Shaolin: coming to a temple near you...?
source: http://www.danwei.org/front_page_of_the_day/buddhist_temples_merger.php
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- purplefox
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The Shaolin Temple is probably China's most well-known (and comercialised) Buddhist temple, and now its planning to branch out on its success and take over four other temples in Kunming. The contract signed by the four temples allows Shaolin monks to introduce Shaolin features, including what has been touted as an "integration of Zen and martial arts." In exchange, all revenue generated by these temples through donations, tourism, and the sale of religious items will belong to Shaolin.
I can't help but see this as a rather worrying trend, as the commercialisation of temples makes them lose their individuality and effectively become nothing more than tourist traps. Could this be the start of a Shaolin franchise?
I can't help but see this as a rather worrying trend, as the commercialisation of temples makes them lose their individuality and effectively become nothing more than tourist traps. Could this be the start of a Shaolin franchise?
