Asian Experiences Events Shaolin Kung Fu Vienna

Vienna | Shaolin Culture Week at the Shaolin Temple in Vienna, Austria

Vienna | Shaolin Culture Week at Shaolin Temple Vienna, Austria

Watch my video here: Vienna | Shaolin Culture Week at Shaolin Temple Vienna, Austria


Would you like to fully experience the Shaolin culture and also strengthen yourself with renewed energy? Then you can participate for free at the Shaolin Culture Week in the Shaolin Temple in Vienna https://shaolinkultur.at/. The Shaolin Temple in Vienna offers an intensive week every year with daily Kung Fu, Tai Chi and Qi Gong training, lectures, exhibitions, video demonstrations and much more.

Here’s what Shaolin Culture Week brings you:

  • Daily Kung Fu training strengthens your stamina, physical fitness, sharpens your mind and improves your responsiveness.
  • Daily practice of Tai Chi and Qi Gong gives you more life energy (by teaching controlled abdominal breathing) and it brings you inner peace and balance by focusing on the movement itself.
  • Learn about Shaolin culture, meditation, calligraphy and painting in interesting lectures.
  • Photo exhibition and video presentations all day.
  • An exciting Kung Fu Show on Saturday.

In the week of June 5, 2023 to June 10, 2023, I participated in the 12th Shaolin Culture Week at the Shaolin Temple in Vienna. During this week you were allowed to participate in all classes for free. You could also participate on separate days. You can find the schedule for the whole week at the bottom of my blog.

In the morning we trained in the Bacher Park when the weather was nice and in the Shaolin Temple when the weather was bad. In the evening we trained in the Shaolin Temple. Read more in my blog about my experiences during the Shaolin Culture Week.

The training started early in the morning with Qi Gong or Rou Quan at 07:00 am and Kung Fu at 08:00 am. It’s nice to start the day this way. Except for one morning of rain, we had nice weather all week in the morning, so we could train outside in the Bacher Park, which is diagonally opposite the Shaolin Temple. This was followed by a long break until 4:00 pm, which gave you a great opportunity to explore Vienna.

On the first day, Grand Master Shi Yan Liang gave an interesting lecture about the history of the Song Shan Shaolin Temple in China and about the current life of the Shaolin monks in the monastery.
Shaolin means “young forest” and is derived from the forest area where the Shaolin Monastery is located. The Shaolin Temple in China was built in 495 AD by Emperor Xiaowen of the Northern Wei Dynasty for the Indian monk Butao, the first abbot of the Shaolin Monastery.

In 527 AD, the Indian monk Bodhidarma, the 28th descendant of the legendary Buddha Shakyamuni, came to the Shaolin Temple in China. He meditated in a mountain cave (now known as Dhamo Cave) in the Songshan Mountains for nine years before developing Chan Buddhism and a whole range of physical exercises. Bodhidarma is considered the founder of Chan Buddhism and Shaolin Kung Fu.

The abbot of Shaolin Monastery is considered the highest dignitary of Chan Buddhism, one of the largest Buddhist schools in the world. His Holiness Venerable Grand Master Shi Yong Xin is the 30th abbot of the Shaolin Temple since its foundation in 495 AD.

In 2011, Grand Master Shi Yan Liang, monk and dharma master of the Shaolin Temple in Henan, built the only Shaolin Temple in Austria that is legitimized by the original Shaolin Temple in China.
His Holiness Abbot Shi Yong Xin traveled to Vienna and officially inaugurated this unique Shaolin Temple on October 1, 2011 in a grand ceremony attended by 200 people.

In addition to interesting lectures, we also practiced Chinese calligraphy. Using a beautiful white-bristled calligraphy brush dipped in black ink, we wrote the Heart Sutra in Chinese script on rice paper. You should finish the entire Heart Sutra in an hour, but it honestly took me a little longer. While writing the beautiful Chinese characters I experienced an inner peace and I was completely focused on the calligraphy.
During the tea ceremony we participated in different forms of traditional tea ceremonies and we also got to taste different types of tea. The tea ceremony is also a form of meditation and we drank tea together in peace.

In the evening we received training Qi Gong or Rou Chan and Kung Fu in the Shaolin Temple. Every day we learned something new. Finally, we had meditation on a number of evenings. Very nice to end the day completely relaxed.

On the last day, the Shaolin Culture Week was concluded with an impressive Kung Fu demonstration and Talent Show. You can see my video of the Kung Fu demonstration here: Vienna | Shaolin Culture Week at Shaolin Temple Vienna, Austria

I am grateful to have been able to experience this Shaolin Culture Week. After this week I did indeed feel more comfortable in my skin with renewed energy. The high level of interest in Shaolin culture was evident from the high turnout of participants. I met many new people and made new friends. This was a valuable experience.

Amituofo ???


Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *