Kung fu blessing

Source:Global Times Published: 2015-8-2 17:43:01

Sifa breaks a stone plate with his head. Photo: IC

Sifa begins his day with head stand training with his palms together. The monks live an extremely simple but disciplined life in the Wanshou Temple, getting up at around 5 in the morning, going to bed at 9 pm and eating only vegetarian food. Photo: IC

After a simple breakfast, Sifa performs a set of basic kung fu movements in the courtyard. Photo: IC

Sifa participates in the morning chanting in the temple's grand hall. Photo: IC

Sifa breaks a bundle of chopsticks with his hands. Photo: IC


It was four o'clock in the morning, and the sky was barely beginning to brighten at the Wanshou Buddhist Temple in Changchun, Northeast China's Jilin Province. Sifa, a fighting monk at the temple, is already in the courtyard, standing quietly on his head with his palms together as he practices Iron Head, a formidable kung fu technique which originated at Shaolin Temple.

Sifa is a member of the temple's team of fighting monks, and the Wanshou Temple is the only temple in Jilin where monks practice kung fu. To qualify as a fighting monk, monks need to train six to seven hours a day throughout the year, regardless of the weather, in addition to normal meditation and praying.

Sifa has been practicing kung fu since he was 15 years old. To master the Iron Head technique, he trained the resilience of his head through head stand, hitting his head against walls and with wooden boards. He is now able to break stone plates with his head.

Sifa said practicing kung fu was also a type of personal cultivation. "In Chan Buddhism, kung fu is an instrument of enlightenment. It makes me more peaceful and confident," he said.

Global Times

Posted in: In-Depth

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