I’ve heard this through the Shaolin grapevine and haven’t confirmed it yet. I hope that some of the people in Shaolin like Blooming Lotus or Russbo can do so. The word is that they just demolished many of the altar rooms within the temple. These are the side altar rooms that were reconstructed after the Cultural Revolution. None of the older buildings were affected.
My understanding is that this is all part of Abbot Yongxin’s redevelopment plan. He wants to restore Shaolin to it’s former glory and that temple was ten times the size that it is presently. So apparently, he has knocked down the newer buildings to make room for this expansion.
According to my source, the demolishing took place a few weeks ago. He said he caught it all on film. Some hardcore Japanese-made wrecker was brought in a levelled it all a few days.
Can anyone confirm this? My source is quite convincing, but it’s just one source, so I’m looking for corraborating stories.
I put the word out to some other people I know at Shaolin too. But I’ll be unavailable for a spell, so I won’t be able to get back to you on this for a while. When I’m back and know more, I’ll follow up here.
hopefully you read Xiao s’ link.i, unfortunately I don’t have time myself at the moment.I was there last only a few weeks myself and there was alot of construction etc going on.I really can’t be much more specific than that at this stage, but i’ll read the article and if necc, make some enquiries locally…
revamp includes bodhisavatta nunnery, kuan-yin nunnery, 1000 budhha palace ( particulary mural painting), pillared artworks and some landscaping…IE trees outside of emporor palace..
partial goal , restoration to original state and erradicate unwanted guests and traffic ( ie : squatters, police etc)
estimated completion date Oct 2004
restoration plan developed by Zhang Jiatai, dean of Henan Ancient construction institute…
I’ll ask around and see how far they really have gotten and hopefully will let you know soonish
is there anyway you can show us some pictures of teh site and what’s happening there?
do you know of anyone in the area who can show us these via the web?
you must understand that many of us here are quite curious about teh state of teh temple, if for no reason other than some small connection to it through our various practices.
it would be good to know that all is well and that the things happening will ultimately result in a positive move forward for the shaolin temple and what it is about.
From the press release this sounds great!
Having people like Dean Zhang Jiatai involved then allocating enough
money to do a quality job is a important step saving this amazing piece of cultural history. The team at Shaolin is doing the right thing in this regard.
is there anyway you can show us some pictures of teh site and what’s happening there?
do you know of anyone in the area who can show us these via the web?
you must understand that many of us here are quite curious about teh state of teh temple, if for no reason other than some small connection to it through our various practices.
it would be good to know that all is well and that the things happening will ultimately result in a positive move forward for the shaolin temple and what it is about.
cheers [/B]
krikey K!!! great to hear about global interest ( sincerely) but really…it’s a bit of a mission to facilitate pics out from here, but like I said before, I’m on my way to Aus Via gaunzhou in only several days.I do have some shots myself that I’m keen to post as soon as I get home or to a scanner/printer…also , I got my fiance onto it ( who - out of interest did some “time” ( understand the punn) out at shaolin si or tagou to be truthful, and he’s giving them a buzz today to find out the drum…doc ( www.russbo.com)'ll be out there in several weeks, but if you’re really anxious , I’ll zip out there on my way out and do more photos…
Personally..I know they’re building a new temple up at tianjin soonish , by '08, and have also heard they have plans for total demoltion at dengfeng/ mt.song ( true original state) …why they’d wanna start preservation efforts now is a little beyond me at this stage, but I’m sure there’s method to the maddness, so I’ll do the run out there, take some shots and keep you all posted…
Originally posted by blooming lotus why they’d wanna start preservation efforts now is a little beyond me at this stage, but I’m sure there’s method to the maddness,
Because world attention will hit China in 2008, genius. They want a nice, clean country for the olympic cameras to start those tourist dollars rolling in. Lord, you can be a muppet some times!
must you follow me around the forum acting like that???..my point was that Tianjin ( the new nthn temple ) is set to open around the same time..you would think they’d just put those funds into the new site…especially bearing in mind that soon after this the Henan site at songshan is scheduled for demo…
my understanding is that all of it will go, the temple will relocate to Tianjin, not far from Beijing and songshan will return to it’s original state…
I really can’t have a problem with this…and if you went there I’m sure you’d feel the same. Perhaps shaolin temple at songshan will rise again in the future, but after the destruction and westernisation of this whole township, outside, up to and including on the mountain face of song herself, perhaps it’s a very good thing that the land be weeded of such things and allowed to rest and recoup…
in the meantime, shaolin si Tianjin, the new nthrn temple is gearing to old day shaolin concepts, structures and operative methods to meet criteria for Unesco and protection under guidlines for official “living monument” status…
the current temple and surrounding area, as Gene and others have previously mentioned, would just never ,make the grade and shaolin would continue to fight for its’ existance…you do what you must to keep shaolin beliefs and practices alive … and what better time or place to promote awareness of shaolin then to have the new temple opening coincide with the internation exposure of the '08 china / Beijing olympics when wushu makes it’s debut on the world stage…
sounds sound to me
Ps. Masterkiller normally has quite good links to info regarding these things. If you Pm’d him I’m sure he’d be happy to give you what he can
Recognizing the Shaolin systems in exile since the 1950’s would be a start.
Which is more important the message or the messenger?
“The Kingdom of God is inside/within you (and all about you), not in buildings/mansions of wood and stone. (When I am gone) Split a piece of wood and I am there, lift the/a stone and you will find me.”
look dude…you obviously no nothing nothing about what you’re speaking because in my days growing having catholism jammed down my throat for nearly 30 yrs and after, I have NEVER come across a more humble or ascetic life styled system of belief…gong fu is an off -shoot..to facilitate mediatation.what don’t you morons understand about that???
Originally posted by blooming lotus look dude…you obviously no nothing nothing about what you’re speaking because in my days growing having catholism jammed down my throat for nearly 30 yrs and after, I have NEVER come across a more humble or ascetic life styled system of belief…gong fu is an off -shoot..to facilitate mediatation.what don’t you morons understand about that???
Originally posted by ngokfei
[B]I know I’m slow witted lately so clarify this.
The Shaolin Temple on Mt. Song is being moved to tianjin?
The Song Shan Temple is being demolished?
I can understand renovation and preservation but demolition.
Can’t believe they would be so stupid, a 1500 year temple being torn down. No way.
Removal of recent renovations and additions, yes
How can a new temple be a unesco site? Something not kosher here?
boy I need a cup of java… [/B]
It’s not the temple that they’re applying for protection for, it’s the name of shaolin and it will be as “living monument”…as the branch of classification they will apply under. If you saw shaolin si today, you would understand that through the ravages of war and governmental monitoring and control, to begin with, there’s not a great deal of the original temple left anyway and then you have things like the touro facilities littering the area, or I have this picture of “the temple of meditation” which I snapped because I thought it was a poiniant and quite sad moment for me where I could barely see the entrance for the hoards of stalls / shops/ visitors etc…then I also have a some pictures of Shi YongXins’ house / room / dungeon whatever it is that is a dingey little cement room with bars on the doors and windows. These are conditions they were “allowed” to continue to operate or practice under. I also have a shot of the door to the small piece of the temple banned to visitors that houses the extremely little piece of truly functional shaolin where monks meditate and practice in peace. It is extreme xingku ( hard work) for them to practice under these circumstances and their peace has been disrupted for many yrs and many demands and restrictions have been placed on them. This is what they have and still are enduring. It is not the shaolin it used to be!!
You should know yourself that during a serious workout session, to be able to focus is not a luxury but a neccessity.and these boys and men meditate through it all to boot…they haven’t had that peace nor freedom of space and privacy for a long time… and people make dissrespectful comments about why certain skills have become dormant or not as tuned as previously??..and yet shaolin as an institution of belief and a method for non buddhists to continue to share its’ gongfu still stands and will no doubt continue for another 1500 yrs and more!! :eek: :eek:
