Shi Yan Ming

Quick Facts

Full Name	Shi Yan Ming
Occupation	Monk
Date Of Birth	Feb 13, 1964(1964-02-13)
Age	60
Birthplace	Zhumadian
Country	China
Birth City	Henan
Horoscope	Aquarius

Shi Yan Ming Biography

Shi Yan Ming is one of the most popular and richest Monk who was born on February 13, 1964 in Zhumadian, Henan, China. Shi’s departure was prompted in part by the fact that Shi disagreed with the strictures of the monastery. He said, “In the temple, monks have 250 rules. Two hundred fifty! Just think of that! You cannot drink. You cannot eat spices. You cannot drink bottled water. You cannot look at a woman. That’s just crazy. It’s the 21st century, you know?”

In the year 1969, young Duan, who was five years old at the time of his death Buddhist parents, who were still concerned about his health visited the 1500 -year-old Shaolin Temple, the only remaining parts of the temple after numerous destruction by the warring dynasties as well as the current administration was the foundation and a few walls. (The temple as it’s called today was rebuilt around the beginning in the early 21st century.) Since this was during the Cultural Revolution, the familiar uniform of yellow and red robes as well as shaving heads were not found among monks. They was not until around 1980, once it was clear that the Cultural Revolution ended. Because there was no sign of an abbot in the temple for about three hundred years Duan took him to head monk Shi Xing Zheng (who was later named abbot in the year 1986). Shi Xing Zheng who Duan refers to as “Shigong” (“Grandmaster”) or “Shifu Shifu” (“master’s master”) He looked at Duan in awe. Duan and welcomed Duan into the temple in which his parents were delighted to let him go. Once Shi was accepted into the temple with approximately the number of monks in 16-17 each one of them more senior that Duan (most of those in their seventies) the name of his master change was to Shi Yan Ming. The name comes of “Shi”, as in Shakyamuni who was the creator of Buddhism and a family name that Buddhist monks in this tradition use to signify that they adhere to Buddha, “Yan”, which refers to that they are the “34th generation” at the Shaolin Temple as well as “Ming”, which means “perpetual”, as in the endless cycles of the wheel of the Dharma. Shi affirms”his “kung fu uncles” at the temple were extremely loving and cared for Shi as his parents would even though they didn’t live there every day, in fear of marauding Mao’s Red Guard, and therefore, Shi saw his parents frequently.

In 1985, Shi won the 65 kg (147 lb.) championship in the Xian National Sparring Competition. He also won the championship in the annual Shaolin Disciples Competition three years in a row (1988–1990), and was vice-coach of the Shaolin Temple Fighting Monks at Henan.

Shi immediately started learning kung fu, Chan Buddhism and acupuncture from his masters, Liu Xin Yi and Shen Ping An, who were Shaolin disciples living outside the temple, rather than monks. Because of the open nature of the temple, where people could come and go easily, he says he learned to read people. Despite his training, Shi also amused himself by playing pranks on his masters, who would punish him either with beatings, or by making him do the horse stance until his legs were numb and swollen, or making do headstands until the blood draining into his head caused pain. Shi’s daily routine consisted of awakening at 4:30 am to practice for two hours, followed by a breakfast of steamed tofu and vegetables, prayer, meditation or relaxation for an hour, and then another three and a half hours of practice. This would be followed by more prayer, Buddhism studies, and cleaning or other Temple work. Although Shaolin monks do not necessarily follow the practice of other monks who do not eat past noon, those at the temple would eat a lunch of noodles, rice or mantou at 11:30 am, out of respect to monks visiting from other temples. After an hour of relaxation, Shi would practice and pray again from 1:00 pm to 5:30 pm, followed by dinner, more relaxation, and more practice until 10:00 pm. From then until 4:00 am the monks would work in shifts to check the temple’s incense. The monks slept on a piece of wood with a blanket on it, sometimes using their clothes for pillows, which Shi says is good for the back, compared to American beds, which he says are too comfortable. Although Shi met his Buddhism Shifu, Shi Yong Qian, almost immediately after entering the temple, he did not begin seriously studying with him until he was about 14 or 15. Because the temple did not have running water, the monks had to transport it from mountain rivers just outside the temple, draw it from a well, and collect rainwater. When the temple acquired running water in 1986, the monks were dissatisfied, because under the system of feng shui, digging up the ground and laying in pipes was, as Shi puts it, akin to “cutting your veins out”. During the cold winter months, bathing was restricted to washing selected body parts, rather than immersion in or under water. Even today the temple only has cold water.

Shi Yan Ming (born Duan Gen Shan on February 13 1964) is a 34th generation Shaolin warrior monk, teacher, and actor best known for being the creator of the USA Shaolin Temple. The Shaolin Temple was where he trained. Shaolin Temple of Henan, People’s Republic of China (PRC) from when he was five years old, Shi Yan Ming defected to the United States in 1992, prior to opening the USA Shaolin Temple in Manhattan in which he has been a teacher to hundreds of children, and many famous people. He has made numerous appearances on the fields of film, television and print and print media, including National Geographic, PBS, History, Time magazine, and 1999’s American Samurai action film Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai.

Shi Yan Ming Net Worth

Shi Yan Ming is one of the richest Monk from China. According to our analysis, Wikipedia, Forbes & Business Insider, Shi Yan Ming 's net worth $5 Million. (Last Update: December 11, 2023)

Before the birth of Duan Two of Duan’s older brothers and one of his older sisters suffered from starvation during Mao Zedong’s “Great Leap Forward” in the latter half of 1950s. Duan himself was close to dying at the age of the age of two to three. This led his parents to pay all their money on numerous doctors and also his father to market his own calligraphy pen. The doctors eventually abandoned Duan and, after they believed that their seventh child was dead and his parents covered him with blankets intent on throwing the body away, only to be stopped by an acupuncturist from outside their village. He observed them crying and applied acupuncture to newborn Gen Shan, who promptly was able to recover. Yan Ming believes the man was a Boddhisattva who was sent by Buddha to help him save his life.

Shi Yan Ming was born Duan Gen Shan in Zhumadian in Henan Province, China, on Chinese New Year’s Eve, 13 February 1964 which was the dragon year. He was seventh child of nine. His father was raised in an extremely poor family, where they were basically homeless and would beg for food from at the door. His father was a non-student, and never attended school, would sleep under the heat of a wood-burning stove or dug into a pile of wheat in order to warm himself. Despite all the difficulties, he learned to be an extremely proficient writer, reader, and calligrapher. The family of Duan’s mother was more financially secure. In typical fashion her family, she wasn’t well- educated also, was feet bound to the floor, and was raised to become a mom and housewife. Duan’s parents later got jobs with Mao’s Chinese administration under Mao and also worked in the in the underground as Telex operators.

In 1980, a young Jet Li arrived at the temple to shoot his feature film debut, Shaolin Temple. Though Shi barely noticed him at the time, the film’s 1982 release was a major turning point for the temple, which experienced a significant increase in tourism. This in turn resulted in more positive attention to the temple by the Chinese government, which rebuilt the building, and in a change to the monks’ daily routine, so that they could accommodate the tourists. Around this time, when Shi was 16, his parents, who held stressful jobs and were heavy smokers, died of lung cancer within six months of each other. Shi would then take care of his younger brother, while his older brothers would take care of the younger siblings, with whom Shi is still in contact today.

Height, Weight & Body Measurements

Shi Yan Ming height Not available right now. Shi weight Not Known & body measurements will update soon.

Who is Shi Yan Ming Dating?

According to our records, Shi Yan Ming is possibily single & has not been previously engaged. As of December 1, 2023, Shi Yan Ming’s is not dating anyone.

Relationships Record : We have no records of past relationships for Shi Yan Ming. You may help us to build the dating records for Shi Yan Ming!

Shi Yan Ming had a small role in the 1999 movie Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai, which was directed by one of his students, Jim Jarmusch. He has been profiled on PBS, and on the History series Stan Lee’s Superhumans. In 2005, National Geographic filmed a documentary on him titled “Kung Fu Monk”. He has also worked as a model, and the tourist bureau of his native village, Henan Province, put him on a billboard advertising their most famous native son. He is also depicted performing various styles of kung fu in four giant posters that show him that hang over the entrance to the modern Anhui Guoyang Chudian Branch of the Shaolin Wushu Center, near the Shaolin Temple.

Facts & Trivia

Shi Ranked on the list of most popular Monk. Also ranked in the elit list of famous people born in China. Shi Yan Ming celebrates birthday on February 13 of every year.

On May 21, 2020, Shi appeared on ABC’s To Tell The Truth.

Who is the strongest Shaolin monk?

Shì Yánmíng 釋延明
Nationality| Chinese American
Denomination| Chan Buddhism
School| Shaolin Temple
Lineage| 34th Generation Shaolin Warrior Monk

Who is Shifu Shi Yan Ming?

Shifu Shi Yan Ming was the first to bring Shaolin kung fu to the United States. Trained as a Shaolin Temple Warrior Monk in China, he was on a tour of the US in 1992 when he defected. By 1994, he had moved to New York City where he opened USA Shaolin Temple and began training students, including Wu- Tang Clan.

Is the movie Shaolin based on a true story?

Abbot Shi Yongxin will serve as executive producer for the first of three features, entitled The Legend of the Monk Warriors of Shaolin Temple, based on a true story of 30 warrior monks who fought 16th-century pirates. Filming will start next year.

Who is Master Shi Heng?

For more than 30 years, Master Shi Heng Yi has been studying and practicing the interaction between mind and body. His strength is the ability to smoothly combine this knowledge with physical exercises and to practice Martial art –Kung Fu and Qi Gong.

Who is the youngest Shaolin master?

In 1968 Master Sin’s training was complete. Grandmaster Ie awarded him the 10th Degree and the Grandmaster’s Red Belt. Sin Kwang Thé had become the youngest Grandmaster in the history of the Shaolin art.