Dharma Bum Temple is honored to welcome Master Yan Tuo a 34th generation Shaolin Kung Fu Monk and Abbot of Shaolin Temple San Diego. Native of Shandong province, he has been learning local traditional martial arts from his father since he was six years of age. Legend says that more than 1,500 years ago, an Indian monk named Bodhidharma (whom the Chinese call Damo) sat meditating before a wall for nine years on Mount Songshan in northern China. Bodhidharma taught the monks of Shaolin Temple that meditation leads to enlightenment that was called Zen. However, the long periods seated mediation also atrophied the monks bodies. So Bodhidharma developed a series of calisthenics that monks were already practicing certain forms of into Kung Fu (Martial Arts). In 1997, Master Yan Tuo was given the special opportunity of being able to enter and train at Shaolin Temple. He formally entered the temple under his master, the Abbot, Shi Yong Xin. Under both his master’s strict and compassionate guidance and his long hours of practice, he quickly mastered several traditional fist, weapon, sparring and internal forms. Over the course of his training, he grasped the spirit of “Chan Wu He Yi” which embodies the need for both spiritual and physical training. Always keeping the essence of this phrase in mind, he quickly rose up the ranks and became one of the top students of the 34th generation. During the time when he was still training in the temple, he was able to participate in many international exchanges in America, Europe, Australia, Thailand, Korea, Taiwan and many more countries. In 2009, he was given the rare opportunity to begin teaching in the U.S. Now he is teaching Shaolin Kung Fu in San Diego. He wishes to spread the Traditional Culture and essence of Shaolin Kung Fu to more people in San Diego.

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