The November Living Kung Fu Immersion
LIVING KUNG FU: 30 Days in China
Go beyond training Kung Fu. Spend 30 days living it.
What Living Kung Fu means
Kung Fu is more than what happens during training.
- It is movement and discipline.
- Health and recovery.
- Food and daily rhythm.
- History, philosophy and culture.
- Language, mindset and the way you learn to work with your own body.
For 30 days in China, you step inside the practice as a whole.
You train directly with Shifu Shi Yanjun, a 34th-generation Shaolin inheritor and 17th-generation Meihua Quan inheritor.
You study the culture, philosophy, history and traditional ideas that give the practice its context with Dr. Andreea McCurry.
And you experience China not simply as the place where the training happens, but as part of what you are there to understand.
This is Living Kung Fu.
The programme
30 Days Inside Living Kung Fu
Train in China
Train directly with Shifu in Shaolin and Meihua Quan — stance, structure, footwork, forms, applications, power generation, conditioning, flexibility, coordination and traditional training methods.
Understand the Art You’re Practising
Study Shaolin and Meihua Quan history, lineage, martial ethics, forms and their purpose, teacher-student tradition, and the principles behind how and why Kung Fu is trained.
Explore Chinese Philosophy Through Practice
Go beyond the symbols and sayings into ideas such as Yin and Yang, the Five Phases, Chan, cultivation, balance, adaptation, discipline, repetition and chīkǔ — “eating bitter.”
Learn the Health Traditions Around Kung Fu
Explore Qi, breath, Traditional Chinese Medicine, health and longevity, recovery, nourishment, and traditional ways of understanding the relationship between martial practice and caring for the body.
Experience the Culture Firsthand
Meditation and Chan practice. Chinese martial terminology. Tea culture. Ritual and etiquette. Local food and village life. Temples and historically significant martial places. Whenever possible, what you study is connected to the places and practices where it actually makes sense.
Take the Practice Beyond Technique
Learn how ideas such as balance, attention, resilience, discipline and adaptation show up not only in a stance or form, but in how you meet challenge, make decisions and move through everyday life.
Why it matters
30
Days in China
Do Something That Will Impact You For Years.
Thirty days is long enough to get past the novelty.
- To be challenged.
- To improve.
- To struggle with something and stay with it.
- To discover habits you didn’t know you had.
- To experience discipline, patience, balance and resilience instead of simply hearing about them.
You leave with more than memories of China. You leave with new skills, deeper understanding, a different relationship with your own body and practice — and lessons you can continue to draw from long after the month is over.
The immersion lasts 30 days. What you take from it can last much longer.
Every background welcome
Come With Experience. Or Begin Here.
You do not need the same background as everyone else to get something significant from this month.
If You Already Train
Bring your experience. A month with Shifu gives you time to examine structure, power, timing, application and the details beneath movements you may already know. You are not coming to collect as many forms as possible. You are coming for correction, refinement and another level of understanding.
If Kung Fu Is New To You
Start here. You will learn from the beginning, with proper instruction rather than being expected to somehow arrive knowing what to do. What matters is not your starting ability. It is your willingness to train, learn, be corrected and keep going.
Different starting points. The same opportunity to go deeper.
A day in the immersion
Live a Different Rhythm.
Morning
Wake up in China.
Eat breakfast, then begin the day with Kung Fu.
After training, shift into the ideas surrounding the practice — martial history, philosophy, terminology, health traditions, culture.
Eat lunch. Rest. Recover.
Afternoon & evening
Dinner comes early.
Return to the training ground and work again with what your body is learning.
The evening is yours to recover, reflect, connect with the people around you, or simply let the day settle.
Then you wake up and continue.
The days are structured, but the point is not to fill every hour.
It is to give you something most people rarely get:
time to stay with one experience long enough to see where it can take you.
Who you learn from
Learn From People Who Have Devoted Their Lives To This Work.
Martial Practice & Traditional Transmission
Shifu Shi Yanjun
- 34th-Generation Shaolin Warrior Master
- 17th-Generation Meihua Quan inheritor
- 40+ years of martial practice and teaching
Culture, Philosophy & Traditional Understanding
Dr. Andreea McCurry (Shifu Shi Yanbo)
- Academic, educator and school administrator
- Two Master’s degrees and a PhD
- 14+ years living and working in China
Dr. Andreea McCurry is an academic, educator and longtime administrator of the school who has spent more than 13 years living and working in China. With two Master’s degrees and a PhD, her work brings together science, education, Chinese philosophy, Traditional Chinese Medicine, martial culture and China’s intangible cultural heritage. During the immersion, Andreea helps open the larger world surrounding what you train — connecting physical practice with the history, philosophy, health traditions, cultural knowledge and ways of thinking that shaped it.
Together, Shifu and Andreea allow you to approach Kung Fu from two directions:
Practise it. Understand it.
Your Investment in Transformation
Features
-
Immersive Kung Fu training, Meditation & Authentic Training Experience
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Tea Ceremony & Lectures
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Guidance from Shifu Shi Yanjun, 34th-Generation Shaolin master
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Shared Accommodation
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3 nourishing, freshly prepared meals per day
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Shaolin Grey uniform, T-shirt, trousers, calligraphy set, one weapon, winter monk robe
Payment Option
To secure your place, we offer the following payment options:
1. Initial Deposit:
- A non-refundable initial deposit of €590 is required to confirm your booking.
- This deposit guarantees your place and allows us to finalise arrangements for your stay.
- Payment methods accepted for the deposit: Stripe
Important Information Regarding the Initial Deposit:
- Non-Refundable: Please note that the initial deposit of €590 is non-refundable. This policy is in place due to the costs associated with securing your spot and making necessary arrangements.
- Transferable: We understand that unforeseen circumstances may arise. Therefore, the deposit is transferable to a friend or family member who meets the program requirements. To transfer your deposit, please notify us in writing via email at admin@shaolintemple.com at least 15 days before the retreat start date with the name and contact information of the person to whom you wish to transfer your booking.
2. Final Payment:
- The remaining €1300 of the total program cost is due upon arrival.
- Payment Method: The final payment must be in cash (Chinese Yuan – CNY or USD, Euros, British Pounds).
- Please ensure you have the correct amount prepared before your arrival.
Terms & Conditions
- By making the initial deposit, you agree to the terms and conditions outlined in this payment plan and the registration form.
- Failure to pay the final balance in cash upon arrival may result in cancelling your participation in the program.
Beyond the training hall
China Is Part Of The Experience.
You have travelled all the way to China.
So China should be more than the address of your training school.
Throughout the month, the things you study connect whenever possible to the world around you.
- Drink tea while learning why tea holds such a significant place in Chinese life.
- Use martial terminology you are hearing during training.
- Experience meditation and Chan practice rather than only reading about them.
- Encounter traditional approaches to food, health and recovery while your own body is adapting to daily training.
- Visit temples, villages and places connected to the history and culture you are studying.
- Share meals. Meet people. Notice the rhythms and details of daily life that never make it into a textbook.
*The photos shown on this page were taken during the winter season. The natural surroundings, landscape, vegetation, weather conditions, and overall appearance of the environment may vary depending on the season and the time of your visit.
Kung Fu becomes one of the ways you enter China.
At a glance
The November Immersion
Length
30 days
Location
China
Dates
November 15 – December 13
Group size
~15–20 participants
Experience
Complete beginners to experienced martial artists
Martial training
Led by Shifu Shi Yanjun
Culture & study
Led by Dr. Andreea McCurry (Shifu Shi Yanbo)
Format
Fixed arrival and completion dates
Your days will include traditional martial training, guided cultural and theoretical study, meals, recovery and experiences designed to connect what you are learning with China itself.
Final itinerary, cultural experiences and full practical details will be provided for the November immersion.
Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need Kung Fu or martial arts experience?
No. Complete beginners are welcome. You do not need to arrive knowing forms, terminology or techniques. What matters is that you are prepared to learn, be corrected and participate fully in the month.
What if I already have years of martial arts experience?
You are equally welcome. The training is not built around everyone reaching the same technical level. Shifu can work with what you already bring — refining structure, movement, power, application and the details that become more visible with experience.
How physically demanding is the immersion?
This is an active training experience. Training days currently include approximately four hours of martial practice, divided between morning and afternoon sessions, with time between sessions for study, meals, rest and recovery. The goal is serious, consistent practice — not exhaustion for the sake of proving how hard you can train.
Why 30 days?
Because depth takes time. A month allows training to build progressively: practise something, receive correction, return to it, add another layer and continue from where you left off. It also gives you enough time to settle into the rhythm of living, training and learning in China rather than simply passing through it.
Can I come for part of the immersion?
The Living Kung Fu Immersion is designed as a complete 30-day experience, with fixed arrival and completion dates. Training, study, cultural experiences and the progression of the month are intentionally built to develop together from beginning to end.
If 30 days doesn’t work for you, you can still come train with us in China through our regular training options, which offer more flexibility around the length of your stay. The 30-day immersion is one specific way to experience Living Kung Fu in China — not the only way to come train with us.
How many people will be there?
The immersion is intentionally small, with approximately 15–20 participants.
What does a typical training day include?
Martial training takes place in both the morning and afternoon. Between training sessions, you will also study and experience subjects connected to Living Kung Fu — including martial history and philosophy, Chinese health traditions, terminology, culture and the principles behind what you are practising. Meals, recovery and rest are intentionally part of the rhythm of the day.
Is this a Kung Fu training camp or a cultural retreat?
It is deliberately both — and more connected than that distinction suggests. Kung Fu remains at the centre of the experience. The cultural, philosophical and health components are there to deepen your understanding of what you are training and the tradition it comes from. That is what makes it a Living Kung Fu Immersion.
How do I join?
Places are offered through an application process. Previous martial ability is not the deciding factor. We are looking for people who understand what the month involves and are genuinely ready to participate in the experience.
HOW DO I JOIN?
Places are offered through an application process.
Previous martial ability is not the deciding factor. We are looking for people who understand what the month involves and are genuinely ready to participate in the experience.
Applications close 5 November
Give Yourself 30 Days To Do Something Different.
Come to China.
Train with teachers who have dedicated their lives to the traditions you are entering.
Use your body.
Challenge yourself.
Learn something difficult.
Experience another culture through something deeper than observation.
And give yourself enough time to see what happens when you stop standing outside an experience and actually enter it.