The Black Sash Award

A one-of-a-kind honour, personally selected by Graham Slater, with a direct connection to the Shaolin Temple, Dengfeng, China.

This is the rarest recognition Martial Arts Australia is able to offer and its story reaches back to one of the most significant institutions in the history of martial arts.

The Shaolin Temple
The Shaolin Temple in Dengfeng, China, was founded by Bodhidharma, a monk from India, and holds a documented history of over 1,500 years spanning both martial arts and Chan Buddhism. Few places on earth carry the same weight of significance for martial artists worldwide.

In 1999, Shi Yongxin became the Temple's Head Abbot, widely regarded as the most progressive in its long history, responsible for opening the Temple to the wider world and sharing its philosophy far more broadly than ever before. Much of his work has centred on spreading peace and goodwill globally through martial arts and Chan Buddhism.

Graham Slater's Connection to the Temple
In 2007, Shi Yongxin made the decision to open the first full-time, authentic Shaolin Kung Fu school in Australia, sending Warrior Monks to teach there directly. Graham Slater was chosen as one of the school's directors and its principal instructor after being recommended from his work on Kstar a TV Series surrounding the Shaolin Temple and produced by Shenzhen TV. His role followed his work on Kstar the 2006 television series and new Australian facility was create in Preston, Victoria in 2007.

Graham was selected as the most appropriate person to run the school day to day, overseeing everything from the curriculum taught to its media and marketing. During this period, he helped establish a genuine exchange program, allowing Warrior Monks to teach in Australia and Australian students to train directly at the Temple in China.

The Award Itself
Out of this relationship, Shi Yongxin personally endorsed the creation of a very special Black Sash, to be presented to individuals of genuinely noteworthy distinction. Recipients are selected personally by Graham Slater, and stand among a remarkably small group, just 33 people, who have ever received this honour.

These sashes are presented in exactly the spirit in which they were conceived: reserved for people of high distinction whose contribution to martial arts warrants it.

Recipients stand alongside a small and well deserving group of people honoured for their contributions.
These awards are passed on in the spirit they were conceived, to honourable people of high distinction.