Embodied spirituality: Shaolin martial arts as a Chan Buddhist practice
International Journal of Anthropology and Ethnology February 20, 2024 Marta Nešković 6 citations
Shaolin Kung Fu, as practiced in the Shaolin Monastery in Henan Province, China, is a form of dynamic embodiment where Chan Buddhist doctrines are embedded within the practitioner's lived body, influencing both movement and perception. Through fieldwork from April 2018 to August 2020, the study used theories of practice and embodiment to analyze how religious teachings are interwoven into physical movements. The monastery's socio-cultural setting fosters a collective habitus that transforms individual habitus, developing a spiritual dimension in martial performance. This process allows practitioners to interpret their environment through a religious lens, highlighting the deep connection between spiritual beliefs and bodily actions.