Going backwards in time…
Visit to the NATIONAL MUSEUM of CHINA, December 29, 2023
参观天津天妃宫遗址博物馆，2023年12月17日
Visit to the Tianfei Palace Site Museum of the Yuan, Ming, and Qing Dynasties, in Tianjin, December 17, 2023
Background: In November and December 2023, I made several trips to North Shaolin Monastery, located on Pan Mountain (Panshan), Jixian, Tianjin. During those trips I stayed there with the monks for varying lengths of time from three to five days, because I wanted to learn about the “ordinary life” of monks living at that monastery, and get updated on the reconstruction of that venerable Monastery destroyed in May, 1942. On my first trip back there since before the COVID-19 pandemic, I stopped at Wei Min’s Guest House, as he, and his family are old friends going back to 2010 when I first visited the ruins of that monastery. His son, Wei Yao Dong is managing it now and the three of them and I had an amazing dinner at their guest house.
Among other things I learned there was a display of North Shaolin artifacts at the Tianfei Palace Site Museum in Tianjin.
[With 14,500 kilometers of coastline and naval history of thousands of years, China has its own pantheon of sea gods. Mazu, also known as “Tianfei” (Princess of Heaven) and “Tianhou” (Empress of Heaven) is the most famous goddess of the sea in China. In coastal areas and sea ports Goddess Mazu/Tianfei lives in the heart of Chinese history and culture. Hence, this museum.]
So, I had to visit at least to see and photograph the North Shaolin artifacts, and pay my respects to Tianfei, the Princess of Heaven! To make it more meaningful, I called Professor Gao from Tianjin, another old friend from 2010, and invited him to go to the Museum with me. Surprisingly, he didn’t even know it was there, so he, his son Gao Zhang, I, and another old friend of mine from Beijing I call Henry, all visited the Tianfei Museum together.
What survived the wars at North Shaolin? Only the venerable ancient White Tower, also called Rogue Tower. It was full of bullet holes when I first visited in 2010.
从那时起，它恢复了原来的辉煌。 Since then, it been restored to its original glory.
以下是我制作的一段短片，讲述了我们于2023年12月17日在天津参观元明清天妃宫遗址博物馆的故事。
The following is a short video I produced about our visit to the Tianfei Palace Site Museum of the Yuan, Ming, and Qing Dynasties, in Tianjin, December 17, 2023.
A visit to the Display of North Shaolin Monastery Artifacts located within the Tianfei Palace Site Museum of the Yuan, Ming, and Qing Dynasties, in Tianjin. The visit was December 17, 2023. I was accompanied by my old friend Henry from here in Beijing, and met with Professor Gao – who played a key role in finding the “lost North Shaolin Monastery” after the war, and his son, Gao Zhang. The drum sound background is a recording of the Chen Zhong Mugu (Morning Bell, evening drum) ceremony at North Shaolin by Shi Xuan Wu from Anhui.
自2023年9月回到北京以来，我所做的事情数量非同寻常。最好的记录将是《功夫太极》杂志的出版物。
The number of things I’ve been doing since returning to Beijing in September 2023 has been extraordinary. The best record will be publications in Kung Fu Tai Chi Magazine.
当我在泰国时，我开始学习如何制作视频，并开设了 YouTube 和 TikTok 频道。其中一些发布在上面菜单上的“2023”下的泰国页面上。It was while I was in Thailand (October 17, 2021 to June 14, 2023) that I began to learn how to produce videos and started YouTube and TikTok channels. Some of them are posted on Thailand page under this one “2023” on the menu above.
YouTube Link: @silkroadmartialartsfriends7329
TikTok Link: @Silk Road Martial Art Nomaduser5051237932857
While in Chiang Mai I researched and made videos of the major Wushu-Kung Fu schools there and found the main parks where people do Tai Chi and Qi Gong in the morning, as well as some of the top Traditional Thai, Traditional Chinese, and Complementary Medicine hospitals and clinics.
In spare time I research various topics including archeology and start bibliographies. For example:
And PDFs of course.
While in Chiang Mai I also visited several great Muay Thai schools and Friday night action at two of that venerable city’s four main stadiums. That led to a couple of exciting videos.
Thailand has always had a rich martial art heritage and one cannot really separate then, and now so easily.
Below is a slideshow/video about the founders and founding of Chiang Mai.
Below is from the Chiang Mai National Museum
在泰国之后，我在马来西亚呆了三个月。不幸的是，他们的国际武术联合会的人太忙了，没有时间与我见面。我毫不畏惧，探索了吉隆坡的跆拳道世界、世界跆拳道 （WT）、ITF 和 GTF，为一本 Totally Taekwondo 杂志撰写故事。
After Thailand I spent three months in Malaysia. Unfortunately, their International Wushu Federation people were too busy to meet with me. Undaunted, I explored the Taekwondo world in Kuala Lumpur, World Taekwondo (WT), ITF and GTF, writing stories for a Totally Taekwondo magazine.
同样在马来西亚，我发现了一种来自泰米尔纳德邦的绝对迷人的武术，在遥远的印度南部，我以前从未听说过，Silambam！
Also in Malaysia, I discovered an absolutely fascinating martial art from Tamil Nadu, in far South India I had not heard of before, Silambam!
Silk Road Kung Fu Friendship Tour 