據報道，在國際足聯主席布拉特的邀請之下，中國古剎少林寺方丈將飛往德國觀看世界盃的決賽。新華社報道援引方丈的話稱，國際足聯的邀請是為了感謝少林寺以及少林功夫日漸增長的影響力。2001年，少林寺在德國開設了一個少林“文化中心”。
鏈結 http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news?slug=reu-chinaabbotdc&prov=reuters&type=lgns
原文 FIFA to fly kung fu abbot to final
BEIJING (Reuters) - The abbot of China's ancient Shaolin Temple will fly to Germany to watch the World Cup final at the invitation of FIFA president Sepp Blatter, state media reported on Wednesday.
The FIFA invitation came thanks to the growing influence of the Shaolin Temple and Shaolin kung fu, Xinhua news agency quoted abbot Shi Yongxin as saying.
The temple opened a Shaolin "cultural center" in Germany in 2001, Xinhua said.
The 1,500 year-old Buddhist temple in China's central province of Henan is famous as the birthplace of Shaolin kung fu but is best known in the West as the training ground of David Carradine's main character, Kwai Chang Caine, in the 1970s "Kung Fu" television series.
Much of the temple's high profile can be attributed to Abbot Shi, who has applied to protect the Shaolin brand with international trademarks and upgraded the image and the facilities of the temple.
Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the temple in March.
Shi's enthusiasm for commercialism has even spawned plans for a reality TV show aimed at unearthing the next generation of kung fu stars.
The World Cup final is in Berlin on Sunday, when Italy will take on the winner of Wednesday's second semi-final between Portugal and France.
作者-北京第二外國語大學英語系王帥
責編：佟杉杉