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Shaolin Summit: Shaolin Inheritors Meet American Audiences

12/06/2011 12:55

Saturday May 21st at 1.30 PM local time, the fourth day of the Abbot’s Delegation to America, Ven. Abbot Shi Yongxin, accompanied by five Buddhist monks of Shaolin Temple, attended the First Shaolin Summit in LA Convention Center and proclaimed the establishment of Shaolin Association of North America (NASA).

With the advice and guidance of Shaolin Temple, the First Shaolin Summit was hosted by Shaolin Association of North America and jointly promoted by the United Studio of Self Defense and other eight key members of Shaolin cultural centers in Los Angeles, New York and Toronto.

In the afternoon, the 1,600-seat Convention Center was packed with disciples of eight Shaolin cultural centers in America and Canada and Shaolin enthusiasts from all walks of life in Los Angeles, expecting the visits of the Abbot’s Delegation and witnessing the NASA inauguration ceremony.

The summit commenced with a ritual of chanting services from Ven. Abbot Shi Yongxin and Buddhist monks, and hence announced the establishment of Shaolin Association of North America.

A panel of luminaries from different disciplines was then invited to the stage and had a dialogue on Shaolin Chan& Kungfu culture, including Dr. David Rapkin, Clinical and health psychologist and founding director of the Mind-Body Medicine Group; Mark Dacascos, Actor and martial artist; Lucia Rijker, World Champion Kickboxer; Shi Yanfan, foreign Shaolin ordained disciple; Gene Ching, Associate Publisher of Kung Fu Magazine; Jonathan Blank, award-winning writer and filmmaker studying martial arts, eastern philosophy for 25 years.

After a Kungfu demonstration and live experience, Ven. Abbot Yongxin and the five Shaolin Dharma Masters sitting cross-legged on the meditation stool, respectively lectured on Shaolin’s legacy of Buddhism, Chan cultivation, Kungfu and Traditional Medicine, which was a highlight of the summit and an extraordinary experience of shaolin traditional arts for disciples, enthusiasts and all participants in the audience. The audience of diverse age and ethnic backgrounds packed in around the stage and aisles, listened in spiritual silence and broke into spontaneous applause at intervals. There again had proved President Nelson Mandela’s remark on Shaolin: Your cause has values for humankind, and it deserves respect and appreciation of everyone.

The day before and after the summit, Shaolin Culture Center of Los Angeles in Temple City and Shalin Temple LA in Sherman Oaks held welcoming banquet for the Abbot’s Delegation. Consul. Mr. Che Zhaohe, representing Chinese Consulate General in Los Angeles, Congresswoman Zhao Meixin and Deputy District Director Perla Hernandez as well as mayors of Los Angeles and leaders of overseas Chinese attended the event and delivered opening speeches on the Shaolin’s contributions to the dialogue and friendship of mutual countries. One female disciple of Los Angeles Shaolin Center sang her self-composed song “Shaolin, My Home” and struck a chord in the heart of all guests present in the hall.

Ven.Shi Yongxin also visited Shaolin Temple LA in Sherman Oaks on 22nd and celebrated the founding of SANA with the disciples and VIPs including Italian Consulate General of LA Mr.Nicda Faganello .

So far, the eight members of Shaolin Association of North America have been authorized as the first Shaolin culture education and training centers in North America. Ven. Abbot Shi Yongxin of China Shaolin Temple was honored as Chairman of the association, to guarantee the orientation of Shaolin inheritance and orthodoxy. Fulfilling the prerequisites of Respect, Recognition & Standardization and following the principles of Openness, Broad-mindedness, Cooperation and Fairness, Shaolin Association of North America will contribute to the promotion of Chinese traditional culture and cultural exchanges with the international community as well as the improvement of human wellbeing and world peace.