Master Guolin was born into a Buddhist, martial arts family in Henan, China and has a strong heritage of Shaolin Kung Fu from his mother's side. At age seven, he began his martial art training with his family. His grandfather would be one of his earliest and biggest influences. At age 15, he dedicated himself to Buddhism. One year later, Shifu left for Shaolin Temple, a pilgrimage he made by walking over 300 miles across China.
At Shaolin Temple, he spent all his time practicing martial arts and Chan Buddhism. He was director of research where he collected China's vast traditions and philosophies such as Five Elements theory, traditional Chinese medicine, Taoism, Confucianism and more. Shifu was recognized for his familiarity in many aspects of Chinese culture as well as the ability to combine the applications of Chan Buddhism and martial arts. He was named a Transmission Disciple in 1985 of Venerable Shi Yongxin who was in 2000 inaugurated as the 30th abbot of Shaolin Temple. This made him the abbot's successor of the 34th generation of the Shaolin tradition.
In 1988, Shifu was one of the first Shaolin monks to teach at the Shaolin Wushu Guan, the world's biggest martial arts training facility. It was opened by the Chinese government to spread Shaolin Kung Fu and help finance the restoration and preservation of the Shaolin Temple and its traditions. From 1989-1991, Shifu won the highest award at China's National Shaolin Kungfu Festival. He earned the title "Iron Arhat" (for his advanced iron shirt qigong skill) and "Shaolin Hero" (attributed only to Shaolin's highest level). During this time, Shifu went on demonstration trips to Japan and Thailand, but always wanted to stay close to Shaolin Temple.
In 1992, Shifu lead a demonstration team to the U.S. to introduce Shaolin Kung Fu. In 1995, he founded the Shaolin Temple Overseas Headquarters in Flushing, NY. Fascinated by the diversities of culture and religion in the United States, Shifu believes that Shaolin heritage can benefit everyone. In September of 2013, he began teaching at the new Shaolin Temple Overseas Headquarters in East Northport (Long Island) New York.
Today, no longer a monk, Shifu Guolin continues as a secular disciple to share Shaolin traditional culture by providing the unique Unity of Chan and Body way of teaching. That is, strengthening both the physical body and focused mind as one. All are welcome to experience Shaolin Kung Fu and Qigong.
Qigong is an internal energy cultivation exercise that has been practiced at the Shaolin Monastery for centuries. This legendary exercise has been accorded high respect by both Chinese Martial Artists and Qi Gong practitioners alike. It is aimed at strengthening the muscles, tendons, and ligaments and achieving a balanced state of internal energy (Qi) in the human body. This exercise consists of stretching, breathing and visualization techniques to achieve these holistic health goals. Persistent practice will increase blood and energy flow and ameliorate various illnesses and disorders. Some of the better known routines are Bodhidarma Yi Jin Jing, Ba Duan Jin and Xin Yi Ba.
Routines include fundamental movements of the body and parts of the body including moving up, down, twisting, bending, and folding. We will learn how these movements create different alignments of the body and why these alignments are important. We will also learn the internal practice of how to use breathing to practice qi, or life energy and, most importantly, how to unify movement with these qi breathing methods. We will use these movements to understand how the internal and external work together.
Yi Jin Jing, Ba Duan Jin, Shi Er Da Jin Fa (12 Strength), Wu Bu Zui Zong, Shi Er Duan Jing (12 Section), Jiu Cong Tu (Health), Suo Yang Gong (for Men's Health), Qian Jin Zui , Chan Yuan Gong, Xin Yi Ba