Monk of Park Avenue

Called "the new Alan Watts" for his teachings and nonfiction books and "the Zen Gabriel Garcia Marquez" for his fantastical novels of magical realism, Yun Rou is an officially ordained Taoist monk whose tai chi classes, Taoist teachings, and books are enjoyed around the world. His hit national public television show Longevity Tai Chi reached nearly 200 million households.

“The Monk of Park Avenue is a compelling, sometimes disturbing—yet ultimately inspiring—memoir of one man’s quest to transcend the disfunctions of his privileged Manhattan upbringing and America’s obsessions with fame, power, and wealth by pursuing his childhood fascination with Chinese martial arts and the Daoist philosophy beneath it. Step-by-step, struggle-by-struggle, moving from one mentor to another, he finally meets a teacher who will take him into the deeper realms of Daoism, a foundational worldview extremely relevant in today’s troubled world. This well-rendered, page-turning account is rich with timeless lessons and insights that Westerners would do well to pay attention to.” —Tom Peek, author of the award-winning novel Daughters of Fire“Evokes a peek into a New York long gone but familiar right from the start, and then proceeds, with surprising speed, into a unique and inspiring journey most people can only dream about. A great read.”— Peter Thomas Roth, skin-care magnate“If I was his Daoist abbot, I would have given Arthur Rosenfeld the monk name Lei Ji (Lightning Strike) instead of Yun Rou (Soft Cloud) as each page of the monk's memoir crackles with his lightning wit and enlightened observations that ripple forth from an electric mind. The first-born of a world-renowned cardiologist from the Upper East Side of Manhattan, young Arthur's life would appear to be one of great privilege—were it not for the abusive nanny who leaves no marks when she hits him or the school bullies who regularly chase after the weak, asthmatic boy to steal whatever money he has in his pockets before he can reach his home on Park Avenue. These early "motivations" shape Arthur to defend the defenseless, and give voice to the unheard through two yin yang arts: fighting and writing. As Arthur the incomparable martial artist-storyteller gives way to Yun Rou the spiritual philosopher-monk, his deep resolve to be a man of peace at all costs will be tested to the core when an invisible adversary incapacitates him and pushes him to the brink of death.“The Monk on Park Avenue is much more than a memoir. As relentless and exhilarating as a waterfall, it seduces us into action to save our planet and fight the worthy fight—for our own sake, if not for future generations. ”— Daisy Lee, founder of Radiant Lotus Qigong“The Monk of Park Avenue is a beautiful story of a life well-lived amidst tragedies and triumphs, love and loss. From an early life of privilege among celebrities and society’s elite to facing his own mortality in the jungles of Paraguay and jails of Ecuador, from facing down martial arts mobsters to confronting crooked corporate CEOs, Yun Rou’s spiritual quest is one we can all relate to: seeking (and finding) balance in a topsy-turvy world. Highly Recommended.”—Gregory Ripley, author of Tao of Sustainability“Whatever you are doing, finish it before starting to read this book. Because this book will completely absorb your attention from the beginning, and you won't be able to focus on anything else. From the first page, you will have the impression of not only being in the hospital with this very sick two-year-old child, but inside him, in his feverish body. This is the exciting story of an unusual monk, decidedly different from the classical monk you have in your mind, the story of a physical and spiritual journey. It is a wonderful story, moving and entertaining, written in a visceral and limpid prose, by a truly great writer.”—Emanuele Pettener, PhD, assistant professor of Italian and writer in residence at Florida Atlantic University“In his scintillating memoir, The Monk of Park Avenue, Daoist Monk Yun Rou sets forth the circuitous path by which the privileged son of a famous Manhattan doctor was transformed into a Chinese-ordained monk. In elegant writing that twists and tangles readers along the hairpin-turn trajectory of his fascinating and sometimes agonizing life, Yun Rou offers insight into martial arts, Hollywood, Daoism, writing, the meaning of life, and why one might want to learn how to hurl a giant spear. Entertaining, heartbreaking, and insightful by turns, his account explores the journey of someone driven from a young age to break his self-destructive patterns and become a force to serve and heal the world.”—Nita Sweeney, certified meditation leader and award-winning author of Depression Hates a Moving Target and Make Every Move a Meditation