Quick Facts
Biography
Venerable Shi Yan Fan is a 34 Generation Ordained Shaolin Warrior Monk and appointed Cultural Ambassador of Song Shan Shaolin Temple of China. Also known as Venerable Shi Yan Fan, Franco Testini, Shindu. Shi Yan Fan is the head Abbot of Shaolin Temple Los Angeles in Sherman Oaks, CA.
Shi Yan Fan is a 34th Generation Ordained Shaolin Warrior Monk, from Shaolin Temple China in 2007. Shi Yan Fan is a disciple of Shi Yongxin, 30th Abbot of the Shaolin Temple in Dengfeng City, Henan Province of China.
Early life
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 Franco continued his training on a deeper level. At the age of 21, he entered the gates at Chi Ri temple in South Korea to take vows of becoming a monk.
By 1994, Franco set off 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.
Franco arrived in Los Angeles a day after the devastating Northridge earthquake in 1994.
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.
Yanfan Foundation
In 2012, Venerable Shi Yanfan founded a nonprofit organization called YANFAN FOUNDATION that offers health and wellness training for all ages. Yanfan Foundation is looking to build a large Cultural Exchange Center in Los Angeles that will offer accommodations for people from all over the world to come and participate in the traditional, ancient Shaolin practices.