Shaolin Wushu (Chinese Martial Arts) Cultural Centre to be opened in Hong Kong. The Martials Arts Centre will be located on Lantau Island and
Instructors will be from Shaolin.

Phase 1 opens in July 2006
Phase 2 to be completed by November 2006
Phase 3 to be completed by Mid 2007

香港少林武術中心7月開館 駐場師父曾教普京女兒



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05/09/2006/12:47 華夏經緯網



一名七歲小童正在表演童子功。（星島日報圖）

　　中新網5月9日電 據星島日報報道，香港首間少林武術文化中心將於今年七月在香港大澳正式投入服務，一批來自河南嵩山少林寺的武僧將會長駐中心，親身教授包括小洪拳及八段錦等少林武藝。

　　佔地近萬平方尺、位於大澳洪聖古廟旁的武術中心一期將於七月正式投入服務，基本設施包括宿舍、食堂以及展覽館等，現定於七月正式投入服務。但暫時只會向學校組織及慈善團體提供日營服務，暫定每位收費為港幣一百二十元。

　　傳統少林武術的傳授將成中心日後的重點課程，中心亦專誠從南嵩山少林寺請來永欣師傅及延康師傅兩名精研少林武術的僧人作駐館師傅。長駐少林中心的延康師父及永欣師父，都大有來頭。延康師父16歲開始在少林寺塔溝武術學校習武，隨後拜少林寺第30代方丈釋永信大師門下，收為少林寺第34代護寺弟子及少林寺武僧團的武僧，2000年更成為武僧團總教練。

　　建康師父于02年被委派前往莫斯科少林武術研修中心任總教練，學員包括俄羅斯總統普京女兒，今年3月普京到訪少林寺時，他曾參與接待演出。永欣師父則拜釋行書大師學武，在96年的“全國武林精英邀請賽”中，榮獲“武林名師”稱號。

　　中心主席蔡冠深表示，雖然以武術研習為核心，中心將來亦會提供生態導賞等其他服務，而中心內的武術佛學博物館更會展出超過一千具價值甚高的石雕與佛像，以及大批古今武術藏書，學員將可享受到一個“靜態”的學佛習武體驗。

　　香港少林武術文化中心二期預計亦可於今年十一月正式投入服務，屆時中心將提供包括宿營等更為多元化的服務，而服務對象亦會由現時的學校及慈善團體客戶擴展至個人及家庭客戶，並陸續開辦包括養生功、易筋功，以至禪修課程等活動。


http://big5.huaxia.com/uniwaysimages/200605/yy091249221.jpg

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香港市民如果想要學習少林真功夫已經不需要遠赴河南少林寺了。今夏七月只需花上一百二十元，就能在大澳少林武術中心學習博大精深的少林武術，一睹少林武術的奧秘。\實習記者

梁卓庭

由大澳公立學校舊址改建而成的香港少林武術文化中心，預計七月投入試業階段，十一月正式開幕，為團體提供優良正規的武術文化課程各項日營、宿營活動。少林中心開業初期只提供學校及慈善團體報名參加日營活動，每人每晚收費為一百二十元。少林武術中心主席蔡冠深表示，創辦少林中心為服務市民大眾，收費將會因應學生及一般市民的經濟能力，只求達到收支平衡，因此試業期過後，加價機會不大。

籌備愈兩年的第一期工程接近竣工，第一期的室外練武場同時可容納百多人一齊練武，而宿舍亦可提供七十個宿位。此外，亦設有飯堂、展覽館，另設有十個家庭營舍及茶藝館，將於九月陸續開放予市民參觀訪問。為配合日營活動，中心將聘請嵩山少林寺的師傅來港傳授少林基礎拳法，及專業導師帶領認識參觀大澳漁村生態，歷史遺址等，為學生於暑假期間或學校課外活動增添了既是武術訓練又富教育意義的好去處。

由於少林中心遠離市區，因此中心亦會為有需要的營友安排專車接送服務，來回只需另加三十元。文化促進會理事長李國強指出，已要求政府重視改善大澳北部的交通環境，期望興建港珠澳大橋時，於適當位置設分支路口，以便市民到少林中心參觀。隨後第二期會於十一月投入服務，而第三期則預計明年年中落成。


http://www.takungpao.com/news/images/06/05/09/jx-11.jpg
圖：只需花費一百二十元就可以一嘗當少林弟子的滋味（本報攝）

Source : Takungpao (http://www.takungpao.com/news/06/05/09/JX-563090.htm) and Huaxia (http://big5.huaxia.com/xw/ga/2006/00453732.html)

I prefer going to a Wing Tsun school in Yau Ma Tei :D

Legendary temple plans HK expansion
21 February 2009
China Daily - Hong Kong Edition

HONG KONG: The Shaolin Temple, renowned for its history in the martial arts and for its teaching of the Buddhist faith, wants to build a temple in Hong Kong, equal in scope to the legendary mainland temple. Temple officials are in discussions with the government of Hong Kong.

Speaking at a press conference Friday, a temple spokesman outlined the initiative.

"Our current office is only about 2,000 square feet. We wish for a larger place to spread Buddhism and to cultivate the peace of the heart, especially as the busy modern life has contaminated people's purity of spirit," said Shi Yanchang, master of the Hong Kong Shaolin Temple.

The non-profit group registered in the city in 2000. It is located in an office building in Tsim Sha Tsui.

Master Yanchang revealed the group has been seeking land for two years.

The temple received a letter from the government in December requiring temple officials to account for the sources of funding for the proposed new temple. Master Yanchang said the report is still being prepared.

The scale of the planned temple is similar to the one in Henan province, which has over 1500 years of history. The new temple is expected to be completed in four years at a cost of HK$420 million.

Fund raising is ongoing. Master Yanchang refused to disclose how much has been collected. He also declined to reveal the planned location for the temple.

He added there will be no admission fees at the temple except for those attending meditation sessions and kung fu classes.

"We'd like to open up to visitors including non-Buddhists," he said.

In addition to a monastic hall and martial arts institution, the group plans to construct a Shaolin garden. It is expected to have a modern leisure style for cultivation and for the practice of martial arts.

Thus, in the garden one may encounter wooden practice dummies and a heritage museum.

Abbot Shi Yongxin said the Shao Lin Temple has enormous influence around the globe. It has branches in several countries.

"As a metropolis, Hong Kong is an ideal place for us to spread the culture of Shaolin and the temple will help tourism," he said.

Joseph Tung Yao-chung, executive director of Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong, welcomed the prospect for a new scenic landmark for tourists.

"A Shaolin Temple in Hong Kong will be more attractive than a temple overseas as it is a Chinese city which inherits the tradition," he said.

The Home Affairs Bureau said it is studying the land application from the Buddhist group in detail but refused to disclose more information.

Meantime, the Shaolin group declared it has withdrawn from the Hong Kong Shaolin Wushu Culture Centre set up by the Hong Kong Culture Association Charitable Foundation.

The foundation inaugurated classes in Shaolin martial arts in Tai O on Lantau Island in 2006. However, media reports say the Shaolin monks have severed their relationship with the school's administrator.

A foreign tourist who once took a week long course at the center told China Daily that many local teenagers originally joined the program. However the tourist said he found the teaching techniques too severe for him.