Shaolin Kung Fu

Exploring Chan Buddhism, Monastic Community, and Martial Arts
1. Auflage 2025
ISBN: 978-1-032-66094-3
Verlag: Taylor & Francis Ltd (Sales)

Buch, Englisch, 362 Seiten, Format (B × H): 156 mm x 234 mm, Gewicht: 685 g

This book investigates contemporary Shaolin Kung Fu, situated between tradition and modernity. Deeply rooted in the philosophical and religious traditions of Chan Buddhism and concurrently evolving under the influence of globalization, this martial art serves as a Chan Buddhist practice within the Shaolin monastic community. Illuminating the rich cultural heritage of Shaolin Kung Fu and its ongoing relevance in the contemporary world, the analysis is grounded in long-term ethnographic fieldwork conducted at the Shaolin Monastery in Henan Province, China. The author argues that the spiritual essence of Shaolin Kung Fu is derived not from its constituent elements, such as body movements and techniques, but rather from the Chan Buddhist structures of meaning the practitioners embody. By highlighting the relationship between habitus, lived body, and dynamic embodiment, the book offers a novel perspective on the intersection of spirituality and martial arts. Providing a deeper understanding of the cultural, religious, and philosophical foundations that underpin Shaolin Kung Fu, this is a valuable reading for scholars of anthropology, sociology, religious studies, cultural heritage, and China studies, as well as for academics and practitioners with an interest in martial arts.

Zielgruppe

Postgraduate

Autoren/Hrsg.

Neskovic, Marta

Neškovic, Marta

Fachgebiete

• Sozialwissenschaften Sport | Tourismus | Freizeit Sport Kampfsportarten, Selbstverteidigung Ostasiatische Kampfkünste
• Sozialwissenschaften Soziologie | Soziale Arbeit Soziologie Allgemein
• Geisteswissenschaften Religionswissenschaft Buddhismus
• Sozialwissenschaften Soziologie | Soziale Arbeit Spezielle Soziologie Religionssoziologie

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Introduction

1 Aims, Theoretical Framework and Research Methods

2 Martial Arts Enthusiasts: Foreign Students at The Shaolin Monastery

3 Guardians of The Legacy: Warrior Monks at The Shaolin Monastery

4 Living Chan: Ordained Monks at The Shaolin Monastery

5 Shaolin Kung Fu Between Habitus and Embodiment

Conclusion

Über Autor(innen)

Marta Neškovic is a Research Associate in the field of ethnology and anthropology at the Institute for Political Studies in Belgrade, Serbia. She is currently a Visiting Scholar within the President’s International Fellowship Initiative at the Chinese Academy of Sciences.