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Shaolin Chi Mantis Classes

Shaolin Chi Mantis Founder, Zhen Shen-Lang, is still teaching all of the SCM classes. As Patriarch, Chief Abbot and Flag Bearer, he looks forward to letting some of his Disciples take over some of the classes and offer programs farther than he can commute.

Currently, all classes are within the Montrose, California area, where Buddha Zhen resides. If you'd like to have Buddha Zhen visit your school or college for seminars, email him at:
             

Go to the "Classes Webpage" for current Shaolin Kung Fu and Yang Tai Chi class schedules.

Shaolin Chi Mantis Initiate Requirements

Shaolin Chi Mantis has been open to anyone interested in learning Zen Buddhism and Shaolin Kung Fu since 1984. If students couldn't afford classes, Buddha Zhen taught them for free. (Sometimes they would have to wash his van or shovel snow in his Utah driveway...)

As a "Guest Member," students can attend any of the Beginner Level classes they are eligible for. See the "classes webpage" for current schedules.

These Beginner Level classes are more than most students can achieve in a lifetime. After serving as the Editor of the Utah Black Belt Associations newsletter for two years, Buddha Zhen became very educated on the requirements of Tae Kwon Do, USA Karate Federation, Sport Karate International, and many other Karate organzations. He discovered that the Shaolin Chi Mantis Beginner Program had more requirements than most of these organizations required of their Black Belt rank.

One Shotokan Master from Japan was a student of Buddha Zhen for an entire year. He commented several times that Shaolin Chi Mantis was much more difficult than Shotokan Karate and that he himself would be unable to attain a Black Belt ranking in Shaolin Chi Mantis due to the difficulty and number of weapons he was required to master.

This led to Buddha Zhen creating the nonprofit organization, Tai Chi Youth, which does not require any weaponry and less Forms ("Katas" in Japanese). The entire Shaolin Chi Mantis Beginner Program was stretched out from a one-year program to a three-year program to make Shaolin Kung Fu and Yang Style Tai Chi more attainable for more people.

Students are generally directed into Tai Chi Youth, where their membership still enables them to acquire the Shaolin Chi Mantis Beginner Program without becoming a Shaolin Disciple.

For those students of higher ambition and greater desire to learn Shaolin Chi Mantis Traditional Buddhist Gongfu, check out:
          Shaolin Chi Mantis Gongfu Initiate Program
          Requirements of the Shaolin Chi Mantis Initiate.

Currently, as of 2009:
Of the 3,000 students Buddha Zhen has taught since 1984,
15 students have graduated the Shaolin Chi Mantis Beginner Program.

Shaolin Chi Mantis Belt Ranks

Shaolin Chi Mantis Belt Ranks were defined in 1992 when Buddha Zhen's students wanted to participate in Karate tournaments. This was the first standardized Belt Ranking of Shaolin Kung Fu anywhere in the world. Many schools worldwide still refer or use this same Belt Ranking designed by Zhen Shen-Lang for the Utah Black Belt Association.

Tai Chi Youth Belt Ranks were designed in 1996 with the formation of the nonprofit organization, Tai Chi Youth, Inc. These ranks are color coded differently from the SCM Belt Ranks. The advanced level graduate of the Tai Chi Youth system would be an Intermediate Level Shaolin Chi Mantis student.

Shaolin Chi Mantis Belt Testing

Shaolin Chi Mantis Belt Test Rules can be found on the back of your pink BELT TEST APPROVAL SHEET.

Shaolin Chi Mantis Annual Membership Meeting

Each year, the Saturday after Thanksgiving, is our SCM and TCY Annual Membership Meeting

The www.shaolinCOM.com EVENTS PAGE will keep updated information.

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