Real Shaolin disciple Ranton debunks inaccuracies in BBC’s Shaolin Master documentary
- Popular YouTuber Ranton, who spent three years training with the monks, points out falsehoods and exaggerations in BBC’s ‘Sacred Wonders’ episode
- Film focuses on a Buddhist monk’s final test – but ‘he’s been a master for a long time already, teaching huge groups’
A popular YouTuber who spent three years training with the monks at the Shaolin Temple has debunked several inaccuracies in a BBC documentary that has gone viral.
The BBC travelled to the Shaolin Temple in China for episode one of its new Sacred Wonders series. It also uploaded an eight-and-a-half minute clip to YouTube titled “The extraordinary final test to become a Shaolin Master” focusing on a Buddhist monk named Yandian.
The documentary says Yandian will face a test to qualify as a full warrior monk, with the film following his training. It says he has been practising with the monkey stick weapon for 11 years, but still struggles with one move, the “Monkey Going Up The Tree”.
“When I was at Shaolin he [Yandian] was already a master and teaching huge groups of people. His speciality was the monkey stick,” says YouTuber Ranton, who dissected the documentary in his own video.
Ranton says young monks can decide when they turn 18 whether to become a full-on monk or a full-on warrior monk.