Decent story, Just do some research
This is a nice story by a writer who is a respected martial artist.
There are a few things that caught my attention. If referencing Shaolin beliefs, Ch’an is the preferred term for their Buddhism, and not Zen. Zen is the Japanese translation of Ch’an.
Terminology isn’t such a huge problem but recommending the DVD that the author did is. (Shaolin Wheel of Life) These are not the Shaolin monks of legend, instead they are a creation of the People’s Republic of China. In 1931, ALL of the Shaolin grandmasters emigrated to the United States to avoid death and persecution. What we have today in China at the government renovated temples, are practitioners of Wushu. Wushu as defined by these practitioners does not refer to combat martial arts, but a sport that Chairman Mao and his committees devised for a non-combat demonstration sport. The entire point to these performers is to trade on the Shaolin name, and increase China’s burgeoning tourist industry.
Shaolin Monks believe that any martial art should be practical and usable in a life or death situation. These performers are talented, but please think of them more as Cirque De’ Soleil rather than Bruce Lee. The performances are beautiful to watch, but please remember that by buying a DVD or watching a live performance by these artists , you support the Chinese government. If this doesn’t bother you, by all means, enjoy the show. just be educated about what you actually support.
The Shaolin Grandmasters’ Text
Whether interested in history, old Kung Fu movies, or philosophy, this is a beautiful book to own. Filled with history of ancient China, the Shaolin Order, and other Buddhist sects, this book covers a lot of ground.
Written in a very conversational style, the book grabs the reader in the first chapter and doesn’t let go. Most of the book is based on the oral history kept by the monks of this Ch’an Buddhist sect. Kill Bill fans will appreciate the story of who Pak Mei was, and women will be glad to read about the equal rights position that the Shaolin have held for centuries. The stories of the monks fleeing the Red Army of China, and resettling in America are touching and filled with what seems to be longing for a traditional homeland, before communism, and the abuses of the early 20th Century to now.
Kung-fu fans will not be disappointed in this volume. The book details traditional Shaolin training methods, and forms of Kung-Fu, with forms and histories of these revered styles.
Buddhists hoping to read about this enigmatic sect also will have their hands full. The history, Kung-Fu, meditations, and stories in this book all come back to the most important part of these monks lives: Their Buddhism. The comparisons in the book between different sects of Buddhism, and definitions of terms are great for any novice or even experienced practitioner to teach themselves.
This is one of the most beautiful books I have ever read. Definitely recommend it for anyone looking to learn about another culture. A bonus to buying this book is that the proceeds go to helping fund the Shaolin in the United States.
5 Namastes out of 5.
Return to the 36th Chamber
The 36th Chamber of Shaolin by the Shaw Brothers may be one of the most perfect kung-fu movies ever made. This sequel trades on that name and goodwill with mixed results.
We start in a village overrun by the evil Manchus. The main business in this town is a silk dyeing plant. Manchus show up and start up sabotage the workers by giving them inferior dyes to tint their silks with. The owner of the business hires the Manchus, and in order to pay them will be docking all the workers 20% of their pay. A fight breaks out and the Manchu show their dominance and beat the workers with sticks. While licking their wounds form their beating, one of the worker’s brother shows up. This guy is a con artist who dresses up in different roles in order to beg money from the townspeople. One of his more popular gigs is dressing up as a Shaolin monk named Shan Te. (This is the Gordon Liu character from The 36th chamber of Shaolin. He also plays the con man in this film.) The mental juggernauts of the village decide that the beggar should impersonate the monk, so he can bargain for them with the Manchu. What follows are some genuinely funny scenes of the townspeople and Gordon Liu trying to con the Manchu into believing that the beggar is actually the Monk. The head Manchu doesn’t buy it, and asks the beggar to fight him to show his true skill. Liu tries to get out of it, and ends up blowing his cover. This leads to the townspeople getting another beating with sticks.
The beggar decides that this is his fault, and most of the people that put him up to the farce agree. So, Liu’s character decides to get real kung fu skills by entering the Shaolin Temple. More hijinks ensue with Gordon Liu trying to enter the temple and bypassing the Monk’s security. The twist is, that the real Shan Te is at this temple. He lets Liu’s character in, and from here the end of the previous 36th chamber movie is enacted with minor twists. Gordon liu goes through some interesting training scenes, and ends up being kicked out of the temple, and fighting for the townspeople, and winning them their fair share of wages from the evil Manchu.
The print on this disc is great and completely restored. The audio is a little soft in some places, and the dubbing gets confused at some spots.
The big beef with this disc is that there are no special features to speak of. This is very disappointing coming from a Dragon Dynasty re-release. Most of their discs have come with interviews and retrospectives, and to have nothing on this disc is out of the norm.
Overall, I would suggest this as a rent.
3 grasshoppers out of 5.
Entertainment deficit disorder 