[2009.12.17] ANDY LAU STUDIES SEVEN STAR FISTS WITH SHAOLIN MASTER

courtesy of singtao.com

courtesy of mingpao.com

courtesy of takungpao.com

The 200 million yuan RMB film SHAOLIN (SUN SIU LUM JI) will officially begin production within the month. Director Benny Chan Muk Sing invited a Shaolin Temple master to personally instruct Wa Jai in the Shaolin Temple Seven Star Fists. Wa Jai two months ago has already begun to train secretly with action director Corey Yuen Kwai and Yuen Tak. He also watched videos to learn Shaolin fist basics. Last week he began instruction with the master. Wa Jai in a few days very soon learned the Seven Star Fists.

Wa Jai has been practicing Seven Star Fists with the master and his disciple Shi Hangyu and was in great shape. The master was fast and powerful with his punches and had strict instruction for every move and step. Wa Jai did not relax, continuously repeated and humbly practiced. Wa Jai not only trained with the Master in martial art but also secretly went to the Temple alone to mediate for three days in hopes of further understanding the truth of Shaolin Temple kung fu's merger of zen and martial art. Wa Jai expressed that he has never studied zen in a temple.  Aside from reciting scriptures he did not do anything else. He did not even bring his phone. He felt that as long as he did not think about anything, without any idle thought he could go three days without speaking.

Wa Jai's passion also started a Shaolin kung fu fever at the company. Whenever Wa Jai practiced, everyone remembered to practice and listened to the Master's Buddhist explanation. Wa Jai even brought a notebook to his training like an elementary school student in class. Wa Jai expressed that while learning the Seven Star Fists with the Master, first he had to understand the truth and spirit within the martial art. He felt that real Shaolin Temple kung fu was not just kung fu, but also a spiritual exercise that merged both martial art and zen study into one.

Wa Jai did not have any special diet during his zen study. Everyday he would mediated for 45 minutes. The master chose to teach Seven Star Fists to Wa Jai mainly to coordinate with Wa Jai's shape.

Director Chan Muk Sing revealed that Jason Wu Jing and Yu Shaoqun will study kung fu like capture grab. Months ago he and assistant directors personally mediated for two hours in Shaolin Temple to experience Shaolin Temple kung fu's zen study process. The master hoped through SHAOLIN to spread the true meaning of Shaolin kung fu. This time Lau Tak Wa's Shaolin Temple training was a destiny.