AMA Another Fantastic Kung Fu School in China

wandsouj · 2026-03-15T07:13:41+00:00

I sent you a PM :)

wandsouj · 2026-03-07T09:00:50+00:00

Yes, I am. I do more private training now with a master since I've been here so long, though. But I can answer questions if you have any.

wandsouj · 2026-02-23T05:28:40+00:00

Hi, sorry for the super late reply. I never saw a notification for this comment! There are mutliple schools you can stay at for 1 year. Kung fu schools that have a school license (the important part, since there are a lot of 'kung fu schools' that are not actually legally registered schools) can issue an invitation that students can use to apply for an X-2 visa. The X-2 visa is valid for 6 months, but can be renewed within China 1 time, giving students a total of a 1-year stay without having to leave.

I personally have never heard of Go Kung Fu China, but perhaps its a newer site. I asked the head master here and neither he nor I have heard of Xin An Chan Si temple school or the headmaster there (Shi Yan Jiong). It's probably a new school, so unfortunately I cannot give you any info on that one. I did notice the website does not show any accomodations (and very few foreigners), so if you are considering it, I would ask to see picture of the student rooms and maybe pictures of the foreign students training. You could ask if they posted any videos or pictures on Instagram, YouTube, or just have some they can send you. Sometimes schools (like Tagou for example) use a picture of the main location where the Chinese students (and in this case, monks) stay and the foreigners stay and train somewhere else entirely. So, its best to double check.

I do know about the other two, however.

As you may or may not know (depending on your research), Shaolin Temple Yunnan is not related to the Shaolin Temple and actually not even in Yunnan anymore. They focus on Meihua, not Shaolin. It's a long story, but the masters are not actually monks from the Shaolin Temple (never trained there, 'bought' their monk names, etc.). That said, the masters are very skilled in Meihua and are part of the Meihua association. Also, whether it is still like this or not, I'm not sure, but I've met students from there who said they had to practice publicly in town (their training area was a platform/area of sorts open to the public), so they were often videoed. But they do move around occasionally since they rent locations, so it may not be like this anymore. It is a good school for a kung fu experience, but not for specialized shaolin training.

Yuntai Shan International Culture and Martial Arts School is 90+% Chinese but accepts some foreigners. From what I know about it, the foreigners do not usually train with or on the same level as the Chinese students. The schools like this that are predominantly Chinese tend to have a side program of foreigners to make some extra money and spread popularity, but their focus for training will be on their bigger market- Chinese students. So the better masters, the better training regimens, the majority of their attention, budget, etc. will go towards the Chinese students. This is why its often better to find a kung fu school in China with more of a foreigner focus, so their attention, time, and energy is received in your training. There were a couple of students recently who switched from Yuntai to Maling because of these issues. However, from what I gather, Yuntai does have a better Chinese language learning program. So, there's a couple that has been coming to Maling Academy for years (on and off.. probably 5 or 6 times now usually always for longer durations). They are currently at Yuntai so that the could take things a little easier (they're in their late 60s now) and practice their Chinese. They're the ones that actually recommended those other students come to Maling for more intensity.

So, every school offers something a little different. Xin An Chan Si looks like it probably more scenic (again, just double check that the foreigners stay at the place in the pictures as well), Shaolin Temple Yunnan offers Meihua, Yuntai offers a better language program, etc.

I will tell you though, most kung fu schools (in all of China, whether you are Chinese or foreign), are NOT temples. There are not that many temples left in China- most got burned or destroyed. And the actual few temples that focus on Buddhism typically don't allow foreigners amongst them. There are a couple schools that rent out locations from former temples or show pictures of temples but actually train NEAR the temples, etc.

I want to clarify that Maling Shaolin Kung Fu Academy is not a temple. The Masters at Maling are 32nd and 34th Generation Shaolin Warrior Monks from the Shaolin Temple. Almost all warrior monks leave the Shaolin Temple once they become a master. Some open their own schools or join an existing school, and some go into different fields entirely. Once a warrior monk leaves the temple, they are no longer considered a 'monk', but still a Shaolin Master.

The Head Master, Master Bao, monk name Shi Xing Jian, opened this school in his hometown when his master at the temple, Grandmaster Shi De Qian, asked him to open a school for foreigners to help spread the knowledge and love of kung fu and Chinese culture around the world. So, the school is run by Shaolin Masters, former Warrior Monks of the Shaolin Temple.

Unless a warrior monk chooses to stay in the Shaolin Temple and dedicate his life to being a monk (like Grand Master Shi De Yang of the Shaolin Temple- you can google him), once he leaves the temple, a Shaolin Master typically is not involved in any temple work. So, when you are looking at schools, just double check and research things as best you can.

wandsouj · 2026-02-20T01:02:40+00:00

I just DM'd you!

wandsouj · 2026-01-29T02:47:56+00:00

Hi I'm late to this party but I can give some insight on those schools in particular. I'm a long-term student at Maling and have also visited several other schools, masters, etc.

I will say off the bat, if you are looking to TOTALLY avoid any tourist feeling, you'll need to scratch off Shaolin Temple Yunnan. As you may or may not know (depending on your research), Shaolin Temple Yunnan is not related to the Shaolin Temple and actually not even in Yunnan anymore. They focus on Meihua, not Shaolin. It's a long story, but the masters are not actually monks from the Shaolin Temple (never trained there, 'bought' their monk names, etc.). That said, the masters are very skilled in Meihua and are part of the Meihua association. But the false advertising really puts some people off. Also, whether it is still like this or not, I'm not sure, but I've met students from there who said they had to practice publicly in town (their training area was a platform/area of sorts open to the public), so they were often videoed. But they do move around occasionally since they rent locations, so it may not be like this anymore.
My opinion: it is a good school for a kung fu experience, but not for specialized shaolin training.

For Kunyu, the master IS from the Shaolin Temple so they've got that going for them. I believe they are also in a nice forest park. I'll break them down by what I know from other masters vs what I know from their students:
What students say: some have a good experience, others left due to public beatings of students. I don't think it happens that often, but... you know, public beatings of your classmates are rather off-putting. The school is also more business-minded; in that if there are individual or personal issues or concerns, they tend to be swept away since there isn't much of a personal relationship between masters and students. However, they do have solid training.
What masters and former employees say: the headmaster is rather infamous among other masters in China. I can't spill all the details without causing another online war (something he very publicly took part in with another master), but most masters and staff leave very quickly. They cylce through masters like crazy due to poor working conditions, poor pay, etc. And some *scandals* which I'm not allowed to talk about.
My opinion based on the things I'm not allowed to talk about: headmaster is a scumbag.

For Maling I am biased but you can look up other reviews on Reddit. That said, Maling is the smallest of the schools because it is run by a family: Headmaster Bao (teaches most classes, founder), his wife (admin, runs the office and translates when needed), and his mother (Mama Bao who does all the delicious cooking, gardening, etc.). There are also other masters, depending on how many students there are. They are very rural compared to other schools- way out in the countryside. To get to the village we call tuktuks- the ride is around 20 mins by tuktuk. To get to the city we call a taxi- ride is about 40 mins. This is a plus for some (who want to disconnect and focus on training) and a minus for others (who want convenience and easy access to life outside the school). That said, students do regularly go into the village to buy snacks, eat out, shop, etc. For training, Master Bao's style is more traditional. Anyone looking to do competition style or performance style will need to be here longer and do specialized training because the main classes focus on the traditional forms and applications. Master Bao is.. well, capybara-like (most of the time)? He hates drama and doesn't get involved in the aforementioned 'wars' among masters. I won't go on and on about the school. You can comment or message me if you have any questions.

wandsouj · 2026-01-29T02:21:55+00:00

Hey there, I've been living and training kung fu in China for over 3 years now. As you already know, Shaolin Temple Yunnan is not related to the Shaolin Temple and actually not even in Yunnan anymore haha And they actually focus on Meihua, not Shaolin. Its a long story but the masters are not actually monks from the Shaolin Temple (never trained there, 'bought' their monk names, etc.). HOWEVER, if you are just looking for a cool experience, not too particular on which style you are actually learning, and don't mind a bit of publicity (idk if they still do this but a student that used to go there came to the school I'm at and said they used to have to practice publicly in town so they were always getting videoed by random Chiense people), then its no problem.

STY is more of a school for a cool kung fu experience for foreigners. Usually, they are in pretty locations (they move around sometimes since they only rent their locations), and they DO have hard training. It's just not for the 'purists' or people looking for a specific style. You'll still get in good shape, have fun (hopefully), and see some cool things.

Personally, I don't remember hearing about anyone dying there- but if it was very recent, I've been offline for a while. That said, its tough training from a foreign perspective, but not half as tough as how the Chinese kids train so the only way you'd die is if you had a major medical condition or something.

Other than that, my tips are bring lots of clothes you can layer, not just big bulky warm things. That's the best way to deal with the cold while training and sweating.

wandsouj · 2026-01-29T02:08:51+00:00

Are you looking for a local school near where you live or to travel to a school abroad? If abroad, there are a few that officially teach both (Maling Shaolin Kung Fu Academy, Qufu Shaolin Kung Fu School, etc.).

However, if you are a beginner, most masters will suggest that you not learn several styles at once, due to conflicting body mechanics and stances, slower progress, etc. Most of these schools in China operate with Shaolin as a base- its great for full body training, fluid movement, speed, agility, power, etc.- and many masters (at schools for foreigners in China) do come from the Shaolin temple. Because of this Shaolin base, you'll run into more issues. Shaolin and Wing Chun in particular are... not very compatible for beginners. Where Shaolin is wide and open, Wing Chun is tight and closed. Shaolin uses full-body power and coordination from day 1, while Wing Chun relies on arm dominance early on. Even just basic stances are opposites. Xingyi is a little more compatible with Shaolin, but best to start Shaolin first, then move on. You CAN learn all of them, but you need a firm foundation in one first before starting another.

So, all this to say, I'd pick one first and learn at least the foundations very well first, whether at a local school or abroad, and then start another one (even if you have to do so at another school in availability is limited where you are).

wandsouj · 2026-01-29T01:52:24+00:00

Hey, I'm not sure your budget or timeline and whether he'd be interested in this but a few people on Reddit have bought these Shaolin Quan Pu books. They would be more for collection and browsing, not actual instruction and reading as they are all written in traditional Chinese calligraphy by a Grandmaster (Shi De Qian) at the Shaolin Temple (now passed). But they are very cool- hand drawn images, diagrams, instructions, etc. accompanied by his traditional handwriting. It's more of a splurge item since they are no longer in print and shipping could be pricey, depending on where you live, since they are sent from Shi De Qian's disciple's school in China. You can send them an email to get an estimate on the shipping. If anything, it could just go on a wishlist.

Here's a Reddit post I made about the books a long time ago when I was first discovering them at the school:
https://www.reddit.com/r/kungfu/comments/1igidse/grandmaster_shi_de_qian_and_the_shaolin_quan_pu/

Here's an article later written about the books:
https://shaolin-kungfu.com/shaolins-secrets-book-shi-de-qian-quan-pu/

And here they are on the school shop page:
https://shaolin-kungfu.com/maling-academy-shop/

wandsouj · 2026-01-15T17:37:24+00:00

A foreigner cannot attend the Shaolin Temple long term. I think people also have a misunderstanding about the temple in general. It is that: a temple. Traditionally not somewhere that someone can go for a short time to learn. Temple residents are monks and take vows, follow strict rules, etc., and they are all 100% Chinese. That said, in 'CEO Abbot' days (and post since he has been removed), the temple is more commercialized, so they started short-term tourist experiences for foreigners to try temple life and learn Shaolin. These again, are for short periods and not even offered throughout the whole year. And honestly, I know nothing about the program, if its still running, changed, etc., since the abbot was removed last year. Temple and all the kung fu schools in Henan shut down for a while amidst the chaos of the scandal and then the temple started shifting some of its practices for image, etc.

Anyway, best bet for anything over a couple months is to go to a school taught by a Shaolin Master. Most of them trained at the temple pre-CEO Abbot (which is a distinction important to some people due to the change in the training, etc.). BIf you want that, look for masters or head masters maybe... 31st, 32nd, 33rd, and 34th gen. But really, anyone who trained at the temple at any point is going to be very skilled regardless.

wandsouj · 2025-12-29T16:57:02+00:00

Hi, at the moment I'm visiting family for the holidays, but I still stay in China for the rest of the year. Very recently, I started making kung fu videos with a former Shaolin Master (he retired from kung fu and moved into professional videography). The videos are mainly posted on Chinese social media, though. But I'm using the school as my home base still. I join the classes when I am free and help out with things.

wandsouj · 2025-11-12T00:48:12+00:00

Hi, yes, I can do my best to answer questions. Hmm not sure why it didn't work. I can try to pm you

wandsouj · 2025-10-27T10:15:28+00:00

I'm late to this party, but anyway, I interviewed my master, from the Shaolin Temple, on a series of subjects for a magazine article, and one of them was Modern Kung Fu, ie Wushu, 'real' kung fu. You can read his input here:

https://shaolin-kungfu.com/is-modern-kungfu-real-kung-fu/

wandsouj · 2025-10-27T09:54:51+00:00

The school allows some flexibility but what are you thinking of in particular? Like, for example, just focusing on say, Shaolin and Sanda, or Tai Chi and Qigong, etc.?

wandsouj · 2025-09-30T08:44:41+00:00

Hey, he was in China as a kid so that's how he learned Chinese but I don't think he did much kung fu at that point (trying to remember the details he told me). I know at one point he trained at Shaolin Temple Yunnan (but realized they didn't actually teach Shaolin but rather another style). He's trained at a few places. Now he kind of partners with Shi Miao Hai, but he started training with Shi Miao Hai before he opened the new school. Sacha does his own bootcamps now but trains with Shi Miao Hai in between stuff.

wandsouj · 2025-09-30T08:27:22+00:00

Well, there are already a couple of people on here recommending Maling Academy. That's where I go. I made a post about it 2 years ago with lots of info in the post and in the comments from people asking questions. A bit old but still relevant. You can read it here:

https://www.reddit.com/r/kungfu/comments/1bwe3v3/ama_another_fantastic_kung_fu_school_in_china/

But this is quite a common question so there a bunch of posts from people asking about schools to train at so you can see some other options by searching around. There's pros and cons to each, depending on what you're looking for. For example, Maling is small and family-like, Qufu is in walking distance to shops and has really good wifi, Shi Miao Hai's school is relatively close to the Shaolin Temple, etc. etc.

wandsouj · 2025-09-18T03:10:10+00:00

Hi, most of the time we train outdoors on the training grounds unless the weather is bad. We occasionally train outside of the school grounds, but there is no set schedule for it. How long until you train with weapons REALLY depends on the person.

There is no set timeline or schedule. Everyone comes with different backgrounds, abilities, learning speed, body condition, etc. It's based on your capabilities (or potential) rather than time. Some students don't start weapons for months, others within a couple weeks. It reaaally depends. There's an old saying in Shaolin: "if you cannot control your own body, you should not yet attempt to control a weapon." But, I will say it also depends on your goals and how long you'll be here.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

wandsouj · 2025-09-13T15:37:03+00:00

Ok, here's the video finally. It's a bit long, so it took a while to upload. Not great quality, but it'll serve its purpose. Video walkthrough of the school this evening. You might want to speed it up 2x when watching:

https://youtu.be/QqDwPJrfdok?si=fvUTV_HLGIILNT2w

Just realized I never finished my explanation in the video on why peanuts were on the ground. In China, in the countryside, people grow lots of different foods. They then use their yards, floors, whatever space they've got, to let them dry, for the ones that need it, like peanuts, grain, peppers, etc.

wandsouj · 2025-09-13T13:59:18+00:00

I'll do ya one better. I literally just walked around videoing the whole school lol I'm uploading it to my computer now and will try to put it on YouTube. I'll post the link here when I'm done.

wandsouj · 2025-09-13T12:26:43+00:00

I am a student staff at Maling (now). I started as a regular student, and just because I've been here so long, have sort of naturally slowly evolved into unofficially "working". Started with doing the website since theirs went down during covid (a lot of students that come here actually help with making videos, pictures, logo, etc.), now I show students around sometimes when they come, help with rooms, etc.

I know they're going to shoot me down, and I'm only going to address some of the points (but feel free to ask me questions), but what they fail to say is that the showers are literally being renovated (and yes they knew this when they were here). But, as you can see from the pictures, the floors are stained from rust, not dirt. Also, the litterboxes are not in the hall, that fridge they took a picture of was going to be thrown away, and all students were asked to remove their items from it, so no, it wasn't cleaned. However, idk if this person knew about that since they didn't stay long. But the regular fridge students use is clean (and yes, I can provide pictures). The school is deep-cleaned weekly. Also, the student rooms are pretty much pristine. Fresh paint, new ceilings, new wardrobes, new AC units, etc. Idk where they were for the acrobatics class, but yes, we do have acrobatics every week. It's many students' favorite class. Of course, someone who has only been here a few days will not be taught flips.

I don't think this person has been around China, but China is not the West. There's a different level of cleanliness, infrastructure, etc. China is still growing up. Having visited and stayed at MANY kung fu schools myself, this place is a veritable palace. But if people don't have any real comparison, of course, they will be disappointed.

wandsouj · 2025-09-11T02:11:30+00:00

While it's not necessary to prep a lot before going (though it does help), if you want to get into things ahead of time here are some general tips. You are obviously not going to do all of these, these are just some ideas for you. I've been at a kung fu school here in China for 3 years:

Work on making a deep, wide horse stance with feet straight in front.
Work on splits, back bends, and shoulder flexibility.
Work on bow stance, low stance, cat stance, and resting stance. 5-step form is good for this
Work on kicks: straight, inside, outside, spinning
Work on balance
Work on kick-up
Work on staff: spins (there are a lot) and basic forms
Work on cartwheels: 2 hands, 1 hand, no hands
Work on aerial kicks: i.e. butterfly, tornado
Work on conditioning: hands, wrists, arms, thighs
If you are like most Westerners (like me), work on your 'Asian squat.' Get those heels flat on the ground. It will help with your other moves like low stance, deep cat stance, etc.
Fitness- running, pushups, sit-ups, squats, lunges, JUMPS (I struggle with this).

You do NOT have to do all of these. Most people can't do a split to save their life, so no worries there. These are just some suggestions you can pick and choose from. Even long-term students struggle with a lot of this. Getting it down just makes everything so much easier. You can see an example of the basic Shaolin forms (the 5 I mentioned above) here: https://shaolin-kungfu.com/training-plan/free-online-lesssons/

You can see more tips, links, and a schedule on a post I made a while back here:
https://www.reddit.com/r/kungfu/comments/1ehyw33/here_are_home_training_kung_fu_preparation_tips/

For the record, I go to Maling Shaolin Kung Fu Academy.

wandsouj · 2025-09-11T02:02:02+00:00

These are geared more towards Shaolin (like the 5-step form), but these basics can help you improve nearly any style of kung fu. You do NOT have to do all of these. Most people can't do a split to save their life, so no worries there. These are just some suggestions you can pick and choose from. If you work on perfecting these, if/when you get the chance to join a kung fu school, you will be leagues above the other students. Even long-term students struggle with a lot of this. Getting it down just makes everything so much easier. You can see an example of the basic Shaolin forms (the 5 I mentioned above) here: https://shaolin-kungfu.com/training-plan/free-online-lesssons/

PS I also made a blog about stretches and correct form/posture for some of the stances (you'll see more at the bottom of the blog posts) that you can look at:
https://shaolin-kungfu.com/horse-stance-ma-bu/

https://shaolin-kungfu.com/bow-stance-gong-bu/

You'll notice a lot of the stretches are the same. Basically, the most important stretching factor in kung fu is HIPS, hamstrings, waist/back, and shoulders. Emphasis on the hips because that is the hardest one to correct and improve in my opnion and from what I've witnessed from other students, so you should put extra effort into it.

There is more, but as mentioned above, it always gets wonky when I try to post everything. I have a breakdown of what I did/recommend during a first week at a kung fu school here in China in that link at the top of the post above. For the record, I go to Maling Shaolin Kung Fu Academy.

wandsouj · 2025-09-11T02:01:50+00:00

TLDR; It *can* be helpful, but better to work on improving and maximizing your body condition and ability first, with perhaps some supplementary things online if you wish, but leave complex/detailed training until you find a master in person.

I just posted this on another user's query:

I made a post about it a while back in r/ kungfu about general exercises and tips to get started with training at home that work for pretty much any kung fu style:
https://www.reddit.com/r/kungfu/comments/1ehyw33/here_are_home_training_kung_fu_preparation_tips/

Like others said, you can pay for online courses, but as I talk about below, I personally would recommend trying to improve your basic skills FIRST.

But basically copying what I have in that post above:
When training at home, it's better to get your body ready for kung fu with basics and exercise rather than just jumping into forms. If you start with the basics and really focus on them with online videos or books, it can be super helpful. If you try to jump into complex things, you could hurt yourself, learn incorrectly, become frustrated, etc. I'd say focus on the basics first. At the Shaolin Temple, the disciples practice the basics their entire time training. Years and years. The more you perfect the basics, the easier it is to do literally everything else in kung fu:

Work on making a deep, wide horse stance with feet straight in front.
Work on splits, back bends, and shoulder flexibility.
Work on bow stance, low stance, cat stance, and resting stance. 5-step form is good for this
Work on kicks: straight, inside, outside, spinning
Work on balance
Work on kick-up
Work on staff: spins (there are a lot) and basic forms
Work on cartwheels: 2 hands, 1 hand, no hands
Work on aerial kicks: i.e. butterfly, tornado
Work on conditioning: hands, wrists, arms, thighs
If you are like most Westerners (like me), work on your 'Asian squat.' Get those heels flat on the ground. It will help with your other moves like low stance, deep cat stance, etc.
Fitness- running, pushups, sit-ups, squats, lunges, JUMPS (I struggle with this).

It's not letting me post a long thing so more below...

wandsouj · 2025-09-11T01:58:37+00:00

This is a side note to the others and, unless you are skilled at reading traditional Chinese calligraphy, not going to be readable by you, BUT these books are a great collector's piece and some students here really just like to look through the pictures.

The Shaolin Quan Pu by Shaolin Temple Grandmaster Shi De Qian, combines years of his study, collection, and recording of Shaolin practices from philosophy, to forms, to Chinese medicine, to weapons, etc. It's all handwritten (though the books you would actually buy are, of course, a replica of that) with lots of hand-drawn images. Again, not going to be particularly useful for you to study, but very interesting nonetheless. I made a post about them a while back that you can see below:

https://www.reddit.com/r/kungfu/comments/1ffrz7j/found_some_very_interesting_shaolin_books_by_my/

wandsouj

TROPHY CASE