On July 6, 2025, Ruslan Valerievich Marzoev, Deputy Mayor and Director of the Cultural Bureau of Vladikavkaz, Russia, and Ren Yin, Representative of the Republic of North Ossetia Alania to China, visited our temple for inspection. The abbot, Master Kong, warmly received the visit, accompanied by Venerable Yan Cheng. The delegation had a deep understanding of the history and culture, Zen martial arts spirit, and Zen medical heritage of South Shaolin Temple, and watched a wonderful Zen martial arts performance. The two sides held a discussion on further deepening cooperation in martial arts culture.

Exploring the unlimited potential for cooperation in martial arts culture

This inspection is another important exchange after the signing of the national martial arts cooperation framework agreement between the South Shaolin Temple and the North Olympic Sports Department in March this year. As an important region of Russian martial arts culture, North Ossetia has shown a strong interest in the Zen martial system, Zen meditation culture, and Zen medicine tradition of South Shaolin Temple. Deputy Mayor Marzoev stated that South Shaolin martial arts is not only a skill, but also contains profound philosophical and health concepts, and has broad integration space with the traditional sports culture of North Ossetia.

At the symposium, Master Kong emphasized that martial arts are an important carrier of Chinese culture, and as one of the birthplaces of Southern style martial arts, the Southern Shaolin Temple shoulders the responsibility of inheriting and promoting them. This exchange is not only a discussion of cooperation, but also a dialogue of civilization. We hope to deepen cooperation in martial arts training, meditation experience, and Zen medicine promotion in the future, and promote cultural exchanges between China and Russia to a new level.

The international dissemination responsibility of 'going global' of Southern Shaolin culture is significant

In recent years, Nan Shaolin Temple has actively promoted the international dissemination of Chinese martial arts culture and established cooperation with martial arts institutions in multiple countries and regions. The visit of the Russian delegation further highlights the international appeal of Southern Shaolin culture. Representative Ren Yin stated that the Republic of North Ossetia Alania attaches great importance to cultural exchanges with China, and the concept of combining hardness and softness, as well as the integration of Zen and martial arts, in the Southern Shaolin martial arts, has important reference significance for the development of local martial arts.

With the deepening of the "the Belt and Road" initiative, the influence of Chinese traditional culture in the international arena is growing. The Southern Shaolin Temple, with its unique Zen and martial arts culture, has become an important link connecting Chinese and foreign civilizations. The great monk of emptiness pointed out that martial arts is not only a way to strengthen the body, but also a cultural bridge to promote spiritual communication among people around the world. In the future, South Shaolin Temple will continue to deepen international exchanges, allowing the Zen and martial arts spirit to benefit more overseas enthusiasts and help Chinese culture go global.

This inspection has laid a solid foundation for the follow-up cooperation between South Shaolin Temple and North Ossetia. Both sides agreed to implement specific cooperation projects as soon as possible and promote the cultural exchange of Chinese and Russian martial arts to a higher level. Against the backdrop of global cultural integration, the South Shaolin Temple is writing a new chapter in the international dissemination of Chinese martial arts with an open and inclusive attitude.

On April 29th, a delegation of 12 members of the Party Group and Deputy Director of the Standing Committee of the People's Congress of Shunde District, Foshan City, accompanied by Zeng Xiangyang, Deputy Director of the People's Congress of Licheng District, visited our temple for inspection. The visiting guest, Venerable Yancheng, warmly received the inspection team.

The inspection team first visited the South Shaolin Temple Historical and Cultural Museum. The rich historical relics and literature materials in the museum vividly showcase the vicissitudes of the South Shaolin Temple spanning thousands of years. Venerable Yancheng gave a detailed introduction to the profound historical context and recent development of our temple to the inspection team.

Subsequently, the inspection team went to the South Shaolin Inheritance Hall to observe the wonderful Zen and martial arts performances on site. The martial monks were full of spirit and steady in their movements, showcasing ancient and masculine techniques that were both offensive and defensive, earning applause and unanimous praise from the inspection team.

The South Shaolin Temple is the main birthplace of Nanquan, and the origins of many Nanquan schools in Guangdong can be traced back to this place. Especially on November 3, 2025, the "Cross Sea Tracing Back to the Mountain Ancestral Ceremony" - the South Shaolin Martial Arts Tracing Back to the Mountain Stele Ceremony in New Zealand's Min Yue Hong Kong was held at the South Shaolin Temple. Huang Xiaoxia's boxing technique, Hong Sheng Cai Lifo, and many overseas inheritors from Guangdong gathered together to explore the contemporary significance and protection of martial arts through the inscription, technical inheritance, and in-depth exchanges.

The delegation spoke highly of this and said that they would take this visit and exchange as an opportunity to promote the exchange of martial arts between the two places and jointly inherit and carry forward the excellent traditional Chinese culture.

On the morning of May 19th, a group of more than 150 people from Pearl Mother's Hall in Shantou, Guangdong, led by Chairman Wu Suixian, visited and exchanged ideas at the South Shaolin Temple in Putian, Fujian. Abbot Kong Xingda warmly received them, and knowledgeable guests Yan Cheng and Yan Su accompanied them throughout the entire process.

NO. 1 Sincerely pray for blessings and wish for good luck together

At around 9am, the visiting delegation arrived at the mountain gate of South Shaolin Temple, where the temple held a welcoming ceremony with traditional lion dance.

Then, under the guidance of the mage, the believers entered the the Shakya ManiHall with a pious heart and carried out a solemn prayer activity to pray for the peace of the country and the people and the good luck of all living beings.

NO.2 Zen and Martial Arts Observation with Endless Praise

After the prayer ended, the visiting group went to the South Shaolin Inheritance Hall to observe the Zen and martial arts performances brought by the South Shaolin Martial Monks on site. The martial monks demonstrated the millennium old martial arts essence of "the unity of Zen and martial arts" through their combination of hard and soft moves, showcasing the profound cultural heritage of Zen and martial arts in Southern Shaolin. The cheers echoed throughout the performance, and the believers praised the exquisite skills of the martial monks endlessly.

NO.3 Deepen communication and share great love together

As the organizer of this event, Chairman Wu Suixian shared his experience at the end of the visit. She said that this visit allowed believers to experience the charm of Southern Shaolin Zen and martial arts culture up close, and deeply felt the temple's hospitality. She hopes that both sides can further deepen exchanges and exchanges in the future.

Putian is the birthplace of Mazu culture in the world, and the belief in Mazu is also known as the Mazu faith. During the exchange, Master Kongxing expressed that the spirit of Mazu's "virtue, kindness, and great love" shares many similarities with the Buddhist philosophy of compassion and universal salvation. Both are based on altruism, and we welcome believers from all over the world to visit and exchange ideas together, and build good relationships.

The visit to the famous Zen temple in the hometown of Mazu by the believers of Shantou Pearl Mother Church is not only a common pursuit of the spirit of "great love" in two excellent traditional Chinese cultures, but also a vivid interpretation of the new era of mutual learning and integration between folk beliefs and Buddhist culture, and the pursuit of altruism and goodness

On the afternoon of July 16th, about 80 representatives from the overseas Chinese community attending the 11th World Overseas Chinese Association Friendship Conference, accompanied by leaders such as Song Lun, Deputy Director of the Overseas Chinese Affairs Bureau of the State Council, and Xu Wei, Second level Inspector of the Economic and Technological Department of the All China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese, visited the South Shaolin Temple in Putian, and were warmly received by Abbot Kong Xingda. As an extension of the theme of "Consolidating Overseas Chinese Hearts, Gathering Overseas Chinese Strength, and Seeking Development" at the conference, this visit aims to allow overseas Chinese leaders to closely touch the roots of Chinese culture, enhance cultural identity and national cohesion.

Firstly, the visiting delegation arrived at the History and Culture Museum of South Shaolin Temple. The precious historical materials and cultural relics in the museum outline the rise and fall of this millennium old temple and its unique position as the ancestral home of Nanquan. The representatives stopped to take a closer look and gained a clear understanding of the profound foundation of the integration of Zen and martial arts.

Overseas Chinese Visit Activities

02 Walking into Beilin Square

Later, the delegation visited the Palace of Heavenly Kings, the Shakya ManiHall and other halls in turn, and watched the stone tablets, stone grooves and other cultural relics. At the Nanquan Stele Forest Square, a square stone tablet is engraved with the inheritance marks of martial arts masters from various dynasties, which is a physical witness to the origin of Nanquan. Overseas Chinese leaders caressed the monument and chased far away, deeply feeling the spiritual power of passing down Chinese martial arts from generation to generation.

Overseas Chinese Visit Activities

03 Watching Zen martial arts performances

Finally, the visiting delegation moved to the South Shaolin Inheritance Hall to immerse themselves in watching Zen and martial arts performances. The martial arts monks' combination of strength and softness, as well as their exquisite equipment training, fully demonstrate the charm of the intangible cultural heritage of Southern Shaolin martial arts. The representatives cheered repeatedly, amazed by the profoundness of Chinese martial arts.

Visiting activities

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　　This visit is not only a cultural journey to find roots, but also an important bond for the overseas Chinese community to connect with their ancestral homeland. The representatives come from six continents including Asia, Europe, Africa, North America, South America, and Oceania. They expressed that they will take this visit as an opportunity to actively spread excellent traditional Chinese culture, promote cultural exchange and economic cooperation between their host countries and China, play a bridging role in the work of overseas Chinese affairs in the new era, and gather a wider range of overseas Chinese forces for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

　　On October 15, 2025, the Political Consultative Conference of Hepu County, Beihai City, Guangxi came to Licheng District, Putian to conduct research on the protection and utilization of intangible cultural heritage, intangible cultural heritage markets, etc. The first stop was the South Shaolin Temple in Putian.

As an important carrier of the provincial-level intangible cultural heritage "Southern style martial arts", the South Shaolin Temple in Putian has accumulated some experience in the excavation, protection, inheritance, cultural tourism integration, and innovative transformation of martial arts culture in recent years. Especially in the systematic protection of martial arts intangible cultural heritage projects, it has achieved remarkable results and become a model in the industry.

Under the warm reception and accompaniment of Master Yancheng, the research team of Hepu County Political Consultative Conference first visited the South Shaolin Historical and Cultural Exhibition Hall, and gained a detailed understanding of the historical origins, martial arts school characteristics, and current status of protection and inheritance of the South Shaolin Temple.

The rich graphic and historical materials, as well as precious heritage artifacts in the exhibition hall, have attracted their attention and have frequent interactions.

Subsequently, at the Martial Arts Inheritance Hall of Nanshaolin Temple, the Buddhist monk group showcased the sitcom "Nanzong Shaolin", recreating the historical legend of Nanshaolin and awakening the patriotism of everyone present, as well as the steadfast commitment and responsibility of Zen Buddhism, which attracted waves of admiration and applause.

The members of the Hepu County Political Consultative Conference research group had in-depth exchanges with the monk based on their observations and their own work experience. Chairman Huang Ziyue expressed sincere gratitude for the warm reception at the South Shaolin Temple in Putian. He greatly praised the remarkable achievements of Nan Shaolin martial arts in the protection, inheritance, and promotion of intangible cultural heritage, and provided suggestions for the development and inheritance of martial arts in our temple.

On July 8, 2025, nearly 300 employees of Yidingyi Enterprise came to the Southern Shaolin Temple, the ancestral home of Nanquan, to embark on a unique cultural and prayer journey. Under the full guidance of Master Zhike Yancheng, the employees of the enterprise deeply experienced the millennium Zen and martial arts culture of the South Shaolin Temple. Through various activities such as hall tours, martial arts appreciation, passing through the hall for fasting, and blessing ceremonies, each participant received a rare spiritual baptism.

Led by the knowledgeable mage of the temple, the delegation visited the History and Culture Museum, the Heavenly King Hall, the the Shakya ManiHall, the Longevity Extension Hall, the Gratitude Hall and other important halls in turn. On the way, everyone learned about the compassion and wisdom of Maitreya Buddha, the protective spirit of Vajrayana Bodhisattva, and the cultural characteristics of the "Zen, Martial Arts, and Medicine" trinity in the Southern Shaolin Temple. Through the graphic and textual display of the historical corridor, employees have gained a deeper understanding of the rise and fall of this millennium old temple.

02 Martial Arts Performance: Experience the Unity of Zen and Martial Arts

　　At the Southern Shaolin Inheritance Hall, martial monks showcased traditional martial arts such as Wei Tuo Quan and Shi He Quan. As one of the representative martial arts of the Southern Shaolin Temple, Wei Tuo Quan's moves are powerful and vigorous, fully demonstrating the mighty spirit of the protector Wei Tuo Bodhisattva. The wonderful performance won rounds of applause.

　　03 Passing through the Hall for a Study: Experience vegetarian food in the temple

　　The use of fasting in temples is not only for food, but also for spiritual practice, allowing everyone to maintain mindfulness, gratitude, and cherish blessings during meals. The employees of the Yidingyi team experienced the vegetarian food in the temple and felt the superiority of a clean diet.

　　After the lunch break, all the staff gathered in the the Shakya ManiHall and prayed piously under the guidance of the mage.

　　Everyone clasped their hands together, praying for national prosperity, prosperous enterprises, harmonious families, and increased blessings and wisdom. After the successful blessing ceremony, the temple presented auspicious gifts to each employee of the Yidingyi team, symbolizing "blessings come with goodness, wisdom arises from the heart".

　　This visit to the Southern Shaolin Temple by Yidingyi Enterprise not only allowed everyone to have a deep understanding of the Zen and martial arts culture of Southern Shaolin, but also purified and sublimated their souls through prayer, fasting, and martial arts observation. South Shaolin Temple always adheres to the principle of "building good relationships and benefiting all sentient beings". We welcome people from all walks of life to visit and share the wisdom of Buddhism, as well as the auspiciousness and joy of the Dharma!