A Shaolin Kungfu Instructor killed himself in Flushing, NY

[zachsan]

Right, but their students mistakenly assume they have this knowledge anyway, that was my point.

[Iron Cross]

I agree with that as well. I hink it then raises the question is it irresponsible on their parts to "play along" so to speak? or to disregard the advice of qualified medical peoples?

I think either one of those questions should deter anyone from wanting to study with them. Sadly its not true. Everyone is so willing to look for magic and mystery and some secret answer to everything. Ancient shaolin wisdom on health and longevity. Or whatever other crap they expect to find there. Even if they don't openly admit thats what they are looking for. In fact they may even put down such talk in public but be honestly believing in it in private. I've seen it all too often.

[doc]

Well, there's another aspect of this suicide issue that I think is worthy of discussing, though it may not be relevant to this event. People commit suicide for various reasons, and occasionally, it can be used, either partly or solely, as a method of attacking those that have hurt them.

People who find that they cannot act or respond because they are in a certain repressive situation may commit such an act as a final act of revenge, knowing well that their death will bring notice or disruption to other individual's lives, that they couldn't accomplish while alive. They probably think that the other individual's guilt associated with their death will function as a sort of attack.

Which, makes the above mentioned more clear; those that have to deal with this suicide, might be more inflected to see it in a light other than suicide (an accident, a homicide, etc), as a way of managing what they see as guilty feelings.

[LFJ]

I've been around suicides before. And, it is sometimes quite natural for close loved ones to regard this act as a homicide, as, for one, it puts the deceased into a "better light", and for two, it absolves them of any guilt feelings that they may have. Suicides make people question things in their own minds, especially if they were responsible in any way for the decedent.

That's extremely clever thinking there, doc.

Iron Cross-

It may not be my business but you sure seem bent out of shape over that whole situation with you at the Temple. You mention it in nearly every post since it happened long ago. So you're putting it out there for us all to see. Please take it easy. It's Chan training. Accept hardships with your head up, as Damo would say. Whether things are as they seem to you or not, it's something you have to face and accept and ultimately put to rest. It seems to be following you like a dark cloud wherever you go. And besides keeping a negative event in your mind, (drawing negative qi) further it leads to unskillful expression of your opinion on SYM. The Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch, Huineng mentions that when faced with others who fall short of the ideal, their faults should be ignored as we try to help them. The moment we point out someone else's fault, we ourselves have stumbled from the path. What can you do to help the situation or at least put it to rest?

[Iron Cross]

Yeah your right.... I do seem to mention it alot. I am gonna just stop talking about shaolin all together.... seems like shaolin in general brings the worst out of me... That was true even before the heat stroke... awww crap I said it agian....

Damnit!!!!

I was never like this before heat stroke... shit there I go again... I can't stop myself!!!

Think happy thoughts... think happy thoughts.. Bunny rabbits.. Swimming pools... bunny rabbits in swimming pools...

theres no place like home... theres no place like home

[doc]

Bunny rabbits in swimming pools?

I can understand his referring back to this epsisode; if I may submit a conjecture, maybe he's referring to what he feels was a disregard for his welfare. Which, as some have alluded to in this thread, a similar disregard may have been associated with Guolin and Hengshan.

Let's not let this deteriorate into that conversation again.

[sanxin]

Singtao Daily, Joe Xia
Dec. 12
see the link: http://news.sina.com/singtao/104-103...301604568.html
I will translate them. But if someone who can read Chinese, can help translating it will be great.
The summary of this news says Hengshan's parents may not come to USA to take care of Hengshan's funeral. They are afraid "they can't go back to China later, after they came to USA"

本報記者夏曉明紐約報道】法拉盛少林寺武術教練恆善在11月24日自縊身亡後﹐該寺主持釋果林派遣恆善的乾 姐黃俍梅﹐到安徽阜陽臨泉縣探望恆善父母。一直努力協助恆善父母來美料理後事的師叔延章日前表示﹐黃俍梅到 大陸後﹐恆善父親最近在電話中表示不願來美﹐原因是「怕到美國後沒法回大陸」。
　　在12月2日法拉盛少林寺舉行的超度儀式上﹐果林稱恆善父母聽到不幸消息後﹐表示「要找延章要人」﹐因 為恆善當年是由延章帶到美國的。對于這個說法﹐延章昨(11日)表示﹐問他要人也沒關係﹐只要恆善父母能夠 來美﹐事情就會明朗﹐一些問題也能當面說清楚。
　　延章表示﹐他對恆善父母不願意來美「無法理解」。他曾在電話中對恆善的父親和姑父表示﹐對方只需辦理護 照﹐機票和食宿都由他們負責。待恆善父母來美後﹐他們也會補足在中國辦理護照的所有費用。他不能理解﹐為什 麼黃俍梅到大陸探視後﹐恆善父母的態度便有很大的轉變。
　　據稱﹐延章曾通過市議員劉醇逸辦公室和紐約中領館﹐積極協助恆善父母來美事務。目前﹐恆善的父母均已病 倒﹐80多歲的祖母因有太多擔心﹐不願意恆善父母成行。延章認為﹐這樣一來﹐恐怕恆善父母來美處理後事的機 會便很小。
　　此前﹐果林和法拉盛少林寺師傅延舉對媒體表示﹐該寺尚未獲得恆善父母的受權操辦恆善後事﹐恆善父母﹑姑 父和村長均對如何辦理恆善的後事意見不一。果林稱﹐如果恆善父母能夠到紐約來﹐法拉盛少林寺將承擔相關費用 ﹐並提供住宿。
　　延章是恆善過去在中國河南少林武術學校的師傅﹐也是將恆善等人帶到美國的領隊。恆善到美國後﹐再拜法拉 盛少林寺主持果林為師﹐並在少林寺擔任武術教練。
　　對于恆善自縊的不幸事件﹐紐約華人僑界也十分關心。一位不願署名的華人僑領表示﹐自己願意承擔恆善父母 來美的旅行開支。他認為﹐如果恆善父母能夠辦來美國料理後事﹐也許恆善之死就會有真相大白的一 天。

[sanxin]

When Yanzhang Shifu told me Guolin told the press that Hengshan’s death didn’t look like he hung himself. Because they saw his right side of face is black, looks like someone hit him. They said someone who did that must have an unique kicking skill (Bian Tui—round house kick). They mean the only one who has this skill is Yanzhang. (Liangmei Huang denied they have said that later to the reporters) I just felt how horrible, dark, and evil Guolin’s mind is. I also felt painful, really painful.


I was there. I saw Hengshan in the hospital. Guolin, you can lie to anybody, but you can't lie to me.
I was in the hospital around 5: 30 to 6 pm on Nov 24 after Hengshan was pronounced dead.
I was right next to the bed, crying. I just couldn’t believe he didn’t move any more. I wish I was there from 1 to 5 pm, supporting his spirits, when doctors tried to rescue him. “four to five hours rescuing can’t save your life? Or you just gave up?”

How can Guolin dare to lie after Hengshan is dead? Why Hengshan has to bear all the lie even after he is dead. I can’t believe.

Hengshan has burn his own hand once for his "guilt", and tried to commit suicide once.
And now Guolin said he couldn’t understand why Hengshan did that. He thinks eveything happen all the sudden? Without any reasons?
Does he.. has a heart.. a human’s heart….”

[Iron Cross]

YOu know the more I read about this or hear about it from people who have read about it... does that make sense? ... anyways... hte harder it becomes to paint a clear image of what actually went down...

BUT... I think anyone can agree it is sitll a horrible incident. and whether ot not he was murder or hung himself is still speaks volumes on how things are run there and the character of some of these "holy men"

YOu know I bet if we left it alone and came back in 6 months there would be some evne more sild stories floating around. I heard him and guolin fought each other for 2 hours on the roof top n a thunderstorm before he died... I heard they were attacked by ninjas sent by the snakeheads to collect gambling fees... I hears. I herd.. I heard...

[sanxin]

Tanslation

“Being Afraid of Not Being Able to Return to China After Visiting USA”, Hengshan’s Parents May Not Come to USA

Joe Xia, Singtao Daily
Dec. 12, 2006
(Sanxin translated)

After Flushing Shaolin Temple Instructor, Hengshan’s committing suicide on Nov. 24, the abbot of the temple, Shi Guolin has sent Hengshan’s god-sister, Liangmei Huang, to visit Hengshan’s parents in Lin Quan Xien, Fu Yang, An Huai Province. Shi Yanzhang, who has been trying to get Hengshan’s parents to come to USA to take care of Hengshan’s funeral, said that after Liangmei Huang’s visiting China, Hengshan’s father has said that he didn’t want to come to USA. The reason is “being afraid that he can’t go back to China after he visits USA.”

On Dec. 2, in the “Chao Du” Ceremony that Flushing Shaolin Temple hold, Guolin has said that when Hengshan’s parents heard this unfortunate news, they want “Yanzhang to take responsibility (Yiao Zen)”, Because Yanzhang is the one brought Hengshan to USA.
Responding to this, Yanzhang said (on Dec 11) it’s fine to ask him to take responsibility (Yiao Zen). If Hengshan’s parents can come to USA, things will be clear. All the questions can be spoken up face to face.

Yanzhang said, he “didn’t understand” why Hengshan’s parents didn’t want to come to USA. He has spoken to Hengshan’s father and uncle that all they have to do is to apply for passport, the tickets and accommodation will be taken care of. When Hengshan’s parents came to USA, they will also return all the application fees of passport. He doesn’t understand why Hengshan’s parents changed their attitude after Liangmei Huang visited them.

It was said that Yanzhang has tried to contact with New York City Coucilman,John Liu’s office and New York Chinese Consulate to help Hengshan’s parent to come to USA. Nowadays, Hengshan’s parents have been sick. And 80 year-old grandmother has worried and doesn’t want Hengshan’s parents to come. Yanzhang is afraid that Hengshan’ parents rarely possibly come to USA to take care of the funeral.

Before, Guolin and Flushing Shaolin Temple Shifu, Yanju has said to the press that the temple hasn’t got Hengshan’s parents permit to take care of Hengshan’s funeral, and Hengshan’s parents, uncle, and chief of village have different opinions with how to take care of Hengshan’s funeral. Guolin said, if Hengshan’s parents can come to New York, Flushing Shaoin Temple will be responsible for the related expenses, and provide the accommodation.

Yanzhang is Hengshan’s Shifu in Henan Shaolin Wushu School in China. He is also the leader who brought Hengshan and others to USA. After Hengshan arrived USA, he then became the disciple of Guolin, the abbot of Flushing Shaolin Temple, and became the Wushu (Kungfu) instructor in Shaolin Temple.
New York Chinese immigrant communities have shown deep concerns about Hengshan’s committing suicide. An unknown Chinese immigrant leader said, he wants to provide all the traveling expenses of Hengshan’s parents. He thinks if Hengshan’s parents can come to USA to take care of the funeral, the truth may be found for Hengshan’s death.

[Uwe]

A different Perspective - Message 1 of 2

The following is an article from September 2005:


China struggles to cope with suicide epidemic
By David Eimer in Beijing
Published: 19 September 2005

It's a grey, depressing morning and Wang Cui Ling knows she is facing another busy day. Taking her seat at a tiny cubicle in the bowels of Beijing's Suicide Research and Prevention Centre, the 37-year-old former psychiatric nurse will for the next eight hours be on the front line of a harrowing national epidemic.

Chinese people are taking their own lives in record numbers. More than a quarter of a million people a year are killing themselves - 685 a day. And 3.5 million make unsuccessful attempts. Suicide is now the primary cause of death among Chinese aged 20 to 35.

Ms Wang and her 17 colleagues at China's only suicide hotline get 10 calls for every one they can answer.

"The phones are always ringing," says Marlys Bueber, a nurse from South Dakota who trains hotline operators such as Ms Wang.

The service gets 22,000 calls a month. About 20 per cent are from people in Beijing but the rest come from across China and as far afield as Tibet and Hainan Island in the south. Disproportionate rates of suicide and depression among young people appear to be a direct result of increasing stress in China's rapidly changing society.

"Society is full of pressure and competition, so young people, lacking experience in dealing with difficulties, tend to get depressed," said Liu Hong, a Beijing psychiatrist.

The world's most populous country has lurched from rigid, isolated Communism to rapacious capitalism in one generation and many, especially in rural areas, are left behind by the pace of change.

"During the old times, people had different thoughts about suicide," Zhang Mingyuan, the president of the Chinese Society of Psychiatry, said. "In the Communist Party, suicide was considered an act of betrayal of the party."

Mental illness and suicide remain taboo subjects. There are just 4,000 fully qualified psychiatrists in the country for a population of 1.3 billion, and they earn a paltry average monthly salary of 2,500 renminbi (£170). Working with the mentally ill carries such a stigma that few medical graduates consider it as an option.

Despite China's soaring suicide rate, the Beijing research and prevention centre is the only one of its kind and opened only two and half years ago.

Its executive director is Michael Phillips, a 55-year-old from Montreal. "My major goal is to use the hotline to get the issue of suicide into the public mind," he said. "To me, the fact that 60 per cent of the people who call in have never sought psychological help before is already a major success. Now, we would like to develop 10 centres with hotlines around the country. But we need about $1m (£550,000) to do that. That isn't a lot of money in China any more, but it is for psychological services."

It is obvious from looking around the centre that funds are in short supply. Located in the Hui Long Guan psychiatric hospital, a Sixties facility on the northern outskirts of Beijing, the place has not been painted for years.

"Sixty per cent of the people in rural areas we've studied have never heard of the word 'depression'," Dr Phillips said. "It's not seen as an illness and so a person who develops a serious depression and starts feeling suicidal doesn't think it's a mental illness that can be treated."

In contrast with Western countries, Chinese women are more suicidal than men. Death rates are particularly high among young women in rural areas, where researchers say, people are increasingly aware of the opportunities they are denied and kill themselves to escape the suffocating embrace of isolated communities. Most use pesticides, and for many, it is a snap decision.

The prevention centre can reduce these numbers, according to Dr Phillips. "You have to have an environment where people have other options and are aware of them and where suicide is a less acceptable way of dealing with acute stress."

But for Ms Wang and her colleagues, mostly psychiatric nurses in their early thirties, it is an exhausting struggle. They work on a rotation of one week on, one week off, and are monitored to ensure they do not take their work home with them.

"We debrief them at the end of the week-long shift, and the goal isn't just to talk about what was hard, but to lighten them up and get them to feel good about themselves again," Ms Bueber said.

Ms Wang, who has been with the hotline since it opened, admits she is haunted by her work. "At the beginning, I'd come home and worry about the callers and whether I'd been able to help them. But now, even though I still worry about them, I know I can't do any more for them."

Photographs of her husband and 11-year-old daughter adorn her computer as reminders of home.

"There are some problems we can't solve, like if the caller is short of money or has a severe physical illness. But we can focus on the way they're feeling and support them."

When staff get a high-risk caller, it is up to them to convince the caller to step back from the brink, because they get precious little support from the authorities. They cannot send an ambulance, Ms Bueber said, as that must be paid for by the person who called it. Co-operation with the emergency services is non-existent.

For now, though, Ms Wang and her colleagues will continue to field calls from people who have no one else to turn to. "I've never thought of giving up my job, even when it is hard and upsetting. I always feel happy if I think I have helped someone," she said.

It's a grey, depressing morning and Wang Cui Ling knows she is facing another busy day. Taking her seat at a tiny cubicle in the bowels of Beijing's Suicide Research and Prevention Centre, the 37-year-old former psychiatric nurse will for the next eight hours be on the front line of a harrowing national epidemic.

Chinese people are taking their own lives in record numbers. More than a quarter of a million people a year are killing themselves - 685 a day. And 3.5 million make unsuccessful attempts. Suicide is now the primary cause of death among Chinese aged 20 to 35.

Ms Wang and her 17 colleagues at China's only suicide hotline get 10 calls for every one they can answer.

"The phones are always ringing," says Marlys Bueber, a nurse from South Dakota who trains hotline operators such as Ms Wang.

The service gets 22,000 calls a month. About 20 per cent are from people in Beijing but the rest come from across China and as far afield as Tibet and Hainan Island in the south. Disproportionate rates of suicide and depression among young people appear to be a direct result of increasing stress in China's rapidly changing society.

"Society is full of pressure and competition, so young people, lacking experience in dealing with difficulties, tend to get depressed," said Liu Hong, a Beijing psychiatrist.

The world's most populous country has lurched from rigid, isolated Communism to rapacious capitalism in one generation and many, especially in rural areas, are left behind by the pace of change.

"During the old times, people had different thoughts about suicide," Zhang Mingyuan, the president of the Chinese Society of Psychiatry, said. "In the Communist Party, suicide was considered an act of betrayal of the party."

Mental illness and suicide remain taboo subjects. There are just 4,000 fully qualified psychiatrists in the country for a population of 1.3 billion, and they earn a paltry average monthly salary of 2,500 renminbi (£170). Working with the mentally ill carries such a stigma that few medical graduates consider it as an option.

Despite China's soaring suicide rate, the Beijing research and prevention centre is the only one of its kind and opened only two and half years ago.

Its executive director is Michael Phillips, a 55-year-old from Montreal. "My major goal is to use the hotline to get the issue of suicide into the public mind," he said. "To me, the fact that 60 per cent of the people who call in have never sought psychological help before is already a major success. Now, we would like to develop 10 centres with hotlines around the country. But we need about $1m (£550,000) to do that. That isn't a lot of money in China any more, but it is for psychological services."

It is obvious from looking around the centre that funds are in short supply. Located in the Hui Long Guan psychiatric hospital, a Sixties facility on the northern outskirts of Beijing, the place has not been painted for years.

"Sixty per cent of the people in rural areas we've studied have never heard of the word 'depression'," Dr Phillips said. "It's not seen as an illness and so a person who develops a serious depression and starts feeling suicidal doesn't think it's a mental illness that can be treated."

In contrast with Western countries, Chinese women are more suicidal than men. Death rates are particularly high among young women in rural areas, where researchers say, people are increasingly aware of the opportunities they are denied and kill themselves to escape the suffocating embrace of isolated communities. Most use pesticides, and for many, it is a snap decision.

The prevention centre can reduce these numbers, according to Dr Phillips. "You have to have an environment where people have other options and are aware of them and where suicide is a less acceptable way of dealing with acute stress."

But for Ms Wang and her colleagues, mostly psychiatric nurses in their early thirties, it is an exhausting struggle. They work on a rota of one week on, one week off, and are monitored to ensure they do not take their work home with them.

"We debrief them at the end of the week-long shift, and the goal isn't just to talk about what was hard, but to lighten them up and get them to feel good about themselves again," Ms Bueber said.

Ms Wang, who has been with the hotline since it opened, admits she is haunted by her work. "At the beginning, I'd come home and worry about the callers and whether I'd been able to help them. But now, even though I still worry about them, I know I can't do any more for them."

Photographs of her husband and 11-year-old daughter adorn her computer as reminders of home.

"There are some problems we can't solve, like if the caller is short of money or has a severe physical illness. But we can focus on the way they're feeling and support them."

When staff get a high-risk caller, it is up to them to convince the caller to step back from the brink, because they get precious little support from the authorities. They cannot send an ambulance, Ms Bueber said, as that must be paid for by the person who called it. Co-operation with the emergency services is non-existent.

For now, though, Ms Wang and her colleagues will continue to field calls from people who have no one else to turn to. "I've never thought of giving up my job, even when it is hard and upsetting. I always feel happy if I think I have helped someone," she said.

[Uwe]

A different Perspective - Message 2 of 2

While the article in the previous message 1 of 2 makes the numbers look shocking to anyone not from China, lets look at it a little more pragmatic.

Looking at the rate per 100,000, which is the measure adopted by most countries globally, you will discover that China is slightly lower than the global norm of 25 per 100,000 as provided by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2000. But the rate is increasing.

The article does bring up other interesting points though, even if it skims the details. People are apparently overwhelmed by the suffocating lack of opportunity in China's rural countryside, and the change in society are a major factor. Its too difficult to adjust and there is no help available. Doc pointed it out in one of his messages where it relates to responsiblity if you bring someone over here.

I just wanted to reenforce this particular point made by doc because I personally consider this being the main cause, as well as providing some food for thought for anyone dreaming on going to China to sit on a mountain, because it could also become an issue the other way around.


These 2 messages will be the only comment from me on this sad incident.


Uwe

[doc]

I received this email from a Shi Heng Lin. Apparently, he had trouble posting under his stage name, so he asked me to submit this.

Dear Doc,

Here is my post, I don't know what was wrong with the server. I try to post them but it seemed didn't come up right, but here is the attachement that I post in your website, I hope that everyone will understand the reason behind the death of Heng Shan, I hope that everybody will not be mistaken by so many gossip that come to them. Please take a look of this news and post them. Thank you.

Subject: Heng Shan


Dear All, I think everybody was so surprised with what happened to one of the instructor at Shaolin Temple in Flushing. About how he died and how his story spread out so fast after we found him dead when we callled his cellphone (not his, belong to one of his dharma brothers) and was picked up by the police in the hospital. So many people wonder how did he do that, and why, and so many people think whether there were a "cause" that made him to go to this tragic way to hell.

There are so many things that is happening in this world, in this unbalanced world of phenomena, and one thing that is so sure is that we all are going to die one day, and none of our relatives or friend could save us. But do we have to go through the painful way or the natural way to die? The tragedy of how Heng Shan died had trembled our community of Shaolin Temple here in NYC. And it was just a shocked impact to us as his relative dharma brothers. None of you can believe this thing will happen to Shaolin disciples. If we want to trace whether he was abused, or even pushed to the edge of death by Guo Lin, forum might think that we made this up because Guo Lin is the instructor and impossible for him to do that, and was the best Shaolin performer here in NYC. No, forum won't think that way. But, we have to say, there are so many things that A PERSON can do, even to kill himself for example. And also forum might wonder who are WE?

My name is Shi Heng Lin, I took a monastic vow under my teacher Shi Yan Chang in 1998 and took a full ordination 6 years after. My teacher, Ven. Yan Chang started to build his own center for meditation and martial in 1992 after his performing in 1991 in NYC. That year he also brought Guo Lin and Yan Ming to US along with his other performers. Since He Nan Shaolin Monastery had nobody would go abroad to US, they appointed Ven. Shi Yan Chang to build a branch here in NY. Ven. Shi Yan Chang had made the performance succesfully that year and came back again in 1992 as the invitation from one of the temple here in NYC.
He started a center underneath the temple on Allen St. After he settled the center, he had to go back to China to make a report and appointed both Yan Ming and Guo Lin to look after the center.

But, as time goes by, the center became fragile and both of Yan Ming and Guo Lin weren't able to continue the class since they didn't get along each other, plus the temple upstairs needs the space back. Ven. Yan Chang finally found out about that matter and he came back to US to bring them both back to China, but who knows that night when they were in the hotel, Ven. Yan Chang had lost them. They ran away from the hotel and never heard of them again. Ven. Yan Chang was looking for them that night but couldn't find them, so he had to go back to China himself the next morning and report them lost in the middle of nowhere.

As years go by, Ven. Yan Chang try to build his own center again, but were barricade with too many obstacles. Until one day Guo Lin and Yan Ming show their faces again in 1995. Guo Lin asked Ven. Yan Chang permission to build his own school. At first, Ven. Yan Chang dissagreed since they were under his name to come to US and he wouldn't do it. But, as a monk who had full ordination, Ven. Shi Yan Chang was touched by their regret and forgive them and allow them to use the name of Shaolin Temple. And asked them to stay in the Buddist path.

But, who knows the sneaky two of them had fooled Ven. Shi Yan Chang and change the name of the company and making their own company. No one knows until Ven. Yan Chang found out himself and was very angry. But, what is the use? As years passes by, Ven. Yan Chang had finally build his own center to practice dharma and meditation here in Corona, NY, until his dharma brother Shi Yan Zhang came to US to perform in Lincoln Center in 2003.

Yan Zhang was a monastic once, but he decide to be a coach trainer to train children and had his own performance group in He Nan, China. There he had many students came from poor family and trained there to be a good martial artis and performers. Heng Shan was one of the children. Heng Shan was named by Guo Lin after he came to US. His birth name was Wang Ji Mei. Guo Lin and Yan Zhang were very good friend when they were in China, they were like brothers.

When Guo Lin had already established the school, he wanted to have a trainer in his school, so he asked Yan Zhang to send him one of the trainer. Heng Xin was the first one. His birth name was Chao Fan. Heng Xin was treated well by Guo Lin in the first place, but after that, Guo Lin started to curse him and treat him bad as he did to Heng Shan. Guo Lin had promised Yan Zhang that he will give him money and apply him a permanent residence application. But, Guo Lin never did. Heng Xin found out about that and then he left with one of the student's help that morning.

Don't know what Guo Lin said to Yan Zhang about Heng Xin that make Yan Zhang sent another student to Guo Lin's place, Wang Ji Mei. The same thing had happened to Heng Xin, happened to Heng Shan. in 2003 that year when Yan Zhang came to US, he saw that Heng Shan was so weak and was not able to teach in full shape. He asked Heng Shan what happened, but Heng Shan didn't answer his teacher's question. Until Guo Lin got quarrelled with Yan Zhang due to a piece of paper stranded early in the morning in every temple in NYC saying about Guo Lin had a wife and two children and how much money he had.

After Yan Zhang left Guo Lin's place, he stay with his 3 students were help by one of the Buddhist follower to live in their home. Before they left, Yan Zhang asked Heng Shan whether he wanted to come with them, but Heng Shan refused say that he is affraid of Guo Lin. (To all of you, might not know that a person who came from village, might not understand the law and usually listen to whatever the person who supports them. And this is can not be blamed since they came from a small village in the countryside).

There are some students who wanted to help Heng Shan out of Guo Lin's place, but could not. Until Heng Shan found out himself that he has no identity in US. His passport was taken by Guo Lin and his visa has never been extended at all. Heng Shan didn't know what to do, and was drowned with so much pain in his body as much as his legal status in US. So much suffering he has until his teacher found him sick and sent him to a doctor. Heng Shan mentioned that Guo Lin took him to a doctor, and so much blood was taken out everytime they check him up. Finally Yan Zhang found out that Heng Shan had a low blood sugar, that made him dizzy everytime he teach.

Heng Shan was so frustrated with his status in the US and he also mentioned to one of his dharma brother, that if he doesn't have a passport and a visa, that means he can not work in US. And that Friday he ask for a cell phone and some money from his dharma brother to make a call for his Godmother to ask for his passport to be returned to him so he can go back home to China. But, the Godmother never show up... next moment... he hang himself.

These story was shortened by so many conversation of each and everyone who had being with Heng Shan since he came to US and the last day he died. If we care about him and wish him to be able reborn again in a human form, we need to dedicate our merit to him so he'll be able to attain a human form not in the suffering of the hell realm.

If we care about him, we need to stop posting our bad image of Shaolin and distinguish between the "fake" and "real" monk. What is the point of it? A "fake" monk and a "real" monk had died in Heng Shan's body. A "fake" monk and a "real" monk is still survive and live happily in Flushing Shaolin Temple. WE don't need to fight or argue what or who is wrong and who is right, the problem is not between them, is not between Heng Shan and Guo Lin or between Yan Zhang and Guo Lin or somebody else.

It is between you and me. Between ourself. We must see ourself, how we approach this matter and how we see it. I hope these story will clear up some of the confusion inside the forum, whether in Russbo or in other website. And on the behalf of Heng Shan and other Shaolin Temple's student, let us just stop this bullshit and stay away from the word of "real" and "fake". If things happen, it will happen, we don't need to chase them. It will come to us by then, even if you refuse it to come.

At last, please don't make any judgement before you all know. And for Heng Shan's sake, I thank you all.

Ani Amrta known as Shi Heng Lin

[doc]

Just to make a clarification, the above mentioned history about Yanchang's initial interaction with Yanming and Guolin, and their very first orgins here, are inaccurate. A small issue, not really related to the story at large.

[amrta]

The truth of all these years

Subject: Heng Shan

Dear All,

I think everybody was so surprised with what happened to one of the instructor at Shaolin Temple in Flushing. About how he died and how his story spread out so fast after we found him dead when we callled his cellphone (not his, belong to one of his dharma brothers) and was picked up by the police in the hospital.

So many people wonder how did he do that, and why, and so many people think whether there were a "cause" that made him to go to this tragic way to hell.

There are so many things that is happening in this world, in this unbalanced world of phenomena, and one thing that is so sure is that we all are going to die one day, and none of our relatives or friend could save us. But do we have to go through the painful way or the natural way to die?

The tragedy of how Heng Shan died had trembled our community of Shaolin Temple here in NYC. And it was just a shocked impact to us as his relative dharma brothers. None of you can believe this thing will happen to Shaolin disciples. If we want to trace whether he was abused, or even pushed to the edge of death by Guo Lin, you, forum might think that we made this up because Guo Lin is the instructor and impossible for him to do that, and was the best Shaolin performer here in NYC.

No, you won't think that way. But, we have to say, there are so many things that A PERSON can do, even to kill himself for example. And also you might wonder who are WE?

My name is Shi Heng Lin, I took a monastic vow under my teacher Shi Yan Chang in 1998 and took a full ordination 6 years after. My teacher, Ven. Yan Chang started to build his own center for meditation and martial in 1992 after his performing in 1991 in NYC. That year he also brought Guo Lin and Yan Ming to US along with his other performers. Since He Nan Shaolin Monastery had nobody would go abroad to US, they appointed Ven. Shi Yan Chang to build a branch here in NY. Ven. Shi Yan Chang had made the performance succesfully that year and came back again in 1992 as the invitation from one of the temple here in NYC.


He started a center underneath the temple on Allen St. After he settled the center, he had to go back to China to make a report and appointed both Yan Ming and Guo Lin to look after the center. But, as time goes by, the center became fragile and both of Yan Ming and Guo Lin weren't able to continue the class since they didn't get along each other, plus the temple upstairs need to have the space back.


Ven. Yan Chang finally found out about that matter and he came back to US to bring them both back to China, but who knows that night when they were in the hotel, Ven. Yan Chang had lost them. Guo Lin and Yan Ming ran away from the hotel and never heard of them again. Ven. Yan Chang was looking for them that night but couldn't find them, so he had to go back to China himself the next morning and report China that he lost them in the middle of nowhere.

As years go by, Ven. Yan Chang try to build his own center again, but were barricaded with too many obstacles. Until one day Guo Lin and Yan Ming show their faces again in 1995.

Guo Lin asked Ven. Yan Chang permission to build his own school. At first, Ven. Yan Chang dissagreed since they were under his name to come to US and he wouldn't do it. But, as a monk who had full ordination, Ven. Shi Yan Chang was touched by their regret and forgive them and allow them to use the name of Shaolin Temple. And asked them to stay in the Buddist path.

But, who knows the sneaky two of them had fooled Ven. Shi Yan Chang and change the name of the company and making their own company. No one knows until Ven. Yan Chang found out himself and was very angry. But, what is the use? As years passes by, Ven. Yan Chang had finally build his own center to practice dharma and meditation here in Corona, NY, until his dharma brother Shi Yan Zhang came to US to perform in Lincoln Center in 2003.

Yan Zhang was a monastic once, but he decide to be a coach trainer to train children and had his own performance group in He Nan, China. (The title of Shi from Shi Yan Zhang was named before when he was a monk. And until today it became his last name, since the passport is not easy to change her in the US.)

There in China, he had many students came from poor family and were trained there to be a good martial artis and performers. Heng Shan was one of the children. Heng Shan was named by Guo Lin after he came to US. His birth name was Wang Ji Mei.

Guo Lin and Yan Zhang were very good friend when they were in China, they were like brothers. When Guo Lin had already established the school, he wanted to have a trainer in his school, so he asked Yan Zhang to send him one of the trainer. Heng Xin was the first one. His birth name was Chao Fan. Heng Xin was treated well by Guo Lin in the first place, but after that, Guo Lin started to curse him and treat him bad as he did to Heng Shan. Guo Lin had promised Yan Zhang that he will give him money and apply him a permanent residence application. But, Guo Lin never did.

Heng Xin found out about that and then he dissapear with one of the student's help that morning. Don't know what Guo Lin said to Yan Zhang about Heng Xin that made Yan Zhang sent another student to Guo Lin's place, Wang Ji Mei. The same thing had happened to Heng Xin, happened to Heng Shan.

In 2003 that year when Yan Zhang came to US, he saw that Heng Shan was so weak and was not able to teach in a full shape. He asked Heng Shan what happened, but Heng Shan didn't answer his teacher's question. Until Guo Lin got quarrelled with Yan Zhang due to a piece of paper stranded early in the morning in every temple in NYC saying about Guo Lin had a wife and two children and how much money he had.

Guo Lin accused Yan Zhang with the news in the paper. But, Yan Zhang claimed he didn't say anything, because that time, Yan Zhang still live in Guo Lin's temple. After Yan Zhang left Guo Lin's place, he stay with his 3 students and were helped by one of the Buddhist follower to live in their home. Before they left, Yan Zhang asked Heng Shan whether he wanted to come with them, but Heng Shan refused say that he is affraid of Guo Lin. (To all of you, might not know that a person who came from village, might not understand the law and usually listen to whatever the person who supports them. And this is can not be blamed since Heng Shan came from a small village in the countryside).

There are some students who wanted to help Heng Shan out of Guo Lin's place, but could not. Until Heng Shan found out himself that he has no identity in US. His passport was taken by Guo Lin and his visa has never been extended at all. Heng Shan didn't know what to do, and was drowned with so much pain in his body as much as his legal status in US. So much suffering he has until his teacher found him sick and sent him to a doctor.

Heng Shan mentioned that Guo Lin took him to a doctor, and so much blood was taken out everytime they check him up. Finally Yan Zhang found out that Heng Shan had a low blood sugar, that made him dizzy everytime he teach. Heng Shan was so frustrated with his status in the US and he also mentioned to one of his dharma brother, that if he doesn't have a passport and a visa, that means he can not go back to China, nor work in the US.

And that Friday he ask for a cell phone and some money from his dharma brother to make a call for his Godmother to ask for his passport to be returned to him so he can go back home to China. But, the Godmother never show up... next moment... he hang himself.


These story was shortened by so many conversation of each and everyone who had being with Heng Shan since he came to US and the last day he died. If we care about him and wish him to be able reborn again in a human form, we need to dedicate our merit to him so he'll be able to attain a human form not in the suffering of the hell realm.

If we care about him, we need to stop posting our bad image of Shaolin and distinguish between the "fake" and "real" monk. What is the point of it? A "fake" monk and a "real" monk had died in Heng Shan's body. A "fake" monk and a "real" monk is still survive and live happily in Flushing Shaolin Temple.


WE don't need to fight or argue what or who is wrong and who is right, the problem is not between them, is not between Heng Shan and Guo Lin or between Yan Zhang and Guo Lin or somebody else. It is between you and me. Between ourself. We must see ourself, how we approach this matter and how we see it. I hope these story will clear up some of the confusion inside the forum, whether here in Russbo or in other website.

And on the behalf of Heng Shan and other Shaolin Temple's student, let us just stop this bullshit and stay away from the word of "real" and "fake". If things happen, it will happen, we don't need to chase them. It will come to us by then, even if you refuse it to come.

At last, please don't make any judgement before you all know. And for Heng Shan's sake, I thank you all.


Ani Amrta known as Shi Heng Lin