Email 11-12-02

Dear Shao-Lin,
Our stay on O-Mei Mountain was beautiful. The weather was cold as it had snowed the previous week and traces could be found in some of the temple courtyards. We were lucky that the weather was perfect for us to see Buddha's Halo, a rainbow around a Buddha figure, as well as clear enough the second day for us to see the Himayalan Mountains! The flight to Wuhan was uneventful but the overnight train ride was miserable as the cigarette smoke was thick and the car windows would not open.

The weather was perfect on Wu Tang Mountain. Our interview with the Abbot was delayed as there was a surprise visit by an very important Party Official from Beijing. Everyone at the temple was in a fluster since this man had the power to get rid of those that he found fault with. He had many bodyguards and photographers with him.

Once our interview with the Head Abbot got underway the Abbot talked at length and was very gracious. Two of his assistants, a male and a female monk both performed several forms in the courtyard for us. A monk there mentioned that there was a picture in a Wu Tang photography book of the 1st large foreign martial arts group to visit Wu Tang Mountain. When a member of our expedition looked at the book, it is a photo of some of our Shao-Lin Students performing during our 1996 visit to Wu Tang.

Our stay at the summit of Wu Tang was more pleasant than we had expected both weather and accommodation wise. Our expedition was granted the privilege of having the doors to both the bell and drum towers unlocked and opened for photography. We found out that this is rare and that they are usually only opened for special occasions a couple of times a year!

At the foot of Wu Tang Mountain, we visited a temple that is in the ruins of a huge old imperial summer palace. As good fortune would have it, a young disciple for 18 years under the Abbot took a liking to me. She invited me into the bedroom chamber of the Head Abbot. There I found the Abbot seated on her bed in a lotus position. She had bright eyes and a strong voice. Her hands gestured as she talked and she did not look as old as her 136 years of age. There were a few newspaper articles and photographs around the Spartan room describing her long life. Her disciple said that she is still trained every day by the Abbot. Both this Abbot and the Abbot at the Purple Cloud Pavilion attributed the health and longevity to the combination of internal and external practice and a vegetarian diet. This was exciting to hear as this is consistent with what we in Shao-Lin are doing.

See you soon. I am already excited about our next trip and sharing wonderful adventures such as these with all of you!

Sincerely,
Senior Master Sharon