Xandre Zezo Posted January 1, 2013 I am currently aware of the Shaolin Temple UK in Tufnell Park I am wondering if anyone has any experience of this temple ?. Also,If the martial arts and meditation practised there is a high level i would greatly appreciate the help. Â Xandre Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lifeforce Posted January 1, 2013 Be wary of the Shaolin brand. People are easily sucked in by the historical and cultural aspects of Shaolin and who would blame them ? The Shaolin temple was destroyed by the cultural revolution and the PRC. It's monks were forcibly disrobed and/or executed. What remains now is a tourist trap almost like a kung fu disneyland. Well actually, it's not even kung fu but gymnastic, acrobatic, performance style wushu which is a million light years away from the arts that were spawned from the original temple. If your looking for the Shaolin based martial arts you may be better off with a school practicing Choy Li Fut, Hung Gar, Southern Mantis, Wing Chun, Bak Mei etc etc. Paul Whitrod is in London. He is very very good. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Xandre Zezo Posted January 1, 2013 Be wary of the Shaolin brand. People are easily sucked in by the historical and cultural aspects of Shaolin and who would blame them ? The Shaolin temple was destroyed by the cultural revolution and the PRC. It's monks were forcibly disrobed and/or executed. What remains now is a tourist trap almost like a kung fu disneyland. Well actually, it's not even kung fu but gymnastic, acrobatic, performance style wushu which is a million light years away from the arts that were spawned from the original temple. If your looking for the Shaolin based martial arts you may be better off with a school practicing Choy Li Fut, Hung Gar, Southern Mantis, Wing Chun, Bak Mei etc etc. Paul Whitrod is in London. He is very very good. Â Do you have hands on first hand experience that it is a fraud art. I've heard they do 72 styles and have also seen a live demonstration of some pretty solid shaolinesque activites. I am aware of Shaolin Extermination * sad face* my Teacher of Buddah Fist said that Shaolin Temple is a great commercial venture. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lifeforce Posted January 1, 2013 Do you have hands on first hand experience that it is a fraud art. I've heard they do 72 styles and have also seen a live demonstration of some pretty solid shaolinesque activites. I am aware of Shaolin Extermination * sad face* my Teacher of Buddah Fist said that Shaolin Temple is a great commercial venture. Â I don't have any first hand experience sorry, it's just the whole Shaolin thing nowadays really isn't. Nothing fraud about it, just not authentic Shaolin, but Shaolin re-packaged for 21st century westerners with large wallets. Shifu Yan Lei is good and his first qigong dvd and book is well put together. It focuses on 8 sections brocade. After that it all went pear-shaped I'm afraid. His follow up stuff has received some mixed reviews. With perculiar titles such as 'Qigong for Upper Body', and selling expensive Buddhist charms and jewelry, his site is just like the hawkers peddling their wares near the PRC approved Shaolin Temple. What a shame this proud cultural icon of Chinese martial and meditative culture has been reduced to this. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Xandre Zezo Posted January 1, 2013 I don't have any first hand experience sorry, it's just the whole Shaolin thing nowadays really isn't. Nothing fraud about it, just not authentic Shaolin, but Shaolin re-packaged for 21st century westerners with large wallets. Shifu Yan Lei is good and his first qigong dvd and book is well put together. It focuses on 8 sections brocade. After that it all went pear-shaped I'm afraid. His follow up stuff has received some mixed reviews. With perculiar titles such as 'Qigong for Upper Body', and selling expensive Buddhist charms and jewelry, his site is just like the hawkers peddling their wares near the PRC approved Shaolin Temple. What a shame this proud cultural icon of Chinese martial and meditative culture has been reduced to this. Â Thats such a shame. True martial arts masters are very hard to find these days. I have only found 3 martial arts teachers that seem to be worth their wait in gold Adrian Valman (Karate) , Sifu Garry Mckenize (Wing Chun) , Sifu Kevin(Buddha Fist) if you know any Sensei's.Sifu's or Sabounims who train their students hard and correctly please let me know. Especially if its related to Mo Pai Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GrandmasterP Posted January 2, 2013 (edited) It's a registered charity so they will have been checked out plus they advertise kids classes so the staff will all have been CRB 'cleared' too. Not sure if they are officially connected to the Shaolin Temple in China but good luck if they are. That one in China is a tourist circus, literally. They have coach tours go there and put on three shows a day in the tourist season, it's like a Wushu version of Disneyland and nothing wrong with that. The Chinese franchise holders also have touring companies of monks who travel the world putting on pretty impressive stage shows. I belong to what is possibly the biggest MA forum on t'internet and folk on there are pretty sniffy about the Shaolin 'brand' but I reckon whether they be acrobats or cultivators they are what they are , totally brilliant at what they do and good luck to 'em. We saw the Shaolin monks show when they came to Birmingham a couple of years ago and it was fabulous, one of the best things I've ever seen on a stage. Edited January 2, 2013 by GrandmasterP Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
