Shaolin Kung Fu

Exploring Chan Buddhism, Monastic Community, and Martial Arts

Marta Nešković

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Hardback

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English

Routledge
21 March 2025

Regional studies; Religion: general; Buddhism; Social & cultural anthropology; Sports & outdoor recreation

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.

By: Marta Nešković
Imprint: Routledge
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 234mm, Width: 156mm,
Weight: 830g
ISBN: 9781032660943
ISBN 10: 1032660945
Pages: 346
Publication Date: 21 March 2025
Audience: College/higher education , Primary
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Marta Nešković 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.

Reviews for Shaolin Kung Fu: Exploring Chan Buddhism, Monastic Community, and Martial Arts

"""Marta Neskovic’s valuable book unveils the spiritual and cultural depths of Shaolin Kung Fu and bridges tradition and modernity through rigorous fieldwork. It explores the embodiment of Chan Buddhism within martial art practice, offering a groundbreaking perspective on the lived experience of Shaolin monks."" - Professor Jiang Wu, Director of Center for Buddhist Studies, The University of Arizona ""The Shaolin Monastery in China, birthplace of Chan Buddhism and center for the martial arts, is the subject of this exemplary anthropological work by Marta Neskovic, who carried out immersive long-term fieldwork inside the monastery, bringing new insights with ethnographic mastery of knowledge about local mastery in preserving cultural tradition."" - Professor Fadwa El Guindi, University of California, Los Angeles"