Stone, Fist, Faith

By Li Yuche and Wu JiePublished: May 22, 2025 11:29 PM

Shaolin monks practice martial arts on wooden stakes. Photo: Courtesy of Shaolin Temple

Editor's Note:

The Yellow River, which began to form 1.25 million years ago, gave birth to the roots and soul of the Chinese nation. As it meanders through nine provinces and autonomous regions, the river not only shapes breathtaking natural landscapes but also nurtures the core wisdom and cultural richness of the nation. The intangible cultural heritages that have developed along the Yellow River - ranging from the Weifang kite-making techniques of Shandong Province to the martial arts pearl of Shaolin kung fu in Henan Province - serve as compelling evidence. In this series, the Global Times culture desk will guide readers through China's most celebrated traditions that have flourished alongside the river, offering a glimpse into the pure essence of Chinese culture and how it continues nourishing contemporary life.

Shaolin monks practice martial arts at the Pagoda Forest of the Shaolin Temple in Dengfeng, Central China's Henan Province. Photo: Courtesy of Shaolin Temple

Around 26 years ago, a 7-year-old boy who was captivated by the 1980s film The Shaolin Temple traveled hundreds of miles to finally arrive at his dream destination - the Shaolin Temple. Located on the Songshan Mountain in Dengfeng, Central China's Henan Province, the Shaolin Temple has over 1,500 years of history, and is the cradle of "Shaolin kung fu," an intangible cultural heritage (ICH) that has become a symbol of Chinese culture. 

At that time, to that young boy, Shaolin culture seemed one-dimensional, only representing dazzling martial arts (or kung fu) moves. But after years of practice, that one-time young apprentice is now Master Yanluo, who is in his 30s. He told the Global Times that he has now come to understand that Shaolin culture means more than kung fu. It stands for a type of "inclusive Chinese spirit" that is just like how "the Yellow River civilization encompasses diverse beliefs, regional cultures and more."

More than kung fu  

Shaolin kung fu, initially developed by the monks at the temple as a means to improve health and aid meditation, has evolved into a comprehensive martial arts system over centuries of development. The style's kung fu kicks and punches have explosive power and are deeply connected to breath and intention. 

Such techniques are not easy for beginners. Take "Shaolin Jingang Quan [boxing]" as an example, it requires one to swiftly transit from several explosive short-range moves while maintaining balanced breath and being clear-minded. 

Wu Feng, a Shaolin kung fu amateur, recalled that when he first began practicing, his moves were all fury and his breath was in tatters. However, when he learned to weave calm into his mind, he could then feel every muscle in his body, and that gave him an epiphany. Wu told the Global Times that he "suddenly realized Shaolin's soul is in the fusion of motion and stillness." 

Although Wu is just an amateur, the "motion and stillness" he grasped is precisely the spirit of Shaolin, which Master Yanluo described more professionally as Chanwu Zongfeng. 

Chanwu Zongfeng is a combination of kung fu and zen (chan) practices together. In Master Yanluo's own experience, the "practice of zen," known as chanxiu in Chinese, challenges many Shaolin kung fu beginners, including himself. He said that he used to find the nine-hour zen practice a "daunting task." Numbing pain in his leg kept him from finishing the whole routine, until the day he noticed a towering Russian Shaolin disciple sitting through the whole practice as motionless as stone. 

"That was the moment that made me think. On the one hand, I asked myself why I couldn't do it, but on the other hand, seeing the Russian man made me believe the Shaolin spirit is a mindset that can be adopted regardless of race or cultural differences," Master Yanluo said. 

Embracing Chinese, Russians and more, the "diversity and inclusiveness of Shaolin kung fu" are what makes Shaolin culture a living heritage that is intangible, but can be passed and propagated by people," Bo Yi, a Shaolin culture scholar, told the Global Times. 

In 2006, Shaolin kung fu was inscribed as a national ICH. It involves a total of 708 routines and 72 special techniques. Besides becoming an ICH legacy 19 years ago, in April 2025, the Steles of Shaolin Temple were added to the UNESCO Memory of the World Register. 

The Steles of Shaolin Temple consist of 499 surviving steles of the iconic temple, presenting a relatively complete and coherent sequence of historical documents in the form of stone inscriptions dating back to 566. With the last inscription dating to 1990, these steles not only bear witness to the temple's formation and development, but also document the dialogue, exchange, and cooperation between China and other Eastern civilizations such as Japan, South Korea, and Mongolia, according to the Xinhua News Agency. 

As inclusive as Mother River  

The Shaolin culture's inclusiveness is revealed not just on the Steles of Shaolin Temple, but also within the temple's threefold belief system. Shaolin culture is a "fusion of Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism," Zou Xiang, a Shaolin culture expert, told the Global Times. 

Take the Shaolin technique of Qin Na as an example. Yirou Kegang, or "Maneuvering the soft to overcome the hard" is its key. This philosophy stems from the Tao Te Ching, a foundational text of Chinese Taoism. Similarly, a close reading of the precept "Eight Permissible Strikes and Eight Forbidden Strikes" in Shaolin's staff tradition reveals the embedded Buddhist ideals of compassion and forbearance. 

The most iconic example of Shaolin culture's merged beliefs is another stele at the temple that is inscribed with "the Three Teachings and Nine Schools." The stele clearly documents the unity of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism as one integrated system. It also features a portrait that, when viewed from the front, resembles the Sakyamuni Buddha; from the left, mirrors the Taoist sage Laozi; while from the right, presents Confucius.

Noting the stele is a valuable gem, Zou told the Global Times that Shaolin culture's pluralistic belief system is "not an invention," but "influenced by the Yellow River civilization featuring embrace of diverse religious traditions." "The Yellow River's influence on Shaolin culture has not been represented through external signs, but is in its philosophy," Zou emphasized. 

"The Songshan Mountain, located in the middle reaches of the Yellow River, has long been regarded as the 'Center of Heaven and Earth' in Chinese history. This cultural concept of 'centrality' also resonates with Shaolin culture's belief in moderation," Shi Yanchen, an ICH inheritor of Shaolin culture, told the Global Times. 

Shaolin monks work on a farm. Photo: Courtesy of Shaolin Temple

The Yellow River civilization has influenced other sectors of Shaolin culture such as its agriculture and medicine. 

Taking inspiration from the "Shetian farming system," an ancient swidden agricultural method unique to the Yellow River basin, the Shaolin Farm operates close to the temple. Each year, fresh fruit and grains are harvested to sustain the temple's more than 300 monks; making the farm a striking example of the Yellow River agricultural ideal - nature-friendly nourishment of human life.  

Although Shaolin culture was inscribed as a national ICH under the official title of "Shaolin kung fu," Bo Yi, told the Global Times that "Shaolin culture epitomizes China's traditional values toward humanity and culture as a whole." 

Connecting to the world   

Take Master Yanluo's role as an external relations specialist as an example, the Shaolin Temple today has well-defined modern job roles, which aim to better convey this ICH legacy to the public, especially fans overseas. 

Over the years, it has established multiple Shaolin Temple Cultural Centers in countries such as Germany, the US and Zambia. These centers give overseas Shaolin culture lovers tailored lessons on calligraphy and Shaolin zen, inspiring them to become a disciple through experiencing Chinese culture.  

In the suburbs of Lusaka, capital of Zambia, there is a Chinese temple complex with yellow walls, red tiles, and upturned eaves. Every morning, a group of African youths in robes practice Shaolin kung fu, followed by reading the Diamond Sutra. In the afternoon, they study traditional etiquette and other lessons about Chinese culture.

Since its opening in 2021, Zambia's Shaolin Temple Cultural Center has become a symbol of Chinese Shaolin culture in Africa and the global spread of traditional Chinese culture. As the first Shaolin culture center in Africa, the facility not only teaches kung fu, but also brings life-changing opportunities to young people.

Shi Yanchen, a Shaolin ICH inheritor who works at the center, told the Global Times that the center has given children a new "home." 

"There are over 30 homeless youths between 7 to 18 learning kung fu and Chinese culture here. Without the care of a family or basic living security, they are vulnerable to negative influences while drifting through society. Through Shaolin culture training, the center helps them acquire practical skills so they can build a future and find employment," said Master Yanchen. 

Yanchen noted that Shaolin kung fu is not a technique, but rather a life and a practice of mindfulness in the present moment. "One of the Buddhist philosophies the children learn is 'Do all that is good; refrain from all that is evil.'" 

To date, more than 200 Shaolin Temple Cultural Centers have been established outside of China. This spread is not just led by Chinese masters, as more and more overseas masters like NGalle Emmanuel have emerged to spread Shaolin culture. 

With his Dharma name Shi Yantan, Cameroonian Master Ngalle Emmanuel told the Global Times that through teaching Shaolin principles, he has been able to get more locals to learn about and love traditional Chinese culture. 

"It was a dream come true for me to be admitted to Shaolin Temple years ago. I learned a lot in China such as 'think twice before you act,' and overcame my stage fright. Wherever I go in the future, I will continue to pass down Shaolin culture," said Yantan. 

Other than connecting with international fans, over the years, Shaolin culture has gone through a digital makeover, endeavoring to use trendy technology to conserve its ICH legacies. During the May Day holidays in 2025, the digital archives exhibition hall at the Shaolin Temple officially opened to the public, allowing visitors to deeply explore the historical and cultural significance of the temple's steles through holographic and digital displays.

A digital Shaolin library will also be developed in collaboration with the Digital Library of China as part of the broader digitization initiative of Shaolin culture, which aims to safeguard, pass down, and further support Shaolin culture in its international outreach efforts. 

Including the current generations marked by the Chinese characters Su, De, Xing, Yong, Yan and Heng, the Shaolin monk system has been passed down for more than 30 generations. The youngest disciples are like Sanbao, who is only 9 years old. 

"I still remember he cried and told me 'Master, practice is too painful,'" Shi Yandian, Sanbao's master recalled, adding that in Sanbao, he saw himself when he first entered the Shaolin Temple as a novice. 

"But he will get through this just like we all did. This tough experience can only make him capable of inheriting the Shaolin spirit," Master Yandian noted, adding that the future of Shaolin culture is in the hands of young Shaolin ICH inheritors.

Source: https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202505/1334691.shtml