The extraordinary final test to become a Shaolin Master | Sacred Wonders - BBC

00:08:25
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zbow21FKJS4

Summary

TLDRThe Shaolin Temple, famous for kung-fu, houses 400 monks, including 100 warrior monks. Xu Yang Dean is preparing for a critical test to become a full warrior monk, which involves mastering kung-fu techniques and memorizing Buddhist scriptures. The training is intense and requires years of dedication. The test includes performing a difficult kung-fu move called 'monkey going up the tree' and reciting passages from a 200-page scripture. Success means becoming a full monk, while failure results in a three-year wait to retake the test. After years of training, Xu Yang Dean successfully passes the test and becomes a full Shaolin warrior monk, dedicating his life to training, studying, and meditation on the path to enlightenment.

Takeaways

  • 🏯 The Shaolin Temple is the birthplace of kung-fu.
  • 🧘‍♂️ Kung-fu is a spiritual practice as well as a martial art.
  • 👨‍🎓 Xu Yang Dean is preparing for a crucial test to become a monk.
  • 💪 Mastering kung-fu takes years of dedication and training.
  • 📜 Monks must memorize Buddhist scriptures for their test.
  • 🐒 'Monkey going up the tree' is a challenging kung-fu move.
  • ⏳ Failing the test means a three-year wait to retake it.
  • 👀 The abbot and senior monks judge the performance.
  • 🎉 Success leads to becoming a full Shaolin warrior monk.
  • 🧘‍♀️ Monks dedicate their lives to training and meditation.

Timeline

  • 00:00:00 - 00:08:25

    The Shaolin Temple, renowned for its association with kung-fu, has become a global icon since Hollywood's discovery of it 50 years ago. Currently, 400 monks reside and study there, with a focus on both martial arts and spiritual practices. Xu Yang Dean is preparing for a significant test to qualify as a full warrior monk, which involves mastering kung-fu and Buddhist teachings. The temple's history reveals that kung-fu was developed by early monks to maintain physical fitness for meditation. Each monk specializes in different techniques, and Xu has been training with the monkey stick for 11 years, facing challenges with a particularly difficult move. His upcoming test will assess both his kung-fu performance and his ability to recite Buddhist scripture from memory, with a rigorous standard set by the temple's senior monks. As the examination day arrives, Xu's years of training culminate in this critical moment, where he must demonstrate his skills and knowledge to achieve his goal of becoming a full monk.

Mind Map

Video Q&A

  • What is the Shaolin Temple known for?

    The Shaolin Temple is famous as the home of kung-fu and a center for spiritual practice.

  • How many monks live at the Shaolin Temple?

    There are 400 monks living and studying at the Shaolin Temple.

  • What does Xu Yang Dean need to do to qualify as a full warrior monk?

    He must master kung-fu techniques and recite Buddhist scriptures from memory.

  • What is the significance of kung-fu at the Shaolin Temple?

    Kung-fu is both a martial art and a spiritual practice, developed by monks for meditation.

  • What happens if a monk fails the test?

    If a monk fails, they must wait three years to retake the test.

  • What is the 'monkey going up the tree' move?

    It is a challenging kung-fu technique that requires balance and concentration.

  • How long has Xu Yang Dean been training?

    He has been training for 11 years.

  • What is the role of the abbot during the test?

    The abbot judges the performance of the monks during the assessment.

  • What is the outcome for Xu Yang Dean after passing the test?

    He becomes a full Shaolin warrior monk.

  • What is the importance of memorizing the scripture?

    Reciting scripture is essential for demonstrating knowledge and commitment to Buddhist teachings.

View more video summaries

Get instant access to free YouTube video summaries powered by AI!
Subtitles
en
Auto Scroll:
  • 00:00:03
    cancel the Shaolin Temple became world
  • 00:00:13
    famous as the home of kung-fu after
  • 00:00:15
    being discovered by Hollywood 50 years
  • 00:00:17
    ago 400 monks live and study here a
  • 00:00:21
    hundred of those warrior monks for these
  • 00:00:26
    student thanks kungfu is not just a
  • 00:00:29
    martial art it's a spiritual practice in
  • 00:00:34
    two days
  • 00:00:35
    Xu yang Dean will face a test to qualify
  • 00:00:38
    as a full warrior monk each other
  • 00:00:42
    through the pion tributary Korea for
  • 00:00:46
    your for your son did you see on a diva
  • 00:00:50
    mastering kung-fu to the level expected
  • 00:00:53
    at the Shaolin Temple takes years of
  • 00:00:56
    dedication ruia taitea tango hazard-free
  • 00:01:01
    heart beats again show telling you from
  • 00:01:06
    indeed changes traditional I mean really
  • 00:01:09
    she adores knowledge / feet
  • 00:01:15
    yond Ian will have to prove himself
  • 00:01:17
    before a panel of senior monks in both
  • 00:01:19
    confer and Buddhist teachings see the
  • 00:01:35
    among kyung Sen Tian's mentor banana
  • 00:01:46
    it's thought kung fu was developed by
  • 00:01:49
    the early Chinese monks as a way to stay
  • 00:01:52
    for it enough for hours of seated
  • 00:01:54
    meditation in the past Shaolin warrior
  • 00:02:01
    monks use their skills to protect their
  • 00:02:03
    monasteries and villages for today its
  • 00:02:07
    perfection is a mark of faith each monk
  • 00:02:14
    chooses a specialism I don't know what
  • 00:02:17
    the digital copy the Shia data to Google
  • 00:02:21
    a coach go to teach Ottumwa ah dentist
  • 00:02:24
    to fit on the cornet John shall we
  • 00:02:30
    Yan thean has been practicing with the
  • 00:02:33
    monkey stick for 11 years but there's
  • 00:02:38
    one move he struggles with monkey going
  • 00:02:44
    up the tree one of the most difficult in
  • 00:02:48
    all kung fu' either leadership the
  • 00:02:52
    student and Cindy that chisel can use a
  • 00:02:58
    true credible young Dean must place both
  • 00:03:02
    feet on the stick let go with his hands
  • 00:03:05
    and catch the stick before it hits the
  • 00:03:08
    ground you know ticket on road to Omaha
  • 00:03:13
    do that a year
  • 00:03:15
    she even 'y'all by solid shooting a
  • 00:03:19
    bundle gentle Utah jaw strength balance
  • 00:03:25
    and total concentration or essential
  • 00:03:30
    what I hear you don't other though never
  • 00:03:33
    my table
  • 00:03:36
    at his test in two days time he will
  • 00:03:40
    need to perform this routine perfectly
  • 00:03:44
    but you and Ian will not just be
  • 00:03:47
    assessed on his kung-fu he must also
  • 00:03:49
    recite a passage of Buddhist scripture
  • 00:03:53
    from memory the
  • 00:03:58
    [Music]
  • 00:03:59
    sandwich Angela I boy you trying to
  • 00:04:03
    initiate party window kunoichi Liang the
  • 00:04:08
    examiners could choose any passage from
  • 00:04:10
    this book of mantras so you and Ian
  • 00:04:14
    needs to learn all 200 pages of by heart
  • 00:04:18
    from user Gautama Dona Anna Maria
  • 00:04:22
    Sheraton Eric Ando pursue it's Judgment
  • 00:04:27
    Day the Shaolin Temple is one of the
  • 00:04:30
    country's most important examination
  • 00:04:32
    centers for aspiring monks apprentices
  • 00:04:34
    are arriving from all over China hoping
  • 00:04:37
    that this will be the year they qualify
  • 00:04:39
    there what were free yoga some without
  • 00:04:43
    all night not a year that's the car
  • 00:04:46
    dealership
  • 00:04:48
    first and ian's kungfu assessment the
  • 00:04:56
    abbot who's head of the temple will be
  • 00:04:58
    judging him along with three senior
  • 00:05:00
    monks young-sam can only watch from the
  • 00:05:05
    sidelines eleven years of grueling
  • 00:05:12
    training have come to this moment
  • 00:05:28
    [Music]
  • 00:05:30
    his examiner's have the very highest
  • 00:05:32
    standards movement must be matched by
  • 00:05:38
    stillness so far so good but next the
  • 00:05:50
    technique Indian fears the most
  • 00:05:52
    monkey going up the tree we all Honda
  • 00:06:10
    boom how cool the answer was he doing
  • 00:06:14
    that you how did yoga WA Y and IANS
  • 00:06:22
    excelled at his kung foo
  • 00:06:26
    but his success will count for nothing
  • 00:06:29
    if he now fails the scripture test the
  • 00:06:38
    selection panel asks each trainee to
  • 00:06:40
    recite from the book of mantras
  • 00:06:48
    the monks are trained to show no emotion
  • 00:06:51
    about you wanna hit here on each other
  • 00:06:54
    on a little one
  • 00:06:56
    even in the face of failure it's finally
  • 00:07:03
    jung geun's turn if he succeeds he will
  • 00:07:08
    become a full monk Guan Suzette was a
  • 00:07:11
    Susan poor avala me it was written we
  • 00:07:14
    open to each release so we fail and it's
  • 00:07:19
    another three-year wait to try again so
  • 00:07:22
    sorry too far we engage with the woman
  • 00:07:25
    did not release your roomie
  • 00:07:34
    yeah I need a koala he's made the grade
  • 00:07:40
    Versailles ofwell young diem will now
  • 00:07:43
    become a full Shaolin warrior monk
  • 00:07:50
    [Music]
  • 00:07:51
    okay the magenta come on can you take it
  • 00:07:54
    down
  • 00:07:57
    [Music]
  • 00:07:58
    he will spend the rest of his life
  • 00:08:00
    training studying and meditating on his
  • 00:08:04
    road to enlightenment in fear honor to
  • 00:08:09
    go football are you
  • 00:08:10
    you too casual that area you just
  • 00:08:14
    already was in the cheetah
  • 00:08:18
    [Music]
Tags
  • Shaolin Temple
  • kung-fu
  • warrior monks
  • Buddhist scriptures
  • Xu Yang Dean
  • monkey going up the tree
  • spiritual practice
  • martial arts
  • training
  • enlightenment