Henan's Shaolin Monastery is famous all across the country and throughout the world. The UNESCO World Heritage Site and the Shaolin Kung Fu style of martial arts that developed there attract sightseers and students from every corner of the globe.
The meteoric rise of both foreign and domestic tourism within China has brought millions of feet - and, in turn, millions of RMB - to the once humble and often besieged Buddhist temple. Now, like any wildly successful business, the Shaolin brand wants to expand.
Starting in 2008, Shaolin Monastery began its trusteeship of other ancient temples across China, starting with four in Kunming with a set term of 30 years. This was the first time that Shaolin monks were hosted in other temples, and now the Shaolin business empire is ready to began the next stage in brand implantation.
In the future, these four sites will all officially become branches of the flagship Mount Song original, rebranding themselves as "Kunming Shaolin Monastery."
The model is now spreading beyond Yunnan Province as well. The latest example can be found at Zishou Monastery in Shanxi Province. On August 21, 2014, an agreement was signed at Shaolin for an investment of RMB200 million over the next three to five years.
Situated 12 kilometers east of Lingshi County, Zishou was originally built in the Tang Dynasty and opened to the public in 1993. During a visit by Southern Metropolis Daily, reporters noticed that there were hardly any visitors on site.
23 Shaolin monks were living in the temple, however, and five had grown up there. According to Master Guomiao, temporarily in charge of Zishou, the Shaolin monks added new life to the ancient temple: chanting from scripture in mornings and evenings, running, practicing martial arts, and more. Only two monks had taken care of the place before it was taken over by Shaolin.
Equally "Shaolinalized" is the name, which will soon be changed to "Shanxi Lingshi Shaolin Zishou Temple."
Being the "disciple temple" is only the first step. Based on the contract, a grander blueprint is underway: a Lingshi Shaolin Zishou Cultural Park is being planned to make the ancient temple a magnet for both students of Buddhist and martial arts as well as tourists.
After the four temples in Kunming were taken over by the business-savvy Shaolin monks, the formerly run-down old town has been filled with bustling antique markets, snack streets and, more than a little bit uncharacteristically, rows of bars.
Shaolin Temple also created a Kunming Shaolin Martial Arts school which, charging RMB10,000 per student, is expected to bring in a fortune. Elsewhere, Shaolin inc. is investing RMB30 bilion in the "Kaiyuan Cultural Park."
According to Shi Yongxin, the current abbot of Shaolin Monastery, the motivation behind these projects is purely "to draw more people closer to Buddhism and to better promote the Buddhist dharma."
[Images via Southern Metropolis Daily]
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