Greek Shaolin Cultural Organization
少林希腊文化組织

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The new academic year has set off under the best conditions for the city of Thessaloniki. On Saturday 12th of September and at 9:00pm the first open presentation for this season took place, at Aniline Studio Dance theater, under the frame of the opening of the theater’s activities. The director mrs Arabatzi Natassa invited master Shi Miao Yuan [Chin.: shìmiàoyuán 释妙原] – Vassilopoulos Ioannis who is an officially recognized martial arts master of EPOS to present “shaolin soft fist” the well known Shaolin Rou Quan and Shaolin Qi Gong.

The theater was literally packed in an exquisite art’s feast, with an audience of musicians, professional dancers, poets, writers, painters who anxiously awaited to find out what the art of Shaolin Rou Quan is all about.

It was agreed to begin the program with Rou Quan, in order to relax and calm the audience with a view to further enjoy the rest of the performances. An interactive session was proposed and mrs Arabatzi was very apprehensive.

A fairly large introduction lead over, as to what is Rou Quan - the predecessor of the well known Tai Ji -, to whom it is addressed and what it aspires at, further to the psychosomatic benefits, considering too the martial applications that it embeds. As far as the latter is concerned, the martial virtues (shaolin wu de) were mentioned as well as the the five skills (shaolin wu gong) that gradually emerge in every practitioner of Rou Quan.

Setting things right, the presentation started with a “horse stance” and from there, a series of Qi Gong drills took place. The entire audience gladly accepted them in a rather joyful manner and competitive at the same time. Smiles of joy and the first drops of sweat started to show up their faces.

Being happy enough, the lights went down and a section of handform routine of Rou Quan begun. Absolute silence covered the theater.

Upon completion of the routine, there was a great interest and inquiries from the guests who really wanted to get to know the arts of Shaolin, its route in Greece and the history of the Greek Shaolin Cultural Organization. Once more, it was stressed out that the arts of shaolin see no age and there are no boundaries in the self development and practicing those arts. Furhtermore, occupation with shaolin Rou Quan can augment and empower any other activity of daily life that requires concentration and calmness, physical or non physical.