Tag Archives: Kung Fu
Shaolin Monastery Posted by sasha on Sep 22, 2016
In addition to the amazing Longmen Grottoes and the historic White Horse Temple, Henan province is also home to the Shaolin Monastery (少林寺 – shào lín sì). This ancient temple is a UNESCO site and is the cradle of Chinese Zen Buddhism. You may know it as the home of Shaolin kung fu (功夫 –…
Eating Bitterness at Shaolin (吃苦) Posted by Stephen on May 20, 2012
Many people have asked about my experience studying kungfu at Shaolin first hand (体验生活－tǐ yàn shēng huó), so here’s a in-depth look at what the Shaolin hustle is all about. While prior to my stay, I had very little experience in Shaolin kung-fu styles and methods of training and was quickly thrown into a sink…
2011 Year in Review Posted by sasha on Dec 30, 2011
It’s been an amazing year for Transparent Chinese. Our Facebook page passed the 50,000 fans mark, our YouTube and Twitter pages have had great success, and our blog looks better than ever. Of course, we couldn’t have done it without YOU! We’d like to thank all of our readers for supporting us and making 2011…
Modern Kung Fu and Commercialization (现代功夫） Posted by Stephen on Nov 13, 2011
On the surface (在表面上), modern Shaolin Kung fu seems little altered from its ancient and austere roots. Monks still dress the same way, perform the same dazzling feats and train at the same place. The Shaolin temple has been rebuilt in keeping with traditional architecture and the “Shaolin Way” has been exported throughout the globe…
Wǔ Shù (武术） Posted by Stephen on Sep 26, 2011
Kung fu is a modern day phenomenon that is more of a culture than the actual practice of Chinese martial arts. Wushu or 武术 (wǔ shù) on the other hand, is a broader term that refers to the many schools (門, mén), families (家, jiā) and sects (派, pài) of Chinese fighting. Much like 功夫, 武术 translates…
Enter Kung Fu (功夫） Posted by Stephen on Sep 25, 2011
If you are like me, you love kung fu–in all its glory. No matter if it’s a Bruce Lee flick, a kickboxing match or if you’re just practicing some taichi (太极拳 pronounced: tài jí quán) in the back yard–kung fu kicks a$*. The hits, the flips, and who can forget the fumanchus? It’s the art of…
Shaolin Photo Gallery (少林画廊) Posted by Stephen on Jul 20, 2011
Youtube Slideshow: Performance (表演): Thumbnail Gallery: Follow Steve on twitter: @seeitbelieveit