Kung Fu Dork Profile #8

Name: Jason
Temple Name: Shi Heng Zhan
Occupation: Martial arts instructor and College Student
Borough: Ft. Lauderdale, Florida (but I live everywhere)
Chinese Sign: Fire Hare

When was the last time you trained? March 3, 2008 at the 11 o'clock class

How is your commute to the temple? My commute is about 2 1/2 hours by airplane, plus the trip from whatever place I'm staying to the Temple

How did you learn about the temple? I actually began my study of Shaolin Chan Quan as a result of seeing a video of Shifu on TV. I was so inspired to become a master like the man in the orange robe that I saw on TV that I started my first martial arts class the very next morning. It wasn't until 2006 that I had the opportunity to train within the Temple walls. However, the Temple is everywhere. For this reason, the Temple has always been with me.

When did you start training? May 1995 (outside of the Temple); May 2006 (at the Temple)

What is your favorite basic move? My first instinct is to say 掄臂踩腳 (Lúnbì Căijiăo), however, thinking about it, I really do believe that every basic move is spurred on by what I believe to be the most important aspect of training... 走 (zǒu). Without "GO!", life would be motionless. It is Shifu's call of "走!" that tells the student so many things, without really knowing it. It is this command that lets you know that you have to move. Even training alone, you have to tell yourself to go and to make the first step. I love 掄臂踩腳 because of the soft and hard of the movement. It encapsulates the explosive ideal of life and it is all motivated by "走!"

What injuries have you had from training? Just feeling the effects of good training (soreness).

What's the most important lesson you learn from training? Amituofo. Everything that the word Amituofo means and represents is the most important lesson from the Temple. To quote an interview that Shifu took part in a few years ago "Amituofo means 'Buddha Bless you' and 'so good to see you!' You say Amituofo means 'continue' 'keep doing' and if you see somebody do, you know, that’s bad, you say Amituofo means 'please stop.' And if you see somebody helps others, you say Amituofo, means "Ah wow, you are living Buddha...'" Even that simple definition says everything that the Temple is. Life isn't about judging and finding fault in everyone else, but to help them and grow with them. Think about what Amituofo means to you and that is what the Temple has taught me. Life is beautiful, everyday is Christmas, More Chi!...everything. Amituofo.

Soup or no soup? Plain beef please. The last time I was at the Temple, I had the soup for the first time. Fantastic.
Shower or no shower? I shower when I get back to the place I'm staying.
Gatorade or water? Hot tea. I've found its a great way to warm up the inside (along with some no action meditation) before I warm up the outside.
How many uniforms? So many.... 2 blue cotton, 2 NTNL, 1 orange cotton (for private training only), 2 Shaolin vests, 1 NTNL black (custom), 2 Zhong Gua (He Shang suit from China), 1 Hai Qing (He Shang butterfly-sleeve gown), 1 Changshan (He Shang regular-sleeve gown), 1 Jia Sha (He Shang outer vestment), 1 silk Wushu suit, 1 Wushu warm-up suit, and countless uniforms from the other martial arts schools I taught and studied at.
Straddle or wall stretch? I prefer working partner splits. One student lying on their back and two others stretching their legs in different directions (one into the floor and the other to the nose).

南无 本事 釋迦牟尼佛 (nánmó běnshì shìjiāmóunífó)

Amituofo! Amituofo! Amituofo!