Shaolin Kungfu & Culture Foundation, Inc.

Posing with Kwan Dao

The main significance of Shaolin kung fu is the distinguishing with others is the perfect combination of Wushu and Zen.  Shaolin kung fu grew up in an enviornment of Buddhism which fully embodies the wisdom of Zen Buddhism.

Biography

Headmaster at the Manhattan Shaolin Kungfu Chan Center, Shifu Chao Hai (Buddhist name Yen Shen) was born in Kaifong, Henan and is a secular disciple of Henan's Songshan Shaolin Temple.

Since his early years, Master Chao learned traditional Shaolin kung fu from his grandfather.  As he grew older, his enthusiasm and passion for kung fu began to intensify.  Through thr referral and introduction by his grandfather and older brother, who had already taken vows as a Shaolin monk, Master Chao enrolled in the Shaolin temple to further his study of kung fu.  Under the venerable master and Abbott Shi Yong Xin, he was named Yen Shen and became a 34th generation secular Shaolin disciple.

During his time at the Shaolin Temple, Master Chao learned under several master monks to complete his extremely difficult training, specializing in the Tie Tou Gong (Iron Head), Tie Bi Gong (Iron Arm), and Qi Gong (Internal forms).  With these skills, he represented Shaolin in a number of martial arts performances throughout China.   He also went on to become a coach in several martial arts schools for many years.

In 2004, Master Chao came to the United States to further pursue his career as a martial arts instructor and to spread Shaolin kung fu.  Some of his notable performances in the United States include a demonstration on June 29, 2005 at the Lincoln Center in celebration of the United Nation's 60th Anniversary, which was one of the first Chinese martial arts performances in an international arena, and a demonstration in 2006 at Harvard University, where he invited skeptical students onstage to test his iron-like Qi Gong by attacking him at will.  

Master Chao currently teaches at the Manhattan Shaolin Kung Fu Chan Center and hopes to continue spreading Shaolin Chan kung fu throughout America.  He wants the Shaolin spirit to grow in this land so that more people can benefit from this thousand year old art. 

 Posing with Double Axe

To practice kung fu is to cultivate one's mind and body.  In ancient times it was used to protect the temple against intruders and to train the temple's monks physically and mentally.

Practicing Yi Jin Jing 

Backwards Strike with Straight Sword

Wushu is well considered in every respect.  Incommon parlance, all the wushu around the world comes from Shaolin.  The Shaolin weapons used in wushu include long weapons, short weapons, soft weapons, hidden weapons and etc.  These weapons include spear, sword, staff, halberd, whip, shovel, bola, axe, hook, fork, crutch and etc.

 Chunqiu Knife

Shaolin kung fu is based on Zen Buddhism.  To all the Shaolin martial monks, practicing kung fu is just the way in realizing Zen Buddhism.  That is why Shaolin kung fu became so powerful.

Flying Broadsword

The knife can be divded into many kinds according to its shape.  For example, the Broadsword knife, the double knives, the Waistband knife, the Tiger-end Knife, and so on. The Broadsword is one of the most popular weapons by kung fu practitioners.  The way of using the sword is complex and changeable, and may include chopping, lifting, poking etc. to directly attack the key part of an opponent's body.

Kwan Dao Defending Skill

Sword is one of the weapons most commonly used by Shaolin martial monks, as well as in the "Shaolin Eighteen Weapons." As early as the Ming Dynasty, Wen Xingfeng once saw the martial monks practice sword when he visited Shaolin.

 

Posing with Long Tassel Sword