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Part 2 of the Shaolin Monks in the 21st century

Posted: Thu Feb 06, 2003 2:29 pm
by Alan K
Sensei Matton's comment of a bunch of lawyers was correct.

Part 2 finishes this segment of the Monk's activies, and Part 3 will reveal a different aspect of their endeavors and a further pursuit to protect their commercial rights.

Shaolin Monks Part 2

The monks have made investigations on five continents and found 117 items that use the name Shaolin all without consulting the temple. the monks hired a Philadelphia attorney who is also a martial artist of 35 years who has worked with Chinese companies.

The Shaolin Temple built in 406 in the foothills of sacred Songshan Mountain, is widely considered the birthplace of Shaolin boxing, a unique combination of Buddhism and Chinese martial arts that evolved into gung fu or kung fu.

According to state historians, the militia monks of Shaolin gained notoriety during the early Tang Dynasty (618-907) by helping Emperor Li Shimin defeat a feudal war lord trying to overthrow the monarch. These days, the monks use their marketing skills primarily as self-discipline.

But it was a spate of kung fu movies in the 1970’s many starring Bruce Lee myriad imitators that brought the martial art to the world’s attention. Hong Kong’s Jackie Chan among others,, has maintained that tradition in recent years and the hip hop group Wu Tang Clan has traded heavily on its Shaolin imagery. The spread of unauthorized Shaolin material and the monks’ awareness of its existence illustrate how globalization has united products and people in unusual ways
Twenty years ago it was unlikely Shaolin Temple would have heard about companies on other continents trading on its name, much less cared. Now though, with money and prestige on the line and economiic between nations falling, it’s a different story.. And for government it’s an example of what foreign companies have been grousing about for years in China, the rampant sale of unauthorized products that trade on famous brands.

The incidence of Shaolin Temple is very small in comparison with software and DVD’s said the attorney for the Shaolins. He went on to say that it be instructive f or the Chinese to understand that in order for them to get protection for something they view to be valuable, they’ll have to start playing by the rules.
So far the temple has procured rights to five already registered Shaolin trademarks in Australia. And not only is it ‘s working to register the Shaolin name in 100 countries Qin says, but it has applied to the United Nations as its World Intangible Heritage site. Qin went on to say that they had to take.

And take they did and Part 3 will reveal where they stand ansd what they do today.

Alan K