Shaolin Temple, famous for its Chinese martial arts and long history, recently leapt from its 5th century origins to a 21st century online store at Taobao.com, China's largest online auction website under Alibaba Group.
Martial arts enthusiasts need no training to snap up a pair of Shaolin slippers or a kungfu handbook with the click of a mouse after the monastery, birthplace of the world famous fighting code and Buddhist teachings, decided to expand its already thriving merchandise empire by going online.
A book about Shaolin Kungfu and Chinese medicine is being sold for a stunning 9,999 yuan. Less pricey items include Buddhist clothing, incense sticks, kungfu tea, candleholders and T-shirts.
The 40 online items currently for sale are few compared to Shaolin Temple's hundreds of products. The store is also hoping to boost sales by adding dietary items and self-help books to its supply chain.
The store also took advantage of Sunday's Mid-Autumn Festival. Eight different "moon present" packages were offered with prices ranging from 99 yuan to more than 400 yuan.
Opened only three months ago, the store is already among kungfu crazy Net buyers. Over 98 percent of its customers have rated it as "very good", according to Taobao's statistics.
It's Shaolin Temple's first step into e-commerce, however the monastary is not a newcomer to the business world. It has been selling vegetarian food, making movies and giving overseas performances for years.
The Henan-based Chan Buddhist temple opened its flagship store at its courtyard in May and Shi Yongxin, the principle abbot of Shaolin Temple, says he hopes to open branches all over the world.
Shaolin Temple's next move is to come to Beijing and Shanghai and teach its muscle-bone strengthening technique, known as the "easy muscle warp", to gym goers.
According to the company that handles the temple's marketing strategy, courses will be available by October.
Shaolin Temple has been in talks with many organizations in Beijing, including health clubs, schools and even book stores. Cheng Tao, who works for the research center in Shaolin Temple, says that the temple prefers to work with chain clubs but declines to give more details of their prospective partners.
The temple will mainly employ the face-to-face teaching method. Instructors from Shaolin Temple will be leading the courses. Textbooks, CDs and other digital resources will also be available.
The long-standing monastery began charity work in 2003 by financially aiding 1,039 parentless students from 19 towns and cities in Henan province. Each student was given 560 yuan per year, which would cover their tuition and living costs.
Shaolin Temple has been working with Henan Charity General Federation for years and opened the Shaolin Orphans' Home in 2004. The home currently houses 50 orphans in the province.
Shi Yongxin has been promoting Shaolin's reputation in the business world since he took office in 1999. However, the temple's new image as a marketing warrior has drawn criticism from all over the country.
Shi Yongxin was criticized for accepting a new luxury car for the temple's contribution to the local tourist industry. The Volkswagen Touareg is said to be worth more than 1 million yuan.
Shi Yongxin's business sense seems well received by overseas media. He was portrayed as a religious reformer and business leader by the Los Angeles Times.
CBW News
(China Daily 09/15/2008 page10)