It is not often that one is in conversation with a genuine Shaolin monk and Shifu Shi Yan Ming is quite an example of someone who balances a sunny disposition with a dramatic life played out against the scene of China’s Cultural Revolution and defection to America in 1992. Now living in New York he heads the USA Shaolin Temple and is author of the book “The Shaolin Workout.”
Shifu Shi Yan Ming is possibly one of the happiest men on Earth. Never before have I come across someone so at home with himself in his own skin and so satisfied with his lot in life. It seems that Shifu has led a charmed life; he lives in New York and runs a successful Shaolin style kungfu school, has a happy family, a published book and a group of devoted students. Life has not always been easy though. Born in the 1960s in China in the middle of the Cultural Revolution, Shi Yan Ming spent his early life constantly hungry and despite coming from a loving family, had a tenuous grip on life. He lived near the Shaolin Temple in Henan province and at five years of age, his parents delivered him to be trained by the Shaolin Monks. A tough life of rigorous martial arts training followed by a group of Buddhist monks who cared for him as if he was their own son.
History is an important part of Shifu’s life. He is a 34 generation Shaolin monk who can trace his martial arts lineage back to the beginning of Shaolin. Not only is he part of an ancient vein of Shaolin monks, he experienced one of the most dangerous times to be alive in 20 Century Chinese history. - Lesley Jackson
However, although Shifu lived through a turbulent time in China’s history, his story becomes even more dramatic in 1992 when he visited America to perform a Shaolin display. He took the decision to defect and after jumping into a cab and hiding for several months in a country where he could not understand the language, in 1994 he set up his first school of Shaolin kungfu in a loft with no running water, heating or light. From there he built up an extremely successful school and temple, generated a lot of media interest and published a book, “The Shaolin Workout”. Shifu Shi Yan Ming is one of the most fascinating martial artists around today and such is his charisma, one cannot help but be infected by his enthusiasm and so it is with a cheery “Amituofo” that Martial Edge is pleased to be in conversation with him.
Training the Body and Mind
For those that have come across Shifu practising his martial arts, you will notice his incredible strength, flexibility and positive mental outlook. He describes this part of his training thus, “Flexibility in your physical training leads to a flexible mind. Flexibility makes it possible to practise for your whole life. The basics, like the foundation of a building, are very important. If you have a strong foundation, you can build up 10 floors or 100 floors, you can build upon those foundations continuously. The basics are the top and bottom of martial arts, the top is the bottom and the bottom is the top.
When you are training physically, you are also training your mental ability. For example, I demonstrate and talk a lot about extension. When you kick or strike, extend your body, you extend your mind as well. When you stretch your body, you also stretch your mind. Why are people into Yoga in the 21st Century? Because we have a fast life in a modern world. Life is beautiful; life has the best of everything be it bitter, spicy, sour or sweet. A lot of people cannot balance their beautiful lives, so I wrote a book to try and use a different way to present this idea. I explain how to maintain their bodies and minds, how to balance their lives, how to be honest with themselves and to express their beautiful life 100%. I am doing this in my lifetime to help as many people as possible. I love to talk to people face to face; they feel me and I can feel them.”
The foundations of Shifu’s training began very early in his life and during his time at the Shaolin Temple, very early in the morning. “We would get up early, 4:30AM-6:30AM we would start to train. 6:30-7AM was breakfast. We all ate together, at the same time. 7-8AM was personal time; usually you would things for your master, chores, take care of him, things like that. 8-11:30AM more training. 11:30-12 was lunch. 12-1PM was personal time, during this time most disciples would wash clothes for their masters, for example. 1-5:30PM, more training. 5:30-6PM was dinner; from 6-7PM was time to relax. 7-10PM, more training. 10PM was a strict curfew; in general, this was our schedule. However, this all changed after the 1980s because when China opened up to the world in 1978, more and more people started to come so the monks would take shifts. 8-11:30AM you could work to take care of visitors to the temple or tourists. 1-5:30PM was another shift. Basically they would make sure there were no funny things going on in the Buddha hall. All through the night there were three shifts to make sure the temple had no problems. A lot of people at that time wanted to be Shaolin Temple Monks; they would hide in the Temple, especially after 1982 when Jet Li’s movie ‘The Shaolin Temple’ came out.”
Many Histories
History is an important part of Shifu’s life. He is a 34 generation Shaolin monk who can trace his martial arts lineage back to the beginning of Shaolin. Not only is he part of an ancient vein of Shaolin monks, he experienced one of the most dangerous times to be alive in 20 Century Chinese history. “Ok let me give you some history. At the beginning of the Song Dynasty (in the 10 and 11 centuries), the first Abbot of my lineage was named Fu Yu. He invited the best martial artists from all across China to the Shaolin Temple over a nine year period. They fought, disagreed, agreed and they combined all the styles to make up the Shaolin martial arts. When they left the Shaolin Temple they brought Shaolin Temple martial arts out of the Temple and spread it across the country. One of the people most important to me was the 29th Abbot, Shi Xing Zhen. Also Shi Su Xi, who was the head monk of his generation, he was the highest in the Temple. Shi Su Yun, Shi De Chan and Shi Wan Heng were the monks who took care of me like a father would and they also taught me Shaolin Temple martial arts and philosophy. Also my Ch’an master, Shi Yong Chen was an integral part of my life at the Temple.
During the Cultural Revolution, from 1966 to 76 there was a lot of damage done to the Temple until Chairman Mao died and the revolution ended. During the Cultural Revolution most Temples were destroyed, including many of the Shaolin Temple Pagodas where monks were buried. Mao said, ‘All religions are garbage, like snake, cow, ghost, God. Sweep them away.’ Red Guards could go anywhere and do anything. Like force their way into someone’s house, and say ‘Make me food!’ You had to do it. Mao set children against parents and parents against children. However, our lives were not isolated to the outside world. We were in and out of the Temple all the time. Sometimes everyone was sent home because too many things were happening in the area of the Temple. Generally though, the monks could come and go as they liked. If you believe in Buddha, then you devote your life, give your life, but also if you believe and understand Buddha, then everywhere is the Temple, you are the Temple.”
The Journey to America
In 1992 Shifu made one of the most important and remarkable decisions of his life. During the first ever Shaolin Temple Monk tour, which performed in cities all over the USA, Shifu took the momentous decision to defect to the West. After spending six months hiding in an apartment above a Chinese restaurant, he “started the USA Shaolin Temple in New York City because it is the capital of the world. The first USA Shaolin Temple was in Chinatown, 96 Bowery. There was no electricity, heat, or hot water. It was December of 1994 and when teaching class I would turn on flashlights that I had taped to the walls for light. As soon as class was over I shut off the flashlights. I taught all day, sometimes for 18 hours really seriously to try and get students. At night it was very cold, I had to wear many socks on my hands to stay warm. I had no washing machine; there was no time to wash clothes or water, so I had over 400 pairs of socks!
Shaolin in Action!
I was performing in the biggest Chinese restaurant in Chinatown to raise money for children and the elderly and I also gave free lessons and spoke about philosophy in the Open Centre on Spring Street. People saw that and they came. The USA Shaolin Temple grows, not only as a success in the US, but I now have branches in Johannesburg South Africa, Vienna Austria, Mexico City, Trinidad and Chile. Soon I am travelling to Argentina to open another branch. Next we are working to buy land to build an authentic Shaolin Temple in upstate NY. We are going to bring Shaolin Temple to the 21st Century!”
Amituofo!
“Amituofo” is a life affirming phrase often used by Shifu as he greets everyone he meets. Sometimes also pronounced as “Amitabha”, it forms the positive foundation of Shifu’s Buddhist outlook. “Amitabha means everything and its intent is important to the situation. If we see people doing good, we can say ‘Amitabha’ to help support and recognize them. If we see people doing bad things, we can say ‘Amitabha’ to stop and correct them. Amita is the name of a Buddha, he took a very important vow and all Shaolin Temple monks and disciples and practitioners of Buddhism all around the world pay their respects to each other and use his name when they see each other. Other religions are fantastic as well, I love God, Buddha, Jesus Christ and they love us too. We say ‘Amitabha’ not only when we say hello or goodbye, but we say ‘Amitabha’ 3 times before and after we train. They are for the Buddha, The Dharma and the Sengha. If you go to a Temple or Monastery you will maybe see people lighting incense, if they light three sticks, it is just like when we say ‘Amitabha ‘three times. If they light one stick, it means their hearts are dedicated to Buddha. Also, we also say Amitabha before and after we practise our forms. Forms are like sutras or action meditation. We have to recognize that Buddha is in everyone. Even in the 21st century people still live in a state of confusion.”
Secret Techniques
I'll bet you almost broke your little delicate fingers opening this one, huh? Secret techniques. Sounds like every martial arts student's dream...
Since leaving China in 1992, Shifu has been back twice, once in 1999 and again in 2001. “I took my disciples and students to see China so they would know China better and to know where I had come from. We are building bridges between China and the USA and a lot has changed for the better since I left, it has opened up with more tourists and business and connection with the rest of the world.
To me though, teaching is my life. I love to teach people every day, to see people change and grow; that is the best gift for me. I belong to Buddha, Buddha and my masters gave this knowledge to me and I want to share this knowledge with the world. I am often asked to do commercials; I have appeared on television around the world and in some movies as well. We are now doing a lot of seminars and developing the new upstate Temple Capital Campaign and my disciples and I are always working to make this dream happen. And it will, you’ll see!”
Special thanks go to Heng Yi, who took the time to translate and transcribe this interview from Shifu Shi Yan Ming, we at Martial Edge really appreciate your efforts!
Interviews 
It is not often that one is in conversation with a genuine Shaolin monk and Shifu Shi Yan Ming is quite an example of someone who balances a sunny disposition with a dramatic life played out against the scene of China’s Cultural Revolution and defection to America in 1992. Now living in New York he heads the USA Shaolin Temple and is author of the book “The Shaolin Workout.” 
of the Song Dynasty (in the 10 and 11 centuries), the first Abbot of my lineage was named Fu Yu. He invited the best martial artists from all across China to the Shaolin Temple over a nine year period. They fought, disagreed, agreed and they combined all the styles to make up the Shaolin martial arts. When they left the Shaolin Temple they brought Shaolin Temple martial arts out of the Temple and spread it across the country. One of the people most important to me was the 29th Abbot, Shi Xing Zhen. Also Shi Su Xi, who was the head monk of his generation, he was the highest in the Temple. Shi Su Yun, Shi De Chan and Shi Wan Heng were the monks who took care of me like a father would and they also taught me Shaolin Temple martial arts and philosophy. Also my Ch’an master, Shi Yong Chen was an integral part of my life at the Temple. 
(0 vote)
