Shaolin martial arts school in Shandong, China

[shizo]

Hello,

I'd like to announce a new martial arts school in China.

It's called Yantai Shaolin Martial Arts Academy and is located in Shandong province, area which is the origin of Tanglang (Praying Manthis style).
I am myself a former student of the school. Please use the website contact form to ask questions. http://www.yantaishaolin.com

There are many styles that are taught in this school: Shaolin Gongfu, Taiji, Qigong, Xingyi, Bagua, Chinna, Sanda (Sanshou) and Tanglang. The Shaolin masters come from the original Shaolin temple in Henan.

The best things about this school are:

- Location: Shandong is a famous province in China for its martial arts and Taoism history. The school is located at the foot of the Kunyu mountain, significant for its Taoist history. The settings are excellent for training. Yantai city is located only about 1 hour away, which is a great spot for relaxation from training.
- Training: All the Shaolin masters have spent many years training at the original Shaolin Temple in Henan. They also have experience in teaching the foreigners in other schools and abroad. You can focus on training and have personal attention from your masters due to small classes. Training of this
quality is hard to find in other schools.
- Food and accomodation: Since this school is new, there are many empty rooms inside the living building. This means that 1 person can live alone in 1 room. In other schools you have to share the room with 1 or 2 other students. The food is excellent and dishes can be modified upon request.


There is more information and photos of the school and masters here: http://www.yantaishaolin.com
Or the old address: http://www.chinashaolins.com

PS: If i posted this in a wrong forum, please move it to an appropriate sub-forum.

Thanks.

[47MartialMan]

I grow weary of anything, anyone, any place, using Shaolin in the title for namesake.

[shizo]

Sorry to hear that, but how would you call a karate dojo? A karate dojo.
Only if the description is different from content, then you have a problem. Otherwise it's just naming things their names.

[bodhisattva]

shizo

we would TRULY LOVE to see some of your best students appear and fight in a ufc type event.

can you tell us when we can see your shaolin put to the test, in a public forum, against men who are really fighting, with as few rules as possible?

we would truly love to see your shaolin in no holds barred, full contact competition.

[47MartialMan]

Sorry to hear that, but how would you call a karate dojo? A karate dojo.
Only if the description is different from content, then you have a problem. Otherwise it's just naming things their names.

But, a "karate dojo" isnt claiming a title lineage for name sake.

[shizo]

bodhisattva:
1. Our school has not existed for more than a year, so we have no students who have attained a very high skill just training there.
2. I have gone to a "sparring-only" school in US. Such training is indeed right for someone who is only interested in the "martial" aspect of the martial arts (read: violence).
However, they are not called "Fighting systems" or "Dancing arts," they are called "Martial arts." I believe there should be a fair balance of both - performance and a fighting skill (which our school provides).
3. I want to participate in a fighting tournament myself, although i haven't found any events close to my area (Florida is the closest). Do you know of anything in the NJ/NY area?

47MartialMan: I'm sorry that "Shaolin" is the name of the originating location of the style, and the name of style itself at the same time.

[47MartialMan]

bodhisattva:
47MartialMan: I'm sorry that "Shaolin" is the name of the originating location of the style, and the name of style itself at the same time.

IMHO-There is nothing to be sorry about.
Think of it as one person tired of the propaganda and hype with anything labeled using this name/reference.

[shizo]

I understand this.. I also wanted to omit the word "Shaolin" from our school's name, but the masters insisted on keeping it because after all, they come from the actual Shaolin temple in Henan. If it wasn't geniune, i wouldn't let them keep it.

Over and out.

[47MartialMan]

I understand this.. I also wanted to omit the word "Shaolin" from our school's name, but the masters insisted on keeping it because after all, they come from the actual Shaolin temple in Henan. If it wasn't geniune, i wouldn't let them keep it.

Over and out.

They didnt "authentically" came from the actual Shaolin Temple. That temple and its "authentic" residents have long since left centuries ago.

What remains is all hype and propaganda.

[DVSJ]

Not A Hater

I understand this.. I also wanted to omit the word "Shaolin" from our school's name, but the masters insisted on keeping it because after all, they come from the actual Shaolin temple in Henan. If it wasn't geniune, i wouldn't let them keep it.

Over and out.

Hey Shizo,if your masters actually trained in the original Shaolin Temple in Henan from their masters whom came from THE lineage then let it be...if the name Shaolin makes you all feel like you're carrying on the tradition then keep the name...if you're teaching styles & techniques that we're carried over from the originators (master to student & so on) then that's authentic.To my knowledge the Shaolin Temple in Henan hasn't been destroyed,if that's the original then that's authentic as well.
Yantai Shaolin Martial Arts Academy...Yantai=?,Shaolin Martial Arts=is what you teach(I'm assuming),Academy=just another name for class I believe(school,dojo,center,etc.)...nothing wrong with your schools name.With all do respect,I don't need any feedback,comments,quotes,etc. on this post from anyone...all haters get behind me...

[47MartialMan]

No one had authentically trained there for centuries.

No one can actually have authentic teachings, styles, and techniques from there.

EVERYONE (CMA), wants to lay claim to it.

Hey, if ANYONE, desires to cop the name and get on the 'bandwagon", and use it-so be it.

I have studied martial arts style/systems that didnt need that name for merit.

The same with other martial artists I've met.

Are martial artists using the name less skilled? No.

Are they doing somethng "authentic"? No

[Jab902]

Shizo,

I have a positive response to this thread. I am very interested in this school and in the next year or two I will problably attend. On the website it says it theaches Sanshou or Sanda, How do you practice with sparring or forms? Is it the same kind of Sanda that Cung Le does or diffrent? Also are the forms Similar to Modern Wushu? Please if you could Private Message me with any additional information that is not said on the website. OH and how U.S. dollars is it for each month of training and staying there.

P.S. to everyone else, it is "Shaolin" because the three masters there are from the shaolin temple.

[47MartialMan]

P.S. to everyone else, it is "Shaolin" because the three masters there are from the shaolin temple.

Sure (disbelief)-what are their names?

And a lot of peple had studied there. It is about propaganda and commercialism.

[DVSJ]

Okay...I feel ya

No one had authentically trained there for centuries.

No one can actually have authentic teachings, styles, and techniques from there.

EVERYONE (CMA), wants to lay claim to it.

Hey, if ANYONE, desires to cop the name and get on the 'bandwagon", and use it-so be it.

I have studied martial arts style/systems that didnt need that name for merit.

The same with other martial artists I've met.

Are martial artists using the name less skilled? No.

Are they doing somethng "authentic"? No

I can relate to this post,and I appreciate it..."I have studied martial arts style/systems that didnt need that name for merit."

"The same with other martial artists I've met." I respect that...I'm sure many schools do use the name Shaolin to make their title sound good (authentic)or whatever...maybe it's their way of marketing or whatever reason.I know of many schools that teach arts that originated from Shaolin Temples way back when,however ,they do not have the word Shaolin anywhere in their schools name...so perhaps you're correct in one way or another.My thoughts,for example,If I eat at Panda Express(fast food chinese)It doesn't taste the way chinese food tastes at real chinese restaraunts(authentic as most would say).The truth is Panda Express doesn't cook traditionally...perhaps they are attracting a different crowd,etc.Now,if techniques and styles are taught traditionally then passed down from teacher to student,does that not count as authentic in any way(not sarcastically speaking)..?

[47MartialMan]

Back to reality....
Whenever someone gets into a martial art- Especially attaching to one for namesake, glorified influences, fad, or curiosity, their expectations are high.

With these high expectations, the desire for results, or any progress, is so great. But, given that every individual is different, and that some do not develop like others, only time and hard practice will prevail. But the results may not be to the liking. Unless, the instructor is not qualified or have the knowledge.

To get into a martial art for the sake of performing something specific or special feats because of seeing others do it, or the namesake of it, has some fallacy and illusion.

This is why I have stated that Shaolin gets to the point of namesake. Although someone had stated that Shaolin, per its Buddhist practice, is not separated from its martial art one-it is definitely recognized for martial arts first and foremost. Therefore for its martial art namesake. Therefore, people are lead by namesake/fame instead of the wholeness or full aspect of it.

Everyone that states that they teach or learn "Shaolin Kung Fu", I find disturbing. Even those that state they teach or learn Shaolin Kung Fu, are curtailing on the name for namesake. Something to be recognized or gained. It cannot be considered as "Authentic".

Now if this is the case with other systems, per stating that they have a lineage to Shaolin, then for that matter, many other Asian arts also. If one is to study the ancient civilization of Asian man, would see that some of theirs had come from other sources like India, for example. (Including Shaolin.) And those others, in the surrounding provinces, can state a lineage to Shaolin.

Authentic Shaolin Kung Fu would be kung fu practiced the same way it was in Shaolin, with the same methods, techniques, etc. What I was trying to say is that if there was "Authentic Shaolin Kung Fu" out there, it’s still not what many people believe it is. I don’t think Shaolin Kung Fu even olden days of shaolin, is actually what so many people think it is. Given that the term, of its development, was not called Kung Fu.

“Authentic Shaolin” is like “Authentic Christianity". Everyone wants it, need it, uses it; capitalize off it, without truly “following it in authentic form”. (For sure, Christ had over-turned the tables of money in those temples. Where is it written that he wanted to open a temple and collect like those priestans?). Trade marking it (Shaolin) would find the same difficulties such as trade marking Christianity/Jesus Christ.

I just have a little strange feeling when I see something worded that is beyond the actual representation. (Like Ultimate Fighting-which has a set of rules and is not truly “ultimate”?) So, let it be noted, that I do not intend to bash or discredit any school, or anyone, I think that the term and usage gets way out of proportion.

Simply- "I respect anyone who gives everything they can in training, Mcdojo or no, I think that hard work can show you the way."


Here are some interesting articles:

http://www.spiritualminds.com/articles.asp?articleid=1886

http://www.spiritualminds.com/articles.asp?articleid=1833

http://exn.ca/Stories/2003/06/09/51.asp

http://wongkk.com/answers/ans00b/sep00-1.html

http://www.theallineed.com/news/0411/212488.htm

http://www.shaolintemple.org/essay.htm#trademarking%20shaolin

http://www.shaolinbrand.com/shaolinbrand/htmherbs/sx050002.htm

http://www.speedlink.com.au/~theotherside/Biographypage.htm