Shrouded in history, the Shaolin Temple is home to shaolin kung fu, renowned for its powerful techniques and sense of mystical seclusion. 

Fist, cudgel, sword, qigong… the profound shaolin kungfu has attracted many loyal fans. Twenty-one-year-old Yanshu has been practicing in the Shaolin Temple for eight years.

Yanshu practices the tiger fist, one of the traditional forms of shaolin kung fu. As the name suggests, the fist is the imitation of the tiger's movements, which are faster and have more options than other fist styles. Crooking the fingers and concentrating energy on them can make it more powerful.

The solid foundation requires rigorous training. Clenching fists, grabbing sandbags, climbing a ladder using only hands… To enhance the hardness of the fingers, Yanshu repeats the monotonous moves again and again. He knows that the tiger claw needs fingers as strong as nails.

"Kung fu training requires time and sweat. It is not just for the techniques, but more for the inner spirit," says Yanshu.

Day after day, the simple life in the temple seems flat, yet it keeps you away from the hustle and bustle while cultivating your mind. It is a kind of meditation. The hard training has become a habit of life. In this place, Yanshu not only practiced kung fu, but also comprehended the wisdom of "uniting the spirit and the skills."

In his spare time, he likes taking photos of the daily life of his fellow apprentices'. The Shaolin Temple is the place he is most familiar with, and his second home.

"The Shaolin Temple endows me with wisdom and more chances to learn," says Yanshu. There is no end to his learning or practicing kung fu. The continuous accumulation makes him confident and indomitable.

 

Supervisor: Pang Xinhua

Executive director: Lei Rong

Producer: Wen Yaru

Chief editor: Xu Jian

Director: Wang Jiting

Cinematographer: Shi Wenlong

Editor: Liu Ke

Copy editor: Josh McNally