SHAOLIN MONASTERY. HISTORY, RELIGION AND CHINESE MARTIAL ARTS

Discover the fascinating history of one of the most famous Buddhist monasteries in the world - Shaolin. This book is a reliable and in-depth study that demythologizes many common beliefs related to the development of martial arts in China, especially those related to Buddhist forms in the Shaolin Monastery. Ideal reading for lovers of history, religion and Chinese martial arts.

• Reliable analysis of the problem demythologizes many views.
• Fills the publishing and information gap in this area.
• A treat for lovers and researchers of the history of martial arts.
• Original study essential for understanding the history of Shaolin.
• Close ties with emperors of the Tang Dynasty.
• Glory as a religious and military institution during the reign of the Ming Dynasty.

With the advent of the 21st century, the Shaolin Monastery has become arguably the most famous Buddhist temple in the world. However, its fame does not result from its contribution to the evolution of Chinese Buddhism, nor from the art monuments it has accumulated during its fifteen-century history. The source of his fame is the alleged connection with Chinese martial arts, which have traveled around the world.

The author, Meir Shahar, combines the critic's criticism with the enthusiast's passion, showing the abundance - and sometimes the scarcity - of information about the beginnings of the Shaolin Monastery in the 5th century AD. The book analyzes the close ties of the monastery with the emperors of the Tang Dynasty (618–907), its glory as a religious and military institution during the reign of the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644), as well as the distrust of the Qing state (1644–1911). This extremely original study is essential for understanding both the history and the fame of the Shaolin Monastery.

Meir Shahar, associate professor of sinological studies at the Department of East Asian Studies at the University of Tel Aviv, presents a reliable and accurate analysis, demythologizing many views related to the development of martial arts in China, especially Buddhist forms in the Shaolin Monastery. This book fills a publishing gap and an information gap, and is a real treat for lovers and researchers of the history of martial arts.

The Jagiellonian University Publishing House puts into the hands of readers a publication which, through a reliable analysis of the problem, demythologizes many views related to the development of martial arts in China, especially Buddhist forms in the Shaolin Monastery. This is a must-read for anyone interested in history, religion and Chinese martial arts, who wants to deepen their knowledge about this fascinating place.