10-24-2013, 01:34 PM
And it was autographed by the Abbot, too. G2 hooked up DM and I after the Philosophy of Shaolin ceremony. In case you don't recognize the name, Shi Yong Xin is the abbot of Shaolin Temple.
The best parts of the book were the anecdotes, especially when Shi Yong Xin talks about his master, Abbott Xingzheng. I really enjoyed those. Reading those chapters made me long for a more in depth book about just Xingxheng and this blind monks struggle to save his temple. There were also a few tidbits about Shi Yong Xin's early years in the temple and about his own Kung Fu. But not nearly enough.
The book helped me get a little better sense of the Abbott as a person. I've met him briefly a couple of times but I couldn't get a real sense of him as a person. He was just this vague heavy set man that everyone found very important. In the book, he comes across as a man who struggles and would almost prefer the simpler life of just an ordinary monk involved in his own cultivation.
Once you get beyond the anecdotes, the book is basically defenses for the Abbott's actions. He wants to set the record straight at to why he has done what he has done. And most of those defenses come down to his core goal of strengthening the Shaolin Temple and propelling it into the future.
All the main stories are there. He talks about the expansion of the temple. He talks about incorporation. He talks about the IPO. He talks about being the CEO Abbot. The stories gave me some perspective and background to things I had only heard in a very cursory fashion. It does get bogged down when the Abbot goes on to thank people. I got lost in the official's titles on many occasions.
He also talks about the things he has done to strengthen Buddhist practices at the Temple. I think he does this to counter the arguments that Shaolin Temple is just a theme park and not really a practicing temple. If you are not familiar with these practices, as I am not, these can be a little long winded, too.
The flow of the book is lacking. It's not a linear story. It is more like the Abbot came up with chapter headings for things he wanted to talk about and then wrote those chapters. There should be a chapter about Putin. There should be a chapter about going to Taiwan. There should be a chapter about the Three Platform ceremonies. And then he goes in and fills these out. As opposed to having each chapter build on the previous one.
There is a nice timeline at the end of the book that gives a good chronology for the Temple. It's amazing how many times the Temple has been destroyed or abandoned. Yet, it keeps rising from the ashes.
I did like the Putin chapter. It's good to know even Presidents have to follow their children's wishes. Although, the thought of Putin sparring with a Shaolin Monk blew my mind a little. Although it didn't happen, there was potential for this to happen.
In the end, the book helped me understand Abbot Shi Yong Xin and the Shaolin Temple a little better. I just wish it had a little less Donald Trump this is the greatest thing ever and little more personal stories about the Abbot.
The best parts of the book were the anecdotes, especially when Shi Yong Xin talks about his master, Abbott Xingzheng. I really enjoyed those. Reading those chapters made me long for a more in depth book about just Xingxheng and this blind monks struggle to save his temple. There were also a few tidbits about Shi Yong Xin's early years in the temple and about his own Kung Fu. But not nearly enough.
The book helped me get a little better sense of the Abbott as a person. I've met him briefly a couple of times but I couldn't get a real sense of him as a person. He was just this vague heavy set man that everyone found very important. In the book, he comes across as a man who struggles and would almost prefer the simpler life of just an ordinary monk involved in his own cultivation.
Once you get beyond the anecdotes, the book is basically defenses for the Abbott's actions. He wants to set the record straight at to why he has done what he has done. And most of those defenses come down to his core goal of strengthening the Shaolin Temple and propelling it into the future.
All the main stories are there. He talks about the expansion of the temple. He talks about incorporation. He talks about the IPO. He talks about being the CEO Abbot. The stories gave me some perspective and background to things I had only heard in a very cursory fashion. It does get bogged down when the Abbot goes on to thank people. I got lost in the official's titles on many occasions.
He also talks about the things he has done to strengthen Buddhist practices at the Temple. I think he does this to counter the arguments that Shaolin Temple is just a theme park and not really a practicing temple. If you are not familiar with these practices, as I am not, these can be a little long winded, too.
The flow of the book is lacking. It's not a linear story. It is more like the Abbot came up with chapter headings for things he wanted to talk about and then wrote those chapters. There should be a chapter about Putin. There should be a chapter about going to Taiwan. There should be a chapter about the Three Platform ceremonies. And then he goes in and fills these out. As opposed to having each chapter build on the previous one.
There is a nice timeline at the end of the book that gives a good chronology for the Temple. It's amazing how many times the Temple has been destroyed or abandoned. Yet, it keeps rising from the ashes.
I did like the Putin chapter. It's good to know even Presidents have to follow their children's wishes. Although, the thought of Putin sparring with a Shaolin Monk blew my mind a little. Although it didn't happen, there was potential for this to happen.
In the end, the book helped me understand Abbot Shi Yong Xin and the Shaolin Temple a little better. I just wish it had a little less Donald Trump this is the greatest thing ever and little more personal stories about the Abbot.
So much for the flickr badge idea. Dammit
