my name is xxxxxxxxx and I'm a student of sinology at the university of xxxxxxx. I'm in the process of doing research for my master thesis. Although I haven't come to the final research question, I want to write on the current state of shaolin, what's left of the "real" gongfu and the whole commercialization that took place after the the end of the cultural rev.
I have a couple of questions and hope you can help me!
First of all, your homepage is huuuge and it's kinda hard for me to orient myself. I would be very happy if you could give me some hints or point me in the right direction concerning the above mentioned topics.
Also, I'm planning to travel to Dengfeng next year (btw, i have already spent a couple of months in the old xiao long near zhengzhou in 2006) to so some interviews. I know you have very good contacts to De Yang and De Cheng, do you think it would be possible to meet one or both and ask a couple of Qs? Is it maybe even possible to meet the Abbot? And do you have any suggestions for other persons/monks I could ask?
It would be interesting to get their views on the current state of shaolin gongfu.
Sorry for the long mail but I know you are THE expert on everything objective concerning shaolin and I really hope you could help me a bit.
Thanks a lot & best wishes,
I have a couple of questions and hope you can help me!
First of all, your homepage is huuuge and it's kinda hard for me to orient myself. I would be very happy if you could give me some hints or point me in the right direction concerning the above mentioned topics.
Also, I'm planning to travel to Dengfeng next year (btw, i have already spent a couple of months in the old xiao long near zhengzhou in 2006) to so some interviews. I know you have very good contacts to De Yang and De Cheng, do you think it would be possible to meet one or both and ask a couple of Qs? Is it maybe even possible to meet the Abbot? And do you have any suggestions for other persons/monks I could ask?
It would be interesting to get their views on the current state of shaolin gongfu.
Sorry for the long mail but I know you are THE expert on everything objective concerning shaolin and I really hope you could help me a bit.
Thanks a lot & best wishes,
We'll start with the last questions first. I'll return to this thread as various thoughts pop into my mind. I don't remember everything that's in this site, which is why I post this, as no doubt some of the fellow russboians, if they ever stop thinking about sex in Asia, might be able to help you.
As for the abbot, given the fact that we are "best buddies", as "bestest" as can be, I can't help you with that. I have stories of the threats that I underwent on one trip, because of the various things that I had uncovered and published. Let's just say that I won't be getting invited to his Christmas party.
As for meeting with DeCheng and DeYang, I have no doubt that arrangements can be made with DeCheng. We still stay in touch, though recently, his mother just passed away, and he's been busy with family life. I'm not sure when I'll see him again, as I've been busy with my own family life. Hopefully, we'll catch up sometime this spring, in Thailand, if we both make it there.
As for DeYang, I don't stay in touch with him, but I have monk friends here in the US that do. When you're ready to go to Dengfeng, let me know and I'll start sending the emails.
OK, more replies about navigating the site, on the way. This was just a start. Sorry for my delay in answering, I try to get these things out as soon as possible, but with the holidays around the corner, and an almost two year old demanding my constant attention (to kill zombies, ride bike, watch Wow Wow Wubzie, get lap dances, OK, just kidding..) and a wife who's even worse, getting the time to devote to the site has been difficult.
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