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  • "doc, I need help finding a good school!"

    Doc,



    I was wondering, since you have travelled to China extensively, if you might have any knowledge to impart re: KF schools in China.

    I am 26 and I am finishing my last 8 months of my Peace Corps service in West Africa before heading home.

    I started studying KF in Cape Town during college Junior Year Abroad with a school that taught Northern Shaolin Longfist and Southern Hung Fist. I also studied some Preying Mantis in Philly my last year of college - and then I studied Jow Ga in DC while I worked there for 1.5 years. I keep getting the basics - which is good - but I'd like to find somewhere that I can intensively study for a year or longer. Since China seems to be the only place that offers intensive study -- ie during the daytime, virtually everyday, and because tuition there is probably closer to my post peace corps budget even with the airfare and VISA requirements, I imagine it offers the only real school possibilities.

    I preferred the Cape Town school (related though their Si Gung Chen to the Boston Yang - YMAA - school) I attended because it was like a tight-knit family, and taught family style like in DC. The school was very strict and it was only for committed students - but I really liked the discipline and the attitude and strength of character of the older students. It was billed as 'traditional' and seemed so, although I probably don't have enough experience to really verify that claim. I am looking for a small school that I can study at intensively, under close supervision -- basically I don't want to be one in a thousand doing excercises as I don't think I would excel in that sort of atmosphere. I am not looking for preparation for competition as that is not why I practice Kung Fu - but I would really like to find a school that tutors in Chinese - Mandarin, hopefully - and in Buddhism. Alas, I am sure I can't pay outrageous foreign student fees but I understand there are some fairly reasonable Shaolin schools - hopefully of high quality? I preferred Northern longfist to any of the styles I studied, so I am also looking for a traditional Shaolin school - I am not looking for shortcuts. Rather, I am looking for quality of teaching. I don't know if you are aware of any schools that might fit, but I'd be greatly indebted if you could give your advice.

    Regards,


    xxxxxxx



    Well, this is not easy. Especially with the rapid commercialization of the various martial arts schools in China. From what I've seen, prices continue to rise on a yearly basis; when I was paying $20 a night at the Shaolin Temple Wushu Guan many years ago, others were paying $40 to $50, depending upon what the powers that were, thought they could get out of them. Now, the wushu guan is around $80 a night, and more. Shi De Cheng's school runs about $45 a night, but, for longer stays, you could negotiate him down. Other genuine training facilities demand comparable prices. And with the new changes in Shaolin, no doubt these prices are going to increase, as Yongxin attempts to completely control the Shaolin brand name.

    There are schools that advertise heavily on the internet, with prices of around $5000 a year, but, you most definitely wouldn't want to stay there that long. And, the training is not necessarily up to par. The usual domestic martial arts schools cater to domestic Chinese students, of which there are thousands. The training is good, the quality of life and living is rather poor.

    Search in the Forum Library, under Shaolin Gong Fu Schools. http://x.russbo.com/vb/forumdisplay.php?f=65

    There is a lot of information in there, concerning various schools in China and otherwise. Also, I'm in the process of opening a school here in Thailand, more details to follow on the site shortly. Do some reading there, browse the relevant portions of the site, and get back to me with your questions. I'll help you as best I can. I have two strong suggestions that I can set up for you, but, first, you've got some reading to do.
    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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