Born in Brindisi, South Italy, Franco Testini began his study of martial arts at the age of 7. Coming from a poor family of 10, Franco challenged other children in the neighborhood to martial arts contests in order to bring money home to help support the family. Franco was then introduced to a master named Kim Wong Feng who saw great potential in him and accepted Franco as his student, thus beginning his official martial arts training.

By the age of 19 Franco had already won several national fighting and forms competitions in Italy and also won first place against 700 competitors for strongest arms at the Golden Dragon competition in Amsterdam.

After traveling around the world competing and performing it wasn’t until a paralyzing accident that made him think about the direction his life was going. Being confined to a hospital bed and wheelchair for about a year, Franco realized that he needed to change his lifestyle. At the age of 21, he entered the gates at Chi Ri temple in South Korea to take vows of becoming a Buddhist monk.

“From outside the temple, a monk's life may seem wonderful, simple. Just like when you look at a mountain from far away - it's very beautiful. But when you walk through the mountain, you find that it is complex and mysterious. As soon as you walk through the temple gates as a monk, you will find it is far from easy. Real Shaolin is intense discipline. The life of a Shaolin monk involves not only martial arts training as most people understand it. You learn Buddhism, how to pray, chant, contemplate, be compassionate, be humble, how to follow the rules of Buddha,” - Franco Testini.

After a few years of living inside the temple, Franco received word that his father was passing away and so he left the temple to be by his father’s bedside. “Being back in Italy was difficult because I wasn’t a normal Italian. It was weird for people to see a Buddhist monk in a town where everyone is Catholic. I just didn’t fit in.” - Franco Testini

By 1994, Franco set off on an adventure to the United States to spread his knowledge of Shaolin and Buddhism. He wanted to help others find the inner peace and serenity of life that he had found through his journey.

“I have been practicing Shaolin for most of my life, more than 30 years. Those 30 years were not without hardships or serious tests of will. Sometimes there was no money - sometimes I had to work very hard with everything I had, accept any job to further my dreams. In Brindisi, life was not very commercial. There weren't many opportunities at that time to study and get a good education. If you grew up on the streets without any money, it became difficult to keep your integrity, not to become a victim of your temptations.” - Franco Testini

Coming to the United States for the first time was another test. Franco arrived in Los Angeles a day after the devastating Northridge earthquake in 1994.

“I was "a fish out of water." Everything was new and confusing - I didn't speak the language, I had no money, and I carried only one bag with just a few pieces of clothing. Everything was a disaster. Buildings were broken, people were lying injured in the streets. People needed help everywhere. So I assisted as many people as I could. There were times when I had no place to sleep. I remember that at one point, I asked a gas station owner if I could sleep in a car on his lot. At first, he said, "No." He thought I was homeless. But after I showed him some techniques that I knew, he smiled, offered me some food, and allowed me to sleep there. He was very generous to me. Doors opened for me along the way because there were kind people and because I was single-minded.” - Franco Testini.

With nearly all of his life intensely training in Shaolin, Franco was inducted into the Shaolin Temple at Song Shan Mountain in the Henan Province of China. The Abbot Shi Yongxin discipled Franco, officially naming him Shi Yan Fan (meaning Powerful Sky).

Then in 2007 the Chinese Government allowed the partial lifting of a 300 year old ban of an ancient ceremony at Shaolin Temple. Shi Yan Fan was requested back to the temple to participate in the ceremony and ordination.

“We were 700 monks from different temples all over the world. Abbot Yongxin invited us to stay for one month during which we were never allowed to leave the temple. About half of the 700 didn't understand the rules of the Shaolin Temple. For them, it was too difficult. They got sick and desperate from the training. About 300 left early for this reason. They were not accustomed to the discipline - long periods of chanting, standing, waking up early. But it was difficult for everyone.

Every day of this month had basically the same schedule. We were supposed to wake up at 3:30 every morning. But some monks and I woke up at 2:30 to train for an hour before the day began. We would run to the top of Song Shan mountain where the large Tamo statue sits, and come back on all fours - palms and feet, ready to start chanting at 4:00. Sometimes we walked all around the temple while chanting. Sometimes, we chanted while standing immobile. Sometimes, we kneeled. This position was especially difficult for most of the participants. Whatever the weather, we were expected to chant as they asked us to. From bowing 4-5 hours a day, knees and foreheads got bruised. Because it was so early and they were so tired, many fainted. Every day, we finished the first round of chanting at 5:30 and then had a vegetarian breakfast.

We had only 20 minutes to rest, during which everybody went to their rooms. But, my room was too busy, and I wanted to concentrate by myself. One day, I saw that there was a special room for meditation and I entered. I didn't know that the room was meant only for masters because it said "Welcome" in English. So I went in. Luckily, the elder brothers were happy to see me. So I continued to go every day. After the 20 minutes passed, one monk came at 5 minutes before 7:00 with a gong to recall us for another round of chanting from 7:00-9:15. Then we were allowed to rest until 10:00. At that time, we chanted again until 11:00. Then we had lunch. Everyone was very hungry from all the chanting. If you didn't eat everything in your bowl, a master would slap you very hard on the back with a paddle, so hard sometimes that the paddle broke. After lunch, we were free until 2:00 pm. From 2:00-4:00, we chanted again. After that, there was a 15 minute break, during which I always took a cold shower to refresh myself for more chanting. From 4:15-5:30 we chanted until dinner. Dinner was from 6:00-6:30. Then from 7:00-9:30, there were ceremonies. Each night a different grand master spoke about the rules of Shaolin. After the grandmasters left, we had to chant for half an hour and bow from a standing to a kneeling position 100 times. For this activity, I noticed many monks snuck out because they were very tired, and since it was dark, this usually went unnoticed. After this, we slept for a few hours to begin again early the next morning.

And then one day, the abbot called me away from the regular activities. He wanted me to come to his room alone because he had special guests he wanted to introduce to me. These guests were officials from the Chinese government. The abbot was very enthusiastic about introducing me to them as I was to be the first Caucasian to receive Jieba at Shaolin Temple.

At the end of the month, 100 monks were scheduled to receive Jieba. Everyone knew it would be very painful. The marks are burned onto your head in the way of the ancients. Sticks of incense are affixed to the head with a paste. Then they are lit. The sticks burn for approximately 5 minutes. The last 2 minutes are very painful because the fire burns through your skin. This is the most painful and dramatic time. Three masters surround you - 2 of them hold your head very still while the other makes the Jieba. During the actual ceremony, some of the monks cried, some fainted, some cried just from watching, and some of the 100 who were to receive the marks changed their minds at the last minute. So when it came time to receive the marks, only 43 people actually did it. The masters chose me to go first because they were excited to see how the first occidental to ever receive them at the Shaolin Temple would respond. I stayed calm on my knees looking at the Tamo statue while news and film cameras documented the event. This was the first time in 300 years that such an event occurred at the Shaolin temple.

It was a huge honor to have the abbot of the Shaolin Temple choose me to receive the Jieba. Knowing that I was the first Westerner to participate in this ritual heightened the significance of the event. I wasn't nervous. Actually, in the moment, I was very happy. There was so much positive energy all around me. All the monks were chanting, smiling, and supportive.

The Jieba is a symbol of your commitment to Shaolin. Each mark represents one rule of the Shaolin Temple. When you accept the Jieba, you promise to follow all of these rules. You promise, among other things, to help others, neither to deceive nor judge, never to steal. They are basic, and straightforward, but very important.

Jieba from Abbot Yong Xin identifies you as a true Shaolin monk. Everywhere, many people have a certain mentality about Shaolin, a sort of prejudice against anything other than a Chinese Shaolin master. The Jieba help to take away this kind of assumption. The Jieba is a serious form of recognition for me and reinforced my already deep commitment to Shaolin. I was happy and honored to receive these marks.” - Shifu Shi Yan Fan

Photo of Shi Yan Fan in the official book of Shaolin Monks of Shaolin Temple, China

Jieba Ceremony at Shaolin Temple China