Chapter 140: The Countermeasure of the Shaolin (2/2)
忠正善禧祥 谨志原济渡。
雪庭为导师，引汝归铉路。
TL Note: In the Shaolin Temple, there is a 70 character poem that monks derive their given names from. The first character, 福 (Fu), would be given to the first generation monk after the poem was written. The monks Yong Bao and Yong He belonged to the 33nd generation, represented by the 33rd character 永 (Yong). Shi Yongxin follows this trend, as all Buddhist monks are given the last name Shi, and then the generation name. So the monks Yong Bao and Yong He can also be called Shi Yongbao and Shi Yonghe.
TL Note: Here is a translation of the poem (Credits to this site here for translating it):
Blessed and talented,
an intelligent young man will grow into awareness;
you are originally in a state of completion and thus apt to understand.
All around in the universe the Buddhist doctrine spreads,
we celebrate that our principle comes from the same ancestry.
The Buddhist state is pure and quiet, vast as the sea;
in the profound silence our chastity and nativeness are enhanced.
Our moral conduct will endure forever;
and our bodies are constantly firm.
The mind is a crystal clear that can light up the depth of the mountains;
and the innate character can make one bright enough
to distinguish nobility from treachery.
Faithfulness, decency and virtuousness will bring happiness and auspiciousness;
We cautiously keep in mind our original course in the crossing.
The snowy courtyard is like a teacher,
that will guide you to return to a bright road.
De Jian was a master of the Southern Shaolin Fist, but he had grown old. The southern and northern Shaolin Temples had already been connected and combined together because of Shi Yongxin. Collaborating both sides to form a brand, he had been able to revitalize the economy with it. In terms of seniority, De Jian was older higher than Shi Yongxin by two generations. But generation and seniority didn’t matter here, as Shi Yongxin was the abbot.
Xing Shen was a monk that taught martial arts in Mount Taishi. His martial arts was outstanding, and he was also the master of Duan Guochao. However, because he was past his 50s and reaching 60, his martial arts was no longer the same as when he was at his peak. So De Jian could make note that despite Duan Guochao’s death, the road in front of his master held no benefits.
The experts of Shaolin martial arts were all abroad at the current moment. Yong Long and Yong Hu were at the German Shaolin Temple and the American Shaolin Temple keeping up appearances, and Xing Yi was the master of the Russian Shaolin Temple.
The circumstances abroad weren’t the same as they were in China. To open a school abroad, fights and competitions couldn’t be avoided. Fights to the death were simply nothing out of the ordinary.
Back when Bruce Lee was building up fame in America, he had to fight everyday with martial artists, boxers, Judoka, and even criminals. So for the very same reason, the elites of the Shaolin Temple were all overseas.
The men within the country were only braggarts with no substances who could only mess around and eat. But abroad, aside from those who were self-acclaimed to be the number one, strength was the only thing they had.
Yong Bao and Yong He were born boxers in America and eventually converted to become monks later.
“Master Xing Shen, please, do not go through your connections to try and stir trouble up above. Our Shaolin Temple can only develop our economic and martial arts status. Nothing else can be touched! We cannot even think about it! I’ve already written Yong He and Yong Bao from the registries of the Shaolin Temple, they will be driven out from our temple. As for Duan Guochao, I will admit, the affairs of monks for matters like this, I have no connections to resolve this. Whatever the government wishes to do, then it will be done. A monk should not interfere with the everyday life of the world, you shouldn’t try to cause a disturbance either.” Although Xing Shen was the fellow monk of his senior generation, the abbot continued to cajole him with a serious tone.
“Understood.” De Jian and Xing Shen nodded. The abbot was unskilled in martial arts, but in the Shaolin Temple, everyone had to pay their respects to him. His authority exceeded that of an emperor. Without him, whether the monks would be able to find enough money to eat would become a major problem.
Despite Xing Shen’s martial arts was impressive, the food that he ate, the clothes he wore, his salary, premiums, and wealth. Everything depended on the abbot.
No matter how high one’s skill at martial arts was, it would not put food on the table.
But leaving aside the fact that the Shaolin Temple had received news that Duan Guochao had died and their plans in regards to it, Wang Chao and Lin Yanan had already returned to the army headquarters. On the next day, the comrades from central had already arrived at commissar Yang’s office.
“Colonel Lin Yanan, lieutenant colonel Wang Chao. Dong Ling, Chen Ke, and Duan Guochao fought against each other without explicit approval. This is a serious violation of the organization’s rules. You will all be brought to Beijing for penalization.”