Liankai Nanyang Zen Martial Unity

From February 20 to March 3, 2025, at the invitation of Buddhist temples in Indonesia and Malaysia, the South Shaolin Temple in Jiulian Mountain, Putian, Fujian Province, will open the "Buddhist and martial arts culture tour to Southeast Asia". Through a series of activities such as Buddhist and martial arts performances, Buddhist exchanges, cultural visits, etc., it will show the unique charm of Chinese Buddhism overseas, deepen civil and cultural exchanges, and inject new vitality into promoting people to people connections along the "the Belt and Road".

Zen and Martial Arts Integration: A joint painting of Sino Indonesian Buddhist mutual learning was held at the first stop in Indonesia. The Buddhist monk group and the Manjusri Zen Monastery in Jakarta jointly presented the "Martial Arts New Year" Buddhist cultural exchange ceremony. The Southern Shaolin Zen martial arts performance combines strength and softness, showcasing the power and beauty of Chinese martial arts through techniques such as stick, fist, and qigong; Indonesian artists convey the vitality and philosophy of their local culture through traditional dance and musical instrument performance. Both sides use art as a medium to jointly interpret the spiritual core of "compassion and wisdom" in Buddhism, and the audience at the scene feels the harmonious beauty of the integration of Buddhist civilizations in the two countries amidst applause.

At the Fahai Zen Temple in Guanghua, a group of martial monks held a special exhibition, and overseas Chinese audiences were all amazed: "The soul of my hometown is hidden in martial arts," while Indonesian people were amazed that "Chinese Kung Fu and Buddhist philosophy can be so integrated. This cross linguistic cultural dialogue has made the unique Zen and martial arts culture in Chinese Buddhism a bond to enhance understanding and consolidate consensus.

Salute to Pioneers: Continuation of a New Chapter on Buddhist Exchange between China and Malaysia

At the Sanhui Lecture Hall in Malaysia, the group of martial monks visited the Zhumo Elder Memorial Hall accompanied by the abbot, Master Jichuan, to gain a deeper understanding of the preaching process of this pioneer of Chinese Buddhism in the south. Zhumo Changchang was the senior disciple of the great monk Kongxing, who devoted his life to the localization of Chinese Buddhism. His history of cultivating the backbone of Malaysian Buddhism deeply touched the Buddhist community. Elder Zhumo is a model of cultural dissemination, and his spirit inspires us to tell Chinese stories with a more open attitude, "said Master Kongxing, the abbot of South Shaolin Temple. Both sides also discussed Buddhist education, Zen and martial arts health preservation, and agreed to deepen communication and cooperation in areas such as Dharma vein friendship and cultural interaction in the future.

This visit is a vivid practice of the South Shaolin Temple in Putian practicing "cultural going global". Through the global language of Zen and martial arts, not only can Southeast Asian people perceive Chinese Buddhist culture up close and understand the spiritual core of Chinese culture, but also draw a concentric circle of civilization mutual learning with the warm touch of folk communication. As the great monk Kongxing once said, "When the strength of martial arts meets the softness of dance, when a thousand year old temple meets a Buddhist temple in Nanyang, we truly touch the eternal rhythm of the beauty and harmony of Buddhist culture in different civilizations." In the future, the South Shaolin Temple will continue to build an international platform for Buddhist cultural exchange, making Zen and martial arts culture a world calling card for spreading peace and enhancing friendship.