John Matthew A.

Cabural KAS 2 THW-1

I – BA Anthropology Sir Micah Perez

THINK PIECE

CHOSEN READING

(12a) Xiaoyan Su. “Reconstruction of Tradition: Modernity, Tourism, and Shaolin Martial Arts in
the Shaolin Scenic Area, China.” Taylor & Francis, September 1, 2016.
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09523367.2016.1227792

CONTEXT

Source: Reconstruction of Tradition: Modernity, Tourism, and Shaolin Martial Arts in the Shaolin
Scenic Area, China

Author: Xiaoyan Su

The article takes the reader to a cultural odyssey of Shaolin martial arts through the lenses
of different agents in constantly changing times. Initially an instrument of unity and harmony
between the three most prominent doctrines in China, it transformed to a political tool used to
support imperial governments throughout Chinese history. Under a different kind of leadership
that rejected tradition, the practice was delegitimized and slowly assimilated into the local
community. With the shift to economic modernization, revitalization of the tradition occurred
through commercialization. Consequently, the rapid development brought out the need to
strengthen cultural nationalism through heritage authorization. With the context laid as
foundation, the article, then, argues how heritage authorization was counterproductive in its goal
to protect and preserve the Shaolin martial arts culture and instead did more harm than good by
devaluing the contributions of one side, and by extension, widening the gap between the Shaolin
monks and the local community.

QUOTATION

Pages 7-8

In the case of Shaolin martial arts, commercialization did not destroy this traditional culture but
revitalized it.
COMMENT

As a student majoring in Anthropology, I agree with the statement but with a few
reservations. In every topic that we tackle in our major subjects, culture plays a huge part in why
and how we study specific groups of people. Through the lens of anthropology, we are made to
look at the aestheticization and commercialization of indigenous culture – using Baybayin as
decoration for a more national look, mass producing indigenous clothes with automated
machines, bastardizing rituals to entertain tourists. Usually, the common response would be
repulsion at these ideas, and to some extent, rightfully so. However, having consulted a group of
Lumads through a seminar project I headed last month for our Anthro 100 class, it is all the more
crucial to be critical in how we view these things on a case-by-case basis. In our talk, they told us
that wearing pangkis or Lumad beads, for any reason, is not to be frowned upon but rather to be
celebrated because it foregrounds their advocacies for people to see and symbolizes that we are
one in their fight for their ancestral lands. They added that mass producing of their clothes is not
automatically wrong because it ultimately depends on the manufacturer; some manufacturers
donate huge amounts of profit to their cause to which the Lumads benefit from. Similarly, in the
context of the Shaolin Scenic Area, the article evidences that commercialization did indeed
revitalize the culture of Shaolin martial arts, which the community benefits from. The Shaolin
temple garnered much attention with its overwhelming number of tourist arrivals. Further,
commercial martial arts schools were the bread and butter of many residents. Even outside the
borders of China, the performances of the Shaolin Warrior Monk Corps (SWMC) were not only a
commercial success but also took the center stage in highlighting the rich cultural heritage of the
country.

Considering all these viewpoints, I would argue, however, that heritage authorization was
an evident symptom of commercialization. Because commercialization sought to bring rapid
economic development to the country, the article points out that “Shaolin martial arts were altered
to meet the needs of performance for tourists as well as martial [arts] fans.” The more it was
altered, the less “authentic” it was relative to its traditional meaning. Following this trend, it
became increasingly inevitable that issues relating to cultural identity will arise. To alleviate this
unease, it was expected that certain policies would be put in place to strengthen cultural
nationalism, to which the Authorized Heritage Discourse (AHD) negatively inserts itself into the
equation. In conclusion, although commercialization did not directly destroy the traditional
culture of Shaolin martial arts, it still brought with it the symptom of heritage authorization that
put the Shaolin monks and the local community into conflict and endangered the culture
altogether.

QUESTIONS

These questions are topics that I wish the author explored more.
1.) Aside from the positive effects of economic income, how has the influx of tourists in the
Shaolin Scenic Area negatively influenced the daily lives and practices of the local
community?
2.) To what extent has the commercial success of the Shaolin Warrior Monk Corps
contributed to the global understanding and appreciation of Chinese culture, or in
opposite, to the stereotypes attributed to it?