Shaolin Football

There was a movie from Hong Kong a few years ago that was quite popular called Shaolin Soccer (IMDB entry). The movie starred Hong Kong comedy legend Stephen Chow [周星馳] as a down-on-his-luck disciple of Shaolin kung fu [少林功夫] who popularises the martial art by combining it with soccer.

In a case of life-imitates-art, Venerable Shi Yongxin [釋永信], the abbot of Shaolin temple [少林寺] (whom we have previously met in this post), plans to develop a football program there. But by "football" I am referring to American football here, not to what is called "soccer" by Americans.

From Buddhism-Online:

In the days following his first experience with American football, Abbot Shi Yongxin, leader of the Shaolin Temple in China, is developing plans to start a football program at the Temple.

In an effort to promote cultural exchange, the Abbot's goal is to develop a series of football teams that would tour the United States and play exhibition games. The names of the teams would mirror current American football teams.

[...]

Thank the gods that the high school team in Pekin, Illinois, long ago changed their name to the Pekin Dragons.

As part of the plan, the [United States Sports Academy] would provide football coaches and administrators to train athletes and build a program at the Shaolin Temple. For over 30 years, the Academy has delivered sports programs in more than 60 countries around the world. [...]

A 10-part certification program to teach Kung Fu and other martial arts is also being developed as a joint effort between the Academy and the Abbot.

The United States Sports Academy is an independent, non-profit, accredited, special mission sports university created to serve the nation and the world with programs in instruction, research and service. The role of the Academy is to prepare men and women for careers in the profession of sports.

In traditional Chinese Buddhism, kung fu is not considered a sport, but is one component of an integrated program of mental, spiritual, and physical training, the aspects of which are inseparable from one another. Of course, the physical training had long ago been separated from the rest, resulting in many schools of martial arts most of which have nothing to do with spirituality. But one would hope that the Shaolin temple of all places would try to maintain the traditional stance.

南無阿彌陀佛