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  • Masquerading monks...

    From the AP news service:
    Chinese Police Bust Fake Shaolin Temple Kung Fu Masters

    Friday , August 10, 2007

    BEIJING —
    Chinese border police collared a dozen would-be illegal immigrants masquerading as the famed kung fu monks of Shaolin Temple, state media reported Friday.

    The 12 had joined a team of genuine martial arts masters headed to Canada for performances, the Xinhua News Agency said.

    Their sole experience with martial arts was a one-day training session at a hotel to teach them the basics of the art of Chinese lion dancing, it said. Xinhua said the group was stopped after border guards' suspicions were aroused, but gave no details.

    It quoted a policeman in the eastern city of Changle, from which the bogus monks originally came from, as saying the Shaolin Temple had been an innocent victim of the conspirators, led by a pair of martial arts coaches and a local people smuggler, or "snake head."

    "The Shaolin Temple had nothing to do with it," Xinhua quoted the officer, identified by his surname, Wang, as saying.

    The coaches and trafficker had charged the 12 hopeful immigrants, aged 17-19, up to US$90,000 for passage out of the country, Xinhua said.

    The 1,500-year-old Shaolin Temple in central China's Henan province has fought hard against those its sees as exploiting its name for martial arts schools, performances, movies and consumer products.

    In recent years, it has set up a corporation, Henan Shaolin Temple Industrial Development Ltd., and trademarked the names "Shaolin" and "Shaolin Temple."
    It's actually not the first time that this sort of thing has happened; paying, or "bribing" one's way into "legitimacy", or onto a demonstration team, in order to successfully defect.

    Think, over ten years ago, as I've been told....
    Experienced Community organizer. Yeah, let's choose him to run the free world. It will be historic. What could possibly go wrong...

    "You're just a jaded cynical mother****er...." Jeffpeg

    (more comments in my User Profile)
    russbo.com



  • #2
    Thats actually pretty interesting. Of course shaolin would say they had nothing to do with any of it. I wonder what their cut of the action was to put those folks on the team to get them out of the country. Im sure if this story never broke it wouldve all gone down quietly. There would be a dozen new "Authentic shaolin temples" opened in canada and the US and yong xin would mysteriously have a new car complete with iPhone...

    Gee a defecting "monk" from over a decade ago... hmm who ever could that be???
    The essential point in science it not a complicated mathematical formalism or a ritualized experimentation. Rather the heart of science is a kind of shrewd honesty the springs from really wanting to know what the hell is going on!

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    • #3
      It's an interesting dilemma.

      Yongxin has really been pushing to keep his Shaolin name, and prevent these other groups from doing these "Shaolin" based tours. Yet, here is a "Shaolin Temple" tour, with people smuggling. Was it is, or one of these schools just traveling around doing the fake monk performance thing? And if it was his troupe, then how would this happen without his knowing it? He knows quite well what goes on around him...
      Experienced Community organizer. Yeah, let's choose him to run the free world. It will be historic. What could possibly go wrong...

      "You're just a jaded cynical mother****er...." Jeffpeg

      (more comments in my User Profile)
      russbo.com


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      • #4
        I;m sure he knew just enough about it to let it happen in the first place and most likely profit a bit from it. But at the same time be able to be seperate from it and deny any connection should the whole thing go south, as it clearly has.

        I am always wary of statements from those in power when they claim to have had "no knowledge" of an event that is even remotely linked to them. People in power only get there by knowing things and know how to use what they know to their advantage. This is all politics is. having knowledge and knowing how to use it.

        So, I'm sure the big man knows exactly what is going on around him and just uses it to his advantage when he ses fit. If he was totally oblivious all the time he probably wouldnt stay in power long. Someone who was more cunning would simply slip in when he wasnt looking.
        The essential point in science it not a complicated mathematical formalism or a ritualized experimentation. Rather the heart of science is a kind of shrewd honesty the springs from really wanting to know what the hell is going on!

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        • #5
          Well, he did know the very day that I had arrived in Beijing, LOL (see my latest Journals).

          But, the point is, this traveling troupe of "monks" may have been one of the many, many schools that put young students in orange robes, and then travel to other countries doing demonstrations. These guys may not have originated from Shaolin at all. Remember, the temple is not the only one who has jumped onto this commercialized bandwagon of doing overseas performances with "monks".

          Also, Xinhua seems to be the news agency that, um, "advertises" Yongxin's activities. They seem to be making the most news articles about him and the temple. Not sure if there's an association or not, if you understand my drift.
          Experienced Community organizer. Yeah, let's choose him to run the free world. It will be historic. What could possibly go wrong...

          "You're just a jaded cynical mother****er...." Jeffpeg

          (more comments in my User Profile)
          russbo.com


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          • #6
            Yeah well how many "shaolin monks" actually originate from shaolin these days anyways????
            The essential point in science it not a complicated mathematical formalism or a ritualized experimentation. Rather the heart of science is a kind of shrewd honesty the springs from really wanting to know what the hell is going on!

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            • #7
              Iron i'm tottally wiith you on everything you've said- i'm sure the "Abbot" was humming the shaolin anthem as usual,- money money money moooonaay, the day he heard about this. He is a politician he knows about the american doctrine of plausible deniability hell even i do! Just wait. Sit back and wait for the next scandal, this time the "Abbot" will say- I'm a monk I did not have sex with that woman!

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              • #8
                Ahhh hahaha Lu your so right. Your probably right that will be the next scandal. Or how bout... "I'm a monk how could those kids be mine?"

                Hell, we already know one self proclaimed "abbot" and "monk" whos used those lines already lol...
                The essential point in science it not a complicated mathematical formalism or a ritualized experimentation. Rather the heart of science is a kind of shrewd honesty the springs from really wanting to know what the hell is going on!

                Comment


                • #9
                  Rumor has it that he already has a child, a daughter, as I remember. Years ago.

                  Another example of this masquerade, was in this Chinese cruise ship line advertisement I found, a cruise which went from Hong Kong to somewhere north of Guangzhou. One of the advertised specials was the ability to train in the martial arts with a master. They had a picture of this guy, wearing the usual orange robes.

                  The problem that Shaolin has, is that it has overly commercialized itself, regardless of whether the temple itself had anything to do with it. As Sarah once said, there's a "Shaolin monk" under every rock in Europe. Or something like that...
                  Experienced Community organizer. Yeah, let's choose him to run the free world. It will be historic. What could possibly go wrong...

                  "You're just a jaded cynical mother****er...." Jeffpeg

                  (more comments in my User Profile)
                  russbo.com


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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by doc
                    The problem that Shaolin has, is that it has overly commercialized itself, regardless of whether the temple itself had anything to do with it. As Sarah once said, there's a "Shaolin monk" under every rock in Europe. Or something like that...
                    Thats the root of the problem...

                    Uwe

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                    • #11
                      "I'm a monk how could those kids be mine?"
                      hahahahaaa that was relly good!!!
                      I agree with you on the root of the problem being their own ways of doing things it easily attracts copy cats. Any chinese guy can get the robe, shave his head and claim to be shaolin.

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                      • #12
                        With all the commercialization it is rather impossible now for anyone to claim any sense of traditional validity I think. It would be like olive garden claiming to be authentic traditional italian food or McDonalds claiming to be authentic American BBQ.

                        I honestly think if the commercialization and fake monkness continues "Shaolin" will fall into this kind of catagory. Just as the first Olive garden was probably a good place to eat with its own flavor. Now, its that place you stop at when your driving cross country and dont want to eat fast food.

                        At some point when someone says to a honest and dedicated practitioner of martial arts that they now study at so and so's shaolin school they will jsut roll their eyes and say whatever buddy. Just as if I tell my 100% italian friends I had some great italian food last night at Olive Garden.
                        The essential point in science it not a complicated mathematical formalism or a ritualized experimentation. Rather the heart of science is a kind of shrewd honesty the springs from really wanting to know what the hell is going on!

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Well i tottally agree with you i get that respons when i diskuss martial arts with people who have never seen me in action. i tell them i practice real shaolin gong fu and they give me the reaction you discribed or they say i'm wasting time and i should go do muyi thai or brazilian jujitsu. It's true shaolin gets no respect from any serious martialartists today.

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                          • #14
                            WTB deathmatch w/fake shaolin abbot. My mats, ur nether PST.

                            I have the feeling that this will eventually become a major issue when China becomes the next percieved Iran. Sad times are ahead of us, gentlemen.

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                            • #15
                              Excellent to the point article and news.. Well appreciated, My sites: All You Need to Know Before Playing Live Casino Games

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