Steve McCurry - Shaolin Monks Training [2004]

Shaolin Monastery, also known as Shaolin Temple, is a renowned monastic institution recognised as the birthplace of Chan Buddhism and the cradle of Shaolin Kung Fu. It is located at the foot of Wuru Peak of the Songshan mountain range in Dengfeng County, Henan Province, China.

 

Shaolin monks may enter the monastery as young as the age of three. Their days are long and filled with extreme mental (chan) and physical (quan) training. They learn how to control an energy force known as “chi” through meditation. It takes discipline and awareness to embody this concept. While Shaolin monks seem to achieve the impossible, they have simply developed their minds and bodies in ways that allow them to perform extraordinary feats of mental and physical strength by tapping into their internal energy and through physical conditioning.

 

[PDNB Gallery, Dallas - Digital C-print on FujiFlex Crystal Archive Supergloss paper. various sizes]

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