Shaolin Temple kicks off ‘grand gathering’ competition
By Global Times, Published: 2017-07-30 17:49:51
A competitor demonstrates two-finger press-ups at the competition. Photo: Li Hao/GT
Editor's Note:
The first “grand gathering” kicked off at the 1,500-year-old Shaolin Temple in Central China’s Henan Province on July 29. An international martial arts competition is held Sunday at the temple on Songshan Mountain and sees martial arts masters compete across four disciplines, as well as demonstrate skills such as knife throwing, block breaking and stone lock lifting. The event will run through August 4.

A competitor participates in a knife throwing demonstration. Photo: Li Hao/GT
Two participants throw knives in a competitive event. Photo: Li Hao/GT
A contestant demonstrates his art of the Iron Palm, or block breaking, during the event. Photo: Li Hao/GT
A man demonstrates his stone lock lifting skills at the event. Photo: Li Hao/GT
A group of participants demonstrate their “Stone Lock” skills. Photo: Li Hao/GT
Shi Yongxin (center), abbot of the Shaolin Temple, attends the ceremony Photo: Li Hao/GT