- New Arrivals
Fiction- Historical FictionCrime & ThrillersMysteryScience-FictionFantasyPoetryRomanceChildren’s BooksYoung Adult
- Biographies & MemoirsHistoryCurrent AffairsTech & ScienceBusinessSelf-DevelopmentTravelThe ArtsFood & WineReligion & SpiritualitySportsHumor
Children’s BooksListsBlogGift CardsMy ListsGames- About & Help
- About Tertulia
- Membership & Co-Ownership
- Shipping & Delivery
- Orders & Payments
- Contact Support
- Send App Feedback
- Follow us
- Download the app
The co-op bookstore for avid readers
The Shaolin Temple Story: Explore Shaolin History, Culture, Kung Fu and Chán Tradition
Full-Color Hardcover Edition - 448 pages
The Shaolin Temple Story is an in-depth, well-written tour of the Monastery by someone who has lived, worked, and studied there for forty years. For those interested in Shaolin Kung Fu, the book introduces the secrets of its beginnings.
Explore the History, Culture, Kung Fu, and Chán Traditions of the original Shaolin Temple and Monastery in Dengfeng, Zhengzhou, Henan, China, as recalled by the current Abbot of the Monastery. Abbot Shi Yongxin documents in words and pictures How Chán (Zen) Buddhism and Kung Fu developed over fifteen hundred years at Shaolin Temple. During the last forty years, he has worked to preserve Shaolin Temple and Monastery's history, culture, and traditions. He examines Shaolin's cultural role in China and worldwide.
The Right Reverend Shi Yongxin is the current Abbot of the Shaolin Temple in China. He traveled to Shaolin when he was sixteen years old to learn Buddhism from Xingzheng, the elderly abbot of the temple. Ultimately, he became a monk. When Abbot Xingzheng passed away in 1987, Shi Yongxin began administering the affairs of Shaolin. In 1999 he became the Abbot of Shaolin Temple and Monastery.
In addition to the history of the temple and monastery, Abbot Shi Yongxin looks at how Chinese Zen or Chán Buddhism developed at Shaolin over the last fifteen hundred years. Shaolin has faced ups and downs in the country as empires evolved. The book contains archival photographs, drawings, and current views of the temple and area.
"The Shaolin Monastery and Temple are located on Song Mountain (嵩山 Sōngshān). It's an area made up of several mountains that rise to fifteen-hundred meters in Dēngfēng (河南), a county-level city in Hénán Province. There are thirty-six peaks here that stretch for sixty kilometers. The highest peak is one-thousand-five-hundred-twelve meters above sea level. The seven peaks of Songshan Mountain (嵩山) stretch for sixty-four kilometers between Luoyang and Zhengzhou. Mountain slopes rise steeply from the valley and are thickly covered with trees, giving them an impressive appearance. The highest peak (Junji) reaches only fifteen hundred meters in altitude. Shaolin Monastery is located under the Five Peaks of Southern Song Mountain. On the east side of the Shaolin Temple's Square, there is a Ming dynasty stone archway engraved with a couplet:
"The earth is in the middle of heaven.
The midst of heaven and earth.
The origin of Chán Buddhism."
This book has been translated into English from the original Chinese manuscript. In addition to archival pictures and documents, new photographs of the Shaolin Temple were shot for this book.
Book Details
- Publisher: J R Martin Media Inc/Real Deal Press
- Publish Date: Feb 1st, 2023
- Pages: 450
- Language: English
- Edition: undefined - undefined
- Dimensions: 9.00in - 6.00in - 1.00in - 1.69lb
- EAN: 9798987593363
- Categories: • General• General• Martial Arts - General
More books to explore
About the Author
More books by Shi Yongxin
Praise for this book
5.0 out of 5 stars. A Beautiful Book
Reviewed in the United States on December 14, 2022
I've read the eBook version, and I decided to buy the print version. This book's layout and typography are a cut above the usual kindle fare, and it has excellent photos in every chapter.
A history of the Shaolin Temple and related martial arts, It handles the subject matter with reverence and care and is a great read for people interested in these subjects. -L. Magalhaes
Reviewed by Liz Konkel for Readers' Favorite May 25, 2023
"The Shaolin Temple Story: Explore Shaolin History, Culture, Kung Fu, and Chán (Zen) Tradition, by author Shi Yongxin with translation and design by James R. Martin and Hongyun Sun, is a stunning depiction of how the temple plays a role in the traditions, history, and culture of China. This book explores a personal connection with the Shaolin Temple and its influence throughout China's history, from Japanese pirates to Shaolin Kung Fu. Incredible photos are incorporated to help depict an impact that dates back over 1,500 years. The images help highlight the various points raised while providing a visual history of the temple. This book is an incredible resource that shows the fantastic beacon the temple has been to Chinese culture. It comes to life through Shi Yongxin's eyes with vivid explorations that permit you to truly understand why the temple still resonates today."
"The temple and Shaolin tradition have become synonymous with Chinese and Chinese Buddhist culture, while Shaolin Kung Fu has become a worldwide symbol of friendship. The book explores why these two facts are important and how the temple is still influential. This fantastic reference work takes you into this temple and allows you to understand every facet. With the temple as a focal point, you see history unfold, such as how Shaolin monks helped lead an army with Emperor Taizong and how warrior monks fought against Japanese pirates. The monks are an essential element of the culture, such as the monk that waits outside the Guest Hall, no matter the weather. The rich history of this temple is evident in the way Abbot Shi Yongxin explores every aspect of it, down to its influence on Buddhism, sutras, and Kung Fu."
"The location is integral to the temple's history, from the outside ginkgo trees to the nearby Songshan mountain. The origin can be traced back to the Zhou Dynasty when the Duke determined the location was 'in the middle of heaven and the earth.' The temple remains a feature of Chinese culture, and the restoration of the revolving repository was completed in 2012, while calligraphers undertook the task of copying the Tripitaka scriptures. Stepping into this world fuses enlightenment, the fundamentals of Buddhism, dharma, sutras, and Kung Fu. The Shaolin Temple Story, translated and illustrated by James R. Martin, is a fantastic source for those eager to know more about this aspect of China's history, culture, and traditions, with superb photos, fascinating details, and an incredible journey through history."