The Complete Book of Zen [Paperback]

Wong Kiew Kit (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 2001

In The Complete Book of Zen, Shaolin grandmaster Wong Kiew Kit explains the principles and practice of Zen with a clarity that can only come from true understanding. Zen is the mystical essence of civilisation. Zen training and practice may also enhance concentration and emotional balance, help reduce states of chronic and degenerative disease, allow inspiring glimpses of cosmic reality and ultimately lead to supreme spiritual fulfilment. This book gives an expert account of the origins and development of Zen, and then outlines a series of exercises that offer the reader both a spiritual appreciation of the practice and also an actual physical experience of Zen. Irrespective of religion or spiritual beliefs, The Complete Book of Zen allows every reader to explore their spiritual potential.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Wong Kiew Kit has practised and taught Shaolin arts and meditation for more than 30 years and has over 2,000 students. He is the fourth generation successor of Monk Jiang Nan of the Shaolin Monastery and Grandmaster of Shaolin Wahnam Kung Fu and Chi Kung Institute. He is the author of several books on oriental wisdom.

Product Details

• Paperback: 335 pages
• Publisher: Vintage/Ebury (a Division of Random (August 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0091876559
• ISBN-13: 978-0091876555
• Product Dimensions: 6.2 x 1 x 9.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,061,794 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Grandmaster Wong Kiew Kit is the 4th generation successor from the Shaolin Monastery of China. He is a grandmaster of Shaolin Kungfu and Chi Kung. He received the "Qigong Master of the Year" award at the Second World Congress on Qigong held in San Francisco in November, 1997. He also holds an honors degree in humanities, and is one of the very few masters who speaks excellent English.

Grandmaster Wong, born in 1944, started his life-long training of the Shaolin arts in 1954 when he began learning Shaolin Kungfu from the famous Shaolin master, Grandmaster Lai Chin Wah, who was popularly known as Uncle Righteousness. Grandmaster Wong became his best disciple.

To further his kungfu training, Grandmaster Wong later learnt from Grandmaster Ho Fatt Nam, the third generation successor directly descended from the southern Shaolin Monastery when it was burned by the Manchurian army in China.

Sifu Wong also learned Wuzu Kungfu from Grandmaster Chee Kim Thong, and Wing Choon Kungfu from Grandmaster Choe Hoong Choy, who were patriarchs of their respective kungfu styles.

Grandmaster Wong has taught kungfu and chi kung for more than twenty five years, to more than twenty organizations. Regretting that many masters were withholding "secrets" of kungfu and chi kung with the result that these arts might lose their essence, in 1982 he founded the Shaolin Wahnam Institute of kungfu and chi kung, naming the school after the two teachers who had influenced him most, Grandmaster Lai Chin Wah and Grandmaster Ho Fatt Nam, with the aim of transmitting genuine Shaolin Kungfu, Shaolin Chi Kung and Shaolin philosophy.

Having won championships himself, Sifu Wong has trained champions in kungfu (demonstrations as well as all styles sparring) and lion dance competitions. But he has always insisted that while Shaolin Kungfu is an exceedingly effective martial art, its greatness lies in enriching our daily life and in spiritual development.

Since 1987 Grandmaster Wong has spent more time teaching chi kung than kungfu, because he believes that while kungfu serves as a fascinating hobby, chi kung serves an urgent public need, particularly in overcoming degenerative and chronic illness. Grandmaster Wong is one of the few masters who have generously introduced the once secretive Shaolin Chi Kung to the public, and has helped literally hundreds of people to be relieved of their so-called "incurable" diseases like hypertension, asthma, rheumatism, arthritis, diabetics, migraine, gastritis, gall stones, kidney failure, depression, anxiety and even cancer.

Now he has devoted more time on writing and teaching overseas, having successfully taught in Europe, the United States, Canada and Australia. He stresses the Shaolin philosophy of sharing goodness with all humanity, and is now dedicated to spreading the wonders and benefits of the Shaolin arts to more people irrespective of race, culture and religion.

www.shaolin.org

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Extremely thorough Zen reference, August 23, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Complete Book of Zen (Paperback)

I found this book to be an extremely indepth reference of Zen Buddhism. In comparison to others that I have read I found this to be very easy to understand, and with such a subject as Zen that is not an easy task. As simple as it is, with its all of its vast information and insight, one could read this book 100 times and get something new from it each time. I would definately recommend this book to anyone, from someone with a new curiosity about Zen, to a master seeking new insight and enlightenment.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars etic vs emic, July 22, 2004

By 

C Yu "team_aspic" (Portland, OR United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Complete Book of Zen (Tuttle Martial Arts) (Paperback)

If you are looking for a scholarly exposition about zen, this is not it. Sifu Wong Kiew Kit is an sifu (master) of chi kung and Southern Shaolin with students all over the world. In my feeling, if you want the view of a scholar trying to trace various philosophical arguments through the history of zen you might try a book by Paul Williams. This book is good if you want the perspective of someone who is keen on the "practical nature" of zen. Being a martial arts master, his descriptions and illustrations are couched in that tradition. You might seek out a book by Thich Nhat Hanh first though.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Now that's good Zen, April 14, 2007

By 

Siddhartha P. Jayanthi - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Complete Book of Zen (Tuttle Martial Arts) (Paperback)

Zen Buddhism has its home in the Shaolin temple in China, which is also known for its gongfu. The samurai in Japan also were ardent practioners of Zen to improve their swordsmanship. These phenomena has baffled scholars for many years: for arts that practice fighting, why practice a "peaceful" religion/spiritual philosophy? This book has the answer. It explains the concrete connection between Zen and gongfu.

On the whole its an enjoyable book. Master Wong uses various sutras and koans to explain different types of meditations, Zen or otherwise, while also givine a good comparison as between other forms of Buddhism as well as tracing its roots from India to China to Japan. On the whole, for those who want to have a well rounded regimen in training for both mind and body, this is a great book to start. This book gives a good introduction to qigong and gongfu as well as best ways to prepare for meditation.

I only give 4 stars for a couple of reasons. Master Wong does tend to repeat himself in this book. Also in writing about martial arts in general, he seemed to lack humility about the subject. Yes, I also agree gongfu is good, but I also think using other forms of martial arts, like karate and taekwondo, can also be suited for Zen study; as that is how I'm doing this training.

Either way, it's a good book to check out. If doesn't want to be too bogged down in mere intellectual studies of sutras, this helps one in getting to the core of what Zen is really about.