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Shaolin Temple and the 21st Century

Shaolin Monks visit USC for a martial arts demonstration and a short presentation on the challenges of bringing the temple and its teachings to 21st century audiences.

When:
November 20, 2006 12:00am
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Nov. 20, 2006, Noon - 1:30 pm
Tommy Trojan at the center of the USC campus
co-sponsored with the USC East Asian Studies Center and the USC Center for Religion and Civic Culture

Shaolin Temple occupies a unique place in Buddhist history. It is known as the place the Indian monk Bodhidharma developed Chan teachings (Zen in Japanese, Son in Korean) in the 6th century. At Shaolin, martial arts training was incorporated into meditative practice and many of its adherents became well-known for their martial arts prowess. This martial arts tradition helped to make the temple famous beyond Buddhist circles.

The event will include a short presentation by the Shaolin Abbot on the challenges of bringing the temple and its teachings to 21st century audiences. After the presentation and a question and answer session, there will be a martial arts demonstration.