Those intrigued by the secrets of Shaolin kung fu now have the opportunity to study its mysteries in the comfort of their own home.
The US Sports Academy in Daphne, Alabama, has been working with the Shaolin Temple in China’s Henan Province to develop a course on the 1,500-year history and philosophy of Shaolin.
Shaolin Temple Abbot Shi Yongxin gave his blessing to the course during a more than three-hour meeting in Dengfeng, Henan Province, with academy vice president T.J. Rosandich and Shaolin Temple general manager Qian Daliang.
The online, continuing education course — “The Philosophy of Shaolin Kung Fu” — derives its core text from a newly translated English version of a Chinese manuscript, Shaolin Kung Fu Secrets, which the abbot presented to the academy during a visit in November 2006 to receive an honorary doctorate.
Also drawing on five books on Chan Buddhist teachings provided by the abbot, who is vice chairman of the Buddhist Association of China and a representative of China’s Ninth National People’s Congress, the academy has developed an online format to present key tenets of Shaolin philosophy.
The course, which costs US$200, offers students who finish it a certificate of completion signed by Shi and academy president Thomas P. Rosandich. The course covers qigong, meditation, Chinese medicine, martial art practice and strengthening exercises, as well as spirituality and history. It also touches on the effect the political situation in China has had on the development of the Shaolin Temple and its philosophy.
For more information, visit the academy’s Web site, www.ussa.edu, or e-mail admissions@ussa.edu.
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