 19-08-2009, 09:48 AM

Shao Lin Temple is located in Shao Lin Sha, a mountainious region. Apparently, lots of local tourists are bused in and out each day, but we stayed in the town and visited the temple early in the morning, and then went for a walk in the moutains surronding it during the day, we then returned in the late afternoon to watch the lines and lines of martial arts classes performing, mostly Wu Shu, as far as I could tell. Unfortunately I didnt think to take pictures of these young children, hoping to become the next Bruce Li or Jackie Chan.

AntRobertson · 19-08-2009, 09:49 AM

Nice one. But where are the pics, Grasshopper?

Rural Surin · 19-08-2009, 09:50 AM

Patience.

kingwilly · 19-08-2009, 09:50 AM

The monastery itself is located slightly out of town, (a short walk) in a picturesque pine forest.

kingwilly · 19-08-2009, 09:51 AM

a lot of it has been restored, and other parts still in process....

kingwilly · 19-08-2009, 09:52 AM

Just inside the entrance

kingwilly · 19-08-2009, 09:53 AM

AntRobertson · 19-08-2009, 09:53 AM

That's more like it. Your Kung Fu is strong, Grasshopper... Ok, moderately strong then.

kingwilly · 19-08-2009, 09:55 AM

plenty of these Chinese demons around.

kingwilly · 19-08-2009, 09:58 AM

a lucky chinese turtle, touch it for wealth.

this monk liked junior KW so much he gave him a lucky jade pendant

kingwilly · 19-08-2009, 10:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AntRobertson

Nice one. But where are the pics, Grasshopper?

Gee, lucky you reminded me, otherwise I would never have remembered to include the pics, imagine that., a picture thread without pics!

AntRobertson · 19-08-2009, 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kingwilly

Quote:

Originally Posted by AntRobertson

Nice one. But where are the pics, Grasshopper?

Gee, lucky you reminded me, otherwise I would never have remembered to include the pics, imagine that., a picture thread without pics!

Sarcasm is not the way to Enlightenment, Grasshopper.

kingwilly · 19-08-2009, 11:41 AM

this apprently says Shao Lin Temple

There were these diaramas around the temple depicting various martial moves and warrior monks

kingwilly · 19-08-2009, 11:42 AM

kingwilly · 19-08-2009, 11:43 AM

Outside is the pagoda forest, representing different monks. I think.

chitown · 19-08-2009, 11:45 AM

Is there any website link to this place? I knew there was a Shaolin school in Jiling province.

China shaolin kungfu, Shaolin Martial Arts Academy, shaolin gongfu, China shaolin martial arts, Northern China Shaolin, Siping City Shao Lin Martial Arts Academy, shaolin kungfu, Chinese Martial Arts, shaolin monks, shaolin temple monks, Siping City

kingwilly · 19-08-2009, 12:12 PM

then a short walk (well, all day really) around the mountains overlooking the temple. We started by catching a lift.

shitload of stairs too.

I didnt take any pictures, but a friendly chinese fella invited us into his house for tea.

kingwilly · 19-08-2009, 12:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chitown

Is there any website link to this place? I knew there was a Shaolin school in Jiling province.

China shaolin kungfu, Shaolin Martial Arts Academy, shaolin gongfu, China shaolin martial arts, Northern China Shaolin, Siping City Shao Lin Martial Arts Academy, shaolin kungfu, Chinese Martial Arts, shaolin monks, shaolin temple monks, Siping City

The temple itself did not appear to have any more martial arts going on in it. Mainly a tourist attraction, with monks restoring it and prayers.

The town nearby had 3 or 4 schools of about 2000 students each, they are usually about 8-10 years old and live there. the conditions looked pretty grim.

The lessons that I saw, involved a class of students - 20-50 at a time, standing in a line, while one at a time they each performed one move of a form, then ran to the back of the line to repeat, while given a grunt or so from the Sifu present.

But really, most of this Kung Fu is not really Kung Fu, it is Wu Shu, which is more of a dance inspired by Kung Fu than a real fighting art, it looks good on stage though.

19-08-2009, 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kingwilly

The monastery itself is located slightly out of town, (a short walk) in a picturesque pine forest.

WTF? THis doesn't look like it was depicted in 'Kung Fu'? Where's Kwai Chang Caine???

panama hat · 19-08-2009, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaffyDuck

Where's Kwai Chang Caine???

In some Bangkok hotel with his balls tied to his chin . . . only a man well versed in Kng Fu could accomplish this . . . as well as swipe three rocks from a blind octogenarian's hand.

Nice photos, KW!

dizzy · 19-08-2009, 02:21 PM

Beautiful pictures, wish I was there again. Can you train hopeless individuals such as myself in the fine arts of Kung Fu then?

crazy dog · 19-08-2009, 05:15 PM

Interesting, but is there more than one such shaolin temple? Recall seeing a BBC documentary a couple of years ago about westerners staying at a shaolin temple and there was lots of teaching going on.

kingwilly · 19-08-2009, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crazy dog

Interesting, but is there more than one such shaolin temple? Recall seeing a BBC documentary a couple of years ago about westerners staying at a shaolin temple and there was lots of teaching going on.

i think there is more than one. I recall hearing there was a southern one and a central one.

aaah., hang on,

Quote:

Martial arts groups from all over the world have made donations for the upkeep of the temple and grounds, and are subsequently honored with carved stones near the entrance of the temple.
In the past, many people have tried to capitalize on the Shaolin Monastery by building their own schools on Mount Song. However, the Chinese government eventually outlawed this, and so the schools all moved to the nearby towns, such as Dengfeng (登封).

terry57 · 20-08-2009, 09:47 AM

Nice thread Willy.

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19-08-2009, 09:48 AM	#2 (permalink)
kingwilly Indonesia Expat Last Online: Today 11:31 AM Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 46,200	Shao Lin Temple is located in Shao Lin Sha, a mountainious region. Apparently, lots of local tourists are bused in and out each day, but we stayed in the town and visited the temple early in the morning, and then went for a walk in the moutains surronding it during the day, we then returned in the late afternoon to watch the lines and lines of martial arts classes performing, mostly Wu Shu, as far as I could tell. Unfortunately I didnt think to take pictures of these young children, hoping to become the next Bruce Li or Jackie Chan.

19-08-2009, 09:49 AM	#3 (permalink)
AntRobertson I am in Jail Last Online: Today 11:49 AM Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 17,573	Nice one. But where are the pics, Grasshopper?

19-08-2009, 09:50 AM	#4 (permalink)
Rural Surin morbidly fascinated Last Online: Today 09:26 AM Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: กาฬสินธุ์ Posts: 23,820	Patience.

19-08-2009, 09:50 AM	#5 (permalink)
kingwilly Indonesia Expat Last Online: Today 11:31 AM Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 46,200	The monastery itself is located slightly out of town, (a short walk) in a picturesque pine forest.

19-08-2009, 09:51 AM	#6 (permalink)
kingwilly Indonesia Expat Last Online: Today 11:31 AM Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 46,200	a lot of it has been restored, and other parts still in process....

19-08-2009, 09:52 AM	#7 (permalink)
kingwilly Indonesia Expat Last Online: Today 11:31 AM Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 46,200	Just inside the entrance

19-08-2009, 09:53 AM	#8 (permalink)
kingwilly Indonesia Expat Last Online: Today 11:31 AM Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 46,200

19-08-2009, 09:53 AM	#9 (permalink)
AntRobertson I am in Jail Last Online: Today 11:49 AM Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 17,573	That's more like it. Your Kung Fu is strong, Grasshopper... Ok, moderately strong then.

19-08-2009, 09:55 AM	#10 (permalink)
kingwilly Indonesia Expat Last Online: Today 11:31 AM Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 46,200	plenty of these Chinese demons around.

19-08-2009, 09:58 AM	#11 (permalink)
kingwilly Indonesia Expat Last Online: Today 11:31 AM Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 46,200	a lucky chinese turtle, touch it for wealth. this monk liked junior KW so much he gave him a lucky jade pendant

19-08-2009, 11:41 AM	#14 (permalink)
kingwilly Indonesia Expat Last Online: Today 11:31 AM Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 46,200	this apprently says Shao Lin Temple There were these diaramas around the temple depicting various martial moves and warrior monks

19-08-2009, 11:42 AM	#15 (permalink)
kingwilly Indonesia Expat Last Online: Today 11:31 AM Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 46,200

19-08-2009, 11:43 AM	#16 (permalink)
kingwilly Indonesia Expat Last Online: Today 11:31 AM Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 46,200	Outside is the pagoda forest, representing different monks. I think.

19-08-2009, 11:45 AM	#17 (permalink)
chitown Gonna Miss This Place Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 12,311	Is there any website link to this place? I knew there was a Shaolin school in Jiling province. China shaolin kungfu, Shaolin Martial Arts Academy, shaolin gongfu, China shaolin martial arts, Northern China Shaolin, Siping City Shao Lin Martial Arts Academy, shaolin kungfu, Chinese Martial Arts, shaolin monks, shaolin temple monks, Siping City

19-08-2009, 12:12 PM	#18 (permalink)
kingwilly Indonesia Expat Last Online: Today 11:31 AM Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 46,200	then a short walk (well, all day really) around the mountains overlooking the temple. We started by catching a lift. shitload of stairs too. I didnt take any pictures, but a friendly chinese fella invited us into his house for tea.

19-08-2009, 02:21 PM	#22 (permalink)
dizzy I am in Jail Last Online: 04-12-2009 12:24 PM Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 63	Beautiful pictures, wish I was there again. Can you train hopeless individuals such as myself in the fine arts of Kung Fu then?

19-08-2009, 05:15 PM	#23 (permalink)
crazy dog Thailand Expat Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 2,671	Interesting, but is there more than one such shaolin temple? Recall seeing a BBC documentary a couple of years ago about westerners staying at a shaolin temple and there was lots of teaching going on.

20-08-2009, 09:47 AM	#25 (permalink)
terry57 Thailand Expat Last Online: Yesterday 04:55 PM Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: perth and bangkok Posts: 11,211	Nice thread Willy.

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