American Shaolin

Matthew Polly

China is a very complex country, featuring a socialistic government and capitalistic envy.

Reading American Shaolin by Matthew Polly, I was introduced to this fascinating country in a way that educates with both humor and spirit.

The book is composed in a similar vein as Bill Bryson’s books. You receive an education in a culture and people that is alien to most of us, written with a lot of self-effacing humor.

Three of the author’s goals in life were to become:

• a real man
• attractive to the opposite sex
• spiritually ignorant

So, to achieve all 3 objectives in one full sweep he travels to the ancient Shaolin temple in China, where he studies Kung Fu under the direction of the young Buddhist Monks.

Shaolin temple is the founding seat of Zen Buddhism, founded by the enlightened master Damo. Damo taught that enlightenment can only be achieved by constant meditation (having reached awakening himself by nine years of meditation in a cave in total solitude). Because of the inertia caused by hours of meditating, the monks soon found their muscles becoming weak. To combat this, a form of exercise was developed to keep the body strong. The exercise also incorporated self defense. The monastery was in a very remote area and was often invaded by robbers. This exercise became known as Kung Fu.

Today Kung Fu has hundreds of variations, from Eagle Claw to the exotic Iron Crotch.

The town of Shaolin itself has grown to become a major Chinese tourist destination, and the monks of the temple have become more enamored with their physical skills then their inward meditative ones—each trying to out do the other with their brick smashing and triple flips through the air.

I feel you will definitely find this book a fascinating journey into the Chinese culture, with much humor and personal insight by the author. From the stern Chinese party officials, the back-biting between the monks, and the wayward romance so well described by the author, I promise this book will bring much joyful reading.

Review by Tony Kainauskas

 

American Shaolin was a 2007 National best seller.