The Global Times article...just couldn't resist.

Shaolin Temple spreading wings
* Source: Global Times
* [08:24 January 10 2011]
By Deng Jingyin

The top monk at Shaolin Temple in Henan Province revealed Saturday that the world famous site has opened some 40 businesses throughout the world, and has bought land and property overseas, news that generated a debate about whether the Buddhist institution is over-commercializing a popular icon in Chinese culture.

"We currently operate over 40 companies in cities across the world, such as Berlin and London. Meanwhile, Shaolin Temple is also participating in the operation of some other companies related to the same industry," Shi Yongxin, the temple's abbot, said at the 8th cultural industry forum at Peking University Saturday.

Shi said Shaolin's current focus is to grow overseas and monks are spreading Shaolin culture in English, German as well as Spanish around the world, Beijing News reported.

The news had again ignited growing concerns over whether the traditional culture should be commercialized.

The temple is the birthplace of Zen Buddhism and Chinese kung fu.

However, the leader denied that their overseas expansion plans is motivated by profit and emphasized such move is to spread the Shaolin culture.

"Foreign countries attach more importance to the spread of Buddhism compared with China, that's why we place extra emphasis on other countries these years," Qian Da-liang, head of the Intellectual Property and Intangible Assets Management Center at Shaolin Temple, told the Global Times.

Qian refused to disclose the temple's income from overseas activities to the Global Times.

Shaolin Temple is prohibited from profit making in China. Nearly 70 percent of the temple's income is submitted to the local government while the rest is for operational cost.

Zheng Weiwei, 23, who studied in the UK, told the Global Times that she feels that Shaolin's overseas activities are profit-driven.

She also cast doubts over the effectiveness of such commercial behavior, saying that if Shaolin fails to spread domestically, it would be hard to spread the true culture overseas.

Shaolin Temple receives nearly 2 million visitors every year, including 150,000 overseas visitors. About 60 martial arts schools opened near the temple with 60,000 students, according to Shi.

Chen Qijia, from the religion research office at the Renmin University of China, told the Global Times Sunday that Shaolin businesses and property overseas could be seen as commercializing the religion.

"Buddhism allows spreading its doctrines in secular ways," Chen said. "I think as long as they insist on what should be in a religion, commercialization is just a form."
I just interviewed the Abbot. I wish I had this piece of info as I would have integrated it into our interview.

Here's more:
Abbot defends foreign ventures
Shanghai Daily, January 10, 2011


A photo of Shaolin Temple in central China's Henan Province.

The controversial abbot of Shaolin Temple says he will continue to concentrate on the overseas market even after the world famous temple has opened more than 40 centers around the world to teach foreigners kung fu and Zen Buddhism.

"Only if the temple grows stronger abroad will it have a bigger influence at home," Shi Yongxin, the temple's 30th abbot, told a cultural industry forum at Peking University over the weekend.

Shi said the ancient temple in central China's Henan Province came up with a convenient foreign development method - firstly renting houses to teach kung fu and then using the tuition fees to buy the premises.

"We almost do not need money, but only need to send out young monks (as trainers), rent a local house, decorate it and then start enrollment," he said.

The abbot said the temple did not aim to make money but to promote the Shaolin culture around the world.

Since taking up his post in 1999, the abbot's commercial activities - opening pharmacies, kung fu schools and online stores - have come under fire, with critics saying a temple should not engage in so many money-generating and publicity-gaining activities.

But Shi said he is determined to continue with commercial development to revitalize the 1,500-year-old temple and conserve its rich Buddhist and cultural heritage.

The temple had set up "culture centers" in cities such as London and Berlin where monks could teach in foreign languages, the abbot told the forum.

He said each center could enrol more than 1,000 students every year, mostly adults curious about kung fu and Zen.

Shi goes to some centers once every two years to test foreign students on kung fu.

The centers also taught the Chinese language and lifestyles of monks to introduce Shaolin culture to foreigners.

"I hope other temples in China can also send monks to world cities, because it has become an ideal way to promote Buddhism across the world," Shi said.

The temple also sends monks to perform kung fu shows around the world.

Shi said more than 400 martial monks performed abroad last year. They performed in 56 cities in 29 countries in the past three years and won many prizes.