SHAOLIN TEMPLE CULTURAL CENTER IN GREECE
SHAOLI N TEMPL E GREECE
Abbot Shi Yong Xin (Shì Yǒng Xìn)
The most revered Master Xi Yong Xin is the 30th abbot of Shaolin Temple.
On August 19, 1999, a meeting was held to introduce the monk Shi Jung Sin to the patriarchal hall. At the end of a two-day honorary ceremony, Deputy Abbot Xi Su Xi was relieved and teacher Xi Yong Xin took his new position.
Shi Yong Shin has been a monk since childhood and is considered one of the greatest Buddhist scholars and one of the highest in knowledge of Chan.
He has achieved an incredible project for the temple since 1999. Renovation of the Dharma Hall, the Bell Tower and the Drum Tower are among them. He has also published several books on Buddhist philosophy and publishes a magazine, Zen Raindrops. Xi Yongxin is also the president of the Ho Nan Province Buddhist Association and a representative of the Chinese People's Congress.
The Shaolin Foundation for Social Development is another of its great achievements, as is the Institute of Painting and Calligraphy for which the Shaolin are also famous. The deepest concern of the abbot Shi Jung Sin is that Shaolin Kung Fu today has been alienated in the form of standard sports. When the National School of Martial Arts of China was founded in 1928, it introduced martial arts to sporting events around the world, modified to suit Western competitive logic and the rules. In 1959, an official martial arts event known as the 1st National Athletic Games took place. It was later accepted into the 1990 Asian Games as a new form of competition. To achieve this integration they were fully standardized. In the process of this standardization, Shaolin Kung Fu practiced outside the temple has undergone dramatic changes. Shaolin Kung Fu's initial emphasis is on exercises aimed at improving the health of internal organs, exercises which have now been replaced by acrobatic and dancing figures. Such systems are popular in martial arts schools, as their ultimate goal is simply the gold medal or commercialization through spectacle. This does not represent the spirit of Shaolin.
The abbot emphasized that Shaolin Kung Fu is different from other Chinese martial arts. Shaolin Kung Fu is a Buddhist practice aimed at purifying the soul and shaping the character. Both the study of ancient texts and the skill in martial arts are Buddhist practices that are diligently practiced in the temple. There are 445 forms of Shaolin martial arts, designed and perfected according to the rules of combat behavior, against possible opposing actions. These forms harmonize with the traditional Chinese philosophy of Yin-Yang for natural harmony.
One of the greatest achievements of the abbot of the Shaolin Temple Xi Yong Xin is the promotion of the Shaolin Temple as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Abbot Shi Jung Sin is a pioneer in promoting the Shaolin spirit abroad, allowing the opening of temples in America, England, and Germany, as well as the opening of official Shaolin Kung Fu schools by envoys sent by monks around the world.
Among his many activities is the establishment of the Pan-European Shaolin Federation (SEA), which was founded in Vienna on September 1, 2010 and is chaired by him. The Pan-European Shaolin Federation leads the promotion and dissemination of authentic Shaolin culture in Europe and is based in Berlin. Its members are recognized and endorsed by Song Shaolin Central Temple in China.
