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The Shaolin Monastery: History, Religion and the Chinese Martial Arts | 
 enlarge | Author: Meir Shahar
Publisher: University of Hawaii Press
Category: Book
List Price: $54.00
Buy New: $43.20
You Save: $10.80 (20%)
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Avg. Customer Rating:  5 reviews
Sales Rank: 304386
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 281
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.5
Dimensions (in): 9.3 x 6.2 x 1.2
ISBN: 0824831101
Dewey Decimal Number: 294.3657095118
EAN: 9780824831103
ASIN: 0824831101
Publication Date: January 2008
Shipping: Eligible for Super Saver Shipping
Availability: Usually ships in 3 to 6 weeks
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| Customer Reviews:
A serious critical look at Shaolin Monastery May 3, 2008
". . . medieval sources do not allude to specific Shaolin fighting methods, Indeed they neither mention how Shaolin monks fought, nor which weapons they employed in battle. Attributing their descendant's martial arts to Tang Shaolin monks would be anachronistic." (The Shaolin Monastery. M. Shahar, pg. 52)
This is a serious, academically critical, look at Shaolin Monastery, and a
good critic of what is being practiced at Shaolin today.
Rik Zak
[...]
Academically rigourous and thoroughly readable April 30, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I came to this work as both an academic and a practitioner of a Shaolin style of pushing hands. The evolution of the Shaolin arts from staff fighting to unarmed styles is explored in great detail from a variety of sources (many of which are primary and have been translated here for the first time).
This is one of the first books I've read that makes a scholarly attempt at explaining how the Buddhist monks of Shaolin successfully negotiated the cognitive dissonance caused by commitment to Buddhist principles of non-violence on one hand and mastery of martial arts on the other.
The book also succeeds in recognising and clarifying the role of Daoist thought and cultivation practices (namely the Dao Yin) in the development of Shaolin Gung Fu.
Some of the conclusions (especially in relation to the unarmed styles) lend some support to Nathan Johnson's (2000) thesis 'Barefoot Zen'. After long and careful study of the forms of Shaolin Gung Fu and Karate Kata, Johnson contended that these arts were never intended for fighting (whereas Shahar would likely contend that fighting was not their sole purpose, p.180 and p.200).
Best researched book April 10, 2008
This is a deep and throughly researched book detailing the true aspects of Shaolin history and it's strange but interesting link between religion and martial arts.
Everything you needed to know about ancient Shaolin that can be found in ancient records is detailed here.
Other books do not come close and even lie.
Readable, definative, fascinating March 11, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
A much more readable book than the previous review suggests, desoite its thoroughness, and a welcome antedote to the self-serving mythology that passes for history in most book about Shaolin. Meir's discussion of the roots of some of the most familiar Shaolin-based styles of will be especially absorbing for fans of kung fu movies.
The foremost scholar on Shaolin today... March 4, 2008
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
Meir is the foremost expert outside of China (and possibly even within China) on the history of the Shaolin Temple. An academic book by an amazing scholar, and a must read for anyone serious about learning the in-depth history of Shaolin, and martial arts, as he traces the history back 1500+ years. Scholarly, well written, peer reviewed, with loads of annotations...
A great book if you're seeking insight of the origins of Kung Fu If you are not seriously interested in martial arts, and their Shaolin China roots, this book is probably not for you.
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