The Shaolin Grandmasters' Text: History, Philosophy, and Gung Fu of Shaolin Ch'an (Order of Shaolin Ch'an) (Hardcover)

~ Order of Shaolin Ch'an (Author) "We begin with a question: "What is Shaolin?..." (more)
Key Phrases: centerline styles, leopard fist, shinsu daizokyo, Honan Temple, Wing Chun, Shaolin Order (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

...provides very specific information and insights...for...this rigorous physical, mental, and spiritual way of life. -- October Bookviews.com - Alan Caruba

...richly informative and very strongly recommended survey of Shaolin...Especially commended to the attention of dedicated martial artists... -- Midwest Book Review

Product Description

The Order of Shaolin Ch'an fled China in 1901 due to the upheavals of war. Since coming to the United States, the monks have quietly worked to preserve the traditions, philosophies, and martial arts of the Order. This text presents and discusses Shaolin philosophy and the martial significance of Gung Fu in a public forum for the first time since the Order was founded in 520.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Order Of Shaolin Ch'an; 6 edition (January 15, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0975500902
• ISBN-13: 978-0975500903
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 6.9 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #802,100 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

59 of 64 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Clarification, September 16, 2005

By	OSC (Oregon) - See all my reviews

I am a contributor to The Shaolin Grandmasters' Test, and would like to make some comments about the book. I will do my best to represent other contributors, both living and deceased. Complaints that we fail to shower compliments upon the People's Republic of China (in general) and the resurrected Shaolin Temple in Honan Province (specifically) are not without substance. Many reviewers who are affiliated with the new Shaolin Temple may be offended by our book because we have tried to be truthful. Our perhaps it is simply the blunt presentation.

The PRC today employs tens of thousands of human and computerized monitors to censor the information accessible by the Chinese people. Internet sites with the word "freedom" typically do not make it onto the computers of Chinese citizens. The PRC continues to imprison Tibetan Buddhists who so much as say something positive about the Dalai Lama. The Shaolin Temple is the nucleus of a massive tourist industry, and has given rise to kung fu schools nearby for 10,000+ Chinese boys - keeping many young men "occupied" in a nation where the ratio of men:women is horribly skewed. Shaolin kung fu schools in Europe have been sued for using the "Shaolin" name - by an entity intimately connected with the Shaolin Temple. Stating these sorts of facts earn us the distinction of "having no room in our heart[s] for mainland China".

Our book is far from perfect. Many of our now-deceased priests were old enough to feel some personal bitterness over the incompetence of the Ch'ing dynasty, and many of our senior members had negative personal experiences with "Red China". In some places in the book, this bitterness shows. Deciding to leave some of these sentiments in the book was not a simple decision, but perhaps it was a wrong one. Buddhism does indeed reside in the heart. Anyone can choose this path. The Buddha even made provision for self-ordination, for those spiritual seekers who could not find a Sangha. I do not doubt that the Shaolin Temple in Honan houses some devout Buddhists, and human beings deserve compassion and fairness regardless of spiritual persuasion. But being a Buddhist and practicing martial arts are not sufficient conditions for being Shaolin. Shaolin is a sect of Buddhism, comparable to how the Jesuits are a specific order of the Catholic Church. One might say, "Being a Jesuit is all in the heart - just don a collar, study theology and logic, and believe in your own Jesuit-ness." It isn't that simple. The presence of martial arts in Shaolin is what makes it distinctive to most people. But what makes Shaolin _Shaolin_ is its underlying interpretation of Buddhism - an interpretation which allows for these martial, moving meditations. There is also the matter of a historical tradition. Although we have not personally witnessed these elements with respect to the Shaolin Temple in the PRC, that isn't to say they aren't there. If anything, we will strive to better reflect our own ignorance of such matters in future editions.

On a less serious note, OF COURSE our book doesn't reflect many developments in martial arts post-1900! Ours is a meditative discipline that came out of imperial China. This book is an attempt to explain our own tradition. If we were elitists of some kind who only felt scorn for those in China today, why would we have published a book detailing much of the philosophy that makes Shaolin Buddhism unique? Our goal in making the book available was to allow anyone at all to BE as Shaolin as possible (if that's what they want) with respect to the practice of Buddhism.

I believe that The Shaolin Grandmasters' Text, despite its flaws, will prove an invaluable resource for people interested in Shaolin, martial arts, Buddhism, or any combination thereof. The book details Shaolin oral history - and even though oral history is sometimes inaccurate, much can be learned from it. Some of the oral history is surely allegorical, but still has something to teach about Shaolin. There are also large sections on the traditional animal styles of Shaolin and various training methods. But the most important part of the book is the presentation of Shaolin's take on Buddhism, which we have tried to make as straightforward and clear as possible.

Finally, throughout the work, we have tried to balance fairness with truthfulness. The foundation of Buddhism is the conquering of ignorance (in Tibetan sutras, the Buddha is often referred to as "The Conqueror"). How can one begin to develop compassion and wisdom if she does not know what those things are?

Edit: Alright, I've reflected and returned. These comments are my best effort at making an official statement to represent a variety of different people. Some of what I wrote seems a little goofy to me, but I'm leaving it as is. Speaking strictly for myself, I take no issue with there being many "brands" of Shaolin in the world. It is simply a name. And if a person goes searching for a spiritual path that calls itself "Shaolin", and that person finds fulfillment - well, that is all that really matters, isn't it? I believe that if you dig deep into The Shaolin Grandmasters' Text, this is the message which will emerge. Be responsible for your own spiritual development, and judge everything for yourself.

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Historical Analysis , November 19, 2005

By	J. Eubanks (SouthEast, USA) - See all my reviews

The primary strength of this book is that it sincerely attempts to remain loyal to the superiority of an historical analysis of Shaolin Chan and its associated martial arts. As any good academic will tell you, a given topic can only be understood in its historical time and place. The Shaolin Grandmasters' Text does an outstanding job at reaching for this standard while always acknowledging that no one has all of the pertinent facts of a 1500 year old lineage such as Shaolin Chan. Combined with this historical analysis are general overviews of several gongfu styles and fundamentals of the Shaolin moving arts. One of the overall messages of this book that grants it such value is the emphasis on the reason for Shaolin Chan: to cultivate self-awakening. This book is recommended for the novice and the instructor.

24 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Enhanced with charts, photographs, and themed artwork, October 12, 2004

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

The Shaolin Grandmasters' Text: History, Philosophy, And Gung Fu Of Shaolin Ch'an is a richly informative and very strongly recommended survey of Shaolin history, Buddhism, and the martial arts associated with Shaolin practitioners. The authors purport to be two Shaolin monks with a direct and unbroken lineage to the Shaolin Order of dynastic China. Enhanced with charts, photographs, and themed artwork, this 304-page compendium is informed and informative as to Shaolin martial arts practices and the Buddhist philosophy that undergirds them. Especially commended to the attention of dedicated martial artists, The Shaolin Grandmasters' Text will also prove to be of particular interest to students of Buddhism and will correct a great deal of modern misinformation put out from the People's Republic Of China's attempted commercialized resurrection of Shaolin -- as well as the American cinema's distortions of authentic Shaolin practices.