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Binding: Hardcover Dewey Decimal Number: 294.36570951 EAN: 9781597110808 ISBN: 1597110809 Label: Aperture Foundation Manufacturer: Aperture Foundation Number Of Items: 1 Number Of Pages: 144 Publication Date: 2007-10-01 Publisher: Aperture Foundation Release Date: 2007-10-01 Studio: Aperture Foundation
For the first time in history, the notoriously guarded warrior monks of the 1500-year-old Shaolin Temple--a Chinese Buddhist sect dedicated to preserving a form of kung fu known as the "vehicle of Zen"--have allowed their secretive society to be documented. With the blessing of the main abbot, Justin Guariglia earned the trust and full collaboration of the Shaolin monks to create an astonishing, empathic record of the Shaolin art forms and the individuals who consider themselves the keepers of these traditions. Over the past eight years, Guariglia has deftly captured the changing context of this ancient sect as it encounters the increasingly hyper-modern world of contemporary China. This amazing work provides viewers with a rare opportunity to examine the energy and spirit of the Shaolins' unique Zen practice, which has until now primarily been seen via pop-cultural interpretation in such films as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. It features serial imagery of fighting poses; cinematic grid images and cool design.
Spotlight customer reviews:
Customer Rating: Summary: Shaolin Temple Photo Essay Comment: the photographs are powerful and descriptive of life in the Shaolin temple and the practice of Kung Fu . Professionally done and a work of art. Customer Rating: Summary: Beautiful Work of Art Comment: This book has gorgeous photos of the Shaolin monks practicing Kung Fu and Zen meditation. I have seen other photo books on Shaolin, which mostly display superhuman feats in which the monks are more performers than martial artists. This book shows the inner sanctum of the Shaolin Temple with an artistic sensibility. Beautiful work. Customer Rating: Summary: Traditional Shaolin today Comment: This book perhaps represents the direction that Shaolin should take in this new century.
After the martial underground of the early part of the 20th century, and then the circus-like modern explosion of Shaolin in the 90s and early 2000s, Shaolin now needs to revalue its traditional physical and spiritual roots, the health and strenght of traditional Shaolin WuShu united with the profound teachings of Chan (Zen) phylosophy, adapted in a pragmatic and captivating way to our modern lifestyles.
The photographs in this book, and their composition, certainly capture the stillness-action duality of Shaolin, and are a novel, more "artistic" take on the subject.
Perhaps for the first time a Shaolin-related book has moved away from the overdone scenes of many chinese publications, or from attempts at being a technical reportage, to simply use striking photography of traditional Shaolin GongFu WuShu to "paint a picture" of traditional Shaolin today, starting from the very monks the author chose to use.
A definite must for all Shaolin practitioners but more importantly for a far broader audience whom, through these images, migh begin a journey of understanding, and perhaps of practice, towards real Shaolin WuShu and Chan. Customer Rating: Summary: Disappointed Comment: Let me start this review by clearly stating I know nothing about photography. I purchased this book after seeing it reviewed on a PBS program. While the content was what I expected, the photography was not. I found the paper to be inferior, the style of most of the photos are in a "moving" view which has many of them out of focus. A few of the subjects cover 2 pages and the folds ruin the setting. The short answer is for the lay person, I would not recommend this book. Customer Rating: Summary: For the Western world, a new view of kung fu Comment: If you're like me, and have lived in the U.S. your entire life, your exposure to martial arts probably consists of watching a few Jet Li or Tarantino movies. In this book, Guariglia tells a different side of the story. The mood of the book is peaceful and meditative, emphaisizing kung fu as a way of life, not just a sport. Although the images are beautiful, this is more than a photography book--it's a fresh look at an ancient way of life that, until now, has been inaccessible to the Western world.
Even if your particular interest is not in kung fu, this is a fascinating book. The rich, colorful imagery and vibrant portraits make this book worth adding to the best photography collection.
