2018 MVA Thesis Projects 

Floating Raft takes an observational look at the life of a vibrant Chinese Buddhist monk Shi Yanyi and his Buddhist brothers in Los Angeles. The Shaolin Temple in China is famous for its 1500-year Buddhist Kung Fu tradition. The Shi Fu, a title of respect for a Buddhist monk, who grew up in China and trained in the skills of Kung Fu are now facing all kinds of identity challenges in the U.S., both in their personal lives and in their mission to promote Shaolin culture. As Buddhist monks, how do they negotiate the contrasts between the sacred world (religious and ascetic) and the secular world (the need to earn a living). As new immigrants, in the context of China's booming economy, how do they adapt from their former lives in China to their new lives in the U.S. and how do they make a decision to stay or leave?

 

Running time: 30 minutes