Here is a guide for looking for kung fu schools in China. It is a general check list of what to look for in a great kung fu school. First explore what part of China you want to travel, live and train in. Determine what style you want to practice and how do they train. Then what is the overall atmosphere of the martial arts academy like.

What Region

There are kung fu schools located throughout China.

Shaolin Temple is in the heart of China and martial arts. It is located in Henan province which is a poorer part of China. Don’t expect to live in plush hotels, it is more hardcore living. Not everyone that travels here is satisfied with the learning experience, they feel it has become too commercialized and some of the masters that teach are “soft”. Still it many like to come here for different reasons – the history (for thousands of years monks have been training here), the atmosphere (seeing hundreds and thousands of students training can be quite a thrill), the performance (some prefer modern wushu over traditional), know a good master.

Wudang Mountain This place is mysterious and legendary. With the wispy clouds and temples clinging to cliffs, it’s certainly a favorite for many. The styles primarily taught here are considered internal. Styles such as Tai Chi, Bagua, Baiji, and Xingyi. They also practice Qigong, but isn’t considered Wudang style per se.

Chen Village is also call Chenjiaogou is all Tai Chi. For those that love Tai Chi, it can’t get any more hardcore than here. Though it is a small farm village with 3,000 people, 2,500 of them practice the art. Several legendary masters teach here like Wang Xi’an.

Beijing has many masters that train and teach both in the schools and parks. Going to the Temple of Heaven and Temple of Earth early in the morning you will find many people exercising and training. Beijing Sports University trains many elite Wu Shu performers, like Jet Li.

Shandong Province is known for Praying Mantis and there are several Shaolin masters that teach there as well. There are several schools established for westerners as well as masters teaching out in the park.

The Key Know that not all masters in the schools are going to be the best, some of the best are hidden, training with a small group early in the morning. Explore your options.

Type of Training:

Training kung fu forms – All kung fu is going to include forms and drills. Some kung fu schools focus more on the performance side of it as in modern wu shu and some are more traditional where they teach the applications of the forms. Both are fine to study in, it’s just that you need to know clearly what it is that you want out of the training. Some traditional kung fu isn’t as pretty but can be much more effective in self-defense and applying power.

Application of kung fu forms – If you want to learn how to defend your self and make kung fu effective, you must practice the applications on a regular basis. This will include sparring of some kind. Some masters have different theories towards sparring. Some say you must wait until you reach a certain level before you do full contact and will teach a more safe “one-step” sparring where one person attacks in specific way, and another defends. This is useful in drilling the specific action in a more “live” way to build up muscle memory. Others will prefer the students get started immediately in sparring, though going lighter and half power. To really learn how to fight and defend yourself, there is no other way around putting on the gloves and banging it out, to see how you react under pressure and pain. This can take place much later in your training if you don’t feel ready and is probably counter-effective if done too soon.

The masters – The master you train with will make the difference in your experience. First is that the master must be good and if he/she claims a lineage, they are able to prove it. Aside from skill and teaching ability, a good master will have a positive attitude and is able to push the students to higher levels. The master should have a similar attitude that you have towards training. Some practice as a peaceful lifestyle others learn it to compete, fight, and get tough. Different styles will stress each area differently, for example Tai Chi is about harmony whereas Crazy Monk kung fu is about devastating attacks. Just be sure the master is someone you look up to and respect.

The Kung Fu School

Kung Fu Schools: The schools vary quite a bit in China. Some are opened by locals and others by westerners. Overall though, the key things to look for are:

1. Bedrooms – Will you share a room? What is the condition of the rooms? What is included? Internet? Bedding? Table? Heating in the winter – some places can be a bit chilly.
2. Food – What type of food do they serve? Some places follow a special diet so check if they are all vegetarian or not. If you have special requests, check if they can manage it for you. Ask whether they can avoid Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) which is in most Chinese food, most places can avoid it.
3. Showers and bathrooms – is it a community shower/bathroom or personal. Most likely it will be community.
4. Payments – What is the total fee that you must pay up front? Some schools split it up the cost between “tuition” and “living expense”, others group it in as one price. What kind of refund will they provide (if any)? How is the school managed overall? China has different ways of doing business and in the past this has caused conflicts, so read about other students experience to get a good feel for the school.
5. Training hall – Do they provide sparring gear? Weight sets? Indoor or outdoor training. How often will you train? Most schools will provide at least the basics of weapons and an indoor training hall.
6. Atmosphere – What is the atmosphere of the school like? Is it organized and disciplined? Do the classes start on time? What are the attitudes of the students? The best way to know is from when you contact with the school, do they respond quickly and answer your questions? Also see if you can contact previous students and email them. Ask what they typical day is like. What do they think of the masters, the staff, the food, other students, how ‘gung-ho’ were students about training? What is the surrounding area like? Is it in the city or the country side? How far is it from town? You can also look online at different forums and reviews that have been written. The more questions and research you do before going, the better your experience will be.

Are you a lover of soup and soup recipes? Besides the great taste and variety that soup has, it also has a wide array of uses in our histories of the world. Here are some known and little-known soup facts that you might find interesting. I did!

o Can you believe that Americans sip over 10 BILLION bowls of soup every single year! That’s a lot of soup!

o Every year, 99% of all American homes buy soup – turning it into a $5 billion business. Whoa! I’m in the wrong business!

o Who eats more soup?. Men or women? Well, for a typical lunch, women seem to be more than twice as likely to eat soup as men. Statistics say, 9.6% vs. 4.0%.

o When was the earliest evidence of our ancestors eating soup? About 6000 BC! And guess what kind of soup it was? Hippopotamus!

o So, in the late 1700s, apparently the French King was so enamored with himself that he had his royal chefs create a soup that would allow him to see his own reflection in the bowl. Sheesh! But as a result, consommé (clear broth) was born.

o Since we’re talking about the French here’s another interesting tidbit of soup lore that I had to include on this Soup Facts page. In the French Court of Louis XI, the ladies’ meals were mostly soup. Guess what the reasoning was? They were afraid that chewing would make them break out in facial wrinkles! If this were true today, it would put plastic surgeons out of business!

o This one cracked me up! And yet, it’s a fact that intertwines fashion, eating utensils and of course, soup! Here it is: Why did thin soups became all the rage in Europe during the 17th century? The spoon was invented. (How did they eat soup before the spoon???) Why was the spoon invented? Because of the latest fashion trend: large and stiff ruffles that the men and the women of the high courts wore around their necks. (I bet that’s how clowns got their ideas for their costumes!) The design of the spoon was to accommodate wearers of those large ruffles and keep themselves from getting dripped on!

o The first liquid nourishment most babies get is the milk from the mother’s breast, often times called “Milk Soup.”

o Frank Sinatra always asked for chicken and rice soup to be available to him in his dressing rooms before he went on stage. He said it always cleared his mind and settled his tummy.

o Another famous person who loved soup was Andy Warhol. He told someone that he painted those famous soup cans because its what he had for lunch – every day for 20 years!

o Soup has always been known as the curative for any ailment of the heart, mind, soul and body… and this old Yiddish saying says it best… “Troubles are easier to take with soup than without.”

o “Of soup and love, the first is the best.” – from an old Spanish proverb. (Sometimes, I think that is very true!)

Want more interesting facts and tips about soup? Simply visit the Soup Hoopla! Website.

Lixouri is the capital of the Palli Peninsula and the second largest town on the island. Its name, in the older form Lixourion, first appears in a protest brought before the Venetian Senate in 1534. The ancient city of Palli, which took its name from Paleas or Peleas, one of the four sons of the mythical Cephalus, was near the present site to the north, on the spot known today as Paliokastro.

Two destructive earthquakes, on January 23, 1867 and on August 12, 1953, accounted for most of the buildings in Lixouri. Now there are no old and traditional buildings, but the town is developing along the lines of modern town planning. It lies in a fertile plain, which produces mainly currants, olive oil and peas. To the south of the town are long sandy beaches (Lepeda, Megas Lakos, Xi) and to the north, around Kipouraii, Petani and Atheras, wilder nature rules.

Lixouri is an attractive town, with wide, clean streets, charming little squares, and an abundance of gardens with flowers and trees. A dry river bed runs through the centre of the town. Small bridges connect the two parts of the town. Churches with impressive bell-towers and rich interior decoration were destroyed by the earthquakes, but rood-screens and icons saved from the ruins may be admired in the modern churches of St Nicholas of Strangers, St Nicholas of the Miniates, the Holy Trinity, St Charalambos, the Pantocrator, Our Lady of the Perlingades and St Gerassimos.

A number of great public benefactors were responsible for reconstructing public buildings, schools and other foundations after the earthquakes. Among these were Panayis Vallianos (who gave Lixouri the Technical School which bears his name), Dr Stamos Petritsis, who rebuilt the school named after him and the ‘Damodos’ Municipal Library, the brothers Thanos and Evangelos Bassias, who rebuilt numerous churches, and Panayis and Antonia Manzavinatos, who rebuilt the hospital which bears their name today.

On the sea-front stands a statue of the satirical poet and intellectual Andreas Laskaratos, who was born in Lixouri. Among other statues of famous Lixouriots are those of Elias Miniatis and Stamos Petritsis, and there are also busts of the Radicals Georgios Typaldos-lakovatos, Stamatelos Pylarinos and loannis Typaldos Kapeletos Dotoratos. Vincent Damodos, Julius Typaldos and Mikelis Avlichos are among other natives of the town known throughout Greece. The town has also produced two saints: the Blessed Anthimos Kourouklis and the priest Panayis Bassias (whose bones are kept in the Church of St Spyridon).

The Palli Band School has the second-oldest band in Greece, being preceded only by the equivalent group in Corfu.

Dr Dimitris Loukatos, Professor of Folk Art and Tradition at the Universities of loannina and Crete, who was born in Cephalonia, writes in his book Christmas and Festive Customs about the songs and ‘praises’ by some old-time singers and rhyme-makers sung as carols on New Year’s Eve: Tsitselis has described this festivity in one of his articles published in 1910 in the ‘Zizanio’ Diary; he says: We older folk recall the old-time special singers and rhyme-makers who would carol throughout the night about our Ayios-Vassilis (the equivalent of Santa Claus), with many rhymes praising the members of the household and wishing them the fulfillment of their hopes, ending with the request for a gift (bonama, i.e., buona mano) either in money, rosoli (i.e., liquor), sweets or singing birds.

The Chinese people have always been noted for their unique traditions, belief systems, and grand festivals. Chinese New Year is the most important of the all the holiday traditions in China. Millions of Chinese families around the world celebrate it each year. Chinese New Year, also known as Spring Festival, is no doubt the biggest holiday of the year for Chinese people. Chinese New Year falls either in January or February. The date varies every year with the celebration lasting fifteen days. For centuries, Chinese New Year has been surrounded by various traditions, one of which is the hanging of special wall and door scrolls and other decors that mark the arrival of spring. They include Nian hua, spring scrolls and decorative cutouts.

Nian hua, a special type of painting, is used to decorate homes in preparation for the Chinese New Year Festival. People hang Nian hua or Chinese New Year pictures to reflect wishes for the new year. This tradition dates back to the Pre-Qin Period 221 B.C. Back then, Nian hua were popular house decorations and were especially common during Chinese New Year. The ancient Chinese were into posting images of their “gods” on the front doors. These “gods” were their protectors and ushers of good fortune. They are also believed to ward off evil spirits.

Spring good luck poems or spring poetic couplets are also common to see. These writings in black ink on red paper or scrolls convey special messages. They are commonly put on the walls or gates of stores for everyone to see. They express wishes for prosperity, happiness, protection and luck. Hanging them on the storefront also means you are saying goodbye to the past and are ready to welcome the year. Chinese idioms are also traditionally written on red spring scrolls and are displayed in most homes. These banners either wish people “good luck” or display simple greetings. Gong xi fa cai and Kung hsi fa tsai are some of the most common greetings for the holiday.

Another popular red poster to see during Chinese New Year is the diamond-shaped paper with the most popular character for luck, ‘Fu’. The character ‘Fu’ sounds like the Chinese word for “bat”. Bats are considered lucky in China. In Chinese, the upside down “Fu” means good luck came; hence, the poster is traditionally hung upside down.

Aside from wall and door scrolls, Chinese families also decorate their homes with flower and animal cutouts. People usually hang cutouts of the animals of the Chinese zodiac or fish. All the 12 animals are considered lucky while fish yu (fish) sounds like the Chinese word for ‘surplus’ which is why it’s also considered lucky.

The mighty army of terracotta warriors and horses, found in three vaults 40km east of Xian, is probably the most popular tourist attraction of Xian.

Reasons to go there

This army is really huge an somewhat impressive sight!

The terracotta figures are life-like and life-sized. They vary in height, uniform and hairstyle in accordance with rank. The tallest being the Generals. The figures include warriors, chariots, horses, officials, acrobats, strongmen, and musicians. The original weapons were stolen shortly after the creation of the army and the coloring has faded greatly.

Helpful Tips

Make sure you get off at the actual Terracotta Army site and not at the fake ‘Tomb’ abobut a mile or so before it which is a rip off tourist trap.

You’ll have to deal with the Terracotta Tourist Trap Army: ranks upon ranks of souvenir stands, subpar and overpriced snack joints manned by aggressive shills and wheedling vendors.

Xian is, like other Chinese cities, generally quite safe. Just watch out for pickpockets (usually children) in crowds.

I recommend to compare hotel prices very well in Xian. Different booking sites have totally different prices for the same hotel.

How to get there

There are buses leaving regularly for the Terracotta Warrior museum in front of the Xi’an bus station (opposite the train station, just outside the city walls). Take bus 306 (Chinese bus green 5) from the central bus station. It will take you to a parking lot right in front of the museum site within 40 minutes. A one way ticket costs ¥7.

Additional Infos

The terracotta figures were manufactured both in workshops by government labourers and also by local craftsmen. The head, arms, legs and torsos were created separately and then assembled. Studies show that eight face moulds were most likely used and then the clay was added to give them individual facial features.

Good Leadership

The success of a leader in an organization is based on the ability to get extraordinary things done through various processes. The process includes the methods employed by leaders to transform values into action, obstacles into innovation, vision into realities, risk into rewards and separateness / division into solidarity. The leadership is responsible to create a climate in which people / workforce transform challenging opportunities into remarkable success (Kouzes & Posner (c) p.xi).

In an organization there is no shortage for challenging opportunities especially in these times when there is an increase in challenges combined with various complexities. Every generation faces new and serious threats and also finds favorable circumstances to overcome or solve the threats. Therefore, the key role is in finding the right response to bring about the most effective and efficient solution. The response to a challenge has the potential to immensely improve the circumstances or seriously worsen the situation (Kouzes & Posner (c) p.x).

Kouzes and Posner proposes a model of leadership that gives up conventional ideas and embraces innovative steps to support work teams and provide direction during uncertain times by fully utilizing the skills and talents of subordinates and colleagues, by finding a better balance in work and personal lives, by setting a positive example with regard to ethics and honesty in daily life, use knowledge about products and services to create more value for customers, consider the wisdom and innocence of various generations at the workplace and utilize the advantages of scientific knowledge to come out with a more sustainable and safer world.

The leadership should adopt new tools of technology to create a web of human connections, rebuild a thought of community at workplace and improve understanding among the diverse workforce, convert information into knowledge, enhance the collective living standard of people, promote peace to the world tired of war and create hope and a profound sense of meaning to the lives of people.

Every challenge creates a need in people to utilize the opportunity to lead the world into greatness. Leadership is about giving up traditional methods of control and scrutiny, rewards and punishment and take up the advantages of individual character, innovation and the boldness of conviction. It is all about answering the call for leadership. It may be noted that leadership is not specific to a selected few charismatic women and men, but it is a process that can be practiced by ordinary people to bring forth best results for themselves and others. The liberation of the leader in a person gives rise to extraordinary results

Whether the challenge is to emphasize self learning or develop the constituents in an organization, team, peers, reports, managers or community members, the leader can take immediate action to implement above said recommendations. The leader need not conduct a meeting, discussion, or consider budget or take permission from peers or top management to substantiate actions to meet the challenges or improve the situation. The person can conduct the process with discipline and personal commitment. The step towards a better leadership is to revive the leader in the self.

Consistency is a crucial factor required in the behavior of a leader because it reflects the credibility of the person. People will believe that they can rely on the leader and their action from time to time and have certain expectations.

The act of leader is that of providing service. Therefore a leader will be followed only if the people unconsciously or consciously judge the person to be capable of finding solution to their needs and problems.

When a leader gives up traditional methods of management, it does not necessarily mean that there should be a whole lot of new information or latest techniques to manage a situation. It is all about leading the ideas that are already in the soul but need to be implemented. It is essential for a leader to have clarity of values to guide it in the right direction. If the leader is clear about the strategies to be implemented it becomes the easier to stay in the chosen path to initiate the steps to make a difference.

Loyalty is not a factor which a leader can demand but it is a factor that people opt to grant when a person earns it through his / her deeds. The authority of a person does not earn loyalty but it is offered based on the leaders capacity to solve a need.

A good leader must be willing to listen to criticism. It is not necessary to pay attention to all negative comments but the person must listen to healthy criticism without flattery that benefits the leader to take corrective measures and improve the change process.

The problem associated with criticism is that majority of the leaders do not wish to consider honest feedback. If there is no voluntary feedback from concerned people, the leader must pose a question about how the effectiveness of the new techniques applied by the leader to transform a situation or meet a challenge.

After drafting new proposal the leader must pause and review the situation before moving on to new methods of progress. Best leaders are those who observe the circumstance and then come up with strategies.

Exemplary leadership does not evolve from divinely inspirational methods or prophetic solutions or the vision of the leader, but occurs by finding methods to fulfill the aspirations of the people. People like to foresee what future holds for them. A shared vision makes a leader more acceptable because people like to be a part of the process than being directed to a process.

Leaders should be able to create a lasting legacy out of their vision to draft a bright and exciting future as a part of their competence. Present day leaders must have a concern for tomorrows world and for the people who inherit it. This makes the leaders to leave the organization in a better position. A forward looking leader is preferred by the public and is only second to the quality of honesty required in a leader. Leadership challenge is beyond training or guiding people. It sets example as to how it can change the lives of people.

Works Cited

Kouzes, James M. & Posner, Barry Z. (c)The leadership challenge San Francisco: John Wiley and Sons, 2007

With a recorded history of around 5,000 years, Chinese Civilization is one of the earliest civilizations in the world. China used to be an assortment of independent states in complete chaos, to the extent that this era is referred as ‘The Warring States’ period. As a result, most of the time there were battles and wars. Despite this reason, the Art of China could reach a versatile creative altar. The Ch’in and Han Dynasties contributed well towards Chinese artistry.

Ch’in Dynasty

In 246 BC, Qin (pronounced Ch’in) Shi Huang of the Qin tribe, after a series of victories, unified all the territories for the first time, naming it, China, from ‘The State of Ch’in.’

Qin standardized the ‘Chinese Writing’ and undertook gargantuan projects. He built the gigantic “Epang Palace,” the first of the “Great Wall of China,” and his own “mausoleum” near Xi’an, with its 8,000 clay soldiers and horses, known together as the “Terra-cotta Army.” Each standing guard is life-size and uniquely carved. The sculpted army is considered the greatest achievement of the Ch’in Art. Black was the chosen color for all state garments, flags, pennants.

Qin eliminated the “Hundred Schools of Thought” and all books other than those officially decreed were banned and burned. With his death in 210 BC, Qin’s Ch’in Empire collapsed within the next four years.

Han Dynasty

After the disastrous Ch’in Era, General Liu Pang of peasant origin, taking the name of Han Kao Tsu, established the Han Dynasty (206 BC-220 AD). He unified all the rival schools of Chinese philosophy into a single coherent system. This period, following ‘Confucianism,’ was an age of great economic, technological, cultural, and social progress in China.

The advent of Han Dynasty brought with it the art of making ‘Chinese Furniture’ from softwood or Bamboo. Two major changes took place in the first century AD, greatly affecting the nation. The first change was the spread of Buddhism in China from India. This proliferated the Buddhist Art of India to China as well. As a result, the Chinese started painting pictures and carving the sculptures of the Buddha, as ‘Chinese Buddhist Art,’ in styles similar to that of Indians. The second tremendous change was the invention of paper around 100BC. The event spawned two new Chinese Folk Paper Art forms namely, ‘Chinese Paper Cutting’ and ‘Chinese Paper Folding.’ The Folk Art also added the dimension of ‘Chinese Shadow Puppetry’ to Han Art.

“Chinese silk” with exceptionally fine paintings, such as on the “Lady Dai’s” coffin wrap (168 BC), were in great demand across central Asia up until Rome. The silk trading route came to be known as the “Silk Route.” The first true ‘porcelain’ was developed in the reign of Han Dynasty only. Interesting innovations, like the ‘usage of moulds’ and the formation of ‘lead glazing’ industry. The Han Dynasty is renowned for its ceramic figurines, architectural models, and horses made specifically for “tombs (Ming-Ch’i),” along with jade burial suits. The Chinese Han Art also gifted “Sushi” and “Bonsai” to the world, especially Japan and Korea. ‘East Asian Calligraphy’ rose as a major Visual Art form, as ‘Cursive Script,’ with several landmark works in the field by famous artists. ‘Chinese Variety Art,’ a form of Chinese circus also set foot as Han Art.

Bronze metalwork was another vital and strong pillar of Han Art of China. Mirrors, “cylindrical containers (ornate with lacquer painting)” of Western Han, coins, “phoenix shaped lamp,” and the “horse statue,” are some of the key evidences of the Han Art of metal. “Western Han Lamp” (172 BC) with sliding shutter, “Terracotta Horse Head” (second century), and “Eastern Han Tomb Figurines,” are some other splendid examples of Han Art of ‘Sculpting.’

Han Dynasty is also credited with the treatment method ‘Acupuncture’ and the Chinese cultural philosophy of ‘Feng Shui.’ The potential Han Empire expanded to Korea, Vietnam, Mongolia, and Central Asia, ending finally in 220 AD with XuChang.

Regency England refers roughly to 1811 to 1820, although the term more broadly includes 1800 to 1830. When George III, stricken by illness, could no longer function, his eldest son, the Prince, became Regent in his stead. “The Regency took its tone from the larger-than-life figure of the Prince of Wales…The age bred a lively underworld of scandal, criminality, gambling and personal notoriety. Embezzlement and fraud flourished then as now. The war against France caused further instability and led to the breakdown of law and order.” (Low, Sutton, p. xxv)

Authors of crime stories, and mysteries–such as myself, must needs delve into the dangerous world of this time. Low says that London, England, “surpassed the rest of the British Isles in crime and vice.” (Low, p. xi) No police force, as such, existed until the Victorian period, adding to this instability. The growth of the underworld had begun in the eighteenth century (Georgian period). In London, Henry Fielding became a salaried Chief Magistrate for Westminster in 1749. He established the Bow Street group, whose men became known as the Bow Street Runners. Henry’s brother, Sir John Fielding, carried on the work, and by the time of the Regency the work of the Runners had expanded considerably.

London embodied a complex world in the Regency. Crime abounded in many forms and areas. From gambling hells frequented by the wealthy, who also used the services of the deminondaines, or better class prostitutes, to the prostitutes who haunted the area of the Drury Lane and Covent Garden theaters, the area of murderers and escaped convicts–crime  held precedence. Dark streets encouraged thieves and pickpockets, (gas lighting was installed on a few streets in Pall Mall in 1807) so that the public was targeted, and gently bred females did not go about at nights without the protection of men. Few from the West End traveled to the East end without good reason, and a fully loaded pistol, or two.

Thieves came from the East End ‘Rookeries,’ or criminal districts such as St. Giles and Whitechapel. In these dens of criminality, ‘flash houses’ flourished. These were numerous pubs haunted by criminals who taught childlren thievery, pickpocketing, burglary and worse crimes. Bribery, extortion, and blackmail were rampant. While the gangland bosses ruled this part of the city, the brothel keepers ruled young, unfortunate women, who found their way to them.

South of the Thames River, the home of wild gin-drinking orgies of prostitutes and drunkards, was the home also, of the ‘Resurrection Men,’ who sold cadavers to surgeons, and were not averse to killing to accomplish it, although grave robbing was their ‘forte.’ The Thames itself, was plied by seamen, called ‘River Men,’ who pilfered warehouses, docks and ships.

All of this crime kept the Bow Street Runners on their toes, since the night watchmen were ineffective. In 1800 the Thames River Police Act was established. In 1805, a Bow Street Horse Patrol of sixty men rode on Hounslow Heath–a notorious center for Highwaymen, who terrorized travelers. Many wanted reform, but Bills put forward were slow coming into effect, so crime continued high until the Victorian period when a Police force came into being. You can see what my heroes and heroines had to deal with as they battled crime.

Buddhism is the most widely worshipped religion in Asia. The history of Buddhism brings us back to Northern India, 2500 years ago. Siddhartha Gautama was the founder of this religion. Siddhartha Gautama was the crown prince of a nation in Northern India. When he was young, he went out of his palace and observed people’s pains for i) Birth, ii) Aged, iii) Sick, and iv) Death. He escaped from his palace and trained himself to save people from their pains. He became an awaken one, Buddha. Buddhism quickly gained ground in India but could not be major there. Some analyze that Kings and Politicians in old India did not welcome Buddhism belief, Equality of People under Buddha, for their governing purpose. Buddha, however, stayed in Indian religious scene to be one of many gods in Hinduism.

How did Buddhism become most widely worshipped religion in Asia? China played an important role for Buddhism to grow in Asian countries. How did Buddhism become major in China? It was 7th Century when a Chinese monk, Xuanzang Fashi traveled to India breaking the law. He studied Buddhism in several key places, in Indian Buddhism. He brought Buddhist Scriptures to China. Xuanzan’s monks worked to translate these Scriptures to Chinese. Xuanzan Fashi was the largest reason for Buddhism to be found well in China and Asian countries.

Later, in China, Xuangzan’s journey to India became a fictional story. In this story, 3 monsters follow Xuangzan as trainees of Buddhism. They are i) Stone Monkey, Sun Wukong, ii) Big Monster, Zhu Beijie, and iii) Soldier Ghost, Sha Wujing. The title of this story is “Journey to the West (Xi You Ji). The story became popular worldwide. It became cartoon stories several times in China and Japan. Media made it be Movies and TV Programs so many times.

All 3 followers of Xuanzan Fashi had their own stories. They were stories of pain, agony, fear, remorse, and resentment. They are identical pains as human beings. The 3 followers were the ones who could not endure these pains and became monsters. Stone Monkey, Sun Wukong was born from stone. He was smart and powerful but violent. His supervisor put him under a mountain for 5 thousand years until Xuanzang found and released him. Zhu Beijie and Sha Sujing were generals in heaven. Their supervisors and colleagues exiled them to earth for punishment. They were waiting to meet Xuanzong for thousands of years.

They fought against all odds, for the sake of Xuanzang. Sun Wukong with his 2 other colleagues saved and helped Xuanzang all of their way to India. Their journey was even more painful to all than their former lives, which caused them to be monsters. In their trip to India, the 3 followers had gradually realized Buddhism philosophy of love. They grew as trainees of Buddha. At the end of their trip, Buddha gave them the status of Buddhism gods. Sinful people can repent and release themselves from their bondage of sin. They can even become god even people today worship.

The word live is one word that always attracts the attention of any sports follower, and cricket fans are no exception to this. Catching up with live action excites all cricket admirers, no matter whether it is on the field action, in television or knowing the live score from an online website. Live cricket coverage has the capacity of sustaining the interest of cricket fans throughout the duration of the entire match. These days it is becoming increasingly difficult for cricket fans to keep pace with the amount of cricket matches being played.

But a die hard fan will always find time to watch and enjoy his favorite game, no matter what happens. Live cricket coverage is actually a source for all cricket fans to be in touch with the latest happenings of a live match. Advancement in the field of information technology has thrown up many options for cricket fans to be in touch and enjoy their favorite game. So there are many avenues which have opened up for cricket fans to be in touch with the latest on the field.

The cricket field is no longer the only place from which fans can be in touch with the match. The revolution in the IT sector has made it possible for fans to access any information about cricket with utmost ease. So you are just a few keyboard strokes away from the information that you wish to know. There are several sites in the World Wide Web which are entirely devoted to cricket.

Other then containing information about the entire on field and off field activities, there is a lot of other information on these websites. Many sites also provide the option to cricket fans to play fantasy cricket. Fantasy cricket is a game where fans can actually select their own dream team. Well this is every cricket fans dream, to select their ideal playing XI and see them in action. The best part of playing fantasy cricket is that fans are in complete charge of managing the entire team. In other words, they will captain the team that will be playing fantasy cricket.

People who have witnessed a live match in the stadium have often felt that it is a completely different experience to actually see all the players in action from such close quarters. While some may not like this form of live cricket overage. Some fans prefer to catch live cricket coverage sitting in their bedroom comfortably and watching the matches. So, that is why television is the best source for them.

Whatever may be the mode of live cricket coverage, cricket enthusiasts always find different ways of enjoying this game. The only things they have to do, is to find out the exact medium through which they can enjoy the live cricket coverage. So, basically it is a matter of personal choice to enjoy any kind of live cricket coverage.