DOCSLIB.ORG

ISBN: 9798661286116 Softcover Print First Edition July 2, 2020

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
ISBN: 9798661286116 Softcover Print First Edition July 2, 2020 © 2020 Ti: Rebuilding the North Shaolin Monastery Subtitle: 2010 to 2020 By: Gregory Brundage ISBN: 9798661286116 Softcover Print First Edition July 2, 2020 The Chinese characters at the beginning of chapters, along with Pinyin and English definitions came from: https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary which were very useful for translations, along with https://fanyi.baidu.com. The views and opinions expressed in this book are solely those of the author and do not represent those of the Shaolin Temple or other spiritual/religious organizations. i Dedication This book is dedicated to the spirits and memories of all those who have had the discipline and courage to fight for truth, justice and the greater good, as well as those who have toiled in the fields of inequity while living by and preserving the wisdom of those before us. This includes but is not limited to the good Shaolin monks, those of Wudangshan and millions of other people around the world – past and present. May their spirits be remembered in reverence and preserved as a light for humanity especially at times when all may seem lost. ii INTRODUCTION TO REBUILDING THE NORTH SHAOLIN MONASTERY ARTICLE SERIES ................................................................ IV PILGRIMAGE TO THE TRUE NORTH SHAOLIN TEMPLE PART I REBIRTH ............... 1 REBUILDING NORTH SHAOLIN TEMPLE PART II DISCOVERY...............................10 REBUILDING NORTH SHAOLIN TEMPLE PART III PROFESSOR GAO .....................28 REBUILDING NORTH SHAOLIN TEMPLE PART IV WATER DRAGON ....................38 REBUILDING NORTH SHAOLIN TEMPLE PART V GRANDMOTHER WANG AND THE BUDDHA ...........................................................................................................46 REBUILDING NORTH SHAOLIN TEMPLE PART VI INSIDE .....................................59 REBUILDING NORTH SHAOLIN TEMPLE PART VII RELEASE .................................87 REBUILDING NORTH SHAOLIN TEMPLE PART VIII SPIRIT OF THE MASTERS ..... 101 REBUILDING NORTH SHAOLIN TEMPLE PART IX SUJIA DIZI AND WUSENG ...... 119 REBUILDING NORTH SHAOLIN TEMPLE PART X SPIRIT OF YUN ZHAO MONASTERY ................................................................................................... 132 REBUILDING NORTH SHAOLIN TEMPLE PART XI VIEW FROM QIAN XIANG MONASTERY ................................................................................................... 150 REBUILDING NORTH SHAOLIN TEMPLE PART XII FAN YI HUI CHAN HOUSE ..... 166 REBUILDING NORTH SHAOLIN TEMPLE PART XIII MEDITATION HALL AND MOUNTAIN SPIRITS......................................................................................... 178 REBUILDING NORTH SHAOLIN TEMPLE PART XIV GUAN YIN HALL .................. 197 REBUILDING NORTH SHAOLIN TEMPLE PART XV ORIGINS ............................... 215 REBUILDING NORTH SHAOLIN TEMPLE PART XVI EXPANSION PLANS ............. 221 EPILOGUE ........................................................................................................ 226 iii Introduction to Rebuilding the North Shaolin Monastery Article Series 苦尽甘来 Kǔjìngānlái - Hardship finishes, sweetness begins (idiom) Architect’s design for North Shaolin Monastery (2009) June 2020 - North Shaolin Monastery is northeast China’s premier mountain retreat for those in search of the twin lures of enlightenment and transcendent martial arts. It was supported throughout history by the headquarter Songshan Shaolin and a long line of China’s most notable Emperors before being destroyed in May 1942 during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. iv Work to restore the ancient monastery began in 2009 and is expected to be completed in about 2025. The reconstructed monastery will be considerably larger than the original while incorporating Tang and Song Dynasty architectural features and ecologically friendly energy systems. This collection of articles was published in Kung Fu Tai Chi Magazine (USA) and chronicle regular visits by the author to the reconstruction site of the North Shaolin Monastery and surrounding mountain towns and villages over a 10-year period from 2010 to 2020. Much has changed since the first story was published in 2010. North Shaolin Monastery was and is now again the major branch Shaolin Temple of the headquarter monastery on Song Mountain in Denfeng city, Henan Province in central China. North Shaolin Monastery, August 2013 Sutra Hall on the left, Great Buddha Hall on the right. The ancient white tower is center v October 28, 2019 – Meditation Hall (Cang Tang) left, Monk Domicile center, and Great Buddha Hall, right September 2014 – Young lay disciples practicing Taolu vi These articles explore the current conditions and distant histories of the North Shaolin Monastery as well as the local mountain people’s folklore and other stories from the intersections of their personal and families’ lives, the mountain and monastery. A few of the people interviewed in this series of articles have since passed away and what was published in these articles may be the only lasting record of their stories about the mountain and the monastery. Background The Ch’an (Zen) Buddhist North Shaolin Temple currently being reconstructed on Pan Mountain (Panshan) in Ji County (Jixian), 105 kilometers north of Tianjin and 95 kilometers east of Beijing is in the imperial heartland of China and thus exposed to much more direct, mostly foreign aggression than the headquarter Songshan Shaolin which is much further inland and closer to central China. Located on Pan Mountain (Panshan) the North Shaolin Monastery has a strategic location in Jixian, and Jixian in China due to its location in a critical mountain pass from the sea inland and from North to South not far inland from the eastern coast. This unique strategic location gave it a role in history most people – even in China – don’t know about. The North Shaolin Monastery - originally called “Faxing Temple” was built in the Wei Jin Dynasty (220 - 317 AD). It is the oldest temple in the very large mostly rural Jixian area. According to the official Shaolin Temple history it became part of the Shaolin family under the auspices of Abbot Fuyu near the beginning of the Yuan Dynasty (1271 - 1368) in China. vii Despite its long noble history, ask most people in China today where the “North Shaolin Temple” is and surprisingly they say “Zai Songshan,” (at Song Mountain) in Central China. In other words, even in China today most people don’t know the noble legacy of the North Shaolin Monastery as the large, ancient and very special east- coast branch of the famed headquarter Songshan Shaolin in Henan Province. This suggests that events leading to and resulting from the destruction of the North Shaolin Temple in 1942 during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression erased even the memory of this noble temple from most Chinese people due to the chaos and destruction of that and subsequent wars. It wasn’t just North Shaolin that burned that Spring day of May in 1942. The entire mountain along with seventy-one other Buddhist temples was burned as well. This isn’t to say or suggest that the North Shaolin monks went out in a blaze of glory fighting the Japanese at the temple as it didn’t happen exactly that way. Instead hearing the Japanese Imperial Forces were coming the monks on North Shaolin were ordered to abandon the ancient monastery to save them and the monastery. Had the monks been locked within a closed fortification like a stone monastery they would have been easy targets for superior Japanese artillery. Songshan Shaolin had been burned down 14 years earlier during the Warlord Era in 1928. The elder monks did not want a repetition of that tragedy. World War II was a much longer and more devastating war for Chinese than for Europe and the USA, as it started much earlier in 1937. viii The North Shaolin monks left the monastery and consequently North Shaolin Kung Fu disseminated widely prior to the final destruction of the Temple especially in the Beijing/Tianjin/Pingu areas specifically and Hebei Province in general. Thus, a suicidal battle was avoided, and maximum use of their unique skills was used rather than obliterated along with the ancient monastery. Reading the articles in this series one learns that Panshan was a major center of resistance against the Japanese army. Munitions were manufactured, militias were trained and there was even a bank hidden in caves with gold collected to fund the resistance movement. The headquarter Songshan Shaolin was not part of this war of resistance as it had been destroyed 14 years earlier, though it is widely believed some or many monks survived the final battle against the warlords and joined the resistance movement on Panshan and elsewhere in China. Though North Shaolin Monastery was generally abandoned by the monks prior to the Japanese final assault on the mountain in an attempt to protect the monastery, it was none-the-less still used by the resistance as a defensive fortification and destroyed when the Japanese burned the entire mountain. ix Following the destruction and looting of the North Shaolin Temple in subsequent years and decades few remains existed of the original temple except for the foundations of a few buildings, a few parts of the old walls and one battered 13-tiered ancient pagoda from the early-mid Qing Dynasty. Part of the old wall at North Shaolin (February 28, 2010) When I first saw the white tower (bái tǎ) pagoda in 2010 it was in serious need of repair with crumbling foundations, scores of bullet holes and foliage growing on the tiers
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Atlas of American Orthodox Christian Monasteries
    Atlas of American Orthodox Christian Monasteries Atlas of Whether used as a scholarly introduction into Eastern Christian monasticism or researcher’s directory or a travel guide, Alexei Krindatch brings together a fascinating collection of articles, facts, and statistics to comprehensively describe Orthodox Christian Monasteries in the United States. The careful examina- Atlas of American Orthodox tion of the key features of Orthodox monasteries provides solid academic frame for this book. With enticing verbal and photographic renderings, twenty-three Orthodox monastic communities scattered throughout the United States are brought to life for the reader. This is an essential book for anyone seeking to sample, explore or just better understand Orthodox Christian monastic life. Christian Monasteries Scott Thumma, Ph.D. Director Hartford Institute for Religion Research A truly delightful insight into Orthodox monasticism in the United States. The chapters on the history and tradition of Orthodox monasticism are carefully written to provide the reader with a solid theological understanding. They are then followed by a very human and personal description of the individual US Orthodox monasteries. A good resource for scholars, but also an excellent ‘tour guide’ for those seeking a more personal and intimate experience of monasticism. Thomas Gaunt, S.J., Ph.D. Executive Director Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) This is a fascinating and comprehensive guide to a small but important sector of American religious life. Whether you want to know about the history and theology of Orthodox monasticism or you just want to know what to expect if you visit, the stories, maps, and directories here are invaluable.
    [Show full text]
  • Rvf 4 Sample Unit 9.Pdf
    UNIT Culture and Identity NINE Mozambican woman with painted face 200 9781285173412_RVF4_Final_File.indd 200 1/16/14 1:07 PM FOCUS 1. What is a legend or story that you remember from your childhood? 2. What are some lessons that legends and ancient cultures try to teach us? Culture and Identity 201 9781285173412_RVF4_Final_File.indd 201 1/16/14 1:07 PM READING 1 Kung Fu Battles Academic Vocabulary to demonstrate to mature an opponent to found to modify proficient insufficient a myth Multiword Vocabulary to grit one’s teeth to look the part to hone a skill to make the case to keep up with to stretch the truth a leading role to talk one’s way into Reading Preview Preview. Look at the time line in Reading 1 on page 205. Then discuss the following questions with a partner or in a small group. 1. When was the Shaolin Temple founded? 2. What happened in 1928? Enter the modern world of 3. When did a lot of Americans learn about the Shaolin Kung Fu, an ancient Shaolin Temple? Why? form of defense. Follow the story of one Shaolin master, who must Topic vocabulary. The following words appear decide whether to star in a movie in Reading 1. Look at the words and answer the questions with a partner. or stick with tradition. brand monks cash registers robes disciples self-defense employees temple enlightenment training karate chop warfare 1. Which words are connected to fighting? 2. Which words are connected to business and money? 3. Which words suggest that the reading might be about religion and philosophy? Predict.
    [Show full text]
  • A Symbol of Global Protec- 7 1 5 4 5 10 10 17 5 4 8 4 7 1 1213 6 JAPAN 3 14 1 6 16 CHINA 33 2 6 18 AF Tion for the Heritage of All Humankind
    4 T rom the vast plains of the Serengeti to historic cities such T 7 ICELAND as Vienna, Lima and Kyoto; from the prehistoric rock art 1 5 on the Iberian Peninsula to the Statue of Liberty; from the 2 8 Kasbah of Algiers to the Imperial Palace in Beijing — all 5 2 of these places, as varied as they are, have one thing in common. FINLAND O 3 All are World Heritage sites of outstanding cultural or natural 3 T 15 6 SWEDEN 13 4 value to humanity and are worthy of protection for future 1 5 1 1 14 T 24 NORWAY 11 2 20 generations to know and enjoy. 2 RUSSIAN 23 NIO M O UN IM D 1 R I 3 4 T A FEDERATION A L T • P 7 • W L 1 O 17 A 2 I 5 ESTONIA 6 R D L D N 7 O 7 H E M R 4 I E 3 T IN AG O 18 E • IM 8 PATR Key LATVIA 6 United Nations World 1 Cultural property The designations employed and the presentation 1 T Educational, Scientific and Heritage of material on this map do not imply the expres- 12 Cultural Organization Convention 1 Natural property 28 T sion of any opinion whatsoever on the part of 14 10 1 1 22 DENMARK 9 LITHUANIA Mixed property (cultural and natural) 7 3 N UNESCO and National Geographic Society con- G 1 A UNITED 2 2 Transnational property cerning the legal status of any country, territory, 2 6 5 1 30 X BELARUS 1 city or area or of its authorities, or concerning 1 Property currently inscribed on the KINGDOM 4 1 the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.
    [Show full text]
  • 2013 ANZSI Conference: “Intrepid Indexing: Indexing Without
    Intrepid indexing: indexing without boundaries 13–15 March 2013 Wellington, New Zealand Table of Contents Papers • Keynote: Intrepid indexing: from the sea to the stars, Jan Wright • Publishers, Editors and Indexers: a panel discussion, Fergus Barrowman, Mei Yen Chua and Simon Minto • Māori names and terms in indexes, texts and databases, Robin Briggs, Ross Calman, Carol Dawber • EPUB3 Indexes Charter and the future of indexing, Glenda Browne • People and place : the future of database indexing for Indigenous collections in Australia, Judith Cannon and Jenny Wood • Indexing military history, Peter Cooke • Ethics in Indexing, Heather Ebbs • Running an Indexing Business, Heather Ebbs, Pilar Wyman, Mary Coe and Tordis Flath • Archives and indexing history in the Pacific Islands, Uili Fecteau and Margaret Pointer • Typesetting Dilemmas, Tordis Flath and Mary Russell • Can an index be a work of art? Lynn Jenner and Tordis Flath • Advanced SKY Index, Jon Jermey • East Asian names: understanding and indexing Chinese, Japanese and Korean (CJK) names, Lai Lam and Cornelia (Nelly) Bess • Intermediate CINDEX - Patterns for the Plucky, Frances Lennie • Demystifying indexing: keeping the editor sane! Max McMaster (presented by Mary Russell) • Numbers in Indexing, Max McMaster (presented by Mary Russell) • Japan's indexing practice, Takashi Matsuura • Understanding Asian Names, Fiona Price • Indexing Tips and Traps; Practical approaches to improving indexes and achieving ANZSI Accreditation, Sherrey Quinn o Indexing Tip and Traps — slides o Practical
    [Show full text]
  • Chinese Models for Chōgen's Pure Land Buddhist Network
    Chinese Models for Chōgen’s Pure Land Buddhist Network Evan S. Ingram Chinese University of Hong Kong The medieval Japanese monk Chōgen 重源 (1121–1206), who so- journed at several prominent religious institutions in China during the Southern Song, used his knowledge of Chinese religious social or- ganizations to assist with the reconstruction of Tōdaiji 東大寺 after its destruction in the Gempei 源平 Civil War. Chōgen modeled the Buddhist societies at his bessho 別所 “satellite temples,” located on estates that raised funds and provided raw materials for the Tōdaiji reconstruction, upon the Pure Land societies that financed Tiantai天 台 temples in Ningbo 寧波 and Hangzhou 杭州. Both types of societ- ies formed as responses to catastrophes, encouraged diverse mem- berships of lay disciples and monastics, constituted geographical networks, and relied on a two-tiered structure. Also, Chōgen devel- oped Amidabutsu 阿弥陀仏 affiliation names similar in structure and function to those used by the “People of the Way” (daomin 道民) and other lay religious groups in southern China. These names created a collective identity for Chōgen’s devotees and established Chōgen’s place within a lineage of important Tōdaiji persons with the help of the Hishō 祕鈔, written by a Chōgen disciple. Chōgen’s use of religious social models from China were crucial for his fundraising and leader- ship of the managers, architects, sculptors, and workmen who helped rebuild Tōdaiji. Keywords: Chogen, Todaiji, Song Buddhism, Pure Land Buddhism, Pure Land society he medieval Japanese monk Chōgen 重源 (1121–1206) earned Trenown in his middle years as “the monk who traveled to China on three occasions,” sojourning at several of the most prominent religious institutions of the Southern Song (1127–1279), including Tiantaishan 天台山 and Ayuwangshan 阿育王山.
    [Show full text]
  • Study on the Coniferous Characters of Pinus Yunnanensis and Its Clustering Analysis
    Journal of Polymer Science and Engineering (2017) Original Research Article Study on the Coniferous Characters of Pinus yunnanensis and Its Clustering Analysis Zongwei Zhou,Mingyu Wang,Haikun Zhao Huangshan Institute of Botany, Anhui Province, China ABSTRACT Pine is a relatively easy genus for intermediate hybridization. It has been widely believed that there should be a natural hybrid population in the distribution of Pinus massoniona Lamb. and Pinus hangshuanensis Hsia, that is, the excessive type of external form between Pinus massoniana and Pinus taiwanensis exist. This paper mainly discusses the traits and clustering analysis of coniferous lozeng in Huangshan scenic area. This study will provide a theoretical basis for the classification of long and outstanding Huangshan Song and so on. At the same time, it will provide reference for the phenomenon of gene seepage between the two species. KEYWORDS: Pinus taiwanensis Pinus massoniana coniferous seepage clustering Citation: Zhou ZW, Wang MY, ZhaoHK, et al. Study on the Coniferous Characters of Pinus yunnanensis and Its Clustering Analysis, Gene Science and Engineering (2017); 1(1): 19–27. *Correspondence to: Haikun Zhao, Huangshan Institute of Botany, Anhui Province, China, [email protected]. 1. Introduction 1.1. Research background Huangshan Song distribution in eastern China’s subtropical high mountains, more than 700m above sea level. Masson pine is widely distributed in the subtropical regions of China, at the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, vertically distributed below 700m above sea level, the upper reaches of the Yangtze River area, the vertical height of up to 1200 - 1500m or so. In the area of Huangshan Song and Pinus massoniana, an overlapping area of Huangshan Song and Pinus massoniana was formed between 700 - 1000m above sea level.
    [Show full text]
  • Cistercian Preparatory School: the First 50 Year
    CISTERCIAN PREPARATORY SCHOOL THE FIRST 50 YEARS 1962 2012 David E. Stewart Headmasters CISTercIAN PreparaTORY SCHOOL 1962 - 2012 Fr. Damian Szödényi, 1962 - 1969 Fr. Denis Farkasfalvy, 1969 - 1974 Fr. Henry Marton 1974 - 1975 Fr. Denis Farkasfalvy, 1975 - 1981 Fr. Bernard Marton, 1981 - 1996 Fr. Peter Verhalen ’73, 1996 - 2012 Fr. Paul McCormick, 2012 - Fr. Damian Szödényi Fr. Henry Marton Headmaster, 1962 - 1969 Headmaster, 1974 - 1975 (b. 1912, d. 1998) (b. 1925, d. 2006) Pictured on the cover (l-r): Fr. Bernard Marton, Abbot Peter Verhalen ’73, Fr. Paul McCormick, and Abbot Emeritus Denis Farkasfalvy. Cover photo by Jim Reisch CISTERCIAN PREPARATORY SCHOOL THE FIRST 50 YEARS David E. Stewart ’74 Thanks and acknowledgements The heart of this book comes from over ten years of stories published in The Continuum, the alumni magazine for Cistercian Prep School. Thanks to Abbot Peter Verhalen and Abbot Emeritus Denis Farkasfalvy and many other monks, faculty members, staff, alumni, and parents for their trust and willingness to share so much in the pages of the magazine and this book. Christine Medaille contributed her time and talent to writing Chapter 8 and Brian Melton ’71 contributed mightily to Chapter 11. Thanks to Jim Reisch for his outstanding photography throughout this book, and especially for the cover shot. Priceless moments from the sixties were captured by or provided by Jane Bret and Fr. Melchior Chladek. Thanks to Rodney Walter for collecting the yearbook photographs used in the book and identifying the students in them. Thanks to Fr. Bernard Marton, Sylvia Najera, and Bridgette Gimenez for their help in editing and proofing.
    [Show full text]
  • Buddhist College of Singapore in Affiliation To
    Curriculum of Master of Arts Degree in Buddhist Studies (International Program) Buddhist College of Singapore in Affiliation to Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University Revised Curriculum January 2020 Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery Buddhist College of Singapore, 88 Bright Hill Road, Singapore 574117 Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University & Buddhist College of Singapore Master of Arts Program in Buddhist Studies (International Program) Revised Curriculum 2020 Institution’s Title : Buddhist College of Singapore in Affiliation with Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University Faculty/ Department: Buddhist College of Singapore Section 1 General Information 1. Code and Title of Curriculum 2. Code: English: Master of Arts in Buddhist Studies (International Program) 2. Title of Degree Full Title (English) : Master of Arts (Buddhist Studies) Abbreviation (English) :M.A. (Buddhist Studies) 3. Major Field - None - 4. Total Credits 39 Credits 5. Type of Curriculum 5.1 Level Master’s Degree of two-years’ course 5.2 Medium of Instruction English/Chinese language is used as a medium, including English/Chinese documents, textbooks and general books. 5.3 Admission Local and foreign students who have completed all fields of Bachelor’s Degree and are able to use English/Chinese listening, speaking, reading and writing as well as other qualifications designated 5.4 Collaboration with Other Institutions It is a specific curriculum of the university. 5.5Type of Conferred Degree Only one degree conferred for this program. 6. Status and the Approval of Curriculum 6.1 It is the 2019 revised curriculum which is about to be available in academic year 2010 TQF 2 Curriculum of Master of Arts Program in Buddhist Studies (International Program) 2 onward 6.2 The Revised Committee of the Curriculum Development has consensually approved this curriculum at the meeting ____________, on _27 March, 2019.
    [Show full text]
  • In Any Given Moment
    Gradually, gradually, A moment at a time, The wise remove their own impurities As a goldsmith removes the dross. Dhammapada verse 239 in any given moment Ajahn Munindo In Any Given Moment by Ajahn Munindo This publication is made available for free distribution by Aruno Publications Aruno Publications is administered by: Harnham Buddhist Monastery Trust Company No. 6688355, Charity Reg. No. 1126476 Contact Aruno Publications at www.ratanagiri.org.uk This book is available for free download at www.forestsangha.org ISBN 978-1-908444-69-1 Copyright © Aruno Publications 2021 This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Produced with the LATEX typesetting system, set in EB Garamond, Alegreya Sans and Merriweather. First edition, 2021 CONTENTS Preface x i TAKING SHAPE 1 1 . 1 The End of the River 3 1 . 2 Being Different 7 1 . 3 Doctor Albert Schweitzer 1 1 1 . 4 Difficult Lessons 1 7 1 . 5 Getting Ready to Leave 2 5 YEARS OF CHAOS 2 9 2 . 1 Out Into the World 3 1 2 . 2 Jumping Sundays 3 5 2 . 3 Lifelines 4 1 2 . 4 Journeying 5 1 2 . 5 Ready to Leave, Again 5 9 2 . 6 A Very Foreign Country 6 1 THE SPIRIT OF THE SPIRITUAL LIFE 6 9 3 . 1 A Reorientation 7 1 3 . 2 What Next? 7 5 3 . 3 Heading For Asia 8 1 3 . 4 Dark Clouds Descending 8 9 3 . 5 The Land of the Free 9 5 3 . 6 Different Perspectives 9 9 3 . 7 First Encounter with the Forest Sangha 1 1 3 3 .
    [Show full text]
  • The World Through His Lens, Steve Mccurry Photographs
    The World through His Lens, Steve McCurry Photographs Glossary Activist - An activist is a person who campaigns for some kind of social change. When you participate in a march protesting the closing of a neighborhood library, you're an activist. Someone who's actively involved in a protest or a political or social cause can be called an activist. Alms - Money or food given to poor people. Synonyms: gifts, donations, offerings, charity. Ashram (in South Asia) - A place of religious retreat: a house, apartment or community, for Hindus. Bindi - Bindi is a bright dot of red color applied in the center of the forehead close to the eyebrow worn by Hindu or Jain women. Bodhi Tree - The Bodhi Tree, also known as Bo and "peepal tree" in Nepal and Bhutan, was a large and very old sacred fig tree located in Bodh Gaya, India, under which Siddhartha Gautama, the spiritual teacher later known as Gautama Buddha, is said to have attained enlightenment, or Bodhi. The term "Bodhi Tree" is also widely applied to currently existing trees, particularly the Sacred Fig growing at the Mahabodhi Temple in Bodh Gaya, which is a direct descendant planted in 288 BC from the original specimen. Buddha - 566?–c480 b.c., Indian religious leader: founder of Buddhism. Buddhism - A religion, originated in India by Buddha and later spreading to China, Burma, Japan, Tibet, and parts of southeast Asia. Buddhists believe that life is full of suffering, which is caused by desire. To stop desiring things is to stop the suffering. If a Buddhists accomplishes this, he or she is said to have obtained Enlightenment, like The Buddha.
    [Show full text]
  • 'Does Anybody Here Want to Fight'… 'No, Not Really, but If You Care to Take a Swing at Me…' the Cultivation of A
    © Idōkan Poland Association “IDO MOVEMENT FOR CULTURE. Journal of Martial Arts Anthropology”, Vol. 17, no. 2 (2017), pp. 24–33 DOI: 10.14589/ido.17.2.3 TOURISM OF MARTIAL ARTS. SOCIOLOGY & ANTHROPOLOGY OF TOURISM Wojciech J. Cynarski1(ABDEFG), Pawel Swider1(BDE) 1 University of Rzeszow, Rzeszow (Poland) e-mail: [email protected] The journey to the cradle of martial arts: a case study of martial arts’ tourism Submission: 14.09.2016; acceptance: 27.12.2016 Key words: wushu, Shaolin, cultural tourism, anthropology of martial arts Abstract Background. The study presents the account of a trip to the Shaolin monastery within the anthropological framework of martial arts and concept of martial arts tourism. Problem. The aim of the paper is to show the uniqueness of the place of destination of many tourists including the authors. The study is meant as a contribution to the further study on the tourism of martial arts. Method. The main method used here is participant observation, and additionally, an analysis of the subject literature. This is par- tially a case study, and an analysis of facts, literature and symbolism. The method of visual sociology was also used (the main material are photos taken during the trip). Results. The authors conducted field research in the area ofDengfeng: ​​ Shaolin and Fawang temples cultivating kung-fu. The descrip- tion is illustrated with photographs (factual material) and analysis of facts. It was found that in the case of the Shaolin centre both commercialisation of martial arts and tourism occurred. However, as wushu schools around the historic monastery are function- ing, this is still an important place for martial arts, especially related to the Chinese tradition.
    [Show full text]
  • I: Chinese Buddhism and Taoism
    SPECIAL REPORT: The Battle for China’s Spirit I: Chinese Buddhism and Taoism Degree of Key findings persecution: 1 Revival: Chinese Buddhism and Taoism have revived Chinese significantly over the past 30 years from near extinction, Buddhism but their scale and influence pale in comparison to the LOW pre–Chinese Communist Party (CCP) era. With an Taoism estimated 185 to 250 million believers, Chinese VERY LOW Buddhism is the largest institutionalized religion in China. 2 Intrusive controls: A large body of regulations and Trajectory of bureaucratic controls ensure political compliance, but persecution: unfairly restrict religious practices that are routine in other countries. Unrealistic temple registration Chinese Buddhism requirements, infrequent ordination approvals, and official intervention in temple administration are among Consistent the controls that most seriously obstruct grassroots monastics and lay believers. Taoism Consistent 3 Under Xi Jinping: President Xi Jinping has essentially continued the policies of his predecessor, Hu Jintao, with some rhetorical adjustments. For CCP leaders, Chinese Buddhism and Taoism are seen as increasingly important channels for realizing the party’s political and economic goals at home and abroad. In a rare occurrence, a Chinese Buddhist monk was sentenced to prison in 2016 on politically motivated charges. 4 Commodification: Economic exploitation of temples for tourism purposes—a multibillion-dollar industry—has emerged as a key point of contention among the state, clergy, and lay believers. 5 Community response: Religious leaders and monks are becoming increasingly assertive in trying to negotiate free or relatively inexpensive access to temples, and are pushing back against commercial encroachment, often with success. 26 Freedom House Visitors walk past the statue of a bodhisat- tva in a scenic park in Zhejiang Province.
    [Show full text]