Shaolin Introduction
Shaolin Temple Introduction
Shaolin Temple, built in the 19th year of Taihe in the Northern Wei Dynasty (495), was built by Emperor Xiaowen of the Northern Wei Dynasty to accommodate the Indian monk Batuo.
Shaolin Temple is the ancestral home of Chinese Zen Buddhism, the source of Zen culture, and a holy place of Kung Fu. It is a world cultural heritage, a national key cultural relic protection unit, a national key ancient book protection unit, and a unit on the Chinese Archives and Documents Heritage List (fifth batch). It is applying for the World Memory Asia-Pacific Region List.
Shaolin Temple has a unique and milestone important historical and cultural status in the history of Chinese Buddhism and Chinese culture. The Chinese Buddhist Zen founded by it is the Chinese Buddhist sect with the most profound influence on Chinese culture. It is one of the main symbols of the "Sinicization" of Buddhism and the "three religions confluence" of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism to form Chinese culture.
Over the past 40 years of reform and opening up, Shaolin Temple has become an outstanding representative of Chinese Buddhism and Chinese traditional culture, and a model for Chinese Buddhism to "go out" and "globalize". "Shaolin culture" has become an important symbol of Chinese culture, "Shaolin" has become an international brand of Chinese culture, and Shaolin culture represented by "Shaolin Kung Fu" has become a "business card" for the external exchange of Chinese Buddhist culture and Chinese culture. "Shaolin Temple", "Shaolin Kung Fu", "Shaolin culture", "Shaolin brand" and their universal values in culture, society, politics and economy have been increasingly widely recognized, accepted and highly praised by all sectors of society at home and abroad.
Shaolin Culture
Shaolin culture is a unique cultural phenomenon and huge cultural system created by successive generations of Shaolin monks in the specific historical environment of the Central Plains and the religious environment and geographical environment of Songshan, with the Zen culture of Chinese Han Mahayana Buddhism as the core, and with Zen meditation, Zen martial arts, Zen medicine, Zen art, etc. as the expression form. It is the cultural system of Shaolin Temple that makes Buddhism Chinese, spiritual, artistic, life-oriented, human-oriented, modernized and globalized.
Shaolin culture is an important part of Chinese Buddhist culture and excellent traditional Chinese culture. It is one of the largest and most complex religious and philosophical systems in ancient China. It has had a profound and far-reaching impact on Chinese history and Chinese civilization, and has had a significant and far-reaching impact on the Chinese people's way of thinking, belief pursuit, behavior, creativity, national character, culture and art, traditional habits, and living customs.
Shaolin culture has been tested and optimized by the vicissitudes of history, and has condensed and formed a Zen cultural style: simple, natural, quiet, ethereal, elegant, simple, pure, restrained, and Buddhist. The Zen cultural style of Shaolin culture has become the classic and essence of Chinese cultural style, cultural spirit, cultural aesthetics, and lifestyle.
Shaolin culture is a human cultural heritage and has made significant contributions to the development of human civilization. It has the universal values of "compassion, health, and peace", and has attributes that are in line with the overall interests of mankind. It reflects the ideals and aesthetic values of world harmony and human peace, transcending times and dynasties, countries and regions, nations and cultures, and can be recognized, accepted, and shared by all kinds of people in the world.
Main contents and classification of Shaolin culture
Shaolin culture is rich and profound, mainly including Shaolin Zen culture, Shaolin Zen martial arts (kung fu) culture, Shaolin Zen medicine culture, Shaolin Zen art culture (literature, calligraphy, painting, sculpture, music, gardening, etc.), Shaolin charity culture, Shaolin Zen food culture, Shaolin Zen tea culture, Shaolin Zen incense culture, Shaolin Zen chess culture, etc.
Shaolin culture can be divided into two categories: explicit culture and implicit culture.
(1) The implicit culture of Shaolin culture is mainly the spiritual culture (subjective culture) expressed through the thoughts and emotions of the Shaolin monks, which can only be understood but not directly observed. Such as Shaolin Temple's Buddhist doctrines, Zen culture, value system, Shaolin spirit, Shaolin purpose, Shaolin ethics, Shaolin temples and monks' spiritual outlook, etc.
(2) The explicit culture of Shaolin Temple is mainly manifested through the behavior, expression and achievements of Shaolin Temple and monks, which can be directly observed and perceived, and is the external manifestation of Shaolin Temple's implicit culture. Including: ① Shaolin Temple's material culture (carrier culture), such as the appearance of Shaolin Temple's environment, halls and other buildings, such as Shaolin Temple's instruments, facilities, image recognition system, Zen art, Zen tea, Zen incense, etc. ② Shaolin Temple's institutional culture (normative culture), including: written regulations, such as Buddhist canons, Shaolin Temple Zen family rules and other ritual systems, behavioral systems, and procedural systems. Unwritten regulations, such as Shaolin Temple's traditional martial arts style, traditional vegetarian style, Zen style and conventional practices, etc.
Social needs of Shaolin culture
Human needs are divided into two categories: material needs and spiritual needs necessary for survival and development. According to the "hierarchy of needs theory", human needs include: ① Physiological needs: meet basic needs and maintain individual survival. ② Safety needs: ensure life safety and avoid fear and threats. ③ Love and belonging needs: emotional relationship, belonging to a certain group. ④ Respect needs: get the group's affirmation of intrinsic value and recognition of external achievements. ⑤ Self-realization needs: exert ability and realize ideals.
Shaolin culture belongs to the category of spiritual culture. The application of Shaolin culture has developed many Shaolin cultural products, which not only meet the audience's spiritual needs for Shaolin culture, but also meet the audience's material needs for Shaolin culture. Shaolin Zen food culture and products can meet the audience's physiological needs, Shaolin Zen martial arts, Zen medicine culture and products can meet the audience's health and safety needs, the main body and core of Shaolin culture - Shaolin Buddhist Zen culture can meet the audience's needs for love, belonging and respect, Shaolin Zen meditation culture, Zen wisdom and products can help and satisfy the audience to realize their self-worth.
•There are about 70 million overseas Shaolin disciples, Shaolin culture enthusiasts, and Shaolin Kung Fu practitioners. Every year, more than 1,000 foreigners and overseas disciples go to Shaolin Temple for pilgrimage.
•The monks of Shaolin Temple have visited more than 100 countries and regions on six continents in the world, and carried out cultural exchanges with more than 500 cities on Shaolin Zen martial arts and medical culture, Zen wisdom, Zen lifestyle, etc. They have successively entered the United Nations Organization and top universities such as Harvard University, Stanford University, Berkeley College, and Oxford University.
• Shaolin Temple has established Shaolin Africa Federation, Shaolin Europe Federation, Shaolin Latin America Federation, Shaolin North America Federation, Shaolin Oceania Federation, Shaolin Asia Federation (in preparation). 128 overseas Shaolin cultural centers and other Shaolin cultural institutions have been opened in more than 100 countries and regions.
Mission and vision of Shaolin culture
Shaolin culture, adhering to the Chinese Buddhist concept of compassion and the equality of all beings, takes "self-benefit and benefiting others, saving the world and saving people" as its original intention, takes "Buddhist faith" as its bond, takes "Zen culture" as its core, and takes the inheritance, protection, promotion, development and sharing of Shaolin culture, Chinese Buddhist culture and China's excellent traditional culture as its responsibility, purpose and mission.
Shaolin culture, with the Zen wisdom of Chinese Buddhism, the vision of the world and humanity, and the attitude beyond secular utilitarianism, with the spirit of "one world, one aspiration, common development, common achievement", with inheritance, protection, promotion, development and sharing as the "Shaolin cultural development model", is guided by meeting the spiritual and material needs of domestic and foreign audiences for Shaolin culture, making friends, "connecting hearts" with the people of the world, and having dialogues with other cultures in the world, enhancing mutual recognition and understanding, establishing and solidifying friendship, in order to form a Shaolin cultural survival and development ecology that adapts to modern society, national society and market economy, enrich, strengthen and develop Shaolin culture and its advantages, and contribute to building a community with a shared future for mankind.
Shaolin Kungfu
Shaolin Kungfu is a method unique to Shaolin Temple. It focuses on the refinement of essence, energy and spirit; integrating body, mind and soul, transcending language and culture, easy to learn and immediate results.
The Shaolin monks have brought the culture of "unity of Zen and martial arts" to more than 100 countries on six continents. They not only promote the intangible cultural heritage of Shaolin, but also contribute to the purpose of compassion, health and harmony for the whole society as a way of life, benefiting all beings, building good relations, and winning the respect and friendship of different religious and ethnic groups around the world.
Shaolin Kungfu Duanpin System
The Shaolin Kungfu Duanpin System is a hierarchical system formulated by Songshan Shaolin Temple to evaluate the level of Shaolin Kungfu practitioners. It strives to strengthen the scientific management of Shaolin Kungfu through the establishment of a standardized Shaolin Kungfu Duanpin system, further promote the dissemination of Shaolin Kungfu, and guide Shaolin Kungfu practitioners to understand and master the Shaolin Kungfu knowledge system and technical system step by step through the promotion of Duanpin, so as to achieve the purpose of scientific fitness and promoting Chinese traditional culture.
The Shaolin Kungfu Duan Pin System is divided into two series: "Duanwei" and "Pinjie". "Duan" is a section of things or time, usually referring to a part or stage, and "Duanwei" is the position in a certain stage. "Pin" has the meanings of quality, conduct, character, integrity, and morality, and "Pinjie" refers to the rank in the system. "Duanwei" is from low to high in the order of 1st Duan, 2nd Duan, 3rd Duan, 4th Duan, 5th Duan, 6th Duan, 7th Duan, 8th Duan, and 9th Duan; "Pinjie" is from low to high in the order of 1st Pin, 2nd Pin, 3rd Pin, 4th Pin, 5th Pin, 6th Pin, 7th Pin, 8th Pin, and 9th Pin.
Those who pass the Shaolin Kungfu Duan Pin System assessment will be awarded the Shaolin Kungfu Duan Pin System Duan Certificate, Badge and Belt of the corresponding level by the Shaolin Kungfu Duan Pin System Committee. At the same time, they will obtain the world's only Shaolin ID number and can conduct online identity authentication and grade certificate inquiry through the "Shaolin" APP.
Shaolin Kaogong
"Kaogong" is a tradition of Shaolin Temple. It encourages practitioners to be brave and diligent in seven ways, such as Zen martial arts, Zen medicine, etc., aiming to encourage the four groups of Shaolin disciples to practice diligently and without hindrance. Previously, Shaolin Temple, Shaolin European Federation and Shaolin North American Federation have successfully held many overseas Shaolin Cultural Festivals, one of the important contents of which is Shaolin Kaogong.
As a Shaolin cultural brand, Shaolin Kaogong, while promoting Shaolin Kung Fu, has also created the image of China and Chinese sports in the new era, enabling people of different countries, nationalities, cultures, religions and beliefs to communicate and share the values of Shaolin culture in a friendly manner and gain: peace, friendship, health, happiness and inheritance. It is also organized to highly conform to the national strategy of "Chinese culture going out".
In order to promote Shaolin culture and serve human health, China's Songshan Shaolin Temple, after discussions with overseas Shaolin cultural centers and Shaolin Federations of various continents, plans to hold the "2024 Global Shaolin Kung Fu Examination Finals" in mid-July 2024. The winners of the 2023 overseas Shaolin Kung Fu Examination will be invited to the Songshan Shaolin Temple to participate in the live finals of the 3rd Shaolin Kung Fu Examination Competition. The winners of different skin colors and races from six continents will gather together to exchange and learn from each other to decide the "2024 World Shaolin Kung Fu Star". During the 2022 Spring Festival, Shaolin Temple jointly held the first Shaolin Kung Fu Online Examination Competition with 94 countries and 128 overseas Shaolin cultural centers in five continents, and 5,230 overseas Shaolin disciples actively participated. Xinhua News Agency, China News Service and more than 80 mainstream news media and major social media overseas reported in various forms before, during and after the game in 11 languages, covering more than 2.6 billion readers and viewers, and Huya Live had more than 19 million viewers per day.
The 2023 Six Continents Shaolin Kung Fu Examination Conference, a total of 94 countries and regions, 101 countries, more than 3,000 Shaolin disciples and tens of thousands of supporters participated in the event, demonstrating the universal value of Shaolin culture in serving the physical, mental and spiritual health of mankind. Adhering to the purpose of "Shaolin inheritance, human sharing", with the inheritance of Shaolin Kung Fu intangible cultural heritage as the content, overseas Shaolin disciples and Shaolin Kung Fu practitioners (four generations of old, middle-aged, young and young) as the main objects, appeared in six cities on six continents. Shaolin Kungfu practitioners of different skin colors and races exchanged ideas and received assessments and blessings from the Shaolin intangible cultural heritage inheritors represented by the abbot of Shaolin Temple; well-known overseas Chinese leaders of major overseas Chinese groups actively responded to the responsibility, and the politicians, mainstream media and social media of the host countries added fuel to the flames, which made the North American and European Shaolin Federations, which have been established for more than ten years, more vibrant. Together with the newly established African, Latin American and Oceania intercontinental Shaolin Federations, the world witnessed the true value and lasting appeal of the "Shaolin Family"!
The 2024 Global Shaolin Kungfu Examination Finals will still focus on the inheritance of Shaolin Kungfu intangible cultural heritage, with overseas Shaolin disciples and Shaolin Kungfu enthusiasts as the main targets. It will adopt a combination of online and offline, adapt to local conditions, and centralized on-site finals.
Shaolin Kaogong Digital Platform
In order to effectively serve the overseas Shaolin Kaogong Competition and provide an operation, management, collaboration and sharing platform for the survival, development and communication of independent and scattered Shaolin Kung Fu organizations around the world, it is recommended to develop and operate the overseas Shaolin Kaogong Competition digital service platform. The Shaolin digital platform serves Shaolin martial arts halls, martial arts schools and cultural centers around the world, and provides global Shaolin organizations with functions such as competition organization, competition registration, membership management, hall and school management, and enrollment. Through AI + technology, help global halls and schools reduce costs and increase efficiency, and expand revenue. Combined with modern digital technology, create a comprehensive digital platform that serves global Shaolin organizations, disciples, practitioners, and enthusiasts, integrating management, training, competitions, courses, IP authorization and other functions. Under the current situation of scattered and independent Shaolin organizations around the world, how to improve the coordination and competitiveness of global Shaolin organizations and maximize the value of global Shaolin organizations? Explore and establish an organizational form suitable for the current situation and future development of Shaolin, promote communication and interaction between Shaolin Temple and global organizations, disciples and Shaolin organizations, and enhance cohesion; establish an identity authentication mechanism and evaluation incentive mechanism for Shaolin global organizations to enhance competitiveness; serve and empower Shaolin organizations around the world, provide practical and effective management tools and standards, and enhance organizational profitability;
Store management: A multi-terminal, multi-language store management system for 100 million Shaolin disciples, practitioners and enthusiasts around the world, providing a more complete standardized, online and offline integrated teaching and management system for lower-level organizations.
Online courses: Shaolin provides standardized course content, and the principal of the museum packages and sells Shaolin Kung Fu courses, health and wellness courses and Zen culture courses according to actual business needs, charging course fees and service fees, and Shaolin obtains authorized share.
Events: Support the full-link digitization of Shaolin Kung Fu Competition event planning, preparation, holding, registration, payment, scoring, awarding, inquiry, statistics, live broadcast, publicity, etc. At the same time, help all Shaolin organizations around the world to efficiently organize competitions anytime, anywhere.
E-commerce distribution: Sell Shaolin cultural products such as Kung Fu clothing, books, health products, etc. through the platform to obtain product sales revenue. Shaolin provides official authorized products to stores around the world and obtains revenue. The principals and coaches of the academy obtain sales commissions through distribution.
Duanpin system training: Systematize and standardize the practice system of Shaolin Kung Fu. Through AI, blockchain and digital technology, establish a complete online training and assessment system to make the Duanpin system training and assessment easier to implement globally. Global academies and schools authorize the Duanpin system training and obtain revenue through the digitalization of the Duanpin system.
IP content: Shaolin's 1,500 years of Zen, martial arts, medicine, art and other classics, intangible cultural heritage skills and cultural historical materials are more vividly displayed and more widely disseminated through modern methods such as AR/VR/XR/MR and new media.