January / February 2009 Issue (Shaolin Special)

[SimonM]

Just got the magazine off the shelf at my corner store. I'll give it a read today and post some thoughts when I finish reading. That said I already have a question:

Gene who is the fellow on the cover; he looks familliar, I think he is the monk I met at Shaolin, but when I met him I didn't speak enough Chinese to really get his name.

I am curious to know who he is. NM, his name is Shi Dechao. Just read it in the iron palm article. That guy is awesome, he let me in out of the rain when I got locked in Shaolin Temple. Interesting to note that the article concentrates on his calligraphy, he gave me a sample of his work. I still have it (in a closet, waiting until I find a big enough frame to frame it and hang it again)...

Two articles down and want to get some thoughts on paper. The interview with Shi Yongxin was interesting. I would be very interested to learn more about the Chan debate referenced. Is there anywhere that resources related to this debate would be available?

What's New In Dengfeng 2008:

Dicos!!!!!

Although my arteries clang just thinking about their epic dajiepai I have to trumpet this fast food joint. They are, by far, the best fried chicken restaurant chain on earth, bar none. Calling Dicos a KFC clone hardly does them justice as the offerings at Dicos, though slightly more sinofied than those at KFC are the pinacle of Chinese fast food. Anyone visiting Dicos has to try the burgers served on a bun of compressed glutinous rice!

"Cafes" like OUX seem to be popping up all over China. Every prefectural level city seems to have at least one. And NONE of them have figured out how to make pizza yet. A hint: PEAS don't go on PIZZA!!!

Songyang Gongyuan WAS a tranquil park when I was in Dengfeng in the autumn of 2005; what a difference 3 years makes!

Covered most of my thoughts on the Iron Palm article up above where I made mention of Shi Dechao. Gene if you are speaking to him at some point please say "thank you" to him on behalf of a damp waiguoren he let in out of the rain after getting locked inside the temple after close. His kindness remains one of my earliest and most positive memories of my first year in China.

Where is the pending Shaolin Wenhua Zhongxin in Canada likely to be located? Toronto? Ottawa? Montreal? Vancouver? Iqualuit?

The Qianlong sword is gorgeous.

The Shaolin Broom Form is entertaining with relatively descriptive pictures and instructions. Memories of the opening sequence of "The Tai Chi Master" flicker through my head.

Matthew Polly's article provided some rather gentle humour while managing to much more effectively plug his book than any third act guest of the daily show ever has.

Traditional Shaolin Stance Training provides a compelling and convincing argument in favor of traditional stance work in a lucid and rational manner. I would, however, be interested to see some citations from authors within the field of "modern sport science" as the author references it regularly.

The photo shoot in Shi Ba Shi Jibengong includes one of my traditional banes - the two man application sequence photos. For once the author has concentrated on a small set of techniques and provided a clear and complete set of photographs explaining the sequence of action. Thank you to Scott E. Jeffery, Shi Decheng and Vinay for this!!!!!

The YMAA retreat center article was interesting. I'm of mixed feelings on this. I recognize and understand the importence of maintaining traiditional methods of transmission and also understand Dr. Yang's frustration with the time problems faced by modern teachers and students alike. That being said I question the appropriateness of this rather coplete isolation. Certainly his disciples, at the end of their time, will likely be superbly trained martial artists... but at the saccrifice of much else in their lives.

The Shaolin Dog Master article was an interesting biographical piece, one of many that have been released by KFM since I first started reading. Like many of the biographical pieces though I find I have little to say afterwards other than that; interesting.

All in all this entire magazine is one of the best that has been put together by KFM all year! The articles were consistently good as was the quality of the photography. That being said this whole magazine is one big tease!!!!

I frequently find that I end up developing questions I previously didn't know I had to ask after reading an article but the number of questions I found myself asking after the articles above was greater than normal by a consierable degree. I feel like I keep hoping for a second volume to come out!

Keep turning out magazines of this quality and I have a feeling that KFM will have a good year in 2009.

And that's just about all I have to say on that...