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  • Academies in China?

    Hello!

    I bumped into this site by chance. The search bar doesn't work too well with me and all the search results are nil. So, I'd like to ask my question straight off.
    I apologize in advance, these questions must've been answered before.

    I've trained martial arts since I was a kid, but even with all the interest I've had for Chinese styles. I have never really practiced them and I'd like to go to China. I searched the internet through and through, but I couldn't find too many.

    I've been planning on leaving this autumn and I'd want to stay in China for a year.

    One of the academies I found was in Yantai, Kunyu Mountain. I've seen videos, read blogs, read forums, and read their webpage. ( http://www.chinashaolins.com/index.htm )
    I've heard lots of things good and bad, but the more information I find the more confused I am.

    Here are my issues with it:

    -People say it's touristy. Which is something I don't want too much, because I'd like to learn Mandarin and things about Chinese culture.

    -People say the place being touristy, so it's a rip-off. My issue with this is.. I don't want to get ripped-off, but at the same time.. the price isn't bad, since the price to live there for a year is something that even a washed out hobo could afford in my country.

    -Something about the masters not being what they say. I hear stuff that they get drunk and fight with the students. (Not only this place.) I don't know if this is some guy talking out of his ass or is this actually true. I don't mind fighting the masters, but I'd rather do it when they're sober.. Also being drunk isn't very "monastic", it ain't professional either.

    -That the academies say everything I want to hear to reel me in.
    ----

    What I'm interested in is a place where I can learn chinese martial arts (external and internal), spar, and learn new things. I've got some serious food allergies to soy and it's an ingredient I hear they put in everything, so I should find a place where I can communicate in English until I learn Chinese well enough to keep myself alive.
    This would be my first time in China and I don't know much about anything how things work there, despite all the the travelling I've done.

    Are there any other Academies I could google?
    I'd like to know some opinions of the academy in Kunyu Shan from people that have been there or know of it, would it be a good place to go have a first experience of China?
    Other advice for a person who doesn't want to visit China and some academy, but a person who wants to live in China for a year in an academy?

    Thankyou,
    MMMH.

  • #2
    we had a huge thread on that, in fact, as I remember, one of our members here years ago was instrumental in helping that school get off the ground. He subsequently had many bad things to say about it. They might have been in private messages to me.

    I know it's in here, somewhere....
    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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    • #3
      I've been trying to search the site for something about that school, but now as I run the search the only thread that mentions anything resembling is this thread I just posted. :/

      All information is helpful. Thankyou.

      Do you recommend any other places based on what I'm looking for?

      On another forum I was told to make contacts and find a master that way, but that seems highly unlikely to happen.

      Comment


      • #4
        Here:

        http://forum.russbo.com/showthread.p...is-pretty-good.
        Dedicated towards a fruitful and enlightening discussion concerning the benefits and disadvantages of various international Shaolin schools.


        Dedicated towards a fruitful and enlightening discussion concerning the benefits and disadvantages of various international Shaolin schools.


        A few brief pointers, from someone who has dealt with this far too often:

        If you are told you won't get a refund, you won't. (and no one will care if you stay or leave)
        You will be told anything; the mainland Chinese are brutal when it comes to trying to take your money.
        Most of these guys are not monks, not religious, nor do they know much about Buddhism. They have limited education (think, second grade western), know their gong fu incredibly well, and have been brought up as performers. Even the ones that "lived" in the temple.

        I say this all the time, I'll say it again:

        Don't pay more money than you're willing to lose.
        Don't expect "Shaolin monks", or anything mystical or magical. These guys are kids. Some are great, some are on some serious ego trips, most are just performers.
        Go there with no expectations, and no time duration set. I always suggest a brief initial trip to visit various schools, and get a taste for it. Most people that go with the idea of going for "x amount of time", come back disappointed. It's never what people expect.

        Read the Shaolin FAQ area (main site). I know, I have to add some stuff. I have carpal tunnel now, tough to type. But these things have been asked over and over. Also the "Dear Doc" section here in the forums.
        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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        • #5
          Thankyou!
          I will have a look.

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          • #6
            Morshu, at this point in my life, lol, I only recommend three or four places.

            Shi De Cheng
            Shi De Yang
            Shaolin Temple Wushu Guan
            Shi Heng Jun, (if he's still at Da Fa Wen Si).

            Two reasons.

            I have known them for fifteen years now. I trust them. I know what they teach. I know how they treat people. They're older, they're real, they're respected and they are respectable. Even by me, and I respect few.
            They have never let me down when I send them people.

            More advice: be careful what you read on the web. Well, you're obviously an intelligent man. You know that already.

            Also, the lower then "de"generations tend to be performers, with little actual Buddhism training, and tend to know the few forms that they were supposed to perform very well; with minimal knowledge of the rest of the forms. I learned this the hard way, years ago, when I was hanging out with the wushu guan temple performance team. Each guy knew three forms, and about three forms only. Perfectly, but his overall knowledge was limited. I found it comical, as at that time I knew about twenty various forms. Couldn't do them well, but, I was looking for knowledge. Not performance skills. So, beware the "younger masters".
            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


            Comment

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